Seasons: 3 seasons, 30 episodes Starring: Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Liv Hewson, Skyler Gisondo, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, and Richard T. Jones. Description: The show is set in the suburb of Santa Clarita, and follows the life of a married couple named Joel and Sheila. Things take a turn when Sheila is infected by a mysterious zombie virus that forces her to turn into a cannibal in order to stay alive. Her family intervenes to try and help her, and together they must deal with all kinds of difficult situations, which include a lot of blood, guts, and gore. This show is not for the faint-hearted.
Why it’s lukewarm: The Santa Clarita Diet is another show that is full of potential but doesn’t really take off. The cast is top class, and the premise is excellent, but there isn’t quite enough bite to keep it going. The script tries to be comedic and witty but fails to consistently deliver, and leaves viewers not entirely satisfied. It is, however, easy to watch and perfectly binge-worthy.
Altered Carbon (SO-SO)
Seasons: 2 seasons, 18 episodes. Starring: Joel Kinnaman, James Purefoy, and Renée Elise Goldsberry. Description: Altered Carbon was created by Laeta Kalogridis and based on the book of the same name set 300 years into the future. This is an epic sci-fi drama set in a futuristic version of San Francisco’s Bay City. In this world, humans can extract memories and consciousness into a device called a cortical stack, which is then implanted into the back of the neck. This means that when humans die, they could, theoretically, remove the stack and re-implant it in a clone, essentially giving them immortality. The story features an elite soldier by the name of Takeshi Kovac who is given the opportunity at a new life if he can solve a crime.
Why it’s lukewarm: A lot is going on with Altered Carbon and as a result, it never really takes off. There is a lot of potential for a great show, but the characters are not sufficiently developed, and the plot is difficult to follow. Altered Carbon promises brilliance but doesn’t deliver.
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (SO-SO)
Seasons: 1 season, 4 episodes. Starring: Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Kelly Bishop, Scott Patterson, Milo Ventimiglia, Keiko Agena, Liza Weil, Jared Padalecki, Sean Gunn, Matt Czuchry, and Melissa McCarthy. Description: Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life is set back in the original location of Stars Hollow, with each episode taking place during a different season over the course of a year. The mini-series provided viewers with some much-needed answers to some old plotlines and cliffhangers and brings the viewer right back to where it all started. The unceremonious ending of season 7 left viewers with lots of questions, so this set about answering them.
Why it’s lukewarm: Despite providing the answers the viewers so desperately wanted and bringing the storyline of Emily and Lorelai to a beautiful conclusion, it felt like there was some unevenness to other storylines. For Gilmore Girls lovers, this is a must-watch that they will love from beginning to end, but as a standalone season, it doesn’t light that spark.
Atypical (SO-SO)
Seasons: 4 seasons, 38 episodes Starring: Keir Gilchrist, Michael Rapaport, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Brigette Lundy-Paine. Description: Atypical follows the life of a boy named Sam, who is on the spectrum. As you might imagine, Sam gets himself into all kinds of awkward situations, especially when he decides he wants to become more independent and find himself a girlfriend. Atypical joins Sam on this journey of self-discovery, with all the twists and turns along the way.
Why it’s lukewarm: Although the premise is not particularly original, there is something about it that we find heartwarming and lovable. Sam, for all his awkwardness, is an endearing character in which the viewer quickly feels invested.
Lovesick (SO-SO)
Seasons: 3 seasons, 22 episodes Starring: Johnny Flynn, Antonia Thomas, Daniel Ings, Joshua McGuire, and Hannah Britland Description: Lovesick is about a guy named Dylan who just wants to be in love. On his quest to find the perfect woman, he meets a lot of imperfect ones. Dylan finds out he is a carrier of chlamydia, but in order to discover who he has given it to and inform them, he must contact all of his ex-lovers. Each episode features a flashback to a different woman, and tells the story of how they met and ultimately ended up in bed together. Despite his numerous partners, Dylan is not particularly suave or cool about dating and romance, and so there are plenty of cringe-worthy moments along the way that the viewer will be amused and horrified by.
Why it’s a keeper: Rom-coms can be a tricky genre to get right on the small screen, and Lovesick does an excellent job of balancing the romantic elements and awkward comedy that comes from Dylan reliving all of his past relationships, which ultimately leave him with a broken heart and chlamydia. This kind of show will appeal to a millennial audience as well as those who have had multiple failed romances.