Winter TV Roundup, Week 15

As we turn the page to April, we are still seeing some interesting streaming options and even some new network shows. But which are worth your time checking out? Let's investigate. In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this winter/spring. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Thursday Nights:
Broke, Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. on CBS (Premiered April 2)
About: CBS launched three new comedies in the Fall, and all of them seemed to do pretty well. But with "The Unicorn" and "Carol's Second Act" wrapping up early, there is time to embrace returning shows like "Man With A Plan" and new ones like "Broke." Well, if you were hoping to get something engaging, this sadly won't be it. This is the second new comedy this Spring that focuses on a couple who used to have money that went broke and have to move in with family. The first, "Indebted" on NBC, was about the worst comedy I've seen this year. That was until "Broke," which features a similar plot, a less high profile cast, and worse jokes, which I didn't think was possible. And yet, this was a train wreck. I won't belabor a review since there isn't much to talk about, but suffice to say this is a skip.
Pilot: D-

Sunday Nights:
World on Fire, Sundays at 10 p.m. on PBS (Premiered April 5)
About: This series premiered on PBS and is an import from England, where it aired last year. It focuses on a group in Europe as World War II begins. The premier episode took place in England and Poland, just as the Nazis invaded. The cast includes high profile performers like Helen Hunt, playing an American journalist abroad, and Sean Bean. It had decent characters and action in the first episode, and doubtless it's going to tell a story that will be compelling, especially in these hard times. We never seem to tire of World War II tales, and this one seems well made with a strong cast.
Pilot Grade: B

Streaming Series:
Home Before Dark, Now Streaming on Apple TV+ (Premiered April 3)
About: This latest series from Apple TV+ is about a young reporter (Brooklynn Prince) who moves to her father's childhood home from New York and discovers a murder and conspiracy that she begins to investigate. That uncovers a secret from her father's (Jim Sturgess) past, one that caused him to leave town and stay away until now. There has been some comparison here to "Veronica Mars," and that makes sense. This is about a young girl who is a good investigator and dogged in her pursuit of the truth. But this isn't quite as edgy, and certainly not as funny as "Veronica Mars." It seems like it wants to play well to younger audiences, but the subject matter is a bit more advanced. I liked the first couple episodes, and I think it could potentially be an interesting series. So far it's one of the more interesting ones I've found on Apple TV+.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C+

Tales From the Loop, Now Streaming on Amazon Prime (Premiered April 3)
About: This latest entry from Amazon Prime is an anthology series of sorts, set in the same town at the same time with characters that overlap but, at least from view of the first two episodes, stand alone stories. They are set in the near future, and deal a lot with technology. The thing is, that set up isn't unique any more. We have a lot of these kind of stories, there was even one I found more compelling on Amazon called "Electric Dreams." I know these stories were inspired by the paintings of Simon Stålenhag, and that is the unique hitch here, but the first couple of episodes I watched were a little dry. While I was mildly curious about how they'll all interconnect at the end, it wasn't enough to keep me invested in the episodes. The first season is eight episodes, each about an hour. There are some creative visuals, and if you're a big fan of the genre it might hold your attention, but for me it felt like a bit of a miss.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

The Big Show Show, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered April 6)
About: This latest family comedy from Netflix features a pretty familiar set up of parents and kids and finding a rhythm. The big hook here is that it's led by Paul Wright, better known as The Big Show from the world of professional wrestling. It finds The Big Show recently retired, and adjusting to life as a dad. He lives with his wife and two daughters, when the life adjusts even more as his oldest daughter comes to live with the family. The episodes are around a half hour and family friendly. There was time when a show like this would live in a Friday night comedy block on ABC, and it feels like a familiar kind of series, adding to the appeal for Netflix. But it didn't have enough of a hook for me. The episodes were pleasant but not overly memorable. Not being a big wrestling fan, I didn't have that hook, either. There is an audience for this, but it wasn't me.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C