Winter TV Roundup, Week 4

We’ve come to the end of January, which has produced a number of high-profile releases. But which of these new shows are worth your time? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Winter. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Wednesdays:
Wild Cards, Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW (Premiered January 17)
About: This new series for The CW focuses on a mismatched pair of partners. Cole Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti) is a veteran detective accused of something he didn’t do that caused him to lose his position. Max Mitchell (Vanessa Morgan) is a skilled thief who got caught but has a way out plying her skills for the police. Cole and Max are partnered in the pilot, and the series is about them bringing their unique set of skills together to solve crimes. It’s a simple set up that leads to a light and breezy series. This feels like the kind of classic series that we’ve seen from The CW over the years. There’s a good cast and a decent sense of humor here, too. I enjoyed the set up and the series. It’s good popcorn television and worth checking out for a little fun.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Thursdays:
Sexy Beast, Streaming Thursdays on Paramount+ (Premiered January 25)
About: Based on the characters from the 2000 film by Jonathan Glazer, this is a prequel series. It shows how the characters from the film—Gal (James McArdle), Don (Emun Elliott), gangster Teddy (Stephen Moyer) and porn star Deedee (Sarah Greene)—first got together. It takes the action back to London, where Gal and Don are up-and-coming criminals who land in the orbit of Teddy. Along the way, Gal meets Deedee and falls for her. The first three episodes of the eight-episode series are now streaming, with subsequent episodes dropping weekly. It’s brash, violent and features some over-the-top sexual content. Fans of the film will likely be interested in this origin story. Those who are just approaching it for the first time might be engaged by the crime element, but this is definitely a rough watch at times. Ultimately, it wasn’t for me. But if you like a hard-bitten crime drama, it might appeal to you.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C-

Fridays:
Expats, Streaming Fridays on Prime Video (Premiered January 26)
About: The latest from Prime Video is a series from director Lulu Wang based on the novel from Janice Lee. It stars Nicole Kidman and Sarayu Blue, among others, as expats living in Hong Kong. It focuses on their personal and professional lives, and the tragedies and failures that alter the course of events. I thought the opening to the pilot was stunning in the way it set the table, but the rest of the two-episode premier only occasionally reached that level. The performances are fine, and Wang does a nice job crafting the overall look, but the narrative was at times quite dry. It’s a six-episode series, with episodes airing weekly. It’s not a big commitment, but your interest will vary based on how you click with the story.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Masters of the Air, Streaming Fridays on Apple TV+ (Premiered January 26)
About: This is the third part of the World War II miniseries set from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Previously we got Band of Brothers and The Pacific, both of which were 10-episode series that aired on HBO. This third miniseries focuses on the Army Air Corps fighting in Europe. It’s a nine-episode series, done in the same style, featuring a cast that includes Austin Butler, Barry Keoghan and Callum Turner, among others. The first two episodes dropped Friday with the rest dropping weekly. The series has a beautiful look and craft. The drama is meant to be a bit stirring as well. The characters don’t pop as much as earlier series, nor did the action of the early episodes hit as hard. Still, this is a high-profile series that is a big swing and a solid addition to the Apple TV+ lineup. For fans of the other series, this will be can’t miss. For those looking for a solid WWII drama, this should hit the sweet spot as well.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

Sundays:
Woman in the Wall, Sundays at 10 p.m. on Showtime (Premiered January 21)
About: This Showtime series was co-created by the BBC, where it aired in August. It’s a six-episode limited series based on the darker elements of history and the Catholic Church in Ireland. Ruth Wilson plays a woman who was a victim of the “Laundries,” a place where young women who were unmarried and pregnant found themselves. She’s still trying to pick up the pieces of her tattered life. When a priest connected to them and a nun turn up dead, it sparks an investigation, and leads Lorna (Wilson) to wonder if she might be partially responsible. A detective from the city (Daryl McCormack) shows up to investigate and begins to open old wounds that never healed. The cast is solid, and the performances work here. But this is a dark story that moves at a slow burn, particularly as it concerns some of the supernatural elements. It’s a six-episode series, so it’s not a long commitment. But it’s a bit slow and takes some work to get into the story. That might not be worth the effort given the plethora of other options.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Streaming Series:
In the Know, Streaming on Peacock (Premiered January 25)
About: This new series is a hybrid of live action and Claymation. Yes, that’s as unique as it sounds. Zach Woods voices Lauren Caspian, the third most popular host on NPR. Each episode he interviews guests for his radio show, which the rest of the episodes, each about 25 minutes, focus on the happenings at the station. It’s a quirky set up and a quirky kind of comedy. That being said, Woods does a nice job voicing the lead role. The first season is six episodes, all now available to stream. It’s a quick binge for those looking for something a little different. The episodes were a bit too eclectic for me. Others might take to the unique style and comedy a bit more strongly.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Griselda, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered January 25)
About: The latest form Netflix is a hard-bitten crime saga about a true-life figure—Griselda Blanco (Sofia Vergara)—who escapes a bad marriage and moves with her children to Miami. There, she sets up a drug empire to provide a new life for her family. The series is based on true events and has drawn the ire of the family involved. As for the show itself, it’s an eight-episode limited series. Each episode is about 50 minutes, and all are available to stream now. Vergara does a nice job in the lead role, playing a character that feels a bit different than the other things she’s done. The episodes moved at a decent pace, with the early two showing how she escaped to Miami and began setting up her empire. Fans of crime dramas will likely be interested in seeing this through.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C