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.
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.
Everything Sucks! (SO-SO)
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 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.
Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp (SO-SO)
Seasons: 1 season, 8 episodes. Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Michael Ian Black, Bradley Cooper, Judah Friedlander, Christopher Meloni, Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Molly Shannon, Lake Bell, Chris Pine, Jon Hamm, Michael Cera, Kristen Wiig, Jason Schwartzman, and John Slattery. Description: Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp is the second installment of the Wet Hot American Summer franchise and the prequel to the original version which was released in 2001. Many of the actors in the original movie went on the make big names for themselves, but returned to play even younger versions of themselves, over a decade later. The show is full of witty references and the big-name actors makes it an appealing option.
Why it’s lukewarm: Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp is a show you need to have a frame of reference for. There are tons of jokes relating to 80’s pop culture, and if you haven’t seen the original, some of the jokes will go over your head. This alienates a large portion of the audience.It is so intertwined with the original that it doesn’t really work as a standalone series, despite being amusing and well written.