Fall TV Roundup, Week 7

 

We're coming close to Halloween, and the holidays. This is typically a time when network TV begins to wrap up, but with the delays it seems everything is starting to ramp up. We'll get Network premiers, new shows and Hallmark Christmas movies. So with this flood of content coming to your home (while theaters have none), let this weekly post be your guide. I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Fall. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesday Nights:
Swamp Thing, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW (Premiered October 7)
About: This series first aired on the DC streaming platform, which is slowly being consumed by HBO Max. It now makes a network debut on The CW, which has been home to a number of DC superhero shows. But "Swamp Thing" isn't like the "Arrowverse," nor is it like "Star Girl," which was a co-production with the DC Streaming Service that aired this summer. This one is darker in tone and doesn't move at any particular pace. In fact, it's barely revealed the titular character, or really made much of a comment on whether he's a hero or a villain, through two episodes. The rest of what's going on isn't that interesting, either, so despite a pretty epic cast, this one doesn't really work. The CW is one of two networks to launch with original scripted programming this Fall, though in the case of The CW it's borrowed from other streaming services and overseas. And it hasn't seemed a good fit for the network. There's also probably a reason these options haven't continued in their original home. "Swamp Thing" feels like it's aiming for the DC superhero crowd, but it doesn't deliver.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C-

Next, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on FOX (Premiered October 7)
About: FOX was the other network to launch with original scripted series this Fall. In their case, they had one purchased from another site, but also had two original series that were to debut in the Spring but were held to Fall. "Next" is one of those series, starring John Slattery and focusing on an eccentric tech genius who was forced out of his company because he had serious moral issues with the new AI project they were developing. The project was to be shelved, but instead moved forward, and got out with deadly consequences. This is purported to be an action drama, and parts of it are interesting. But mostly I found the first two episodes flat. Even in this time where there aren't many options on networks, this wasn't enough to hold my attention. I'll be curious to see how the schedule shifts thanks to sports impact it moving forward, especially as more competition is coming.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Wednesday Nights:
Devils, Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW (Premiered October 8)
About: This is another import for The CW, this one coming from over seas and focusing on the world of banking. Patrick Dempsey plays a starring role, but aside from that it's a mostly European cast. It's meant to be a bit of a mystery and wants to be a bit like "The Boiler Room," seeing traders making back room deals to one up each other. But it just wasn't that interesting, and the story and characters weren't overly compelling. This feels like another miss, and another show that doesn't seem to fit with the general tone and vibe of The CW.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

Thursday Nights:
Connecting, Thursdays at 8 p.m. on NBC (Premiered October 8)
About: NBC is still a bit away from rolling out its traditional Fall shows, including comedies like "Superstore." But its early season scheduling included the foreign import "Transplant," a hospital show that's been one of the rare hits for me on network, and this new comedy "Connecting," which is mostly a show set on Zoom and created to take advantage of the pandemic we find ourselves in. The first episode began back at the beginning of April, and introduced a group of friends that are trying to stay connected while quarantined, like the rest of us. It touched on key themes of the time, as did the second episode. Each has started trying to be funny and capture the moment and add in traditional sitcom plots, like unrequited love, parenting issues, and struggles with work. But each episode has been at its best in those brief moments where it's gone dramatic. In fact, the pilot moved me almost to tears as a nurse talked about serving in New York City. The thing is, the tone is uneven, as are the characters. And the time of COVID still feels too raw as most of us are in it, and possibly going back to those April days. This is a big swing for NBC, and if it came out in 2022 it might feel cathartic. It doesn't right now.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: D

Streaming Series:
Social Distance, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered October 16)
About: Netflix, like NBC, is trying to capitalize on the current moment with a new sitcom set in the world of Zoom gatherings during the pandemic. This one, however, is a comedy anthology, with each half hour tackling a different set of characters and issues. The first followed a man (Mike Coulter) as he tried to maintain his sobriety, while the second followed a family trying to hold a multi-site funeral for the father and friend they lost. Both had moments that worked, and while I liked this attempt a bit better than "Connecting," neither feels like something I want to invest in right now. We're all feeling a little Zoom burn out in real life, and we're all struggling with isolation and a loss of connection. These half hours, which try to bring in comedy and show things working out mostly well, aren't the cathartic journey that they're meant to be. Instead, it feels like too much. Entertainment that works right now feels like a rich journey and an escape into another world. This simply doesn't do that.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Grand Army, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered October 16)
About: The other new Netflix series to debut this week is a new drama from Katie Cappiello, based on her own play. It focuses on a group of teenagers trying to survive and navigate life and politics at a high school in Brooklyn, New York. This one starts out pretty edgy, introducing a main character while performing a service for a friend in the locker room bathroom, then moves to a bombing near school that causes a lock down. The second episode doesn't shy away from being edgy, as the girls in the school go braless to make a social statement. This show clearly wants to make a point and show some raw material. That will work for some but I wasn't really taken with the characters or story here, and I struggled to see the point they're trying to make. It's a big, bold swing, but it just didn't work for me.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

Helstrom, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered October 16)
About: This was, by far, the best new show I saw this week, and another winner for Hulu. This is based on a Marvel property, but it feels more like "Supernatural" than something you'd see on Disney+, which is likely why it's on Hulu. The 10-episode first season is now available, with each episode running around an hour. It focuses on siblings Damon (Tom Austen) and Ana Helstrom (Sydney Lemmon), who each have special supernatural powers bestowed by the serial killer father whose shadow they're trying to avoid. Meanwhile their mother (Elizabeth Marvel), is possessed and dangerous, living in a maximum security cell in a psychiatric hospital. To cope with their life, and use their skills, Damon and Ana have each followed a different path. Damon is an ethics professor who helps exorcise demons when needed. Ana is an art dealer who hunts and punishes evil men. Now, something has been unleashed and they'll need each other to survive and, likely, save the world. There are superhero tropes here, but this feels more like a dark supernatural tale than all that. The performances are strong, with a supporting cast that includes Robert Wisdom. I like Austen and Lemmon, and thought the tone and pace of the first two episodes was quite engaging. It's dark at times, but this one has an interesting story and hook, and plenty to build on as a compelling series.
Pilot Grade: B+
Second Episode: B