Summer TV Roundup, Week 8
We're nearing July, the temperatures are hot and the flood of content hasn't slowed. If anything, it's remained steady and even ticked up. So get out there and give some of the (good) ones a try. In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series (and the occasional unscripted series) this summer. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.
Monday Nights:
Years and Years, Mondays at 9 p.m. on HBO (Premiered June 24)
About: This six-episode series first aired in England and now comes to HBO in the United States. HBO has been working on increasing its original programming to Monday nights, and did so very successfully with "Chernobyl" and others beginning in May. Now they hope "Years and Years," from Russell T. Davies, will provide the same kind of boon. And it has an interesting concept, tracing one family's journey through a possible future, and at least one big name in Emma Thompson, who appears as a political candidate on the periphery of it all. The first episode begins in 2019 and introduces the characters before quickly morphing to 2024, five years in the future, where Donald Trump is finishing his second term and the world is in a dark place. This has elements of technology and a dim view of the future that are hallmarks of the cautionary nature of "Black Mirror," but this is aimed at being more personal and more focused on political issues, including what appears to be the start of a nuclear war by the end of the premier episode. I thought the performances were solid, but the content was tough to sit through. The episode wasn't overly optimistic and presented a sort of dim view of the world. I'll be curious to see how that morphs, or if it does, in episode two.
Pilot Grade: C
Years and Years, Mondays at 9 p.m. on HBO (Premiered June 24)
About: This six-episode series first aired in England and now comes to HBO in the United States. HBO has been working on increasing its original programming to Monday nights, and did so very successfully with "Chernobyl" and others beginning in May. Now they hope "Years and Years," from Russell T. Davies, will provide the same kind of boon. And it has an interesting concept, tracing one family's journey through a possible future, and at least one big name in Emma Thompson, who appears as a political candidate on the periphery of it all. The first episode begins in 2019 and introduces the characters before quickly morphing to 2024, five years in the future, where Donald Trump is finishing his second term and the world is in a dark place. This has elements of technology and a dim view of the future that are hallmarks of the cautionary nature of "Black Mirror," but this is aimed at being more personal and more focused on political issues, including what appears to be the start of a nuclear war by the end of the premier episode. I thought the performances were solid, but the content was tough to sit through. The episode wasn't overly optimistic and presented a sort of dim view of the world. I'll be curious to see how that morphs, or if it does, in episode two.
Pilot Grade: C
Grand Hotel, Mondays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered June 17)
About: Soapy dramas during the Summer are a staple of the ABC arsenal, and this new one in "Grand Hotel" fits the bill, and works well as a companion to "The Bachelor" on Monday nights. The series, based on a show of the same name in Spain, features Demian Bichir and Roselyn Sanchez as a married couple running the last family-owned hotel in Miami. There is plenty of drama in the set up, most of which was eluded to in the pilot. There's a missing girl, a surprise pregnancy, issues with money and shady lenders, and the struggle of combining a blended family with very different aspirations. I liked the performances and thought the tone of the pilot worked well for the network and the night. I thought the same of episode two, as each of those stories was more explored and more of the dynamics of the characters are starting to come into view. For those looking to fill that soapy hole on Monday nights, ABC feels like they nailed it with "Grand Hotel."
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-
About: Soapy dramas during the Summer are a staple of the ABC arsenal, and this new one in "Grand Hotel" fits the bill, and works well as a companion to "The Bachelor" on Monday nights. The series, based on a show of the same name in Spain, features Demian Bichir and Roselyn Sanchez as a married couple running the last family-owned hotel in Miami. There is plenty of drama in the set up, most of which was eluded to in the pilot. There's a missing girl, a surprise pregnancy, issues with money and shady lenders, and the struggle of combining a blended family with very different aspirations. I liked the performances and thought the tone of the pilot worked well for the network and the night. I thought the same of episode two, as each of those stories was more explored and more of the dynamics of the characters are starting to come into view. For those looking to fill that soapy hole on Monday nights, ABC feels like they nailed it with "Grand Hotel."
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-
Tuesday Nights:
Ambitions, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on OWN (Premiered June 18)
About: The latest drama on OWN is about lawyers and politicians, shady dealings and family squabbles set against the backdrop of Atlanta. Robin Givens and Brian White headline the cast, which also includes Brian Bosworth in a pitch perfect role as a smarmy lawyer, and focuses on power squabbles among a couple families, and the new lawyers caught in the middle. It played out about as expected in the pilot, though nothing about the story or characters was overly compelling. It feels like it fits the network brand, so it will likely appeal to fans of the network and it's style of programming.
Pilot Grade: C-
Ambitions, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on OWN (Premiered June 18)
About: The latest drama on OWN is about lawyers and politicians, shady dealings and family squabbles set against the backdrop of Atlanta. Robin Givens and Brian White headline the cast, which also includes Brian Bosworth in a pitch perfect role as a smarmy lawyer, and focuses on power squabbles among a couple families, and the new lawyers caught in the middle. It played out about as expected in the pilot, though nothing about the story or characters was overly compelling. It feels like it fits the network brand, so it will likely appeal to fans of the network and it's style of programming.
Pilot Grade: C-
Thursday Nights:
Reef Break, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered June 20)
About: The latest ABC drama, this one about a criminal turned detective (Poppy Montgomery) on a touristy tropical island, feels like the kind of light-hearted content that is perfect for the summer, especially with ABC trying to turn the night into some light-hearted fun with reality shows like "Holey Moley" and "Family Food Fight" on the air. The pilot was light and airy, and Montgomery is charismatic as a lead. She's probably better than this show deserves, but that might make it watchable as a diversion this summer. In short, this is the fun vibe I was hoping from other network offerings like "Blood & Treasure" that I didn't get. It's not appointment viewing, but it is entertaining.
Pilot Grade: C+
Reef Break, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered June 20)
About: The latest ABC drama, this one about a criminal turned detective (Poppy Montgomery) on a touristy tropical island, feels like the kind of light-hearted content that is perfect for the summer, especially with ABC trying to turn the night into some light-hearted fun with reality shows like "Holey Moley" and "Family Food Fight" on the air. The pilot was light and airy, and Montgomery is charismatic as a lead. She's probably better than this show deserves, but that might make it watchable as a diversion this summer. In short, this is the fun vibe I was hoping from other network offerings like "Blood & Treasure" that I didn't get. It's not appointment viewing, but it is entertaining.
Pilot Grade: C+
Friday Nights:
MotherFatherSon, Fridays at 10 p.m. on Starz (Premiered June 21)
About: This latest series on Fridays on Starz comes from England, where it already aired. It stars Richard Gere and Helen McCrory as a divorced couple who are forced to come together when their adult son suffers a stroke. Max (Gere) is an American media mogul, and Kathryn (McCrory) was his wife, a former journalist. As the story picks up their living separate lives while their son, Caden (Billy Howle), works for his father. When he has a stroke and is in bad shape, they come together and soon we start seeing some of the past of their relationship and why their marriage didn't last. Now they are also set against each other again in trying to discern what's best for their son's future. Gere and McCrory are talented actors, and there's the bones of a somewhat interesting story here. But I wasn't really taken with the pilot, nor the second episode (the entire season is available to stream on the app though it will air weekly on Friday nights). This is a time of year when it's fairly easy to pick up new shows that spark an interest because there are fewer options. This was OK, but didn't stand out as compelling for me. But it feels like a more adult kind of series that strays away from the brand that people think of with Starz, which could be a good thing for the network.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C
MotherFatherSon, Fridays at 10 p.m. on Starz (Premiered June 21)
About: This latest series on Fridays on Starz comes from England, where it already aired. It stars Richard Gere and Helen McCrory as a divorced couple who are forced to come together when their adult son suffers a stroke. Max (Gere) is an American media mogul, and Kathryn (McCrory) was his wife, a former journalist. As the story picks up their living separate lives while their son, Caden (Billy Howle), works for his father. When he has a stroke and is in bad shape, they come together and soon we start seeing some of the past of their relationship and why their marriage didn't last. Now they are also set against each other again in trying to discern what's best for their son's future. Gere and McCrory are talented actors, and there's the bones of a somewhat interesting story here. But I wasn't really taken with the pilot, nor the second episode (the entire season is available to stream on the app though it will air weekly on Friday nights). This is a time of year when it's fairly easy to pick up new shows that spark an interest because there are fewer options. This was OK, but didn't stand out as compelling for me. But it feels like a more adult kind of series that strays away from the brand that people think of with Starz, which could be a good thing for the network.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C
Los Espookys, Fridays at 11 p.m. on HBO (Premiered June 14)
About: This half hour comedy is mostly in Spanish with subtitles, and focuses on a group of friends that are getting a business off the ground in creating scares. I thought the first two episodes were clever and had decent enough stories and characters, but this comes down to a matter of preference. It's not a subject matter or style of humor that has a great appeal for me, and late night on Fridays doesn't seem like a prime time slot. There is an audience that will enjoy this series, and I think it's well made, but it feels like some more niche programming and I'm not in the niche.
Pilot Grade: C
About: This half hour comedy is mostly in Spanish with subtitles, and focuses on a group of friends that are getting a business off the ground in creating scares. I thought the first two episodes were clever and had decent enough stories and characters, but this comes down to a matter of preference. It's not a subject matter or style of humor that has a great appeal for me, and late night on Fridays doesn't seem like a prime time slot. There is an audience that will enjoy this series, and I think it's well made, but it feels like some more niche programming and I'm not in the niche.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C
Sunday Nights:
City on a Hill, Sundays at 9 p.m. on Showtime (Premiered June 16)
About: This crime drama set in 1990s Boston has an impressive pedigree in the production team (including executive producers Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) and in front of the camera (led by Kevin Bacon), and it has some potential. It's about a corrupt FBI agent (Bacon) and a crusading prosecutor (Aldis Hodge) coming together to hunt a gang of armored car thieves, led by Jonathan Tucker. The pilot was moody and set the story. I thought the second episode, but comparison, was slow and detracted from my interest. There's some potential here, but this has been a mixed bag so far. The performances are good, but the story isn't always a grabber. If you like the idea and the format, you might be more inclined to give it a bit more runway to see where it goes. But after a soft second episode, I wouldn't blame anyone who jumps out.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C
City on a Hill, Sundays at 9 p.m. on Showtime (Premiered June 16)
About: This crime drama set in 1990s Boston has an impressive pedigree in the production team (including executive producers Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) and in front of the camera (led by Kevin Bacon), and it has some potential. It's about a corrupt FBI agent (Bacon) and a crusading prosecutor (Aldis Hodge) coming together to hunt a gang of armored car thieves, led by Jonathan Tucker. The pilot was moody and set the story. I thought the second episode, but comparison, was slow and detracted from my interest. There's some potential here, but this has been a mixed bag so far. The performances are good, but the story isn't always a grabber. If you like the idea and the format, you might be more inclined to give it a bit more runway to see where it goes. But after a soft second episode, I wouldn't blame anyone who jumps out.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C
Euphoria, Sundays at 10 p.m. on HBO (Premiered June 16)
About: HBO is taking a big swing with this series, adapted from an Israeli drama of the same name. It has a big time cast but a really edgy plot that is done in a very edgy fashion. Your interest in this series is really going to depend on your tolerance for the way the content is presented. Mine isn't high. I thought the visuals were, at times, quite captivating and the actors are quite good, especially Zendaya. But the pilot was very difficult to watch and the second episode is arguably even more unsettling. For me, there's not compelling reason to stick with the narrative.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C
About: HBO is taking a big swing with this series, adapted from an Israeli drama of the same name. It has a big time cast but a really edgy plot that is done in a very edgy fashion. Your interest in this series is really going to depend on your tolerance for the way the content is presented. Mine isn't high. I thought the visuals were, at times, quite captivating and the actors are quite good, especially Zendaya. But the pilot was very difficult to watch and the second episode is arguably even more unsettling. For me, there's not compelling reason to stick with the narrative.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C
Streaming Series:
Mr. Iglesias, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered June 21)
About: The Netflix original content engine never stops, and last week it churned out its latest new release, a sitcom starring Gabriel Iglesias as a high school history teacher in Long Beach. The traditional half hour sitcom feels like something you would have seen on a network in eras past. It's light and fun, a mixture of stories about students and fellow teachers, all anchored with Iglesias unique talent and brand of humor. The 10-episode season flows smoothly (I actually watched the whole thing over the course of a couple airings this weekend), and it's a lot of harmless fun. The supporting cast includes good work from Sherri Shepherd, Oscar Nunez, Jacob Vargas and Maggie Geha. It isn't incredible different or original, but it's entertaining and the kind of family-friendly comedy and series I'd like to see get a second season.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-
Mr. Iglesias, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered June 21)
About: The Netflix original content engine never stops, and last week it churned out its latest new release, a sitcom starring Gabriel Iglesias as a high school history teacher in Long Beach. The traditional half hour sitcom feels like something you would have seen on a network in eras past. It's light and fun, a mixture of stories about students and fellow teachers, all anchored with Iglesias unique talent and brand of humor. The 10-episode season flows smoothly (I actually watched the whole thing over the course of a couple airings this weekend), and it's a lot of harmless fun. The supporting cast includes good work from Sherri Shepherd, Oscar Nunez, Jacob Vargas and Maggie Geha. It isn't incredible different or original, but it's entertaining and the kind of family-friendly comedy and series I'd like to see get a second season.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-
The Bravest Knight, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered June 21)
About: In time for Pride Month comes this latest animated series from Hulu, which features an LGBTQ-friendly take on the typical knights and castles tale. It's based on the book "The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived," and the first chunk of a season features five episodes all around 12 minutes a piece. The series serves as a sort of sequel to the book and features a talented voice cast led by T.R. Knight and RuPaul. The animation and stories aren't that complex or ground-breaking, but the take on the family being depicted is, which is likely what has helped it draw attention from a number of media sites.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C
About: In time for Pride Month comes this latest animated series from Hulu, which features an LGBTQ-friendly take on the typical knights and castles tale. It's based on the book "The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived," and the first chunk of a season features five episodes all around 12 minutes a piece. The series serves as a sort of sequel to the book and features a talented voice cast led by T.R. Knight and RuPaul. The animation and stories aren't that complex or ground-breaking, but the take on the family being depicted is, which is likely what has helped it draw attention from a number of media sites.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C
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