Fall TV Roundup, Week 16


We’re closing in on Christmas and that means this is the last set of new series making their debut in 2024. You might have some free time the next couple of weeks, but what of these new shows is worth your time? Let this weekly post be your guide as I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series, and occasional unscripted 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 13)
About: This new series takes the action back to 1991, and even further in flashbacks, to show what life was like for Dexter Morgan (Patrick Gibson) when he first joined Miami Metro and became a serial killer under cover. Here, he’s living and working with his adopted father, Harry (Christian Slater). The rest of the cast includes famous faces like Patrick Dempsey and Sarah Michelle-Gellar, among others. I like Gibson here, as he’s doing a nice job capturing the essence of Michael C. Hall, who returns to narrate. In fact, we get a number of actors doing solid impressions of those we met in the original series. For fans of Dexter, this will be a welcome addition to the TV landscape. It’s got strong production values and expands on the backstory we already know so well.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Streaming Series:
Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered December 17)
About: Rodgers is a talented quarterback who has had a dedicated career. He’s also an interesting person with some radical views that have cost him in fans and public esteem. This three-episode documentary series opens up Rodgers’ life and his past—on and off the field—helping to shed some light on the controversial QB. It’s an interesting watch, especially for football fans, that helps you get in the mind of a player whose career has taken quite a turn the past four seasons.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Laid, Now Streaming on Peacock (Premiered December 19)
About: Ruby (Stephanie Hsu) has a problem. As we meet her, she’s having a very awkward conversation with a bank teller. Turns out, he’s an ex and she wants to warn him. Seems those who’ve been with Ruby are dying. We flash back three months and Ruby is a single woman trying to make a love connection. But she notices that her exes start dying. Soon, along with the help of her best friend and roommate AJ (Zosia Mamet), she finds a pattern. That sets off a new journey to see if she can keep love alive. This eight-episode series is now streaming on Peacock. Episodes are about a half an hour, making for a tight binge. It’s also got a good cast, led by Mamet and Hsu. But the premise feels a little thin, and it wears thin at times in the first two episodes. There are some laughs, but this is certainly not a broad appeal kind of comedy. Still, for those looking for a good time on the more outrageous side, this might be worth diving in.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C

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