Summer TV Roundup, Week 11


We’re making our way through August and toward Labor Day. In short, summer is quickly coming to an end. But that doesn’t mean we’re out of new series, including some high-profile offerings this week. But what of them are worth your time to check out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new series this summer. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesdays:
Alien Earth, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on FX (Premiered August 12)
About: This new series expands the world of Alien. It comes from Noah Hawley and takes place before the events of the first film. It follows a new corporation, Prodigy, that is developing a new technology. They’ve figured out how to implant a human consciousness in a synthetic being, creating hybrids. These beings join Synths and Cyborgs—humans with artificial parts—as part of the new world order. One of the first of these new Hybrids is Wendy (Sydney Chandler), who is still connected to the older brother Joe (Alex Lawther) she had as a human. When a ship from Weyland-Yutani carrying mysterious cargo crash lands in the main Prodigy city, Wendy and her fellow Hybrids join their Synth leader (Timothy Olyphant) to explore the site. What they find is something more dangerous and vicious. This series jumps right into the traditional Alien action and does so with a flourish. I enjoyed the cast, especially Chandler’s Wendy and Olyphant. The first two episodes aired in a block on Tuesday night, with the rest of the eight-episode season dropping weekly. I like the set up and the construction here. I think this has a chance to be one of the better shows of the year.
Pilot Grade: A-
Second Episode: B+

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on HBO (Premiered August 5)
About: The annual rite-of-passage is something football fans look forward to each year. We get an in-depth look at one team’s process of preparing for the season. This year it’s the Bills. I enjoyed the pilot, but it was the second episode that expanded on the personalities and really made me fall in love with this team. Has a team ever appeared on Hard Knocks and won the Super Bowl? We’re about to find out if the Bills can pull that off. But I’m starting to believe. I’m all in on this year’s installment.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: B+

Fridays:
The Rainmaker, Fridays at 9 p.m. on USA (Premiered August 15)
About: This new series is based on the John Grisham novel that served as the basis for a film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Matt Damon in 1997. This one extends the story out in series form, but follows the same, basic idea. Young lawyer Rudy Baylor (Milo Callaghan) is in need of a break. He takes a job working for a lawyer dubbed Bruiser (Lana Parrilla), who pushes him to find a client. When he finds a woman who is going after a large corporation, it’s the right challenge that could lead to a big payoff. The pilot is about introducing the characters and the world. It all works fairly well, with the cast including P.J. Byrne, John Slattery, and Madison Iseman, among others. I had a good time watching the pilot and I think this could be a fun addition to the television landscape.
Pilot Grade: B-

Streaming Series:
Butterfly, Now Streaming on Prime Video (Premiered August 13)
About: This new spy series is based on the graphic novel from Arash Amel. The series focuses on David (Daniel Dae Kim), a spy who was thought dead but comes out of hiding to get to his daughter, Rebecca (Reina Hardesty), who is now an assassin working for his former partner Juno (Piper Perabo). David doesn’t trust Juno, and for good reason. He’s come out of hiding, risking his new family, for a chance to convince Rebecca to abandon the life. But will it work, or has she come too far. This six-episode series is now streaming on Prime Video. Each episode is between 45 and 48 minutes. I like Kim in the lead role, and I thought the series was intriguing and makes for a quick binge. In fact, I enjoyed the first two so much I plowed through the whole season and was satisfied by what I saw. It was a good addition to the streaming landscape.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

The Kingdom, Now Streaming on Hulu and Disney+ (Premiered August 14)
About: This is the latest sports docuseries, a six-episode exploration of the 2024 season with the Kansas City Chiefs. The series comes from ESPN, which was granted unfettered access to the Chiefs as they chased a historical three-peat. We know how the season went, but the series is an in-depth exploration of the players, coaches, front office, and the history of the franchise. For fans of sports documentaries, this one is solid. I really enjoyed the first two episodes, which each run around 50 minutes. It makes for a quick binge, one that will engage NFL fans and those who are interested in a good sports documentary.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

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