Winter TV Roundup, Week 9

We're near the end of February, but that doesn't mean the new shows are ending or even slowing. Spring is one of the busiest times on the television landscape, and this February, March and April appear to be no different. But what's worth watching and investing in? Well, the answer to that is it can be tough out there, but let these weekly posts be your guide. I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted, and some unscripted, shows this winter. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesday Nights:
For Life, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered February 11)
About: I wanted to like this as the idea seemed novel. It's about a prisoner locked away for a murder for life who claims innocence and decides to do something about it. He becomes a lawyer and fights his own case, as well as those of fellow prisoners. And it's based on a true story. But the first two episodes were dull. There were meant to be sweeping moments, but I just couldn't invest in the characters or stories. Nicholas Pinnock tries to bring an intensity and gravitas to the lead role, but it didn't work for me. And while there are some talented performers in the extended cast, none of the roles felt well established. This is an interesting idea, but it feels like a swing and a miss.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C-

Wednesday Nights:
Year of the Rabbit, Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. on IFC (Premiered February 19)
About: IFC often picks up interesting and different shows, and "Year of the Rabbit" is no different. It features Matt Berry as Detective Inspector Rabbit, a gifted crime solver who has some serious medical issues. He's paired with a new detective and a woman to solve crimes in Victorian London. Except there's not a lot of laughs and there is a lot of awkward content here. It was tough to watch as a pilot, and with just a six-episode season, there's not a lot of room to swing it the other way. So far, this feels like an eclectic miss to me.
Pilot Grade: C-

Sunday Nights:
Duncanville, Sundays at 8:30 p.m. on FOX (Premiered February 16)
About: This new animated series comes from Amy Poehler, who voices two characters including the lead, and Mike Scully, who worked as a producer on "Parks and Rec" and "The Simpsons," among others. It is a new family animated series that should fit well in the Animation Domination block. I wasn't taken with the pilot, which seemed a touch weird. The second episode was a bit of a step up in that it felt like it had a more interesting story. However, there's still not a huge hook here for me. I don't think it's as clever as the shows around it, and I am not sure it's likely to last.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C

Streaming Series:
Gentefied, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered February 21)
About: The great thing about the Peak TV era is that it's allowed for greater representation and stories to be told. There is truly something for everyone. And "Gentefied" is a show that benefits from the era, telling a specific story about a family trying to keep themselves, and their restaurant, afloat in a poorer section of Los Angeles. It should be applauded for that, and I'm sure it will find a core audience. I watched the first two episodes and they were fine. The other curse of this Peak TV era is that there are so many shows you can't keep up with everything. And for me, while I appreciate the craft of "Gentefied" and that it exists, I didn't feel a pull to finish it. It's just a 10-episode season, with each episode about a half hour. So for those interested, this is a pretty quick and easy stream.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Hunters, Now Streaming on Amazon Prime (Premiered February 21)
About: So you want to hunt some Nazis? That's basically the premise of this show, set in the late 1970s and produced by Jordan Peele, among others. It also boasts a pretty interesting cast that includes Logan Lerman, Carol Kane, Dylan Baker and the legendary Al Pacino, among others. It's also a wild and violent ride, one that feels like it was made out of some plot points Quentin Tarantino dreamed up when considering a sequel to "Inglorious Basterds." The violence and plot is, at times, kinetic. And that starts from a wild opening sequence. There's also a plot about Nazis in place in the American hierarchy trying to start a fourth Reich, and the group of people trying to hunt them all down. I wouldn't say the show is good, per se, but it sort of got me hooked. At times I was really taken with the emotion of it all, and at times it was too much. Like a scene in the first half of the season where a suspected Nazi is literally fed horse poop. But at the same time, there's something fascinating about the idea, and there's enough here that feels different to pull me in for more episodes. I've so far seen six of 10, with all of them at least an hour (and the pilot 90 minutes). This is one of the most anticipated shows of the first part of 2020, and likely will be polarizing. It's not for everybody, but it feels like something that pulls you in and won't let you go.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+