Fall TV Roundup, Week 11

We’re rapidly approaching Thanksgiving and the big slow down for the holidays. But before we get there, we’re still getting some new series to check out. But what of these new series are 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. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Fridays:
Stumble, Fridays at 8:30 p.m. on NBC (Premiered November 7)
About: This new sitcom is a documentary-style romp in the world of competitive cheerleading. Jenn Lyon is the lead, starring as a cheer coach fired from a National Championship squad and hoping for another shot at glory rebuilding a nearby program. Comedy is hard, and sitcoms are still in shorter supply on networks than in an era past. NBC is trying to find a style that works, this one paired with a Reba McIntire series on Fridays. The pilot was fine if unspectacular. The second episode provided more of the same. I’m all for getting more comedy, and there’s potential here, but it just lacks a little spark.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Streaming Series:
Bat-Fam, Now Streaming on Prime Video (Premiered November 10)
About: This is a follow-up series to the little streaming Christmas film from 2024. It follows a more mature Batman (Luke Wilson) who is the father to Damien Wayne (Yonas Kibreab), also known as Little Batman. The new series is animated, with 25-minute episodes and a 10-episode season. If you enjoyed the film, or enjoy a more family-friendly Batman series, this is for you. The episodes move at a decent pace and have a bit lower stakes. It has little to do with mainstream DC, especially owing to where it is, but episodes are fun for what they are. It’s hardly must-see TV, but it’s entertaining enough.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

The Beast in Me, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered November 13)
About: This new series comes from Creator Gabe Rotter and Showrunner Howard Gordon, who previously worked together on The X-Files. The series stars Claire Danes as a writer who lost her son four years earlier. Her personal life has fallen apart, and her professional career has stalled. When a controversial new businessman, Nile Jarvis (Matthew Rhys), moves into her neighborhood, it causes a stir. But it might also be an opening to a new creative path, and a new mystery. This is a good cast and set up. It’s an eight-episode limited series that is now all available to stream. Episodes run between 45 and 55 minutes, making for a decent but not overly long commitment. I like the cast and the premise. The first two episodes do a nice job of laying out the world and the hook. Gordon previously worked with Danes on Homeland, so it’s clear they can make TV magic together. This is worth checking out.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C+

Last Samurai Standing, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered November 13)
About: Set in 1878, this new Netflix international series is about a group of 292 men brought together fighting for a better life. In a time when swords and samurai have been outlawed, they enter a competition to win money for a new way forward. It allows them to ply the skills that they gained that are no longer valued. This feels a bit like a fusion between The Long Walk and an action film. It’s a six-episode series, each about 45 minutes. It’s a short commitment. You can watch it in Japanese with subtitles or an English dub. If you’re looking for some brutal action sequences, this is your show.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Malice, Now Streaming on Prime Video (Premiered November 14)
About: This new series comes from Creator James Wood (Trying, The Great), and focuses on a wealthy family on vacation. Jamie (David Duchovny) and Nat Turner (Carice van Houten) have been married a long time and are used to things working out for them. When a new tutor (Jack Whitehall) comes into their lives, so do problems. Could he be at the root of them, and what does he hope to gain? That’s right, this is edgy mystery box series. It’s only six episodes, so it moves at a decent pace. But is it worth the commitment? There’s a good cast here and a decent idea for a hook. But the first couple episodes are a real slog. I was particularly bogged down in episode two. In order for this to work, you have to like or at least care about some of the characters. I didn’t. This didn’t work at all for me, feeling like a real miss that is skippable unless you’re a die-hard fan of the genre.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C-