What do a library, a police station, a broken marriage, a space mission, and a medieval musical have in common? They’re at the center of a new batch of shows I’m reviewing. (There’s a reason I have never gone into standup comedy…)
The Librarians (TNT)-
This show, which is a spin-off of The Librarian movie, may just be a rewrapped Warehouse 13. Which is not to say I’m disappointed, I loved that series and was extremely sorry to see it go. This series has essentially the same set up?dangerous artifacts and legends that come to life must be contained for the safety of the general public?but with a slightly different cast makeup. Where Warehouse 13 was more family feeling, this is about a group of very different people bonding as a team. Making up the team of Librarians are art and architecture historian (and all-around man’s man) Jacob, hallucinating and terminal mathematician Cassandra, master thief and techie Ezekiel. Leading the Librarians is Eve, the Guardian, played by Rebecca Romijn. The cast has some good chemistry and the show is a lot of fun. It’s fun to see Noah Wyle’s Flynn from the films occasionally drop in to check how everything is going.
Verdict: I look forward to seeing where this will go.
Babylon (Channel 4)-
When Liz Garvey is hired as the Director of Communications for the police department, she does not anticipate just what a struggle her new job will be. From the incompetent police officers to the combative police chief to the sneaky co-worker angling for her job, the odds are stacked against her. While the series makes you worry about the state of the police department, it does offer an interesting perspective on social media and open access. Would it be better to air all of the police department’s mistakes and take the backlash rather than risk a leak leading to greater anger when the truth is revealed? Is it time to bypass the media to connect directly to the public? Are these decisions the head of the public relations department or the police chief?
Verdict: Not my favorite series, but certainly interesting.
Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce (Bravo)-
Bravo’s first original scripted series’ pilot was super depressing. It was a little hard to watch this married woman with two kids go through an utter meltdown as her marriage and career collapsed around her. That being said, the show builds some momentum from there. It still has some dark moments, but it knows how to really go for it. The central women of the series give twisted sisters Meredith Grey and Christina Yang a run for their money. One character finds herself accidentally enmeshed in a polygamous relationship while another intentionally gets her ex drunk and then calls the cops on him.
Verdict: Not a bad first attempt but no real draw.
Ascension (Syfy)-
As the network did with Battlestar Galactica, Ascension is a mini-series with the potential for a follow-up series. Also like BSG, Ascension has just as much potential to be a hit. The series is about a group of people who were launched into space in the 1960s to begin a 100-year journey to find another place for man to live. Just as the crew reaches the point of no return (51 years into the trip and more than a generation removed from those who chose to make the journey) the first murder in the ship’s history occurs. As the murder is investigated, bigger mysteries are revealed, including a major twist at the end of episode 1 that reframes the entire story. Each episode was more intriguing than the one before.
Verdict: Hopeful that a full series will be launched.
Galavant (ABC)-
I had very low expectations for this series. However, it was significantly better than expected. The music was fun (and funny), the characters were absurd, and the visual comedy was spot on. The half hour timeframe is bit abrupt and prevents any real momentum from building. It feels like there isn’t quite enough time for the story to progress. So far, we have had former hero Galavant with his damsel in distress Isabella as he tries to reclaim his former glory and King Richard and Madalena, Galavant’s former love, living a loveless marriage. That’s about it. Because the music takes up part of each show, there isn’t time for much more than that. This show would be better served in a longer form so that it has more time to unfold.
Verdict: Catchy and fun but not a home run.
Have you seen any of these shows?
What did you think?
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