Summer TV Roundup, Week 6

In these weekly posts I review the new shows this summer. I offer a grade for the pilot and second episode of each new show. If you don't see a new show below, check previous weeks!

Monday Nights:
Murder in the First, Mondays at 10 p.m. on TNT
About: This show — from Steven Bochco — is another in a long line of shows dedicating an entire season to a single crime. So far, through two episodes, the case remains murky — as does the pool of suspects. The show's not awful, just a bit confusing. Usually to make these shows work, some time is spent investing in the personalities — and personal lives — of the detectives. That's the case here, too, but the personal stories of the principle investigators adds little to the narrative to this point. Similarly, Tom Felton — of "Harry Potter" fame — hasn't had a lot to do in building his character as the primary suspect. Through two episodes he's mostly pouted, flaunted his wealth and intelligence (though that has yet to be demonstrated in action), and proclaimed his innocence while acting incredibly guilty. I think he's too obvious a Red Herring, but who can tell at this point. The second episode did, however, clarify that the case will be about the murder at the end of the first episode and doesn't appear to have any voice overs from the victim. That seems to be a marketing ploy reserved solely for the advertisements. This could develop into a fascinating journey. I thought the second episode was a bit better than the first. But this is fast becoming a crowded genre, and the line between "True Detective" and "The Killing," season one, is very thin. This show is riding that line and could teeter either direction. Only time will tell.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: B-

Tuesday Nights:
Chasing Life, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC Family
About: This is the latest original drama from ABC Family Channel. It's about a girl who has had a rough go in life, but she's finally living her dream. She is burdened by the needs of her mother, grandmother, and little sister in the wake of the death of her father. She's trying to make it as a journalist, and she's about to catch her big break when her estranged uncle — a doctor — needs to see her. He tells her she has cancer, and it needs to be treated immediately. In the pilot April (Italia Ricci) struggles with this diagnosis, her dream of making it as a reporter, the strain of trying to tell her family, and a budding relationship. It was a lot of drama, and some comedy, to wedge into a pilot, but the show handled it deftly. You got a sense of the forward trajectory of the show and the characters, but it didn't feel too expository. That's a neat trick to pull off. Ricci was likable in the lead role, and it was easy to see the potential of this series from the pilot. This isn't the first show to tackle the idea of someone living with a cancer diagnosis. On Showtime, Laura Linney earned Emmy nominations for her work on "The Big C." While that show purported to be a comedy, it was often very serious and dramatic. This is a drama that had a sort of optimism and lightness that will serve the characters and material well. That makes sense given the network and the audience, but it was nice to see. This feels a little more grown up than some of the series on ABC Family, and it seems to have some good potential, too.
Pilot Grade: B+

Wednesday Nights:
Jennifer Falls, Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. on TV Land
About: This is the latest sitcom from TV Land, and it feels like a re-tread of a lot of familiar plots. There are some fine actors at work here — including Jessica Walter, Jamie Pressly, and Ethan Suplee — but the plots feel tired, as do the jokes. The second episode felt, in a lot of ways, like a recycling of the primary plot from the first episode. There was little growth and little reason to care. Likely this is the kind of sitcom that will appeal to someone, and it might be well paired with "Hot in Cleveland," but I didn't see anything to get excited about here. Even for a summer show, "Jennifer Falls" lacked appeal.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: D+