Fall TV Roundup, Week 5

 

We’re in the midst of the big launch for the new Fall season on network, which dominates many of the series on the list below. In addition, we’re getting some streaming series—including some seasonal fare. All that can leave you wondering what’s worth your time. Let this weekly series be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Fall. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesdays:
The Rookie: Feds, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered September 27)
About: The second entry in The Rookie franchise takes the action to the FBI, where Simone Clark (Niecy Nash) is a guidance counselor turned agent, joining at the same time as a former actor turned agent, Brendon (Kevin Zegers). The pilot was about Simone and Brendon joining the unit and setting up the characters. The second episode dove into the formula for the show, going through the case of the week and continuing to build out the characters. I thought The Rookie was fine but it wasn’t a series that hooked me. This second series in the franchise follows much the same formula and fits with the brand. I thought both episodes were fine and I enjoyed Nash in the lead role and the rest of the cast. If you’re a fan, this one will work for you. If you didn’t love the original, this isn’t a big enticement.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Wednesdays:
Reginald The Vampire, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on SyFy (Premiered October 5)
About: The new comedy series from SyFy has a supernatural twist, ideally timed for the season. It centers on Reginald (Jacob Batalon), a normal goofy guy who works at a yogurt shop. When he’s attacked, a vampire named Maurice (Mandela Van Peebles) acts to keep Reginald from dying. Unfortunately, it turns him into the undead. That puts a crimp on his life and his love life, leaving Reginald to figure out how to move forward. That’s the set up for this series and most of the pilot spends its time diving into this premise and introducing these characters. I like Batalon, who has been a great supporting player in the Spider-Man franchise. Here he gets the lead and he’s affable in the role. Still, there’s not a ton to this series and it feels like kind of a niche effort. If you’re a fan of this kind of series on SyFy, you’re happy. If not, there’s not a strong enough hook—at least in the pilot—to feel like this is must-see TV.
Pilot Grade: C

Thursdays:
A Friend of the Family, Streaming Thursdays on Peacock (Premiered October 6)
About: The latest from Peacock is not only creepy, it’s almost too crazy to be believed. And yet, it’s based on a true story. It centers on Robert Berchtold (Jake Lacy) who, in the 1970s despite being married with children spent years abducting the daughter of some family friends. The series is told with the help of the victim—Jan Broberg—who is played by Hendrix Yancey and McKenna Grace throughout the nine-episode series. The first four episodes dropped on Thursday with more episodes dropping weekly. The series also features Colin Hanks and Anna Paquin as Jan’s parents. The pilot and second episode are about introducing the characters and world, while focusing on the first abduction. It shows how Robert worked with Jan to spin her into one story while hiding his true nature and motives. The slow roll to involving the authorities feels ridiculous, but again this is based on a true story and told with the help and participation of the victim here. It’s a creepy premise and Lacy does a nice job of playing the many different sides of Robert. This will likely be a lot for some viewers but for those who are into the true crime genre, this should hold some appeal.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C+

Walker: Independence, Thursdays at 9 p.m. on The CW (Premiered October 6)
About: This is a new spin-off of the Walker franchise, taking the action back to an early Walker descendent in the 19th Century. Abby Walker (Katherine McNamara) is heading from Boston to Independence, Texas, with her husband, who is due to become the new town Sheriff. When they’re attacked and her husband is killed, Abby narrowly survived only to discover her would-be assassin is now the sheriff. She also suspects more is at work here and decides to stay, teaming with a few locals, to get some justice. It’s a simple set up. We’ve seen prequels and origin stories work in the past, notably working well in the Yellowstone universe earlier this year. This one has the trappings of some successful story pieces for The CW and also returns Matt Barr, who starred on the original, as a character here. The pilot was full of cliches but it was fine. Likely this will appeal to the core fanbase.
Pilot Grade: C

Alaska Daily, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered October 6)
About: Tom McCarthy delivers this story about an experienced investigative reporter whose fallen on hard times and takes a position at a small paper in Anchorage, Alaska. As we open, Eileen (Hilary Swank) is in China near completing a big story she’s been working on for months. The story exposes the crimes of a General in line for a big job. Once the story goes live for her major outlet in New York, the pushback takes a turn. Soon, Eileen finds herself out of a job and feeling aimless. A few months later, a friend (Jeff Perry) who’s running a small paper in Alaska comes to recruit her, enticing her with a potentially juicy story about native women disappearing without much investigation. She takes the job and has to adjust to a new life, a new role as mentor and a new way of doing things. It’s part hard-hitting story and part fish-out-of-water tale. Swank is solid in the lead role and I enjoyed the way the pilot played out. McCarthy, who gave us Spotlight, among other films, has a knack for telling stories like this. It feels like something a little more grounded and adult for ABC but it works. I enjoyed the pilot and I look forward to seeing where it’s going.
Pilot Grade: B-

Fridays:
Fire Country, Friday at 9 p.m. on CBS (Premiered October 7)
About: The latest Friday drama from CBS centers on inmates given a chance to reduce their sentence by serving as volunteer firefighters in California. The series stars Max Thieriot, who helped co-create the series, as Bode Donovan. He’s in prison due to a robbery and, after being denied parole, he joins a program that shaves time of the sentences of inmates who volunteer to work for Cal Fire. When he’s deployed to his home town, Bode is instantly uncomfortable, clashing with acquaintances and family he’s been trying to avoid. I like the idea here. There was a fascinating documentary on HBO Max about the practice earlier this year and it’s applied well to create something new in a network series. It got off to a hot start on Friday night and the pilot builds the world and characters well, ending with a hook that will keep you coming back for more. This is one of the better pilots I’ve seen during the network season and this could be a strong addition to the new Fall season.
Pilot Grade: B

Sundays:
Family Law, Sundays at 8 p.m. on The CW (Premiered October 2)
About: This series features Victor Garber and Jewel Staite as an estranged father and daughter forced to work together after the latter suffers a fall from grace. The series originally aired in Canada and now is making its U.S. debut. I like Staite in the lead role but both episodes felt a bit too formulaic and cliché. Legal shows can be fun based on characters and cases, and there’s some potential here. The family dynamics make for a lot to be going on here, and not all of it is incredibly interesting. Additionally, Garber feels under-used to this point. The show is OK but on Sundays in the Fall you need more to hook viewers.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

East New York, Sundays at 9 p.m. on CBS (Premiered October 2)
About: This drama takes the action to a precinct in East New York where a new commander (Amanda Warren) is trying to make a difference. She’s employing new methods and trying to get buy-in from her team. Being set in a precinct, we get different kinds of cases. There are detectives, beat officers, those trying to connect to the community and command politics. I enjoyed the pilot and the potential. The second episode felt a bit too cliché. We’re not making enough progress diving into these characters and the changes that Regina Haywood wants to make. Again, Sunday is a competitive night of television, especially going against the NFL. This has the bones of something that could work but the second episode was a bit of a snooze that took a step back from some of the progress made in the pilot.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C

Let the Right One In, Sundays at 10 p.m. on Showtime (Premiered October 9)
About: This premise has been turned into a film—more than once—and now makes its debut during the Spooky Season on Showtime. In this case Demian Bichir is a father who is trying to keep his daughter alive and find a cure for her condition. That condition turns her into a monster that needs human blood to survive. They return home in the pilot, seeking a place to put down roots as he continues his search for answers. They also befriend a mother and son next door, quickly adding further complications. And yet, this return home may yield fruit as the connection to a larger world might yield the sought-after cure. Again, Showtime tries to strike gold by reaching into films from the past. We’ve seen this a couple times so far, whether it be re-makes, as in The Man Who Fell to Earth or a sequel series as in American Gigolo. This falls into the former category, taking a familiar story and trying to re-imagine the world and the players. The basic set up works and the pilot moved at a decent clip. It gets a timely October release and Bichir is a solid option in the lead role. But your interest in this will likely be tied to how you feel about the basic story. I wasn’t a fan of the films, and likewise am not taken with this story so far. I have trouble seeing it working long-term.
Pilot Grade: C

Streaming Series:
The Midnight Club, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered October 7)
About: Mike Flanagan returns with another spooky series, as has become something of an annual tradition for Netflix. This one takes the action back to the 1990s and focuses on Annarah Shepherd (Annarah Cymone) who is graduating high school and about to head to Stanford when she learns that she has cancer. A year later and she is terminal, so Annarah finds a group home where teens in a similar situation can live and go out on their own terms. It might also be the gateway to a miracle cure. Even prior to arriving Annarah has visions, unsure of their meaning. While there, she also finds that the fellow residents gather late at night to tell spooky stories. This is a complex set up and it likely will take time to get to where it’s going and pull all these threads together. It’s a 10-episode series, each running about an hour. The first two episodes feel like a lot of set up, spinning a lot of wheels into motion without delivering many answers or many scares. This is a slowly paced show and one that didn’t have the edge and hook that many of Flanagan’s previous series have produced. For fans of his work, this will be a welcome October addition. However, the first two episodes didn’t live up to some of my hopes.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Oddballs, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered October 7)
About: Another animated series aimed at adults. It feels like these are everywhere and none of them have really been my cup of tea. That’s true of Oddballs, which focuses on James (James Rallison) and his oddball adventures. The first season is 12 episodes, each 20 minutes or less and all available to stream. This lacks some of the edge of other adult animated series, which will likely make it stand out even less. I watched the first two and I’m still not sure what I just saw. This isn’t for me and, honestly, I’m not sure who it’s for really.
Pilot Grade: F
Second Episode: F