Spring TV Roundup, Week 4

We’re making our way through April and we’re getting some interesting new shows. But what of these shows are worth making the effort to check out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Spring. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Wednesdays:
Sherlock & Daughter, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW (Premiered April 16)
About: We’ve seen plenty of stories of Sherlock Holmes over the years, done in myriad ways. In fact, just this year we got one that focused on Dr. John Watson in the wake of Sherlock’s death. Here, we go back to the original time period in 1896, and we find Sherlock (David Thewlis) living and working alone. Something’s happened and Sherlock has become wearier of using his gift to solve cases. Soon, a young American girl named Amelia Rojas (Blu Hunt) arrives in London. She makes her way to Sherlock and impresses him with some of her skills. Then she drops a bomb—her mom is dead and apparently Sherlock is her father. He doesn’t believe he’s her father, but he’s intrigued by her story and skills and offers her a chance to work with him and learn what’s necessary to solve her mother’s murder. Can these two make it work? What’s the real truth? It’s an interesting set up and I like this better than the aforementioned Watson, which debuted on CBS and is something of a disaster. But shows on The CW are all over the map. Will there be enough here to hook and sustain an audience? After one episode, I’m not sure. Still, it’s a clever idea.
Pilot Grade: C+

Government Cheese, Streaming Wednesdays on Apple TV+ (Premiered April 16)
About: This latest from Apple TV+ is a satirical comedy set in 1969. It follows a man, Hampton Chambers (David Oyelowo), who is fresh out of prison. He wants to turn over a new leaf and win back his wife (Simone Missick) and sons (Jahi Di’Allo Winston and Evan Ellison). But they are skeptical. He’s come up with a new invention that seems to be his key to wealth and providing a better life for his family. But he owes some dangerous people money, and quickly. Can he stay on the straight and narrow path, using his skills and invention to provide a better life for his family? Or will the needs of the moment put him in jeopardy once again? This series has an interesting style and hook. The cast is deep, including Bokeem Woodbine and Adam Beach in supporting roles, too. I like the style and the writing, and Oyelowo is compelling lead. The story so far is more quirky than interesting, but it works OK. The season is 10 episodes, with the first four now streaming and the rest dropping in six weekly installments. The episodes, aside from a longer pilot, are mostly around half an hour. This has some potential.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

The Stolen Girl, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Freeform (Premiered April 16)
About: This new series is based on the novel from Alex Dahl. It focuses on a couple (Denise Gough and Jim Sturgess) who go through a crisis. It stems from the disappearance of their daughter, who was staying at the home of a new classmate overnight. But that classmate and her mother (Holliday Grainger) disappear overnight, as does their daughter. That leads to an investigation that opens the door on some secrets. Can they find out what happened before it’s too late? This is a limited series, running five episodes on Freeform. We don’t see a ton of new content on Freeform, and this doesn’t totally feel like their normal brand. It feels more slow-paced and adult. The pilot, in fact, doles out details sparingly, running just under 40 minutes. The performances are fine, but the story is taking a bit to develop. Would this have worked better in a one-time dump? Possibly. It’s hard to imagine a lot of viewers sticking with it unless they’d read the book, or the series picks up the pace in the second episode. We’ll see if it improves.
Pilot Grade: C

Streaming Series:
#1 Happy Family USA, Now Streaming on Prime Video (Premiered April 17)
About: This new series comes from Ramy Youssef and Pam Brady. It’s an animated half hour that focuses on a family living in New Jersey in 2001. In fact, this show centering on a family of Muslims from Egypt picks up on September 10, 2001. By the end of the pilot, we know what happens. Things go from awkward to insufferable for Muslims, forcing this family to quickly try to adapt and show how loyal they are to America. There’s some comedy here. There are some decent performances, and the episodes move at a decent pace. The comedy and style here will likely appeal to a somewhat specific audience. The first season is eight episodes, all now available to stream. That makes for a quick binge with episodes clocking in less than 30 minutes. This will be a must watch for fans of Youssef and his comedy, as he voices one of the lead characters.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Ransom Canyon, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered April 17)
About: This new series for Netflix plays like an adult soap opera. The series, based on the novel from Jodi Thomas, is adapted by April Blair, who created All-American. This is a different kind of series, focusing on older adult and a more cowboy setting. But the inter-personal dynamics and the melodrama carry over. At the center is a love triangle. Staten Kirkland (Josh Duhamel) is a widower who lost his son. He’s grieving but committed to protecting his family and their way of life. Quinn O’Grady (Minka Kelly) is one of Staten’s oldest friends and has been with him through his low periods. They have a connection, but it has never developed fully. She owns a local business and is struggling to make her way. Davis Collins (Eoin Macken) has a beef with Staten, is trying to woo Quinn, and is trying to expand a new sort of business that would change Ransom Canyon. It all comes to a head in the series, which has 10 episodes, each running about an hour. It’s all available to binge and has some interesting performances and moments. I enjoyed the pilot and second episode for what they are, and this will likely appeal to those who like a good, soapy romance.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Now Streaming on Prime Video (Premiered April 18)
About: This new series is based on the novel of the same name from Richard Flanagan. It was adapted by Shaun Grant with each of the five episodes directed by Justin Kurzel. The story follows Dorrigo Evans in two time periods. In the 1980s he’s portrayed by Ciaran Hinds as a successful surgeon and author who is working on promoting his latest book, which focuses on his early life. He sees that time in flashbacks to the 1940s, where he’s portrayed by Jacob Elordi. We see him meet his wife, have an affair with his uncle’s wife (Odessa Young) and go to war, where he ends up a prisoner of war that’s pressed into service building the Burma railway. The ideas here are interesting and the book had plenty of fans. I like the world building and the elements of the story, but the way it bounces around in time is sometimes frustrating. I also thought it moved at too slow a pace in building all the threads in the first two episodes. The series is only five episodes, each between 40-45 minutes, making for a short commitment. If you’re a fan of the source material, this will work better. Otherwise, it might not hold your interest.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C