Fall TV Roundup, Week 3

For people who watch TV like it's their job, last week was Christmas. Below are my recaps of all the new shows. Keep in mind I watch the first and second episode of each new show, offering grades. If you don't see a new show here, check previous weeks. Shows appear according to day of the week (Monday to Sunday) and air time (8 to 10 p.m. EST).

Monday Nights:
Sleepy Hollow, Mondays at 9 p.m. on FOX (Premiered September 17)
"Sleepy Hollow" had one of the most surprisingly strong pilots. I enjoyed it more than I thought, but wondered how it could be sustainable as a series. Episode two did some nice things, and I am still all in on finding out how this works. But I'm still skeptical. The best drama pilot last year was "Last Resort," which also presented challenges as to how it could be sustained. 13 episodes later we discovered it couldn't be. The same could happen here. Still, I like the bones of the show and the two lead performers. This has been a pleasant surprise.
Pilot Grade: B+
Second Episode: B

Mom, Mondays at 9:30 p.m. on CBS (Premiered September 23)
Ugh. There were some early reports this was one of the best comedy pilots of the year. It comes from the Chuck Lorre hit factory — "Big Bang Theory," "Two and a Half Men," "Mike & Molly" — and got the plum "Mike and Molly" time slot. I didn't care for the pilot. There were a few mild chuckles at best, but mostly it felt like people were working too hard. Given that the entire CBS Monday lineup tanked (aside from "How I Met Your Mother") this isn't a great sign. I wanted to like this because of Anna Faris and Alison Janney, but I couldn't. Maybe the second episode will be better.
Pilot Grade: C-

The Blacklist, Mondays at 10 p.m. on NBC (Premiered September 23)
I have seen this pilot twice, and I liked it both times. You have to suspend your disbelief at times here, but James Spader is great in the lead role and Megan Boone is likeable as the female lead. There are procedural elements here, which will help it work as a network series, but there is some character development and the potential for ongoing mystery, which gives you a reason to come back each week. This is the best new show on NBC by far, and I can see this working well as a series.
Pilot Grade: B+

Hostages, Mondays at 10 p.m. on CBS (Premiered September 23)
This is an event series that we know up front is supposed to be just 15 episodes. It has a good cast and strong production values. But I wondered after the pilot how it can be sustained over 15 episodes. But by then I hardly cared. There was nothing done in the pilot to make me care about or invest in the characters. Since the pilot is usually the best swing for all these shows, I see that as a problem. It didn't get good ratings, and I think that it will steadily go down hill from here. I could be wrong, but this seems like a D.O.A. concept.
Pilot Grade: C-

Tuesday Nights:
Dads, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on FOX (Premiered September 17)
The first episode of "Dads" was the worst comedy pilot, and possibly worst pilot, I've seen this year. The second episode was worse. It's offensive, not amusing, and thinks too much of itself. Plus, I find it frightening that this airs at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. in Central and Mountain), a time slot where it's most likely to be seen by children. The second episode's "plot," and I use that term loosely, revolved solely around pot brownies. Ugh... I am most disheartened that this isn't even the lowest rated show on FOX on Tuesday nights. Come on, America...
Pilot Grade: D
Second Episode: F

Marvel's Agents of Shield, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC (Premiered September 24)
If you like the Marvel movies, especially those in the "Avengers" series, then this show was a gift to you. It follows some ancillary characters, but it's still in that world. It's not totally like a Joss Whedon original series, and Marvel is holding the reigns of this cash cow tightly, but there was still a lot to like in the pilot. This will never be the best series on TV, but it's a fun ride. There is plenty of humor, family-friendly action, and some superhero stories. This is a win by any metric.
Pilot grade: B

Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. on FOX (Premiered September 17)
I think this is the best of the new comedies. Andy Samberg remains charming in the lead role, Andre Braugher is a great dramatic foil, and the supporting cast is strong. The second episode was amusing, charming, and delightful. I liked this pilot the best so far, and I've been pleased with how it's developing. This is a win, especially when paired with "New Girl" and "The Mindy Project." I just wish it didn't follow "Dads" and more people watched it. But it's tough when you're going against "Marvel's Agents of Shield" and "NCIS."
Pilot Grade: A-
Second Episode: B+

Lucky 7, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered September 24)
I had a hard time imagining how this could work as a series. It's about a group of gas station employees that hit it big in the lottery. The pilot was well put together, but again I didn't care about the characters. I'm not compelled by the story or any of the characters in it. And since it was a complete flop out of the box in terms of ratings, I'm not alone. Another week like that and this could be the first new show cancelled this season. I guess that's what happens when no one can figure out why a show exists.
Pilot Grade: C-

Wednesday Nights:
Ironside, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on NBC (Premiers October 2)
I reviewed this pilot during my first week of recaps thanks to an early pilot release. It is by-the-numbers and boring. If you like procedurals, though, you will be down with this.
Pilot Grade: C

Thursday Nights:
Welcome to the Family, Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. on NBC (Premiers October 3)
Again, I reviewed this thanks to an early release pilot. It officially premiers on Thursday night. It has a good cast, but not much in the way of laughs. There was little here to latch on to.
Pilot Grade: C-

The Crazy Ones, Thursdays at 9 p.m. on CBS (Premiered September 26)
This is the big return to TV for Robin Williams, and also co-stars Sarah Michelle Gellar. Both are talented, and producer/creator David E. Kelley has long been a hit-maker on TV. I wanted to like this pilot, and I thought it was OK. But it felt like a condensed drama. It doesn't really feel like a sitcom, even though it desperately wants you to believe that it is. The pilot wasn't bad, it just wasn't all that funny or compelling.
Pilot Grade: C

The Michael J. Fox Show, Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. on NBC (Premiered September 26)
This is another pilot I wanted to like. NBC actually aired the first two episodes of the show on Thursday night. Fox is a winning actor, and it's great to have him back on TV, but this show was a little boring. Both episodes were mildly amusing — though I think the best part is the lines given to Wendell Pierce as Fox's boss at the news station. I didn't dislike the show, I just thought it would be better. I also thought the ratings would be bigger, but they weren't. This feels retro but not in a good way. It's fine family entertainment, but it needs to generate more story and more laughs. It will have time to find its way — as NBC has already promised to air 22 episodes —  but right now it isn't there.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Sunday Nights:
Masters of Sex, Sundays at 10 p.m. on Showtime (Premiered September 29)
Sunday night is considered a prestige TV night for the cable outlets. With "Dexter" now gone, Showtime is looking for its next great series to pair with "Homeland." It's trying to get that with "Masters of Sex," a new series that's based on the research done by Dr. William Masters and his partner Virginia Johnson. The show is all about sex, and features plenty of sex and nudity, but it's got a more scientific bent. As the titular researchers, Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan are great in the lead roles. What they were doing was edgy because of the time they were doing it — in 1956 at the University of Washington in St. Louis. But they weren't trying to be tawdry, and neither is the show. The pilot episode did a great job of setting the stage, introducing the characters, and creating interest. I am excited and curious to see where the show goes from here. Unlike Showtime's other new show this year — "Ray Donovan" — this actually seems like a series worth investing in.
Pilot Grade: B

Betrayal, Sundays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered September 29)
ABC has sought for two years to find a show to pair with "Revenge" to offer soapy fun on Sunday nights. Last year it went supernatural — with "666 Park Avenue" — and super boring — with "Red Widow" — but couldn't find a good pairing. With "Betrayal" they aren't trying to find a companion so much as a clone. This time a murder mystery with adultery. The show is lame, the characters aren't compelling, and the premise feels icky. After what felt like the longest hour in the free world, I couldn't imagine why I would care or root for anyone in this show. And that's a problem. I thought "Revenge" was fascinating during its first season before careening off the rails. This isn't even interesting in the first hour. Were it not for "Dads," this would be the worst new show I saw this season.
Pilot Grade: D

Hello Ladies, Sundays at 10:30 p.m. on HBO (Premiered September 29)
I wanted to like "Hello Ladies," the latest HBO comedy from Stephen Merchant — co-creator of the original "Office." Merchant can be an amusing performer, I just didn't buy into what this show was selling. It was trying too hard, the characters weren't appealing, and the jokes didn't come fast enough. This show was boring, and I have trouble seeing how it grows from here despite the talent involved in the production. Considering this show is trying to gain ground on a crowded Sunday night landscape, I don't think that's a good sign.
Pilot Grade: C-