Summer TV Roundup, Week 17

 


We’re in the dog days of summer and the flow of new shows has dwindled to a trickle. Still, you might be wondering what is worth your time to check out. Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new shows this summer. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesdays:
Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the New York Jets, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on HBO (Premiered August 8)
About
: Aaron Rodgers is in New York, so naturally Hard Knocks has followed. He’s clearly the main attraction and through two episodes, it’s hard to really connect to any of the other players and stories. There have been practices and games. I enjoy the general idea of this anthology series, but I want to connect more to the other players and stories. That hasn’t been a big piece of it so far. Still, this is an annual rite of passage for NFL fans, and if you’re happy the season is nearly upon us, this is worth checking out.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C

Fridays:
Harlan Coben’s Shelter, Streaming Fridays on Prime Video (Premiered August 18)
About
: Plenty of Coben’s books have turned into series in recent years. This one is set in New Jersey and feels like something of a ghost story and murder mystery. Jaden Michael stars as Mickey, a high school student whose father is killed in the opening of the pilot. Now he’s living with his aunt (Constance Zimmer), trying to fit in while dealing with his loss. When the mysterious Bat Lady (Tovah Feldshuh) suggests his father is still alive, it throws Mickey for a loss. He pairs with a couple other outcasts at his new school (Adrian Greensmith and Abby Corrigan) to investigate Bat Lady and the mysterious disappearance of another new student. Can they get to the bottom of it all? This one has some fun to it and some twists. The episodes run about 45 minutes, with the first three dropping Friday and the rest of the eight-episode season dropping weekly. I like the mystery and the cast. I haven’t always enjoyed the series based on Coben’s books but this one has a hook that piqued my interest. There’s some potential here.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Sundays:
The Winter King, Sundays at 10 p.m. on MGM+ (Premiered August 20)
About:
Based on the novel by Bernard Cornwell, this tells a grounded version of the Arthur legend. As we begin, Arthur (Iain De Caestecker) is the illegitimate son of King Uther (Eddie Marsan), and his father is displeased. He soon banishes Arthur. Years later, the kingdom is struggling. While Uther celebrates the birth of a legitimate heir, Merlin (Nathaniel Martello-White) fears it will be the ruin of the Kingdom. Instead, he goes to seek Arthur in exile, to bring him back to save the kingdom. This is the launch into the series, which will run 10 episodes, airing weekly on Sunday nights. The pilot is about setting the mood and setting the pieces in place. It moves at a somewhat slow pace and stylistically it wasn’t what I expected. Still, there’s some potential. Though it’s been told many times, people never tire of the Arthur legend. This is a big swing for MGM+ but could be a winner. Hopefully the action picks up in the second episode.
Pilot Grade: C

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