Summer TV Roundup, Week 4

Each week during the summer I take a look at the new shows and rate the pilot and second episode. If you don't see a new show listed below, please check previous weeks.

Monday Nights:
UnReal, Mondays at 10 p.m. on Lifetime (Premiered June 1)
About: This series chronicles the behind-the-scenes action on a reality series that looks an awful lot like "The Bachelor." That's because one of the show runners, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, was a producer for "The Bachelor." The pilot for "UnReal" was, perhaps, the best I've seen this year. I thought the second episode slipped a bit in that it felt sort of repetitive at times, but it's still very good. This has been the best new show of summer to this point, and I'm excited to see where it goes. I like the work of Shiri Appleby in the lead role, and the bite that Constance Zimmer brings to executive producer Quinn. The first four episodes are now available on Lifetime's Website, so it's not too late to do a mini-binge.
Pilot Grade: A-
Second Episode: B

The Whispers, Mondays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered June 1)
About: This latest series on ABC premiered to decent ratings and the idea that it was about something supernatural. But in the pilot, it seemed like a mixed message. Rather than "American Horror Story," it was more like "The X-Files," with the plot centered on kids hearing from the unseen Drill through the lights and doing things that made their parents' lives a lot more dangerous. That continued in the second episode, but we didn't get any more answers about Drill or what's going on. Rather, just a few answers about who some of the characters are, and of course a lot more questions. That's OK if everything is compelling, but in the case of "The Whispers," it's sort of middle of the road. Lily Rabe, Barry Sloane, and Milo Ventimiglia head the cast, but so far no one has been allowed much character development. In fact, there was no real character development in the second episode, which did plenty but seemingly accomplished little. There feels like some potential here, but so far there hasn't been enough of a hook to keep people coming back.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Odd Mom Out, Mondays at 10 p.m. on Bravo (Premiered June 8)
About: This is the second scripted offering from Bravo, a comedy centered on a mom trying to keep it real in the crazy pretentious Upper East Side in New York City. Writer/star Jill Kargman based some of it on her life and comedy, and has an affable presence in the lead role. The first two episodes aired back-to-back on Monday night, and there were some delightful moments. There were also some strange and some boring moments. This feels like the kind of show that will appeal to a specific crowd but perhaps not a wide audience. Still, I liked the work of Abby Elliott as the vapid sister-in-law, Andy Buckley as the put upon husband, and K.K. Glick as the best friend. I thought there were some promising moments in the episodes — moreso in the pilot than the second episode — but the show lacked a defined hook.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Tuesday Nights:
Stitchers, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC Family Channel (Premiered June 4)
About: This is the latest series from ABC Family, and it is a hybrid procedural and sci-fi show. It centers on a brilliant, but emotionally stunted, girl who's roped into a government program in which an investigator's conscious mind can be placed in the consciousness of a victim to help piece together a crime. That sounds like a cool concept, and it might become that, but the pilot was stilted and dry. None of the characters have much personality, and Emma Ishta in the lead role wasn't able to make her character very sympathetic. She has a condition that explains her clinical dryness, which is fine, but you still have to do something to get the audience invested. That didn't happen in the pilot.
Pilot Grade: C

I Can Do That, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on NBC (Premiered May 26)
About: This reality series, hosted by Marlon Wayans, features six celebrities competing against one another each week as they learn a new act. The pilot and second episode were breezy and had some nice moments. One of the drawbacks is that the celebrity panel isn't particularly compelling, which makes this show a tougher sell. Still, in the midst of summer, there are worse ways to spend an hour. There are better ways, too, which is why this show is fine but ultimately uncompelling.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Wednesday Nights:
The Briefcase, Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS (Premiered May 27)
About: This show has a controversial premise — two middle class families are given a briefcase with $100,000 and asked to decide whether to keep the money or share it with another family in need. Neither family realizes that both have been given the choice until the end, when they meet face to face and have to explain their decision to the other family. I actually kind of enjoyed the first episode, which I thought was an interesting thought experiment. But by the time I got through the second week, I felt like this was a bit manipulative and rough to watch. It's an interesting concept — once. But as a weekly series, there is something a little icky about this idea.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: C-

Bullseye, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on FOX (Premiered May 27)
About: FOX wins the lottery for worst reality show. This game show — in which eight contestants compete in extreme stunts to win $50,000 — is almost unwatchable. The events are trite, the contestants are boring, and the whole thing feels like it was shot for $5,000 an episode. The hosts have no personality, and there is no reason to tune in each week. Even during the summer lull, this is not passable entertainment.
Pilot Grade: D
Second Episode: D

Sunday Nights:
Golan the Insatiable, Sundays at 9:30 p.m. on FOX (Premiered May 31)
About: This show began as an animated short and was beefed up to 30 minute episodes and placed in the animation block on FOX on Sunday nights. It's abysmal. The first episode wasn't funny and was a chore to watch. The second episode was worse. I'm not sure what FOX saw in this concept, or how it made it to the air. Real talk — the second episode was so poor I only lasted 15 minutes.
Pilot Grade: D
Second Episode: F

Now Streaming:
Sense8, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered June 5)
About: Netflix is in the midst of a busy summer. It's airing "Between" weekly, and "Orange is the New Black" returns on Friday. In the middle of that, the streaming content service dropped the first season of "Sense8," a new series from the Wachowskis, the minds behind "The Matrix." This series follows eight characters around the world who are suddenly awakened to special extra-sensory powers that allow their consciousnesses to merge and communicate. The show has lofty ambitions and a premise that is unique. It's also fair to say that "Sense8" doesn't look or feel like anything else on TV. But that doesn't make it good. There are plenty of character types and beats that will be familiar to those who've seen the Wachowskis' post-"Matrix" work. And like those recent films, this is an interesting idea that becomes a hot mess on screen. The pilot was utterly confusing. The second episode built the characters up a bit more, and introduced a bit more of the concept, but still wasn't great. I watched the third episode, too, and I think this is the kind of series you might understand better as the episodes roll along. But that doesn't make them great. It's also hard to say at this point what the series is trying to say about the world. It's an interesting idea, but it's confused in the execution.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C