Fall TV Roundup, Week 8

We're almost to November, so the flow of new shows has slowed down, but it hasn't stopped. We will continue to get new offerings well into December before a short break for the holidays. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this fall. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesday Nights:
Hit the Road, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on Audience (Premiered October 17)
About: One of two new series on Audience, the channel that features original programming from DirecTV. This one is about a family of musicians led by Jason Alexander, as the patriarch, and Amy Seitz, as the matriarch. I really didn't care much for the pilot, but the second episode was slightly better. Alexander is a gifted comedian and performer, the material here just isn't really up to par. The second episode had a slightly more interesting story, but I don't know if that's enough given the crowded TV climate. When anyone and everyone is making original content, you need a strong hook to stand out. This doesn't have that.
Pilot Grade: D
Second Episode: C

Loudermilk, Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. on Audience (Premiered October 17)
About: This is the other new comedy, this one from Peter Farrelly and starring Ron Livingston as a caustic leader of an AA group trying to help people and get his life in order. Neither goes smoothly, as one might expect. I like Livingston, and most of the cast here. And I actually thought that both episodes were watchable, but neither was particularly compelling. We've seen this kind of caustic "hero" character before, so it feels a little been there, done that. In addition, there's nothing spectacularly compelling about the stories. Again, for shows to really stand out in this marketplace, especially if they're on non-traditional channels, there has to be a strong hook. This one has an interesting premise and star, but the strong hook just isn't there.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C+

Friday Nights:
Superstition, Fridays at 10 p.m. on SyFy (Premiered October 20)
About: This series from Mario Van Peebles, who also stars, is about a family dedicated to fighting the supernatural threats. I thought the pilot was a little vague about the characters and premise, but episode two expanded the world and provided some answers. SyFy has tried to carve out a niche for itself with edgy, supernatural action-dramas. In that sense, "Superstition" fits right in and seems ideally timed for this Halloween season. I liked the cast OK, and I thought the story had some potential. That being said, the first two episodes were just OK. While this is a big step up from the month's other new series on SyFy, "Ghost Wars," this feels like something that appeals a little too much to fans of the genre. This is the era where niche programming provides something for everyone, which is good for fans, but creates smaller and smaller pieces of the pie. I could see this one getting a big enough piece of the pie for SyFy to be happy and keep it going, but I'm not sure it has mainstream appeal.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Sunday Nights:
SMILF, Sundays at 10 p.m. on Showtime (Premiers November 5)
About: Showtime launches its new Sunday night on November 5, with the return of a new season of "Shameless" at 9 p.m. and its newest comedy "SMILF" at 10 p.m. Showtime made the premier available early, so here's a first look. The series comes from Frankie Shaw, who also stars, and focuses on a 20-something single mother trying to live her life. It's loosely based on Shaw's own experiences. The pilot I saw fit with the typical Showtime brand, but was a little too singularly focused on its central character's sex life for my taste. The show was also picked up to series after Shaw's 2015 short film of the same name picked up prizes from Cannes. Shaw is a talented and charismatic performer who has shinned in other series, like season one of "Mr. Robot." I like this more than Showtime's other new fall comedy, "White Famous," which will now round out Showtime's Sunday night lineup at 10:30 p.m. We'll see where it goes once it's past the initial pilot and set up. I like co-star Connie Britton, who barely appears in the pilot, so it will be interesting to see how some of these stories develop. But this does feel like a strong pairing with "Shameless" that may work for Showtime.
Pilot Grade: C