Summer TV Roundup, Week 15

 

Into August and we’re seeing an interesting—and smaller—mix of new shows. In these dog days of summer, you might be wondering what’s worth your time to check out. Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this summer. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Monday Nights:
Run the Burbs, Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. on The CW (Premiered July 31)
About: This summer The CW has been all about imported series from elsewhere. The network has also dipped its toe into the sitcom waters. Run the Burbs, which debuted in 2022 in Canada, is both. It’s a family sitcom, set in a neighborhood in Canada. It follows the exploits of the Pham family and their attempts to gel in the neighborhood. It all feels like a familiar kind of setup for a typical network sitcom. The pilot episode was short on laughs and felt longer than its 21-minute run time. These shows will become the norm for the new CW, but it still feels like an odd fit. If you’re craving a traditional network sitcom, this delivers. If you’re craving original stories and characters, this was a miss for me.
Pilot Grade: C

Wednesdays:
Strange Planet, Streaming Wednesdays on Apple TV+ (Premiers August 9)
About: This is a bit of a preview, as the show officially debuts tomorrow. It’s an adult animated series from the creators of Rick & Morty, set in a distant alien world that looks somewhat similar to our own. I watched the first two and it’s fair to call this something of an anthology series, with each episode taking on a different idea. It’s meant to be something of a commentary on our world. The episodes run about 25 minutes, so it’s not a long commitment. It also follows a webcomic and graphic novel of the same name from co-creator Nathan Pyle. The first three episodes drop Wednesday, with subsequent episodes dropping weekly. The idea is interesting, but the content didn’t speak to me. It was a bit too dry and too strange to connect.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Fridays:
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Streaming Fridays on Prime Video (Premiered August 4)
About: This new mini-series, based on the novel from Holly Ringland, is a seven-episode exploration of the title character, Alice Hart. It spans years as it follows her from a traumatic childhood through her young adult years. At the outset, we meet a young Alice (Alyla Browne), who is living with her mother and abusive father. When things go from bad to worse, a fire claims the lives of her parents and leaves Alice battered. Her grandmother June (Sigourney Weaver) and a family friend Sally (Asher Keddie) both want to care for Alice. When she ends up with June, it causes a rift between the women. But June is harboring secrets of her own, including secrets about Alice’s parents. Will those come out, and when they do what will it do to Alice and her future? Those are the questions posed in the early episodes. The first three episodes of a planned seven-episode series were released Friday, with subsequent episodes dropping in the coming weeks. I enjoyed the way the series is laid out and the strong performances. I watched all three episodes, and it made me curious to see where this is going. Fans of the book will be pleased to see it adapted, but the material translates fine to those not familiar with the original story as well. This is a mini-series that is worth diving into to close out the summer.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-