Fall TV Roundup, Week 15

Christmas is coming, but so are new shows. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted shows this fall. And, by the way, new shows for the winter begin January 2, so there's not much of a break in the flow of "new." If you don't see a new show listed below, check previous weeks.

Monday Nights:
Gunpowder, Miniseries on HBO each night at 10 p.m. (Premiered December 18)
About: Remember, remember the fifth of November, the gunpowder treason and plot. In America, those words probably make you think of "V for Vendetta." But in England, they have a different significance. HBO has been Kit Harrington's TV home for years, but we're used to seeing him as Jon Snow, savior of Westeros. In "Gunpowder," a mini series he helped produce (as he's playing one of his distant relatives), he plays a Catholic bent on taking down an oppressive and brutal government. To do that, he teams up with Guy Fawkes (Tom Cullen), an anti-government activist. The first episode of this three-part mini series, which aired on BBC earlier this year and now goes to HBO for American distribution, focuses mostly on Robert Catesby (Harrington), his cousin Anne (Liv Tyler), and the events that push him to want to plot against the government. I thought the first part was a bit slow, but the idea is interesting. It chronicles a piece of history that won't be familiar for those in this country. And the series boasts a good cast, there's potential for the action to pick up in a more robust way in the final two installments.
Pilot Grade: C-

Wednesday Nights:
Happy!, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on SyFy (Premiered December 6)
About: This latest series for SyFy continues the efforts of the network to alter the brand to make it something more edgy. Christopher Meloni stars as an ex-cop turned burn out hitman who suffers a heart attack and starts seeing a purple unicorn, the imaginary best friend of the daughter he didn't know he had. She's been kidnapped by a creepy Santa, and Happy, said unicorn, is trying recruit Nick (Meloni) to save her. There is a lot of other stuff going on here, and for fans of a certain type of film/show this will work. The creative team for "Happy!" includes Brian Taylor, the writer/director of "Crank." And the style of show closely matches that film. Meloni is a talented performer, and he's doing a nice job with this unique role, but it's up to how you enjoy this style of storytelling whether or not you will enjoy the show. I didn't care for the style and struggled to connect to the characters.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

Knightfall, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on History Channel (Premiered December 6)
About: This series from producer Jeremy Renner focuses on the fall of the Knights Templar in France. The series is about a group of knights who fought in the crusades looking for the Holy Grail and believe it resides in France. Those interested in the story can look up the facts easily on the Internet, as this is a historical docudrama. For those that enjoy the genre, this might be an interesting exploration, and it feels like a decent companion to "Vikings." I thought the production was a bit dry and I wasn't totally connected to the characters. It's fine, but not overly compelling in its production and storytelling.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Streaming Series:
Jean Claude Van Johnson, Now Streaming on Amazon Prime (Premiered December 15)
About: This latest series, a half-hour comedy of sorts, starts Jean Claude Van Damme as a lightly fictionalized version of himself. It supposes that his whole career and movie star persona is a cover for his work as a secret agent. Kat Foster stars as his former love and partner, while Phylicia Rashad is his handler. I thought the pilot was mildly amusing, though it wasn't really for me. The second episode felt like a big step backward. Foster wasn't in a lot of the episode, and the story didn't work for me. This doesn't feel like the kind of half-hour show that has a broad enough appeal to work and draw an audience, especially given the odd time of year which it's been dropped. But it's only six episodes, so it's pretty easy to get through a season.
Pilot Grade: D+
Second Episode: D

Star Trek: Discovery, Now Streaming on CBS All Access (Premiered September 24)
About: The first episode of this new "Star Trek" series debuted on CBS earlier this fall, but the remaining episodes are confined to the streaming series. I finally caught up with the second episode (in fact, I've now seen the first five), so I thought I'd circle back to this series, which was one of the better pilots I saw this fall. The second episode picks up immediately after the pilot and features plenty of action. It also has some interesting plot twists, including leaving you on a cliff hanger that it resolved, somewhat, in later episodes. What's interesting is the first two episodes of the series (which would really play well watching together as a two-hour movie) set the stage for some of the characters and background, but don't really set the series. It's not until the third episode you get to the starship discovery and meet the rest of the principle cast. It's at that point that the series really kicks off in a new direction. That being said, I loved the first two episodes, which got me excited for the series. I've enjoyed the three additional episodes I've seen (the third feels like a second pilot) and I think they're doing a great job with this series. It's unlike any other "Star Trek" I've seen, and that's not a bad thing. It would be nice if it wasn't limited to CBS All Access, a service few have access to. But for those that get to see it, it's one of the better new shows of the fall so far.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B

Wormwood, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered December 15)
About: This documentary drama comes from filmmaker Errol Morris, and focuses on the truth behind the MKUltra experiments conducted by the government in the 1950s. It does so through a combination of documentary, interviewing the family of a scientist who took his own life as a result of the experiments. Those interviews track the journey for the family to learn the truth, and how they uncovered the story. At the same time, the show mixes in some historical recreations of the events and features a cast that includes Peter Sarsgaard. The first episode begins with a fascinating and beautifully shot opening, and the rest of the first two episodes follow suit. That being said, the subject can be a little dry. I found myself more drawn to the recreations than the documentary portions. It's only six episodes, so it's an easy binge stream. Netflix has hit well with some docuseries in the past, but this wasn't one of my favorites. Still, for those interested in the subject and looking for something different, this has strong style and production values.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C