Fall TV Roundup, Week 6

We're deep into the new fall TV season now, and the wave, or rather flood, of new shows is washing over us. There's been a lot of options but, for me, few diamonds in the rough. Hopefully you've found something new you like. If not, the wave isn't about to abate any time soon. In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted shows this fall. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Monday:
Valor, Mondays at 9 p.m. on The CW (Premiered October 9)
About: The CW offered a pair of new shows this fall, "Valor" is about a group of special forces helicopter pilots embroiled in something deeper. I thought the pilot leaned a bit too much into other soapy shows on the network. By contrast, the second episode plays it a little more straight. But I found that's not always better. There's a lot going on here, and on the one hand I give The CW a bit of praise for stretching out of their typical demographic. But I wasn't sold on the story and characters in the pilot and the second episode did little to convince me it will be much better. This show is fine, and I'm sure there's an audience for it, but I wasn't sold.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C

Tuesday Nights:
The Mayor, Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. on ABC (Premiered October 3)
About: I was excited about this show before it aired, seeing it as potentially one of the better new shows. The pilot exceeded my expectations, and I was excited to see where they would go with the premise. Part of that is that not everything can come easy to Courtney, and he has to grow into the position. We saw that somewhat in episode two. While things sort of work out in the end, there was growth, struggle, and humor along the way. Now I'm a firm believer that at some point Courtney is going to have to lose a battle for the show to grow, but I like the blend of social satire, comedy, and character building in this world. And I like the actors. This is one of my favorite new shows of the season so far, and my favorite new comedy in a few years. And that's saying something.
Pilot Grade: A-
Second Episode: B+

Kevin (Probably) Saves The World, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered October 3)
About: This isn't a highly rated or talked about new series, and for that reason I worry that it's not long for the TV world. But while it's here, I'm going to enjoy it. As a Christian, I can say that some of the theology (or rather the theological worldview in total) is flawed and problematic. But if you set that aside and consider whether you enjoy a show's overall narrative and characters, this is one that I've enjoyed this fall. Jason Ritter and Joanna Garcia Swisher have been good in this series, and I like the basic idea. There's a sweet goofiness to it, and it feels like something that breaks free from the formulaic chains of most network series. It's not without its flaws. Some of the plot developments have been too telegraphed, and sometimes the pacing feels a bit off as both episodes I've seen have had parts where they dragged a bit. But, in general, I appreciate what the show is offering, and the cast and characters are strong enough and interesting enough to appeal to me. And it's a show that aims for the soft emotional center, so since I'm somewhat of a sucker, that holds appeal.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: B-

Wednesday Nights:
Dynasty, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW (Premiered October 11)
About: I'm somewhat particular about my prime time soaps. I enjoy a certain level of soapiness in the right proportion in an adult story (like "Grey's Anatomy") and I can go all in on teen soaps, especially ones with good characters and story. But straight up adult prime time soaps have never really been my thing. But that's what "Dynasty" was in the 1980s, and that's what the new version is now. It's campy, over-the-top, and reveling in it's outlandish plots. That is something you could have said of "Empire," too, but it had the music element to keep that hidden, or at least suppressed, for its first couple seasons. That's not the case with "Dynasty," which seems content to lean into that kind of storytelling in bringing the Carrington family to the screen for a new generation. It was a big swing for The CW and, based on the pilot, I think it was a miss. I didn't like much about the characters or presentation, and it's hard to see that getting any better.
Pilot Grade: D

Thursday Nights:
Ghost Wars, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on SyFy (Premiered October 5)
About: Last week I complained that, despite a high profile cast, the pilot of "Ghost Wars" was confusing, both in terms of story and character development. The premise of the show became a little more clear in episode two, but it also seemed to be a bottle episode, following a newcomer to town played by Kim Coates. This is, again, another example of great casting, but I still don't have a feel for this series. Having a strange sort of bottle episode as your second offering doesn't help. SyFy has its niche, and this creepy, spooky sort of show is perfectly timed by airing in the month of October. Part of the glory of this golden age of oversaturation on the small screen is the rise in niche programming. There's something for everyone. This show is that something for some people, but it certainly seems to be lacking the structure and coherency of mass appeal.
Pilot Grade: D
Second Episode: C-

Sunday Nights:
White Famous, Sundays at 10 p.m. on Showtime (Premiered October 15)
About: I looked at the pilot for this series last week, since Showtime made it available early for free on the Internet. The first two episodes aired Sunday night, and it appears that two episodes will air weekly for a few weeks. It's loosely based on the life and career of Jamie Foxx, who is an executive producer and appeared in the first episode as himself. It stars Jay Pharoah, late of "Saturday Night Live," as an actor and comedian trying to make it in Hollywood. It comes from writer/producer Tom Kapinos, who was a driving creative force behind "Californication." That show didn't work for me, and this doesn't either, for much of the same reasons. I don't like the style and the content, and I wasn't drawn to the characters or story. (Full disclosure, I quit halfway through episode two because I knew it wasn't getting any better for me.) This will likely appeal to some of the fans of the Showtime comedy brand, but that's not me.
Pilot Grade: D
Second Episode: D

Streaming Series:
Lore, Now Streaming on Amazon Prime (Premiered October 13)
About: This series, which comes from "Walking Dead" producer Gale Anne Hurd, among others, is a mixture of documentary and docudrama, perfectly timed for the season. It makes sense, too, that it would debut on Friday the 13th. The series looks at famous true life dark stories told on the Internet, and explains the history and culture of the time, mixing that with re-enactments that feature famous faces like Campbell Scott and Colm Feore. It is narrated by Aaron Mahnke, based on his famous podcast of the same name. The first season is six episodes, ranging from 35 minutes to 45 minutes a piece. And likely your interest in this anthology series will vary from episode-to-episode based on the subject. For example, I was quite taken with the first and second episodes, but didn't like the third as much. Still, for those who love real life ghost stories, this is a bit of fun with an educational twist.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: B-

Mindhunter, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered October 13)
About: Another streaming series dropped on Friday the 13th, this one a 10-episode drama from producer David Fincher, who directed the pilot, and Charlize Theron. It's already been renewed for a second season, and it's not hard to see why. This is a different kind of show, and it works at a much slower pace. I've seen the first two, and there hasn't been a ton of progress yet. The show is set in 1977 and follows a young FBI Agent, Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff), who is beginning to see the changes in criminals and is driven to pursue a new methodology. It's based on the book from real life FBI profiler John E. Douglass, upon whom Ford is based. This is really about the creation of modern FBI profiling and the Behavioral Sciences Unit. I liked the first two episodes and the work of Groff in the lead role and Holt McCallany as his partner. This feels like the kind of show that cable can do really well (it was originally pitched to HBO), and I'm excited to see where it goes.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: B