Winter TV Roundup, Week 7

 

We’re rapidly approaching the end of February as we’ve cruised through President’s Day Weekend. We’re getting plenty of returning favorites on networks and even a few new shows. What of these new shows is 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:
The New Look, Streaming Wednesdays on Apple TV+ (Premiered February 14)
About: The latest from Apple TV+ looks at the designs of Christian Dior (Ben Mendelsohn) that came to be called the New Look in post-World War II. The pilot picks up years after the war as Dior has become a household name. At the same time, Coco Chanel (Juliette Binoche) is back in France after years away, hoping to resume her work at Chanel to challenge Dior. Soon, we’re taken back to 1943, when France was occupied by the Nazis. Dior is working for designer Lucien Lelong (John Malkovich), who is taking work from German officers and officials. Dior is doing it to support himself and his sister, Catherine (Maisie Williams), who is secretly working for the French Resistance. Chanel has issues and run-ins with the Nazis of her own. The bulk of the first two episodes takes place during German occupation, showing how both Dior and Chanel got through the war. The rest of the 10-episode series will continue that story, pitting the two and their journeys against one another. The first three episodes dropped Wednesday with subsequent episodes dropping weekly. This has a strong cast and a solid look. It gives more information about figures that many might know by name only. I was intrigued by the first two episodes and could see this becoming an engrossing series for Apple TV+.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Fridays:
The Dynasty: The New England Patriots, Streaming Fridays on Apple TV+ (Premiered February 16)
About: The NFL season might be over, but football stories continue for the next five weeks on Apple TV+. The latest unscripted series is a 10-episode look at the New England Patriots. It features in-depth interviews with Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft, among others. The first two episodes dropped Friday, with a mixture of file footage and interviews. The first two episodes focused on the beginning of Brady’s career with the Patriots. I was really taken with the narrative and the interviews. The rest of the 10-episode series, which chronicles the team’s rise and fall, will air in two-episode chunks the next four weeks. For football fans, this will be a can’t miss series. It is well worth checking out.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: B

Sundays:
Tracker, Sundays at 9 p.m. on CBS (Premiered February 11)
About: After getting a post-Super Bowl premier, the new scripted series Tracker settled into its regular timeslot on CBS’ Sunday night lineup this week. Justin Hartley takes the lead as Colter Shaw, who spends his days traveling the country and taking on cases of missing persons where there is a reward. It’s based on the book The Never Game from Jeffrey Deaver. I like Hartley in the lead role and the episodes move at a good pace. We haven’t gotten much from the supporting cast, but there’s also an ongoing mystery that figures to play out over the season. This feels like a potential hit for CBS and is in line with the brand. It’s a good fit for the Sunday night lineup as well.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Streaming Series:
The Vince Staples Show, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered February 15)
About: This limited comedy series dropped on Netflix Thursday. It features five episodes, each less than half an hour. Some are as brief as 20 minutes. This is loosely autobiographical as Staples, himself a rapper, plays a rapper of some renowned. The series tells stories of him and his everyday life in his hometown. The episodes I watched were amusing enough and kind of quirky. They showcase a specific point-of-view and stories. The cast is fine, and Staples makes a decent lead. This will likely speak to some viewers more than others. I didn’t get enough laughs or enough of a sense of where this is going. But it’s only five episodes, clocking in just under two hours, making it a very quick binge for those who are interested.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C