Fall TV Roundup, Week 15

 

We’re rapidly closing in on Christmas and the end of the year. We don’t have many new shows left to debut this Fall, but you probably have even less in the way of free time. So, which of these new shows is worth the investment? 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.

Sundays:
Dexter: Original Sin, Sundays at 10 p.m. on Showtime (Premiered December 15)
About: Showtime is having a moment with its new series The Agency, but at the same time it leans into its past to hold viewers. That’s the case with its latest, the second spin-off series from the world of Dexter. Naturally, this is a pre-cursor to another spin-off coming this summer. And, like the previous shows and the one to come, this features Michael C. Hall as the voice of Dexter Morgan. This time, we pick up the action where the sequel series left off with Dexter (Hall) nearing death. As he’s fading away, he begins thinking about how he began. Soon, we’re transported to Miami in 1991. A young Dexter (Patrick Gibson) is a student at Miami University who is pursuing medicine as a means of controlling his dark passenger. That’s at the direction of his father Harry (Christian Slater). He still lives at home with Harry and a teenage Deb (Molly Brown). But after Harry suffers a heart-attack, and with his life in peril, Dexter gives into his urge and finds a new career path. For fans of the Dexter franchise, this is a welcome return. We’re in familiar surroundings with new actors giving us some familiar patterns of classic characters, while adding some familiar faces like Slater, Patrick Dempsey, and Sarah Michelle Gellar in supporting roles. The voice of Hall guiding all the action feels familiar and the story hews closer to the pattern of the original series. There’s potential in this addition as we explore Dexter’s story, but it comes with the caveat that all prequels have when it comes to genuine stakes for characters for whom we already know their fate. Still, for fans of the original and fans of series set in the early 1990s, this will be a welcome addition to the late year TV landscape. New episodes air Sundays on Showtime and drop Fridays on Paramount+.
Pilot Grade: C+

Streaming Series:
Secret Level, Now Streaming on Prime Video (Premiered December 10)
About: This new anthology series is being released in two parts. The first eight episodes are now streaming with a second wave due to be released December 17. It’s a series of animated shorts, each based on a different video game. It’s meant to appeal to those who are taken with the games and want to see the world expanded. Games featured include Dungeons & Dragons, Pac-Man, and Sifu in the first wave. The episodes are short, all under 20 minutes, making for a quick binge. And each episode is a unique story birthed out of the world of the game. This will likely work best for fans, too. I’ll admit that not being a gamer, I was a bit lost on the context for the two episodes I screened. But it is a short commitment for fans of the games, or fans of the art forms. This feels like some niche viewing that won’t hit home for all audiences.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

Dream Productions, Now Streaming on Disney+ (Premiered December 11)
About: This new animated series is a spin-off of the Inside Out world. It takes us inside Riley’s head again, this time focusing on the group that is responsible for dreams and nightmares. For this group, too, it’s about adjusting to Riley moving from a young girl to a teenager, and her changing needs. We start with her as a young girl, near the end of the first movie, and pick up the action with her moving into that next phase of life. The familiar voices from the films are there, including the OG emotions. But from a timing standpoint, this feels like a series that bridges the time between the first and second films, so it might feel a bit out-of-place for those who are expecting some kind of a sequel or follow up. Still, the animation is solid, and the action is interesting. Episodes are about 25 minutes, with the series running four episodes. It makes for a short commitment that feels about on par with a feature film. For fans of the series, this will be a must watch.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

No Good Deed, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered December 12)
About: The latest from Netflix is a black comedy of sorts that comes from Liz Feldman, the creator of Dead To Me. The season is eight episodes, all about a half an hour, which dropped on Thursday. It focuses on a couple (Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano) who are hurting for money, harboring a secret, grieving their son, and now selling their family home. Among those interested are their neighbors (Luke Wilson and Linda Cardellini), a couple trying to start their own family (Abbi Jacobson and Poppy Liu), and a newly married couple expecting their first child (Teyonah Parris and O-T Fagbenle). The cast also includes Dennis Leary and Kate Moennig, among others. It’s a loaded group and a complex and layered plot that plays out in interesting ways through the early going. There’s some sharp humor and drama, with the early episodes being about putting the pieces in motion. So far, I like what I’ve seen and I’m curious to see where it’s all leading. With it being eight episodes, all half an hour, it makes for a quick binge to end the year. The episodes move at a good pace, and I’m interested in the plot threads introduced so far.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-