Seasons: 1 season, 10 episodes. Starring: Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Peyton Kennedy, Patch Darragh, and Claudine Mboligikpelani. Description: Everything Sucks tells the story of a group of kids trying to make their way through adolescence. The show is set in the 90s, which means it was a time before smartphones and the internet. To keep themselves busy, this group of misfits create a movie to grab the attention of their peers, using their experience and talents from the AV and Drama club to create something amazing.
Why it’s lukewarm: The series does an excellent job of depicting teenage life in the 90s, and all of the angst that comes with it. Some of the dialogue is not so believable, but overall, the show manages to sensitively cover most of the issues that adolescents deal with. With all of the struggle and insecurities, it’s no surprise they decided to name the show Everything Sucks!
The Fall (SO-SO)
Seasons: 3 Seasons, 17 episodes. Starring: Gillian Anderson, Jamie Dornan, John Lynch, Bronagh Waugh, Stuart Graham, and Archie Panhabi Description: The Fall is about a man who, for all intents and purposes, looks like a typical family man. However, he is harboring a dark secret: he is a psychopathic serial killer. The task of catching him falls upon Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson, who is herself struggling with some of her own personal issues, and must try to compartmentalize them as she goes about trying to track down this dangerous criminal.
Why it’s lukewarm: The show gets off to a great start, with seasons one and two being big hits. However, the third season takes something of a nosedive as it comes to its conclusion. The viewer is expecting a reward after so much anticipation, but sadly, they are left disappointed. The sparse dialogue works to build the tension, which it does well, and the show does not follow the same formula as many other crime dramas, but the ending will leave you a little frustrated.
Lost in Space (SO-SO)
Seasons: 2 Seasons, 20 episodes. Starring: Molly Parker, Toby Stephens, Maxwell Jenkins, Taylor Russell, Parker Posey, and Brian Steele Description: Lost in Space is a remake of the 1960’s sci-fi classic about a family traveling through space. Along the way, they realize that space is a hostile environment. When their ship is attacked and damaged, they find themselves thrown off course and light years away from their destination. The family must work as a team to overcome their internal conflicts and save themselves from disaster.
Why it’s lukewarm: Lost in Space, much like their spaceship, fails to fire on all cylinders. Despite the show’s big budget and potential for excellence, it doesn’t reach new heights or even equal the heights of its original version. The script is lacking, and concentrates too much on the inner conflicts between the family members while neglecting the development of some of the more interesting characters, such as Doctor Smith. The show could have potential if the writers would change their focus.
Grace and Frankie (SO-SO)
Seasons: 6 seasons, 78 episodes. Starring: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sam Waterston, Martin Sheen, and Brooklyn Decker. Description: Grace and Frankie find themselves facing a new reality when they discover that their husbands, Robert and Sol, have not only struck up a relationship, but are now in love. This is enough to turn anyone’s lives upside down, but the two women decide the best thing to do is to start a new life and move on together. As time goes on, the two women grow closer and realize all is not lost, as they have more in common with each other than they ever had with their husbands.
Why it’s lukewarm: Grace and Frankie is definitely watchable TV. The cast is strong, and the script is pretty funny. However, something fails to launch overall, and so we’d say if your fans of the actors then this is worth seeing; otherwise, there may be other things you might enjoy more.
The Killing (From Season 4, SO-SO)
Seasons: 4 seasons, 44 episodes Starring: Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman, Billy Campbell, Liam James, and Michael Forbes. Description: The Killing is based on a Danish drama called Forbrydelsen (The Crime). Season 4 features two detectives by the name of Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder who are trying to solve a number of murder cases in Seattle, Washington. In the process of the investigation, both detectives are forced to face their own demons about their personal and professional lives.
Why it’s lukewarm: With so many murder mysteries available, this one is just not special enough to ignite our imagination. The first two seasons received a positive response, but it lost its way somewhere in the middle. It stops focusing on the mystery and spends too much time dealing with the personal issues of the detectives.