Summer TV Roundup, Week 16


The new Fall Season kicks off next week, with "American Horror Story," "The Orville," and "The Deuce" all kicking off. So the summer TV cycle is finally over. But before it ends, the streaming services are continuing to drop new series. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this summer. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Streaming Series:
Disjointed, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered August 25)
About: This is the latest series from producer Chuck Lorre, the man responsible for "The Big Bang Theory," "Two and a Half Men," and many other CBS sitcom staples. More and more creators, including big network TV producers, are moving over to streaming series. It will be interesting to see how this trend works, and what it means for content production moving forward. That being said, this show is a dog. If you love Lorre's comedies (I don't), then maybe this is for you. But it felt stale, overly telegraphed and plodding. I watched the first two (there are 10 episodes in the first season) and there was little to latch onto despite a strong cast that's led by Kathy Bates. The one thing that I found sort of amusing were the fake commercials within the show, which got a chuckle. But then the "plot" resumed, and I was out again. This show is centered on a marijuana store in California trying to carve out a living. It's also a family drama, as Bates' character is in business with her son. There's enough there to sort of make a premise, but again, this feels a little too stiff. Perhaps it's a little too wedded to a traditional network formula, one that doesn't even work that well for me on networks anymore. Or it could be the stories, but I just couldn't connect with what the show was trying to create.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

The Tick, Now Streaming on Amazon Prime (Premiered August 25)
About: I was skeptical of this idea when Amazon rolled it out during pilot season. I remembered the short-lived FOX sitcom, and I wasn't really a fan. But this pilot felt a little different and a little more engaging. So I was curious how it would go as a series, and I got the answer Friday. This first season is six short, crisp half hour episodes (most ranging from 23 to 27 minutes), and I watched them all. I actually found myself drawn in and I really enjoyed the way the show was crafted. Griffin Newman is great as Arthur, the mild-mannered accountant who gets drawn into the world of superheroes. I also enjoyed the timing and delivery of Peter Serafinowicz as The Tick, Valorie Curry as Arthur's sister, Dot, and Jackie Earle Haley as the villainous The Terror. Yara Martinez is also good in her scenes as The Terror's right-hand woman. There is a lot about this world that's goofy, and yet it feels like one of the more engaging superhero properties of late. Plus, at a breezy length of episode and season, it's a quick watch (about two hours and 45 minutes for the season). This is the perfect Labor Day Weekend binge!
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: B-

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