Summer TV Roundup, Week 7


 We’re making our way through July. It’s a slower time, and yet there are still some interesting new series available. But what of these new shows is 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.

Thursdays:
The Man Will Burn, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on HBO (Premiered July 9)
About: This is a new documentary series about Burning Man, the popular desert festival. The makers had unprecedented access to the behind-the-scenes operations for a few years, starting in 2021 as the organizers were weighing whether the festival could move forward. The premier episode dives into that debate and discussion, while looking at the history of the festival, how it began, and what it means to the various people who make it a part of their regular yearly rhythm. If you’re a fan of Burning Man, this will be interesting. But, if like me you know little about the festival, this will be a fascinating exploration. I enjoyed hearing the stories and seeing what goes into making it happen. The pilot moves at a good pace, clocking in around an hour. The series is four-episodes, airing weekly throughout July.
Pilot Grade: B+

Streaming Series:
Little House on the Prairie, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered July 9)
About: This isn’t the first time the story based on the books from Laura Ingalls Wilder has been adapted for the small screen. The most familiar version, which featured Michael Landon, debuted in 1974 and ran until 1983. Netflix hopes to tap into some nostalgia, appeal to fans of the books, and possibly bring in a whole new audience that didn’t appreciate the depiction of the Ingalls family and their adventure out west in the original. This version has a new tone and aims to explore the relationship between the Ingalls family, the early settlers, and the Osage Nation in a different way. Luke Bracey stars as Charles Ingalls, with Crosby Fitzgerald as his wife Caroline and Alice Halsey as young Laura. The episodes are between 45 minutes and an hour, with the full eight-episode season now streaming. I liked the dedication to the story and the world in this version, but you feel the length in the early episodes. The content in the early going is a bit dry, but there is plenty to work with here and plenty to make this an engaging series, that’s already been picked up for season 2. It’s a good offering for fans and for those looking for a new take.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C+

The Five-Star Weekend, Now Streaming on Peacock (Premiered July 9)
About: This is the big, new scripted offering from Peacock. It’s a star-studded drama that offers an intriguing cast and hook. It is based on the book from Erin Hilderbrand and centers on Hollis Shaw (Jennifer Garner), a celebrity homemaker and cook who has created a popular brand. When her husband is killed in a car accident, it throws her world into disarray. Her happy home and relationship with her daughter (Harlow Jane) is altered. And Hollis is having trouble getting back to normal and getting past her grief. So, she invites all her friends to a weekend getaway at her vacation home. This includes her childhood friend (Chloe Sevigny), her college friend (Regina Hall), her mom friend (D’Arcy Carden), and the new friend (Gemma Chan) she made while trying to recover from the loss of her husband. Each of her friends brings their own issues and baggage to the getaway, and much of it begins bubbling to the surface. Can this getaway be a time of healing for them all? That’s the challenge of this series, which spans eight episodes, each between 40-50 minutes. It’s a good cast and a good hook. I enjoyed the first few episodes, which feature a twist that will bubble to the surface and alter some of the relationships before the series end. This is also a self-contained journey based on the book, which gives it something of a defined end. This is one of the better offerings from Peacock and a nice summer binge.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-


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