Summer TV Roundup, Week 3

We're near the end of the broadcast season, but new shows are still debuting as we transition to summer. 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.

Saturday Nights:
Patrick Melrose, Saturdays at 9 p.m. on Showtime (Premiered May 12)
About: Based on the novels by Patrick St. Aubyn, "Patrick Melrose" is a limited series about a wealthy Brit named Patrick (Benedict Cumberbatch) who is living a life of excess, and excessive drug use, in the 1980s. In the premier he's called to New York after his father passes, which leads to a somewhat debautched weekend in America. He gets there trying to kick heroine, but things go pear-shaped in a hurry in the first hour. This series does a couple of things. First, it's an expansion of original programming for Showtime into another night. It will be interesting to see if this limited series is the first of a movement to add Saturday night, which has worked for some other pay cable outlets and networks like the BBC (where "Orphan Black" was a Saturday night staple). Second, it's an incredible showcase for Cumberbatch, who sinks into the role and gives it all he's got. He was incredible to watch with his physical performance. But is that enough? It wasn't really for me, at least not for the pilot. I loved Cumberbatch (and in fact I think I'm only as high as I am on the pilot for him) but I didn't love the story. Perhaps I'll feel more drawn in during the second episode. But for me, I felt like the pilot story was something we've seen many times before, and spending leisure time exploring the depths of addiction to drugs isn't my ideal Saturday night.
Pilot Grade: C

Streaming Series:
Safe, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered May 10)
About: Another series focusing on British folks, this one led by American actor Michael C. Hall who is playing a British doctor, and widower, whose daughter goes missing. They live in a gated community and are supposed to be "safe," but as he searches for his daughter he begins to uncover a plethora of secrets from his neighbors. Turns out things in suburbia, even in in England, aren't all they're cracked up to be. Hall is a talented actor, and does fine in this role. The exploration of grief and the narrative of more than meets the eye is somewhat fascinating, too. The show comes from crime novelist Harlen Corben, and there is something engaging about the idea and format. That being said, I felt like this was a little too familiar. I watched only two of the episodes, and I have no doubt there are twists and shake ups along the way. And if you're a big fan of this kind of crime genre, you'll no doubt be pleased with the way this is constructed. The cast seemed solid, and it was off to a reasonably promising start. For me, it felt a little too familiar to a number of other types of stories like this. Many of them, I find, fizzle a bit as you get to the final mystery, so there needs to be another kind of hook. I liked the cast and thought Hall was solid, but I wasn't hooked by these characters or this story in the first two, so it was easy to slip back out of the world.
Pilot: C
Second Episode: C

All Night, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered May 11)
About: Hulu's latest comedy is set during grad night at a high school. The pilot opens at the graduation ceremony, then we meet the group of students who will be the focal characters and dip into their lives and issues as they all prepare to settle in for a lock in at school during Grad Night. It's supposed to be a safe and sober place for revelry, but naturally the students find ways to sneak stuff in. And each of them brings the baggage that comes with this big time of transition in their lives, the struggle to say goodbye to routine and friends, and the desire to act on things they wish they'd have done sooner. Each episode is between 22-25 minutes, so it's a light watch. The characters and performances were fine, if not that memorable. I thought, in fact, most of the characters were built around standard high school cliches, as were most of the major plot points. The entire 10-episode series is available to stream (and all takes place over the course of this one night), and I watched the first two. This was OK, but hardly compelling or original. Hulu is trying to beef up its original content slate, and to appeal to a broader demographic. Maybe "All Night" helps with that, but I wasn't hooked by what I saw.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Now Streaming on Amazon (Premiered May 11)
About: As a kid, I remember watching "Rocky and Bullwinkle." It was of a different era, as was the style and humor, but it still hooked me. There's something that just works about these characters. Amazon Prime has brought back the series, doing a new run as part of its family programming. I don't often review these Amazon Kids series, but this one caught my eye. I watched the first two, which are pretty short and move at a good clip. They share a lot with the original cartoons in terms of tone and style, especially when it comes to humor. And I thought it did a nice job of bringing back this world. If you're nostalgic, or want your kids to be, it's worth checking out.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+