Summer TV Roundup, Week Two

Summer is in full swing for TV, and that means plenty of reality shows, and the fun's just starting. In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new shows. If you don't see a new show listed below, please check previous weeks.

Monday Nights:
The Island, Mondays at 10 p.m. on NBC (Premiered May 25)
About: This is the latest summer reality series from Bear Grylls. It takes 14 ordinary men and drops them on an island with a day's worth of water and asks them to survive for a month. Grylls has done this series for the U.K., and now we get an America version. I had a number of thoughts during the pilot. First was, hasn't anyone seen "Lord of the Flies." If so, they might realize this isn't a great idea. Second, would this show appeal in any way to women? If so, why? And finally, I sadly realized I wouldn't make it when I saw the cesspool of water they wanted to drink from then ate a snake for dinner. That's not my cup of tea. The pilot was interesting. The idea is interesting. But it falls into the same traps as other reality shows, which is the inane personal conflict of the "ordinary" people that inhabit the show. Plus, I don't really love the concept that this show is about finding out whether the modern American male has gone soft. Still there are worse things to watch during the dog days of summer.
Pilot Grade: C

Tuesday Nights:
The Fighting Season, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Audience (Premiered May 19)
About: This documentary series — produced by Rick Schroder, among others — chronicles the fighting season in Afghanistan during 2014. It follows the troops on the ground as they face combat situations and other challenges. The series provides greater insight into what our troops face and tells stories of combat missions in country. I didn't dislike the first two episodes, which aired back-to-back, but they weren't incredibly compelling, either. That might be because there are limits as to what can be shown, but in an era with incredible powerful war documentaries, this one misses the mark a bit.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Thursday Nights:
Wayward Pines, Thursdays at 9 p.m. on FOX (Premiered May 14)
About: This long gestating, long in the can limited series is meant to be a mystery of sorts. Some of that mystery is what this show is about, and why so many good actors were attracted to the material. While I thought the pilot had some moody qualities, set the tone, and made me curious, the second episode felt like a lot of wheel spinning that ended with something violent. It was likely meant to spur curiosity, but it didn't do that for me. Some have said this series feels like a "Twin Peaks" for modern times, but I'd say that's a rather large stretch. The show is OK and moderately interesting, but that's about it. It's hard to even say at this point if it's worth waiting for the pay off.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C

Event Series:
500 Questions, airing seven nights on ABC (Premiered May 20)
About: Once upon a time ABC landed a gut punch to the American consciousness with a summer game show event series. "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" quickly spiraled into something else, but when it first came out in limited form it was exciting. "500 Questions" works in that same way. It is airing over seven nights (the final three episodes are tonight through Thursday) and it has a simple, fun format. I really have enjoyed the initial run of the show, despite not caring much for host Richard Quest and his overly repetitive interplay with contestants. The game is simple, the contestants have been interesting, and I love the quiz show atmosphere. Plus, with "Trivia Crack" being one of the hottest apps available, this just makes sense. It's light, breezy, and interesting — what summer shows are all about.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

Streaming:
Between, now streaming on Netflix (Premiered May 21)
About: This is the first Netflix series that you can't binge. Episodes are being released one at a time on Thursdays. The first episode dropped last week and did precious little to really establish the world and characters. Set in the town of Pretty Lake (terrible name) the series is about a plague that sweeps over the town, killing anyone older than 22-years-old. In the pilot we don't learn much about what's causing it, why, or how the series will move forward. We meet a lot of people — adults who die and younger people who are beyond bland. After the pilot, I still don't really have a feel for what the show is about, and that's a problem. The pilot needed to pop — especially since people will have to come back week after week. We'll see if the second episode improves, but as of now this feels like a rare misstep for Netflix.
Pilot Grade: C