Summer TV Roundup, Week 3

Last week was Upfronts and finales for the Networks, which will transition to more summer shows beginning this week. But we weren't without new shows entirely. Instead, we got a couple new streaming series. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted shows this summer. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Streaming Series:
Catch-22, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered May 17)
About: Joseph Heller's famous novel has become a cultural reference point thanks to its narrative and storytelling. And now it's getting revisited in a new Hulu mini-series, a six-episode exploration that dropped on Friday. Among those involved are George Clooney and Grant Heslov, who served as producers, direct some episodes, and both take roles in the production. For the most part it follows Capt. John Yossarian (Christopher Abbott) and his quest to survive World War II, which is an ever moving target. The cast includes Kyle Chandler, Kevin J. O'Conner and Hugh Laurie, among others, and is meant to be a mix of absurdist humor and a cautionary tale about war. In the first two episodes I watched, that works sometimes, but it's not as amusing as it feels intended to be nor as compelling as Hulu, among others, would hope it to be. Instead it's an ambitious project that feels just all right. You might be interested to complete it if you're a fan of the book and source material, but then again you might not be after watching a few episodes and getting the jist of it.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C

It's Bruno, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered May 17)
About: Netflix has presented wave after wave of new comedy series, most of them defying the typical half hour run time convention. "It's Bruno" is no different. It's an eight-episode season with most episodes running around 15 minutes, and focusing on comedian and rapper Solvan Naim and his dog, Bruno. It's a vision of his specific New York City and experience. And it was....an awful watch. The two episodes I sampled were painfully unfunny. I'm sure this might work for someone, but this is a tough sell. They can't all be winners, I guess.
Pilot Grade: F
Second Episode: F