Fall TV Roundup, Week 11

 

We’re heading toward Thanksgiving and near the end of the season where we get consistent new series. But the good news is we’re getting some good and highly anticipated releases. Still, which should you make time to check out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Fall. Don’t see a new show below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesday Nights:
A Murder at the End of the World, Stream Tuesdays on Hulu (Premiered November 14)
About: Brit Marling and Zal Batmangjil team again, this time for a murder mystery set in Iceland. It is an interesting set up centering on Darby Hart (Emma Corrin), a young investigator who just published a wildly successful book about her most famous case. She’s invited to a weekend with other exceptional people organized by a tech billionaire (Clive Owen). There, she’s reunited with her former flame (Harris Dickinson) and soon a death occurs. She’s plunged headlong into an investigation to root out a murderer before it’s too late. The production, idea and writing are sharp here. The pilot lays out the characters and the world, ending with the inciting incident. The rest of the second episode, released Tuesday, dives into the premise and the mystery. I enjoyed it more as I went deeper, which is the sign of a good series. It’s a seven-episode investment, with subsequent episodes dropping weekly. I enjoyed Corrin in the lead and the world that was built by the creators. This feels like a great addition to the end of the year lineup.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B

NCIS: Sydney, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS (Premiered November 14)
About: Between the two strikes, this Fall has been a bust for traditional network series. But never fear, this foreign import that serves as an expansion of the popular CBS brand is meant to tide you over. It follows an NCIS agent (Olivia Swann) lands in Sydney, Australia, and is paired with a local cop (Todd Lasance) to help solve crimes involving the U.S. Navy. It’s a familiar formula and a familiar set of cases, whether you realized Australia was a big Navy hub or not before the series aired. Look, if you love the original shows, you’ll probably be into this. I thought it was incredibly banal and stiff. There’s little chemistry between the leads and the pilot was plodding. This is likely mostly aimed at hardcore fans of the franchise.
Pilot Grade: C-

Fridays:
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Streaming Fridays on Apple TV+ (Premiered November 17)
About: The monsterverse has given us a number of big-screen blockbusters in recent years. People seemingly never tire of seeing Godzilla or King Kong on screen, even better if they both do battle. Now, we get an expansion of that world on the small screen. This series dives into the creation of Monarch, the organization that’s spent decades tracking and controlling these creates to often limited success. We center in the near present (set just after the events of the first Godzilla film) as a family learns of their connection to the world. Their gateway is going to be Lee Shaw (Kurt Russell). In a parallel storyline, we meet Lee (Wyatt Russell) in the 1950s as he first gets involved with Monarch as a young soldier. These films usually work due to the spectacle. The question is whether people are really interested in the organization at the heart of these stories. This series is a much smaller scale entry to the world. At times we see these monsters in flashes, but this is really about the creation and sustaining of the Monarch organization. It’s more tangential to the world, at least in the first two episodes. I enjoy the performances and the cast, but I’m not totally bought into the journey, yet. The first two episodes landed Friday with the rest of the 10-episode season dropping weekly on Apple TV+.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C

Sundays:
The Curse, Sundays at 10 p.m. on Showtime (Premiered November 12)
About: This new series from Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie is a send up of reality shows, philanthropy and so much more. It centers on a couple (Fielder and Emma Stone) trying to launch a reality empire. But when the husband is cursed after a fumbled attempt to do good, things go downhill quickly. The series is 10 episodes, each running near an hour. The episodes are released weekly on Sundays on Showtime and Fridays on Paramount +. The talent involved here is great. The idea is somewhat compelling as well. But this is a deeply uncomfortable style of storytelling. In addition, it feels a bit much. I wonder if it would work better in a 30-minute format, at least that’s the strong feeling I had watching these two episodes. There’s potential here but it’s not a fun watch. If you don’t like cringe comedy and storytelling, this won’t be for you.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C

Streaming Series:
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, now streaming on Netflix (Premiered November 17)
About: It’s been 13 years since we saw Scott Pilgrim on the big screen and yet it remains popular and a big part of culture. This new, eight-episode animated series re-tells the story in a new way. It returns most of the cast as voice actors, including Michael Cera as Scott and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona. The episodes move at a good pace with an eye-catching visual style. The story will likely appeal to audiences as it has continued to appeal for more than a decade. If you love Scott Pilgrim, this is for you. I appreciate the original film, but I didn’t feel particularly compelled to watch the journey again. I appreciated the first two episodes for what they were but that was enough for me. Episodes run about 25 minutes and all eight are available now, making it a quick binge for the long holiday period.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C