Summer TV Roundup, Week Fifteen

In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new shows this summer. As summer's winding down, the new shows are getting thinner. If you don't see a new show listed below, check previous weeks! Just a couple more weeks of summer reviews then we start the review of new fall shows!

Wednesday Nights:
Legends, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on TNT
About: Sean Bean is a talented actor that is known for one very important thing in most of his roles — he dies. Many still haven't gotten over seeing Bean, as Ned Stark, beheaded in the penultimate episode of the first season of "Game of Thrones." TNT, in promoting its new spy drama "Legends" starring Bean, has had a lot of fun with this. They've created hashtags about saving Sean Bean, etc. to generate interest in the show. The fact that marketing campaign might be the best thing about the show is a big part of the problem. "Legends" is based on a novel, but the TNT series has shed most of the details of its source material. It kept the name and the name of the main character. Now, this feels like an under cover case-of-the-week show, somewhat similar to the USA drama "Graceland." Of course this feels a little more like a prestige drama, and Bean is a great performer. There are some decent actors rounding out the cast, too, but the pilot was dry. I'm not sure where this is going. There are hints of a darker, deeper show. But it feels like "Legends" takes a turn, and will veer back to a more traditional plot construction. The second episode may be an improvement — as pilots sometimes struggle with tone under the weight of exposition and being eye-catching — but so far this show feels little more than average.
Pilot Grade: C

Thursday Nights:
Garfunkel and Oates, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on IFC
About: This is a comedy starring Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci that is based on their Internet alter-egos, as a comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates. The ladies developed a following with their comedy music videos on the Internet, and the show has been built around that. They play somewhat fictionalized versions of themselves. They also put their musical stylings into the show. In the pilot, the juxtaposition between the traditional sitcom beats and their music was jarring. It took me out of the moment. In the second episode, it felt like the show balanced that better. That being said, this is a comedy that's an acquired taste. It fits the eccentric IFC brand, so it feels like a good pairing from that standpoint, and the girls are charismatic, which helps. But there isn't a lot to latch onto here. There were some wild guest stars, strange stories, and some unique music. If you're a fan of Lindhome and Micucci's work, this show is for you. If not, it might be a tough show to get into.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C

Seven Deadly Sins, Thursdays at 11 p.m. on Showtime
About: This is the latest documentary series from Morgan Spurlock, the director famous for "Super Size Me." Each half-hour episode tackles a different sin on the list, and how people in our country are struggling with the sin. The first episode tackled gluttony, which felt like it was right in Spurlock's wheel house, and I found it compelling. The second episode dealt with envy, and while the stories were fascinating the episode was a little tougher to watch. It also felt a little more depressing, and lacked some of the narrative structure to tie it together. In the first episode Spurlock, as host, added a lot of connecting pieces that wove it together. It felt like that was lacking in the second episode. I think this is a show that will vary a bit week-to-week based on the sin and the stories covered. That being said, I think this is both a fascinating series, and an important exploration of the ills plaguing modern America.
Pilot Grade: A-
Second Episode: B