Winter TV Roundup, Week 8

President's Day Weekend was packed with new shows, but there are still others coming as we transition into March and April. Let these weekly posts be your guide as I review new scripted (and select unscripted) series this winter. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks!

Monday Nights:
McMillions, Mondays at 10 p.m. on HBO (Premiered February 3)
About: This latest docuseries focuses on the plot to defraud McDonald's during the Monopoly Game. It includes interviews with FBI Agents, folks from McDonald's, the criminals and family members, laying out this long con. I like the documentary series angle, and this one presents an interesting case. It's only six episodes, but that might be more than is needed. We'll see. For now, it's interesting enough to dive in.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C

Tuesday Nights:
Cherish The Day, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on OWN (Premiered February 11)
About: This new romantic anthology series comes from Ava DuVernay, among others, and focuses on single days in the love story of a couple. This unique concept picked up in the pilot with Alano Miller and Xosha Roquemore as the central couple here. The pilot showed their meeting and a first date that flamed out quickly. The second episode aired the following day (and it appears that new episodes will now move to Wednesdays), and picked up on a day they reunited, and reconnected, a year later. I don't mind the idea, and I think there's potential in the concept. I like the actors here, too, but this just wasn't a story or characters that I felt drawn to. I thought the first couple episodes were a bit dry, and it just didn't work.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

For Life, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered February 11)
About: This one centers on a prisoner, Aaron Wallace (Nicholas Pinnock) who is serving a life sentence for a crime he says he didn't commit. In order to help himself, and others suffering injustice, he got a law degree and, miraculously, passed the bar to be a trial lawyer while in prison. The premise stretches credulity a bit, and that could work if it was compelling. There was plenty of political statements trying to be made in the pilot, but overall the construct of the show was dull, as were the stories. For this to work, you have to really buy into Aaron and his quest. Unfortunately, his character was quite unlikeable to me, and the story wasn't strong enough to really pull me in. We'll see if episode two improves that.
Pilot Grade: C

Wednesday Nights:
Lego Masters, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on FOX (Premiered February 5)
About: Hosted by Will Arnett, this series is about 10 teams of two trying to impress with their Lego building skills. I thought the pilot, which featured theme park scenes, was pretty fun. The second episode increased the drama as the first group was sent home. Meanwhile the builds were fun with a space theme that ended with different versions of destruction. I think the show is fun, especially for those that like Legos and competition shows.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

Thursday Nights:
Katy Keene, Thursdays at 8 p.m. on The CW (Premiered February 6)
About: This new series is a spin-off from "Riverdale," led by Lucy Hale as the titular "Katy Keene." This one is set in New York and is much lighter, about some in their young 20s that are trying to make it in fashion, theater and music. I didn't care for the pilot, but I'm probably not the target demographic. I also didn't care for the second episode, which felt arguably worse. This might appeal to some, especially those who like "Riverdale." But this felt like a weak construction to me.
Pilot Grade: D
Second Episode: D-

Indebted, Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. on NBC (Premiered February 6)
About: This comedy on NBC features Fran Drescher, among others, and is meant to generate laughs. I noted the pilot was the worst I've seen so far this winter. The second episode was, for me, even more of a tough watch. NBC has had some limited comedy successes in recent years, but this is a bomb. It has a high profile cast, but it's devoid of characters, stories or laughs that would keep you coming back for more. This is the worst new show of the winter so far.
Pilot Grade: D-
Second Episode: F

Tommy, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on CBS (Premiered February 6)
About: This one is about the first female police chief of Los Angeles. Edie Falco heads the cast, which is strong. The pilot was a lot of different political themes, and it took a lot of hard work to try and get into the plot and characters. I didn't think it worked. The second episode was a bit more streamlined, but it's still leaning heavily into political themes. We've seen a couple shows, set in Los Angeles, about renegades who take control of departments and want to shake things up. While "Deputy" works for what it is and has more interesting stories, "Tommy" falls flat despite a decent set up and a strong cast. This can't be what CBS was hoping for, and it feels like a miss for Falco in finding a new starring vehicle.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

Sunday Nights:
Duncanville, Sundays at 8:30 p.m. on FOX (Premiered February 16)
About: Animated comedies on Sunday night are a staple for FOX, and this seems like a strong fit. It comes from Amy Poehler, who voices two roles, and has a strong supporting group including Rashida Jones. I thought the first episode was a little dull, lacking the edge that is what helped to build a following for "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy," the shows that lead in and lead out of "Duncanville." Maybe it will get better, but for now it just didn't quite work.
Pilot Grade: C

War of the Worlds, Sundays at 9 p.m. on Epix (Premiered February 16)
About: Epix is still in the midst of trying to establish an identity as a pay cable network providing original content. "War of the Worlds" is a new drama, one that's based on an old story that has been told in film form many times before, including one with Tom Cruise. This show version will, understandably, play out more slowly. And in fact the pilot was really slow. It finally picks up a bit toward the end of the episode, when the first attack really takes place, but sadly it doesn't use much of that time before to build characters you care about. The cast includes familiar faces like Gabriel Byrne and Elizabeth McGovern, but there wasn't a lot to cling to with this pilot, and it didn't feel like the kind of original series that's going to hook viewers.
Pilot Grade: C-

Slow Burn, Sundays at 10 p.m. on Epix (Premiered February 16)
About: This is the new companion show on Sunday night, based on the Podcast of the same name that tracked the story behind the Watergate Break In and the fall of the Nixon Administration. The first episode followed the story of Martha Mitchell, the wife of Nixon's campaign manager at the time, who helped break the story open. The hour was a decent exploration and interesting, but it will likely have more of an appeal to those who enjoy news and documentaries, and those who liked the podcast.
Pilot Grade: C

Streaming Series:
All or Nothing: A Season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Now Streaming on Amazon (Premiered February 7)
About: Now in its fifth season, this anthology series on Amazon Prime follows a different NFL Team through their season as they attempt to win the Super Bowl. This one focused on the 2019 Philadelphia Eagles. While these typically air closer to the following NFL season, this one dropped just days after the Super Bowl. It was interesting to relive the season, especially being so close to having just witnessed it. I thought this one worked well and was quite enjoyable. This is one of my favorite series, and the personalities for the Eagles made it one of the more interesting and compelling. It's a must for those who enjoy football.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: B

High Fidelity, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered February 14)
About: This new series on Hulu was originally developed for Disney+, but it makes more sense on Hulu. It's based on the popular novel, which was previously adapted into a movie starring John Cusack. This new version places Zoe Kravitz in the lead role, and follows much the same story. Episodes are around a half hour, and move at a decent pace. Kravitz is a good lead, and I think this has a decent cast. But I wasn't a huge fan of the film, and I have the same lukewarm response to this content. For those that dig the story, this fresh take probably works better than for casual viewers. And if you like a lot of pensive discussion of music, this works even better. Just don't think too hard about the logic of someone making a living by owning and operating a record store in Los Angeles in 2020.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Utopia Falls, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered February 14)
About: Imagine watching "The Hunger Games" and thinking it would be better if the contestants were competing in an "American Idol" style competition. And even better if it was a world where the truth of Hip Hop had been hidden, until some of the contestants found it in a secret library and used the art form to change the world. Yep, if that sounds good to you than "Utopia Falls" is your dream show. If that sounds like a hot mess, you'd also be correct. This was not good and not that much fun to watch, but ti exists and at times I couldn't turn away. I watched a couple episodes and escaped, but the entire season is available, each running about 40-44 minutes. And if you want to watch it for the sheer unintentional comedy, I won't fault you. But just know it's about as good as it sounds.
Pilot Grade: D
Second Episode: D