Winter TV Roundup, Week 6

 


With it being Super Bowl Week, while we welcomed back old friends like Abbott Elementary, the stream of new shows slowed. We got two new releases—including the post-Super Bowl premier. But which of those is 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 Winter. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Sundays:
Tracker, Airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on CBS (Premiered February 11)
About: This new series got the plum premier slot behind the Super Bowl. It features Justin Hartley, star of This Is Us, in the adaptation of a novel about a survivalist who plies his skills to solving mysteries. In the series, based on the book from Jeffery Deaver called The Never Game, the series follows Colter Shaw (Hartley) as he travels the country taking on searches where a reward is offered. It is his full-time job, and he’s really good at solving the mysteries. The show centers on Colter, exploring some ongoing mysteries from his past while setting up a case-of-the-week format. Hartley is a nice lead, and the pilot was sufficiently engaging. I could see this being a solid addition to the CBS Sunday night lineup.
Pilot Grade: C+

Streaming Series:
One Day, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered February 8)
About: This is a series adaptation of the novel from David Nicholls that was previously adapted into a film in 2011 starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess. This one is a 14-episode season, each about a half an hour and each available to stream now. We begin July 15, 1988, as Dexter (Leo Woodall) and Emma (Ambika Mod) meet and spark a connection. Each episode finds them again on July 15 moving through 2007. Most of the early episodes take place over a single year, which latter episodes combine years as the story comes in for a landing. Folks that are fans of the book will likely be happy with a longer adaptation. But the separation of the main characters, particularly in the second episode, is something that works better if you have read the whole story or in a compact film. Woodall and Mod have decent chemistry and the idea is fun enough. This is a quick binge for the holidays and should be a decent watch for fans of romantic comedies.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

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