Summer TV Roundup — Week Nine

It's the middle of summer, but the new shows are still coming. Here's a look at some of the new shows of summer. In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new shows. Don't see a new show below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesday Nights:
Zoo, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on CBS (Premiered June 30)
About: This series — based on the novel by James Patterson — is about animals around the world waking up and realizing they don't have to settle for their presumed place in the food chain. That's bad news for the humans in the show, and something to be taken seriously. The show has a good cast — including James Wolk, Billy Burke, and Kristen Connolly — and it's an interesting premise. That being said, I liked the pilot quite a bit as things were being set up. I thought the second episode, by contrast, was a little slower. Still, this is an idea I could see developing into something interesting during the summer. I'm curious to see where this goes, and I think there's plenty of potential. Whether it materializes remains to be seen.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C+

Scream, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on MTV (Premiered June 30)
About: I loved the "Scream" movies, but I didn't care for the pilot to this series. I thought it was slow, the character development was lacking, and the dialogue was terrible. The second episode was a big step up. The character development was a little better, and overall development of the long-term story was more clear. It was easier, in the second episode, to see how the series is mirroring the major arcs from the movies. That being said, this is probably a show aimed at younger, less discerning viewers — and people who aren't familiar with the movies. From that standpoint, it's probably on the right network. Still, I found this transition from film to small screen disappointing.
Pilot Grade: D
Second Episode: C

Thursday Nights:
Dates, Thursdays at 9 p.m. on the CW (Premiered July 9)
About: This is the latest attempt by the CW to inject some comedy into their lineup. At least I think that's what this was supposed to be. It's an anthology series that ran previously in the U.K. Each episode features different characters on a series of bad dates. That's, possibly, an interesting concept. But the first two episodes — which aired back-to-back on Thursday — were stifled. I didn't care for the stories or character interactions. People try to avoid bad dates in real life as much as possible, so why would you want to watch bad dates for others on TV, even fictionalized ones. This show will appeal to someone, I'm sure, but it isn't me.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: D+