Winter TV Roundup, Week 8

Meteorological Spring begins on March 1, which is Friday. So while we're in the grip of winter in most spots still, there is a light on the horizon. In the mean time, the flood of original content continues, giving you plenty to watch while you're inside keeping warm and out of the snow. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this winter. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Monday Nights:
The Enemy Within, Mondays at 10 p.m. on NBC (Premiered February 25)
About: This latest series is a crime drama with a twist. Erica Shepherd (Jennifer Carpenter) was a decorated CIA Agent who turned traitor. She helped a terrorist kill four CIA Agents and continue his reign of terror until she was apprehended by a task force led by FBI Agent Will Keaton (Morris Chestnut). Three years later, that terrorist is still on the loose, and Keaton is forced to turn to Erica for help, despite the fact one of her victims was his fiance. The truth of how and why she turned remains a mystery, but can these unlikely partners actually help safeguard the world? That's the set up for this series, and it's a compelling one (at times) in the pilot hour. There are questions about how it works as a long-term series, but for now there was enough here that I'm intrigued. That is thanks in part to Carpenter, who has done well in a leading role on shows like "Dexter" and "Limitless" where she played the dutiful agent or police officer. This time she's the criminal, or is she. Carpenter does well with showcasing a range of emotions and feeling through expressions, and can dial up a compelling intensity when needed. Those are all gifts that serve her and this show well in the pilot. This could be compelling enough to be a modest hit for NBC in the time slot.
Pilot Grade: B-

Tuesday Nights:
Miracle Workers, Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. on TBS (Premiered February 12)
About: This latest comedy centers on a behind the scenes look at Heaven. God (Steve Buscemi) has grown weary of his creation and makes plans to blow up the Earth. That is until a pair of employees from the department of answered prayer, Craig (Daniel Radcliffe) and Eliza (Geraldine Viswanathan) make a bet that they can get a pair of people to fall in love in two weeks, answering both their impossible prayers. God agrees and the race is on to save humanity by helping two crazy kids fall in love. Sounds simple enough, but as God notes in the pilot it's the most impossible prayer in the book. In the second episode, we see Craig and Eliza set about the work of accomplishing it. I thought the pilot had a certain fun and charm that pulled me in. The second episode, by comparison, was a little dryer. I still think this could be some fun, and it's only a seven-episode commitment, but the second episode felt like a bit of a fall off. Despite that, I like Buscemi as God, and Karan Soni is quite funny as his assistant. But the sub plot was a little more engaging than the main story, and that could be a problem.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C

Wednesday Nights:
Whiskey Cavalier, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiers February 27)
About: This latest drama from ABC officially premiers on Wednesday, but the pilot ran on Sunday night after the Academy Awards. It's one of the most anticipated new series of the winter/spring, and the pilot was a lot of fun. It also feels like a bit of a throwback series. It focuses on FBI agent Will Chase (Scott Foley), who recently went through a break up and is feeling a little raw. He is sent to capture a hacker and there crosses paths with CIA Agent Frankie Trowbridge (Lauren Cohan), who is one of the best in the business. They spare and clash, and find that they actually work well together. And by the end of the pilot, they're tapped to lead an inter-agency task force, which is the set up for the series. This is one that rises and falls not based on the plot but on the chemistry of Foley and Cohan, and so far it's pretty good. I enjoyed the pace of the pilot, and the back-and-forth and the frothy kind of action. As someone who was a big fan of "Chuck," this show feels like it fits a nice niche that isn't common on TV right now. I look forward to seeing how it progresses.
Pilot Grade: B+

Thursday Nights:
Flack, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on POP (Premiered February 21)
About: This latest series from POP is a co-production from across the pond. Anna Paquin stars as Robyn, a PR Flack for a large firm in London. Paquin, who also produces the series, is an American who moved to England for a life re-boot as she has some issues. Her sister, Ruth (Genevieve Angelson), lives there with her family, too, and they both try to support each other. Robyn is a bit of a mess as a person, but she's great at her job, something that hasn't escaped the notice of her boss, Caroline (Sophie Okonedo). She's given the task of helping solve whatever crisis pops up for their clients, and spinning it into gold. The first episode (it's a six-episode season) introduced the players and the world, and gave a sense of the feel for the show. It wants to be dramatic, but also provide some comedic interludes. Paquin is a gifted lead, but your interest in this series may hinge on your interest in the world. Mine wasn't high after the pilot, but I'm curious to see if the second episode builds a more compelling world.
Pilot Grade: C

Friday Nights:
Proven Innocent, Fridays at 9 p.m. on FOX (Premiered February 15)
About: This latest FOX drama is about a lawyer (Rachelle Lefevre) who was wrongly convicted and set free. Now she and her partner work to save others from similar wrongful convictions. And, she also seeks to damage the reputation of the man (Kelsey Grammar) who put her in prison. And, if there's time, solve the mystery of who really killed her best friend, a crime for which she was put away. The pilot introduced all the characters and the world, and a potential case-of-the-week format. It was flawed, but I thought there was some potential. However, the second episode seemed to veer away from the things I found interesting toward more of an adversarial format between Lefevre and Grammar, and I'm not sure that's as interesting. People being wrongly convicted of crimes is a real problem in our legal system, and one worth exploring. But not all cases are malicious, as seems to be the indication in this series. That was less interesting to me, and less of a series I'd want to invest in. As this was dumped on Friday nights, I'm not sure it's long for the air anyway.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C-

Streaming Series:
Workin' Moms, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered February 22)
About: This latest Netflix series is one brought in from Canada, where it debuted in 2017 and is already on season three. It comes from creator/star Catherine Reitman, daughter of Ivan Reitman, and focuses on four mothers in their 30s who try to balance their lives and work demands with motherhood. The first season, 13 episodes, is now available on Netflix. It moves at a decent pace, and has some funny moments. For those who are fans of this type of sitcom and point-of-view it will likely work pretty well. I thought the first two episodes I watched were OK, but it wasn't exactly my style. That being said, I thought Reitman made for a compelling lead, and this seemed like a nice addition to the Netflix library.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C