Fall TV Roundup, Week 4

Fall Premier Week is here, so it's time to rejoice as we're about to be immersed in a flood of new content. In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this fall, and there's about to be a LOT more. Get psyched! Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Monday Nights:
Magnum P.I., Mondays at 9 p.m. on CBS (Premiered September 24)
About: I am on record as believing this re-make of the classic series starring Tom Selleck was a mistake. Jay Hernandez is a fine actor with some good roles. But this didn't seem like a good fit or a good idea. Now that I've seen the pilot, I can confidently say it was not a good idea. "Magnum P.I." is a classic, and was a wonderful show that ideally captured its time and offered some wonderful characters. I know CBS is the home of re-makes, and some have been quite good. "Hawaii 5-0" is a show I've watched since the beginning, and one that changed the style and tone of the original to make something that befit the modern era. The problem with this "Magnum" is that it is trying to re-capture the original nearly completely, and it doesn't work. The performances felt forced, as did the story and construct. (It didn't help that CBS gave away the end of the pilot in the ads for the show, as has become their trend of late.) Maybe if I wasn't a fan of the original, I would be able to appreciate what they were trying to do here. But I thought the pilot was dull, and much like I felt about the "MacGyver" re-make, this feels like a mis-step.
Pilot Grade: C-

Manifest, Mondays at 10 p.m. on NBC (Premiered September 24)
About: NBC is taking a big swing with "Manifest," an ambitious sci-fi premise that could be difficult to sustain. In the pilot, a group of people get on a plane coming home from vacation and when they land, five and a half years have passed for the world as three hours and 19 minutes passed for those on the plane. In that time the world has changed. Relationships are no longer viable, apartments and jobs are gone, and the world is a different place. And for one central family, that even means their twins are not separated by five and a half years. And the idea of reuniting after all that time, and of trying to find a new rhythm in life presents fertile emotional ground. So, too, does some of the storylines, including a little boy who was stricken with cancer and given a terminal diagnosis that finds that technology has changed, and his chances of life have improved after being on that flight. And some of the performances were good in the pilot, and some of the raw emotion was good in the pilot. I particularly like Josh Dallas, who plays the father and husband who was separated from his wife and daughter those five and a half years. And I enjoyed his sister, Melissa Roxburgh, who was also on that flight. HOWEVER, and you knew this was coming, I have two long-term concerns. First is how sustainable this idea is over the long haul of a series if they don't lean more into the characters and interpersonal drama. And second, there is an element to the story that includes some kind of supernatural abilities for those that were on the flight that I'm not sure I totally buy into at this point. I will say I was somewhat drawn to the religious inference in the pilot, and I am curious to see how that will play into this story.
Pilot Grade: C+

Wednesday Nights:
American Horror Story: Apocalypse, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on F/X (Premiered September 12)
About: This is the eighth season of "American Horror Story" and each season is different. This one will, at some point, bring together the first season and third season story, but it didn't happen in the first two. (Though, to be fair, rubber man appeared in episode two.) And honestly, I won't be around to see how it comes together. Each season has a different story and slightly different cast. And through two episodes, this apocalypse-themed season hasn't really struck a chord. It's weird and gross and not overly compelling. If you're a fan of the series in general, you can probably see past some of these things. But I have been hit-or-miss on past seasons, and this one isn't one I'll continue through to the end. I was on the fence after one episode, but the second episode was too much.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C-

Thursday Nights:
I Feel Bad, Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. on NBC (Premiered September 19)
About: This is the latest sitcom to join the Must-See TV lineup on NBC on Thursday nights. It comes from producer Amy Poehler, and centers on a working mother (Sarayu Blue) who feels guilty about a lot of things in her life. She is trying to balance time with her husband (Paul Adelstein), her job, her three kids and her parents. The comedy will slot in on Thursday nights beginning on October 4, but NBC aired the first two episodes back-to-back following the "America's Got Talent" finale on Wednesday. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by the pacing and the comedy, and I could see it working well on the night. I liked Blue in the lead role, and I liked Adelstein and what he brought to the story. The interplay between them was the best part, though Blue's workplace scenes worked pretty well, too. I will be interested to see how it continues, but I think there is some potential here. Comedies are tricky and sometimes take a bit of time to balance out, and I saw some corrections even between the pilot and the second episode. But there is something there that can develop.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Streaming Series:
Sorry For Your Loss, Now Streaming on Facebook Watch (Premiered September 18)
About: You know you've reached Peak TV when you have Social Media sites like Facebook producing original content. I was skeptical, but this new series, "Sorry For Your Loss," boasts an impressive cast that is led by Elizabeth Olsen and includes Kelly Marie Tran and Janet McTeer. It's a half hour show, but not a comedy. It's a drama about a young woman dealing with the loss of her husband, while her sister (Tran) tries to recover from addiction, and both are living and working for their mother (McTeer). There are some humorous moments, but also some profound moments. And all of it is anchored by Olsen, who is simply incredible. In fact, as surprised as I was to find original content on Facebook, I was more surprised that this is the best new show I've seen so far this year. The first four episodes dropped last Tuesday, with new ones coming on subsequent Tuesdays. I watched all four, and I was moved by the storytelling and the performances. Tran and McTeer are also quite good. This isn't a conventional place to go for original content, but Facebook seems to have hit something of a home run with this one.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: B

The Good Cop, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered September 21)
About: Netflix had a busy weekend, launching into Fall premier week with a pair of new streaming series of its own. This first one is a procedural, which is something different for the streaming site. It stars Josh Groban as a New York City police detective and Tony Danza as his father, a former detective of some renown who ran afoul of the law, was convicted, served time in prison and is now trying to put his life back together. It comes from Andy Breckman, who did "Monk," and it has a nice easy sense of humor and flows smoothly. I've seen the first six episodes of the 10-episode first season, and I've enjoyed Groban and Danza in the lead roles, and their interplay. Groban is a by-the-book straight arrow, while Danza is a little less conventional. And it works. The supporting cast, which includes cops played by Monica Barbaro and Isiah Whitlock, Jr., are also fun. This isn't a deep or complicated series, but it's an easy watch and it's quite bingeable. It also has plenty of fun guest stars. The first six episodes have featured John Carroll Lynch and Bob Saget. This is something different for Netflix, and I think it works.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Maniac, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered September 21)
About: The other show Netflix dropped on Friday has the higher profile. It stars Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, and comes from Cary Fukunaga, the director responsible for the first season of "True Detective," and Patrick Sommerville, a writer for "The Leftovers." And it certainly wants to hit that prestige sweet spot. It's a unique concept, based on Norweigian show of the same name, set in a future that isn't like ours. Some things are different, but much of the technology feels retro, which is interesting. And it focuses on a couple of broken people who are in a drug trial that may offer a way to set them free, or may further their issues. The drug trial is run by a man trying to make a name for himself (Justin Theroux), who you don't get much of a sense of through two episodes. But you do get a sense of Owen (Hill), who has trouble telling what's real and staying grounded, and also has plenty of pressure from his well-to-do family to help keep his brother out of jail. And you get a sense of Annie (Stone), who is struggling with an addiction to the drug she'll get in the trial as a means of escaping her painful reality. And Stone is quite good in the early two episodes, and the show has a strong visual look that's compelling. I'm not totally sold on the story yet, and I know more of the surrealist part of the series is coming. This is one taking a big swing, and I appreciate the artistry. Through two episodes I didn't have a strong feel for the material, but there is something about it that is compelling enough to try and learn more. And with shorter episodes (some clocking in at under 40 minutes) it's not as big of a time commitment.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+