Winter TV Roundup, Week 10

 

We’re nearly to Spring, but we’re getting plenty of new shows. In fact, some networks are just now doing their premier week. With all those shows on the air, choosing what to watch can be tricky. 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:
The Regime, Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO (Premiered March 3)
About: This series sees Kate Winslet as the Chancellor of a “European” nation that’s undergoing something of a crisis. She won an election, supposedly, but this doesn’t seem like a particularly free society. And as we see in the pilot, it’s in conflict with the United States. It’s a weird show. I thought the pilot was somewhat uneven and it wasn’t clear to me where it was going. I still can’t say for sure where we’re headed, but I enjoyed the second episode more. There’s a great sequence with Martha Plimpton, while the back-and-forth with Winslet and Matthias Schoenaerts works well enough. This has some intrigue, and as a six-episode limited series it’s not a big commitment!
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C+

Streaming Series:
The Gentlemen, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered March 7)
About: Hailing from Guy Ritchie, the series shares the same name as one of his feature films. It’s set in the same universe, but this series follows new characters and boasts a different cast. Eddie (Theo James) is a solider working for the United Nations. He’s also the second son of a duke whose health is failing. He returns home for his father’s death and funeral, expecting little. But during the reading of the will, his father bypasses his older brother Freddy (Daniel Ings) and leaves his estate, wealth, and title to Eddie. But things get away quickly, as Eddie has to bail out his brother and discovers his father was in business with Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) and her criminal empire. This series has a fun set up and some fun characters. The cast is strong, including supporting players like Giancarlo Esposito and Vinnie Jones. Ings is fun in the early going as the somewhat unhinged Freddy, while I really enjoyed James and Scodelario, and they way they play off each other. There’s some fun action and drama in this eight-episode series, which is now streaming. Ritchie created the series and worked on the scripts, directing the first two episodes as well. I enjoyed this ride and look forward to seeing where it ends up.
Pilot Grade: B+
Second Episode: B+

Boarders, Now Streaming on Tubi (Premiered March 8)
About: This new series is a British comedy/drama that was created for BBC3, where it aired earlier this year. Now, it’s making its domestic debut on Tubi. All six episodes are now available to stream, each running about 50 minutes. The series focuses on five underprivileged black students from inner-city London who receive scholarships to attend an elite boarding school. It’s fair to say there’s some culture clashes as the five learn the lay of the land, make new friends and try to ingratiate themselves in classes and sports. This feels like the kind of set up we’ve seen before with slightly different details. It’s about outsiders trying to become insiders in an exclusive club. The pilot was decent, with some humor and some good tension. It spends time building the characters and the world, with plenty of potential. For those who enjoy a good teen drama, this will be up your alley.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C