Summer TV Roundup, Week 13

 

We’re in the Dog Days of summer. The flow of new shows is slowing and likely with the ongoing labor stoppages that will only get worse. But what about the new shows we do have? What’s worth your time to check out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this summer. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks!

Tuesdays:
Justified: City Primeval, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on FX (Premiered July 18)
About: When Justified premiered in 2010, I knew it was destined to become one of my favorites. The seasons it offered, showcasing Timothy Olyphant as Marshal Raylan Givens didn’t disappoint. But it’s been eight years since that show concluded its run. Now, we get a new series featuring Givens based on another of Elmore Leonard’s novels. This time, we pick up 15 years later, with Raylan dealing with his now teenage daughter and a case that takes him from Florida to Detroit. Soon, he’s embroiled in a murder mystery featuring drug dealers, shady lawyers and a dead judge. It’s everything you’ve come to expect from Leonard stories and from this character. Olyphant picks right up and doesn’t miss a beat. This time his foil, played by Boyd Holbrook, is a real piece of work. They only have a few scenes together in the early going but it’s not hard to see this is shaping up to be an epic back-and-forth. If you enjoyed the style and pacing of the original, you’re likely going to be thrilled to see the show back for another run. I loved the two-episode premier, and I can’t wait to see where this goes from here.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: B

Fridays:
Praise Petey, Fridays at 10 p.m. on Freeform (Premiered July 21)
About: This animated series features Annie Murphy as Petey, a New York woman whose life implodes. About the same time, her father leaves her a town, which turns out to be a cult. So, yeah, it’s an interesting set up. The voice cast includes John Cho, Stephen Root and Christine Baranski, among others. The set up was a lot. The story was a lot. And while I know it was meant to be funny, it just didn’t resonate with me. Adult animated series are an acquired taste. I’ve struggled with them in the past. This isn’t a bad idea and it’s fairly well executed, but it just didn’t work for me. The first two episodes premiered Friday with subsequent episodes airing weekly.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

Sundays:
Special Ops: Lioness, Streaming Sundays on Paramount+ (Premiered July 23)
About: Taylor Sheridan has built a TV empire. His latest stars Zoe Saldana as a covert operative trying to balance family life and a demanding job. It’s got action and hardened characters. The first episode lays out the world and introduces you to the characters. The second episode is about deepening the story. The series includes Nicole Kidman and Michael Kelly among the cast, though neither has a big role in the early episodes. This is mostly about Saldana and Laysla De Oliveira, who plays her new recruit Cruz. The episodes run about 40 minutes, moving at a good pace. The first two were released Sunday with subsequent episodes streaming weekly. It’s not my favorite Sheridan pilot, but there’s potential.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+