Fall TV Roundup, Week 12


We are in December, so new shows have slowed to a trickle. But we're also getting previews of what's to come in the new year. In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new shows.

Monday Nights:
Telenovela, Mondays at 8:30 p.m. on NBC (Premiers January 4)
About: For the second week in a row, NBC is using it's post-"Voice" slot to preview new comedies. Comedy has been a sore spot for the once might Peacock. There are only two sitcoms on this fall, and both look destined for cancellation. But NBC has "Superstore," which got its sneak preview last week, and "Telenovela" ready to debut on January 4. "Telenovela" is set among the cast of a popular telenovela. Eva Longoria plays the lead of the show within the show, a Spanish language TV star who can't speak Spanish. These are the jokes people, lap them up... The rest of the show was a shoulder shrug for me. There was plenty of typical hijinks, and the cast is somewhat likable, but I wasn't drawn into either of the two episodes offered. While I liked "Superstore" and think it has potential, I have no such optimism about "Telenovela." It has the higher profile cast and star, and it's being pumped hard by NBC, but there is no compelling reason to tune in each week.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

Tuesday Nights:
The Expanse, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on SyFy (Premiers December 14)
About: "The Expanse" is the latest original series from SyFy which is set to debut on Monday night followed by a second episode at its regular time on Tuesday. The pilot has been made available early online. I didn't know what to make of this series when I tuned in, but what I got was something mildly interesting. I didn't love the pilot, but I thought it was a step up from the past few new series on SyFy. This is a show that feels like it has more ambition and is looking to create a richer narrative. That might help it find a bit of a bigger audience. The show is set in the future where Mars has been colonized, the United Nations controls earth, both are warring, and natural resources are at a premium. The pilot does a nice job of establishing the world — based on the novel by James S. A. Corey — and building the characters. The show has some recognizable stars — including Thomas Jane and Shohreh Aghdashloo — and it has an interesting hook. I didn't love the pilot, but I'm interested to see how it builds and develops.
Pilot Grade: C+

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