Summer TV Roundup, Week 1

It’s June, so we’re in the midst of summer. It’s a time when some aspects of life begin to slow down, but that doesn’t mean we’re bereft of new content. But which of these new shows 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 summer.

Tuesdays:
Clipped, Streaming Tuesdays on Hulu (Premiered June 4)
About: We know a lot about the history of the Los Angeles Lakers. There was a scripted series on Max the last couple years, in addition to documentaries, docuseries, and other chronicles of the franchise. But what about Los Angeles’s other basketball team? This new series, Clipped, focuses on the tumultuous happenings in 2014 that led to former owner Donald Sterling (Ed O’Neill) being forced to sell the franchise. It was a black mark in the history of a team that doesn’t have much to celebrate. The series, which runs six episodes, focuses on a time when the Clippers, under new coach Doc Rivers (Laurence Fishburne) are in the playoffs and on the cusp of turning around the team’s luck. This comes despite the odd owner and his controlling wife, Shelly (Jacki Weaver). But it’s Sterling’s relationship with his assistant—V. Stiviano (Cleopatra Coleman)—and his comments she’s secretly recorded that cause turmoil. She releases those tapes in a fit of jealous rage just when the Clippers are enjoying playoff success, and things go off the rails. This is based on a true story, so many are familiar with where it’s going. But even sports fans might not be familiar with all the details. The series dropped the first two episodes—each about 50 minutes—on Tuesday, with the rest of the episodes dropping weekly. The drama and action, created by Gina Welch, captures the era and the story here. For those who are fans of sports, or just fans of a good drama, this will be a fun story to explore. I liked the way the first two episodes were put together and I’m excited to see how the drama plays out.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

Fridays:
Fantasmas, Fridays at 11 p.m. on HBO (Premiered June 7)
About: Julio Torres is a unique talent that works in and creates unique projects. His latest is a late-night comedy for HBO. But that description doesn’t really do it justice. HBO has long placed some unique pieces of half-hour content late on Fridays, with this series airing at 11 p.m. on Friday nights. It features Torres as Julio, a wild creative who marches to his own beat. The rest of the pilot episode around him included different short segments and skits on the periphery of that world. Some of them with famous actors like Paul Dano and Steve Buscemi. It is unique, creative, and at times weird. For those that are looking for something a little edgy and different, this will likely hit that sweet spot. Especially for those that enjoyed his previous HBO series, Los Espookys. This was a little too strange and disconnected for me, so the pilot didn’t work as well for me. This is certainly a series that will appeal to people differently based on personal tastes. We’ll see how the second episode goes.
Pilot Grade: C

Streaming Series:
Queenie, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered June 7)
About: This new series on Hulu is based on the 2019 novel from British writer Candice Carty-Williams. The book is about the life and loves of Queenie, a British-Jamaican woman who is in the midst of a difficult year. Dionne Brown takes the lead as Queenie in the eight-episode adaptation. All eight episodes dropped on Hulu Friday, with the series having debuted on June 4 in England as well. The episodes run about a half an hour and make for a fairly quick watch. The first two episodes work to build the character, the world, and the beginning of some of her struggles. I thought there were some positive moments, and I enjoyed Brown in the lead role. This series will likely appeal to fans of the book, or fans of the genre in general. I wasn’t as taken with the story, but your interest in it will likely vary based on your fondness for the genre.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered June 7)
About: It was a big week for original series on Hulu, and it’s been a big year for fashion designers getting biopic series. The latest is Lagerfeld, the German designer who worked for French fashion houses. The series is French, though on its Hulu release it is dubbed over in English, with all six episodes now available to stream. Episodes run about 45 minutes each. The series focuses on Lagerfeld’s work and life in the early 1970s, when he became the principal brand designer for Chloe. The designer is portrayed by German actor Daniel Bruhl, while the series also focuses on his meeting and forming a connection with Jacques de Bascher (Théodore Pellerin), with whom he remained connected for 18 years until de Bascher’s death in 1989. The series seeks to explore Lagerfeld’s work, inspirations, and his personal life during this crucial period in his life and career. It’s an interesting approach if you want to learn more about this designer, his work, and his life. Like some of the other series that have followed the world of fashion, this will likely appeal more to those who have an interesting in the subject or want to explore the period a bit more. I thought the first two episodes were well made, and Bruhl is good in the lead role, but I wasn’t drawn into the subject.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C