What to Watch and Skip This Week: Two

Image Courtesy of Disney and Mike Taing

     In this second article this week in this series, I found two options that are not only complete opposites, but also have surprised critics in a positive manner. The first of these is 'Shifting Gears', which premieres on ABC on January 8, 2024. In the series, "Matt is a stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop; when Matt's estranged daughter and her kids move into his house, the real restoration begins." The ensemble cast includes Tim Allen and Kat Dennings. Dave Nemetz of TV Line says, "Tim Allen knows his niche. Between Home Improvement and Last Man Standing, Allen has spent nearly two decades on network TV playing a blue-collar, no-nonsense dad who loves his kids despite all his grumbling (and grunting). Now he’s back on ABC with Shifting Gears — debuting this Wednesday at 8/7c; I’ve seen the first two episodes — a new sitcom that’s built to be right in Allen’s wheelhouse. And despite some flat jokes and predictable turns, it’s built surprisingly well, with a lot of the credit going to co-star Kat Dennings, who proves she can go toe-to-toe with Allen and match him jab for jab." Adding, "To the show’s credit, though, Matt isn’t just heralded as a patriotic hero who’s right about everything. He’s challenged on his views, with Dennings making a more than capable sparring partner. The two have an entertainingly feisty dynamic right away as they bicker back and forth — they actually seem like father and daughter — and Allen even reveals a tender side in the scenes where Matt and Riley try to process the death of her mother. Dennings is a seasoned sitcom pro, too, from her years on 2 Broke Girls, and she brings plenty of sharp sass as Riley, who’s just as headstrong (and just as flawed) as her dad. The supporting cast is solid as well, including Seann William Scott and Daryl “Chill” Mitchell as a pair of wise-cracking mechanics who work at Matt’s shop. (Scott’s character Gabriel is obviously being set up as a love interest for Riley, but they don’t know it yet.) There aren’t a lot of surprises to be found in Shifting Gears’ first two episodes, but we don’t tune into shows like this to be surprised, anyway. We tune in to laugh, and Allen and Dennings deliver on that front as a sturdy comedy duo. No, this show doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel… but it does give that wheel a pretty decent restoration job." 

    On January 13, 2024, 'Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare' is released to a unusual amount of anticipation as it is the third entry into the Twisted Childhood Universe. In the film, "Wendy Darling encounters a twisted Tinkerbell as she tries to rescue her brother, Michael, from the evil clutches of Peter Pan." The ensemble cast includes Megan Placito, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney, Martin Portlock, and Kit Green. Connor Petrey of Pop Culture Leftovers says, "Scott Chambers’ Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare is the third entry in the Twisted Childhood Universe and manages to become the best yet, being an outlandish reimagining full of delusion, drugs and brutal kills. For those unfamiliar with this recently established universe, we were treated a few years ago with a Winnie-the-Pooh horror film titled Blood and Honey as soon as the popular character hit public domain. The first film, while I sped out to the theater to see it, was a daunting task to sit through, although back then we called it “The Room of Horror”. Not surprisingly the film was a box office success during its limited event release and a sequel was spawned the year after. The sequel, appropriately titled, Blood and Honey II was a major improvement over everything the first did and where the first ended with a 3% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the sequel satisfied with a 47%. Some of horror’s most prestigious fail to crack the “Fresh” barrier such as 2004’s Saw (50%), Jennifer’s Body (46%), and Final Destination (36%). Blood and Honey II reincarnated an allotment of classic horror personalities and placed them inside the world of the Hundred Acre Wood and with this trajectory it’s hard to say how crazy this universe can get. Which leads us here to Neverland’s Nightmare and the introduction of the one and only Peter Pan… Martin Portlock’s Peter Pan is genuinely horrifying, fluctuating between a voice with childlike wonder and the deep scornful voice of a killer. His costume design fully embodies that of what a true Peter Pan lunatic would wear, with tattered clothes a size too small and an eerie mask that adds an extra touch of fear. Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare follows titular Peter as he prepares multiple children for their voyage to “Neverland”. One of the unlucky children Peter chose happens to be the brother of Wendy, who attempts to locate and rescue her younger brother. It’s a simple premise, one that many horror fanatics should be used to. Megan Placito’s take on the familiar Wendy transforms from a friend of Peter with a taste for the fantastical in the commonly known telling, to a gore-covered final girl seeking vengeance with satisfying fanfare. While there are serious changes to the aforementioned Peter and Wendy, audiences aren’t prepared for Chambers’ distressing take on Tinkerbell."

'Abbott Elementary' Impresses the Critics

         On October 9, 2024, ABC premiered the fourth season of 'Abbott Elementary', which has earned rave reviews from critics. In the series, "A group of dedicated, passionate teachers -- and a slightly tone-deaf principal -- find themselves thrown together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life. Though these incredible public servants may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do -- even if they don't love the school district's less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children." The ensemble cast includes Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Sheryl Lee Ralph, William Stanford Davis, and Chris Perfetti. Read the full review round-up below.

        Samantha Coley of Collider says, "Class is back in session for the Abbott Elementary gang, and Season 4 looks all set to pass with flying colors. When we last left off with our faves at Abbott, Janine (Quinta Brunson) was throwing the perfect end-of-year party catering to each of her co-workers in ways that only Janine can, and — perhaps most importantly — Janine and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) solidified their place in the will-they-won’t-they hall of fame with a steamy, season-ending kiss.We won’t spoil what the future may bring for Teddie (aka Teagues + Eddie), but we can confirm that Brunson continues to breathe fresh life into the very best sitcom tropes with Season 4. In the opening episode, titled “Back to School,” Janine is fully integrated back into daily life at Abbott after her time at the district, and we’re introduced to what will likely be a season-long source of conflict as the construction of a new golf course brings a wave of gentrification to west Philly. Though Janine has left the district, we’ll still be seeing some familiar faces from her personal and professional past pop up in guest capacities, bringing the jokes and some fun narrative conflict for our favorite teachers. Meanwhile, shifting dynamics keep the show's familiar formula from getting stale, and moving into the show’s fourth season, the cast only continues to feel more cohesive and lived-in."

Photo Courtesy of ABC/Disney and Gilles Mingasson

       Sarah Little of Screen Rant notes, "As if there was ever any doubt, Abbott Elementary season 4 continues the show's tremendous track record of providing a multitude of laughs, exciting character developments, and intriguing new conflicts that directly affect Willard R. Abbott Elementary School. Quinta Brunson's ABC mockumentary sitcom revolves around Abbott's teachers and staff workers, including Brunson's Janine Teagues. The series focuses on their relationships with one another and their personal and work struggles. The Emmy Award-winning series has routinely been praised for its humor and willingness to address real issues in the public school system, and season 4 isn't any different." Continuing, "The Abbott Elementary season 3 finale paid off Janine and Gregory's story. After a season full of obvious pining for one another, it ended with them kissing in her apartment while the documentary crew tried to sneak a peek inside. Although this development was exciting for those rooting for the couple, many also worried that season 4 would backtrack and separate Janine and Gregory once again. The good news is that Abbott Elementary season 4 rectifies its past mistakes while also taking what has worked in the past and making it new."

       Joshua Harris of Paste Magazine praises the series, stating, "Abbott’s writing remains as sharp as ever, seamlessly lending laugh-out-loud moments with earnest and heartfelt interactions. With a season-long arc focused on gentrification, the series promises to deliver fresh narratives while preserving its charm."

'Doctor Odyssey' Reviews: "Sleek, well-produced, and addictive, this cruise ship soap has notes of flirty romance but doesn't forget it's a medical drama"

Photo Courtesy of Disney and Tina Thorpe

         On September 26, 2024, ABC premiered 'Doctor Odyssey', which has earned rave reviews from critics. In the series, "Max is the new on-board doctor for a luxury cruise ship where the small but mighty medical team navigate unique medical crises and each other, miles from shore." The ensemble cast includes Joshua Jackson, Don Johnson, Phillipa Soo, and Sean Teale. But what did the critics say? 

        Joel Keller of Decider says, "Doctor Odyssey, created by Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken, is taking the tradition of Murphy’s 9-1-1 franchise and extending it to the high seas. Really, the show isn’t trying to be anything more than a medical drama that floats, complete with crazy cases and people sleeping with each other. And, just like with 9-1-1, a pretty basic premise is elevated by the presence of well-known, very charming stars." Adding, "It helps that Jackson is as slyly charming and watchable as ever, and the chemistry between him and Soo is palpable. Soo is mostly known for her amazing voice and star turns in musicals like Hamilton, but she does quite well here, giving Avery a quiet confidence that permeates every interaction she has. The jury is still out on Teale, whose character Tristan is a pretty standard young hothead who thinks he’s God’s gift to women. But there’s time for him to evolve. Were there a bunch of silly moments in the first episode? Absolutely; Max’s monologue about his COVID struggle was not only too long, but we don’t even know if the timeline matches some of the aspects of his case. Having the medical staff also diving in the ocean to rescue the man that went overboard was a little much. But if you’re looking for veracity in your shipbound medical dramas, you might want to start watching other types of shows."

       Matthew Creith of The Wrap notes, There are inevitable comparisons to be made between “Doctor Odyssey” and “The Love Boat,” as every episode promises a new set of guests and new medical issues for Jackson’s character to resolve. The premiere gave us an underutilized Rachel Dratch, but the series promises more featured players like Shania Twain, John Stamos, Kelsea Ballerini and frequent Murphy collaborators Chord Overstreet and Cheyenne Jackson in future guest-starring roles. “The body is a miraculous healing machine,” Dr. Bankman notes to Avery, calling attention to the many situations he’s faced in his esteemed medical career. But everything about “Doctor Odyssey” so far has trended surface-level amongst the glamorous life on a cruise ship where anything can happen at any moment. The series starts off strong, but it will be fascinating to see where the good doctor takes his patients throughout the season."

       Joly Herman of Common Sense Media praises the series, stating, "Sleek, well-produced, and addictive, this cruise ship soap has notes of flirty romance but doesn't forget it's a medical drama. The Love Boat meets Grey's Anatomy in Doctor Odyssey, serving heady mix of luxurious encounters and sober medicine. Parents should be aware that sex is handled in a straight-forward manner in this show; when a man "breaks his penis," the staff don't joke too much about it, but they do talk about how it can happen. There's a sense in this series that the ship's staff's cohesion is of utmost importance, which serves as a mildly refreshing antidote to a slew of rudderless reality shows."

'High Potential' Reviews: "Olson is quite funny and has strong comedic chemistry with Sunjata"

         On September 17, 2024, ABC premiered 'High Potential', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics and a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the series, "Morgan, a single mom with three kids and an exceptional mind, helps solve an unsolvable crime when she rearranges some evidence during her shift as a cleaner for the police department. When they discover she has a knack for putting things in order because of her high intellectual potential, she is brought on as a consultant to work with a by-the-book seasoned detective, Karadec. Together they form an unusual and unstoppable team." The ensemble cast includes Kaitlin Olson, Daniel Sunjata, Javicia Leslie, and Deniz Akdeniz. Read the full review round-up below.

        Carly Lane of Collider says, "Procedural shows are a dime a dozen on television these days. You can't throw the proverbial rock without hitting one — whether it's a series where various members of law enforcement team up to bring offenders to justice, or one that revolves around first responders arriving on the scene to save those in peril. In recent years, however, a new subgenre has emerged within the procedural, in which a citizen — typically one with no previous law enforcement experience — teams up with the police as a special consultant to assist them in solving the kind of cases that have perplexed most investigators. Said citizen, for the most part, also happens to possess a unique set of skills, enabling them to study crime scenes through a lens that allows new clues to emerge. CBS recently cracked this very formula with Elsbeth, starring Carrie Preston as an atypical, brightly-clad attorney who just so happens to have this unorthodox way of thinking about each case — and now, ABC seems to have its own answer in High Potential (created by Drew Goddard and based on the French crime series HPI) starring Kaitlin Olson as an atypical, brightly-clad single mother who's brought in to assist the LAPD on their investigations." Adding, "Olson's Morgan might be learning the ins and outs of becoming a proper detective, but she's going to do it her way, right down to the loud animal prints and high-heeled boots she wears to every new crime scene. It's a distinct aesthetic that calls back to the 2021 French series on which High Potential is based, but Olson is the type of actor who can absolutely pull off her character's unflinchingly bold style. Beyond the outerwear, though, the ABC procedural allows Olson to show off the full breadth of her talents instead of forcing her to rest on mostly comedic laurels, as her long-running role in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia so often has. High Potential's Morgan might seem like a more straightforward character next to Sweet Dee, especially when paired with the kind of expositional monologuing that needs to be delivered every episode, but her quick-witted and sharp mind give Olson the opportunity to flex different acting muscles for a change. The scenes in which she gets to go toe-to-toe with Sunjata are some of the series' best out of the three episodes provided for review. For his part, Sunjata, as a longtime veteran of the procedural genre (including this critic's personal favorite, Graceland), plays an excellent straight man, giving Karadec a resigned weariness opposite Morgan's perspicacious energy."

        Tim Stevens of The Spool notes, "As you might expect, Olson is quite funny and has strong comedic chemistry with Sunjata (although, thankfully, not romantic). She also nicely underplays Morgan’s struggle to process the absence of Ava’s dad and the ongoing tragic deaths her new job as a police consultant exposes her to. Network “quirky consultant” shows tended to lean more toward drama over time, while their basic cable cousins would become increasingly comedic. It’s too early to say which way Potential will tip. In terms of the talent on-screen, though, it feels whatever direction it pursues."

Photo Courtesy of ABC

Dave Nemetz of TV Line praises the series, stating, "Another fall TV season is upon us, which means a fresh batch of network procedurals that can roughly be described as The ____ Who Solves Crimes. (Lucifer, The Devil Who Solves Crimes! Sleepy Hollow, The Ichabod Crane Who Solves Crimes!) ABC‘s latest entry in the genre, High Potential — premiering Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 10/9c; I’ve seen the first three episodes — is basically The Genius Single Mom Who Solves Crimes, and it honestly doesn’t do much to reinvent the procedural wheel. But it’s still a satisfying underdog tale with a sly sense of humor, thanks to a fantastic lead performance from Kaitlin Olson." Continuing, "With a pilot script from Lost and Daredevil alum Drew Goddard (and based on a French series), High Potential is more lighthearted than grim, closer to Monk or Psych than Criminal Minds. Morgan is a walking Wikipedia, citing local meteorological patterns and ancient history to help nail each week’s culprit. (We get to peek inside her complex thought process through crisp crime-scene reenactments.) She’s also blunt, arrogant and stubborn, rubbing the cops the wrong way at almost every turn — she’s annoyed, actually, that everybody else doesn’t see the solution as quickly as she does — but she gets results. And seeing her run intellectual circles around a room full of veteran detectives without breaking a sweat is a fun, fizzy treat."