Fall TV Roundup, Week 12

 

We’re past Thanksgiving and we’re getting near to the end of meaningful new content in 2023. But still, there are a few marquee series making their way to TVs. So, what of those new shows are worth checking 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 listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesdays:
Fargo, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on FX (Premiered November 21)
About: This is the fifth installment of the crime anthology based on the style of the Coen Brothers films. Noah Hawley is back writing the episodes and we’re back with another frosty crime in Minnesota that spills into North Dakota. This installment features Juno Temple as a housewife with a secret past, Jennifer Jason Leigh as her wealthy and suspicious mother-in-law and Jon Hamm as a right-leaning Sheriff behind some shady dealings, among others. We also get Lamorne Morris and Joe Keery in supporting roles. The first two episodes dropped as an early Thanksgiving present, and this is a nice return to form for the franchise. We haven’t had a new installment since the somewhat under-whelming fourth season in 2020. I like the feel for this installment and the way it’s developing. The characters are intriguing as is the set up. I’m looking forward to seeing how this develops. It’s good to see that Fargo is back!
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

NCIS: Sydney, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS (Premiered November 14)
About: For those who are yearning for a traditional network series, this NCIS spin-off set in Australia hits the mark. For those looking for something that feels fresh and original had best look elsewhere. This is the stiffest of the NCIS series I’ve seen. The stories in the first two episodes were bland as was the character development. There aren’t many new shows out right now, so you might be tempted to dive in. This didn’t feel like it was worth the effort.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

Streaming Series:
Obituary, Now streaming on Hulu (Premiered November 21)
About: Have you ever wondered what Dexter would be like if the main character was a lonely, down-on-her-luck newspaper obituary writer in England? If you have, this new series Obituary is for you. Siohban Cullen stars as Elvira Clancey, an obituary writer who is at a creative dead end thanks to a lack of deaths. So, she takes matters into her own hands to create more work to keep her and her father afloat. Yeah, points for a somewhat original concept. Predictably, by the second episode the pressure is on to both kill and prevent others from discovering her secret. Cullen is a decent lead but the episodes, despite running just about 45 minutes, feel plodding. The entire six-episode season is up for those looking for something darker this holiday season. This was just OK for me.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Faraway Downs, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered November 26)
About: Baz Luhrman joins the ranks of directors who like to revisit, recut and reimagine previous work. That’s the case with Faraway Downs, a new six-part mini-series that looks an awful lot like his 2008 film Australia. That’s because it is the film, with footage added and stories re-edited to transform the nearly three-hour film into a slightly longer mini-series. The entire thing, which stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, is now available to stream after landing on Sunday. The pilot is about 46 minutes, while most of the rest hover around a half an hour, save for the finale, which is 49 minutes. If you enjoyed it the first time then you’ll probably like the expanded universe. I thought the film was just fine and the series feels like a re-hash 15 years later that I didn’t really need.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-