Winter TV Roundup, Week 10

Some are looking toward Spring, while here in CO (and a big swath of the rest of the mid-west) we're bracing for a blizzard Wednesday. It's that time of year. At least we have TV to keep us company. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Winter. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Wednesday Nights:
Whiskey Cavalier, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered February 24)
About: This latest dramedy for ABC got a preview post Oscars before swinging into its regular Wednesday time slot. I'm not sure the preview helped it gain a bigger audience, but it's done OK on Wednesday nights, which has been a tough slot for ABC scripted fair. I like Scott Foley and Lauren Cohan in the lead roles as an FBI Agent and CIA Agent, respectively, who are tasked to work together on a secret government task force. The pilot was more of a meet cute for the characters and building the set up, and it was quite entertaining. The second episode established more of the format for the series going forward, and I thought it worked well, too. I like the blend of comedy and drama, the cast is strong and the show is a bit of fun. That's something that has been in short supply on TV in recent year, and I could see this one filling a nice slot and working for a few years. At least that's the hope.
Pilot Grade: B+
Second Episode: B

Sunday Nights:
The Case Against Adnan Sayed, Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO (Premiered March 10)
About: This short-run HBO series is marking time for four weeks before the biggest show on television, "Game of Thrones," returns for its final season. It's a documentary that explores the case of Adnan Sayed, who was convicted of murdering his classmate, Hae Min Lee. If that sounds familiar, it's because it was the focus of the insanely popular podcast Serial during its first season. And Serial covered the material more in depth and better in its 10-episode season. This documentary will cover much of the same ground with some of the updates that have happened since. But as there is no real resolution to the case, it will remain a food-for-thought mystery about the failings of our Justice System. I loved the podcast, and this wasn't quite at that level, at least in episode one. For those interested in true crime it might be worth checking out, but if you want to go deeper hit up Serial.
Pilot Grade: C

Now Apocalypse, Sundays at 9 p.m. on Starz (Premiered March 10)
About: Starz has always been the little brother when it comes to the big pay cable channels, and its latest comedy, "Now Apocalypse," isn't likely to change any of that. It's a vapid half hour about uninteresting, self-center, sex-obsessed folks. The pilot was one of the most painful, and painfully unfunny things I've ever seen. I thought it was terrible and I don't have much hope that it will improve as it goes along. This is easily the worst new show I've seen so far this year.
Pilot Grade: F

Streaming Series:
The Order, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered March 7)
About: The rare Netflix series that dropped on Thursday, "The Order" is about a college that is home to a secret, super natural society. And when a monster begins attacking, it's up to the secret super natural students in The Order to stop it. I won't waste a lot of time on plot here because the writers for the show didn't, suffice to say I wasn't impressed. The characters are shallowly drawn, but everything in the two episodes I watched was. And it wasn't that impressively acted or put together, either. It feels a bit like a low-rent version of the CW series "Legacies," which debuted in the fall. If you're a fan of the genre, you might latch on to something here. But this felt a bit like a waste.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

After Life, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered March 8)
About: Ricky Gervais has always had a unique style and voice, and he's used it often to create interesting stories and slices of life. He does that again with "After Life," a new series in which he stars, writes and directs. It's a half hour comedy of sorts, and its first season is just six episodes. I watched all six as I was taken with the idea. Gervais stars as Tony, a middle age man who recently lost his wife, lives a miserable life with his dog and works for a small town newspaper in England. When we meet Tony he's mired in depression, suicidal and struggling to maintain civility with his co-workers and fellow residents. It's because he's still grieving a loss and struggling with the motivation to move forward. That sounds a bit dark, and in early episodes it sometimes is. But Gervais is a master of playing a character that's sometimes a complete jerk and still making you care, and he does so here. The show is a meditation on grief, how you move through it and how you find a way forward. I loved many moments, including when Tony is talking to a friend, and fellow widow, about the pressure he's getting to date again. He says, "I never really dated. I met a woman who turned out to be perfect and I know I won't find that again." The show has many poignant and beautiful moments, and I thought it turned out to be one of the best I've seen this year.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B