Fall TV Roundup, Week 3


We are now in week three of the new fall season, with more shows bowing this week and even more shows exploding onto the scene Monday. As always, shows are listed by day of the week and time. All times are Mountain Standard Time.

Monday Nights:
The Mob Doctor, 8 p.m. on FOX
This show has been criticized for having a dumb name. And, yes, the name is too on the nose. But that's not the worst thing about this show, sadly. It has a good cast — led by Jordanna Spiro, Zach Gilford, and William Forsythe — but, well, ugh. The action wasn't that compelling. The story telling wasn't that compelling. The characters, in addition to having little chemistry, weren't that compelling. The question is what is the over riding motivation to tune in each week? There doesn't seem to be one. The show wasn't edgy or tension building. There seemed to be little mystery to what would happen in terms of the larger narrative. And it leaves plenty of questions regarding how, exactly, this is going to work on an ongoing basis. Judging by the paltry numbers from Monday, I'm not the only one with questions. I don't see this show working long-term.
Pilot Grade: C

Revolution, 9 p.m. on NBC
I reviewed this two weeks ago thanks to NBC's decision to release the pilot early online. While I still think some of the performances are weak and there are plenty of questions about the premise, I still think the show has promise. NBC is replaying the pilot episode this weekend, and the second episode airs on Monday night. I am not totally sold yet, but I want to see where this is going.
Pilot Grade: B

Thursday Nights:
Last Resort, 7 p.m. on ABC
ABC has given the pilot an early release via Hulu. The show officially premiers on Sept. 27, but the pilot is available in full online now. Heading into the new fall season, it was my impression this was the most interesting and promising new show. Having seen the pilot, I can confirm that this was exceptional. The show has a great cast — led by Andre Braugher and Scott Speedman — and a fascinating premise. I don't know for sure how this story is sustained over multiple seasons, but the pilot does an incredible job of laying out the characters, the premise, and setting up several different directions it can go in. This is easily the best pilot I've seen this year, and possibly the best pilot I've seen in the past couple years. I am really excited to see where this show goes, and I hope it finds an audience.
Pilot Grade: A

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