We’re into May and the tide of new shows will slow for a time, especially as network’s wrap up their abbreviated season. And still we’re getting new shows to check out. But what of these are worth your time? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Spring. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesdays:
The Veil, Streaming Tuesdays on Hulu (Premiered April 30)
About: The latest for Hulu is a limited drama starring Elisabeth Moss and coming from creator Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders). It follows a covert agent, Imogen (Moss), who is working for the French government. She has a certain set of skills, and her handler (Philipp Christopher) sends her to Istanbul to recover a woman (Yumna Marwan) who might hold the key to an impending terrorist attack. Can Imogene reach her? Can the French stave off an aggressive American agent (Josh Charles) who has a plan of his own? The first two episodes of this six-episode series dropped Tuesday with subsequent episodes dropping each Tuesday. Moss is quite good and good in this role. I enjoyed the set up and the pacing for the first two episodes. There’s a lot happening but it’s being teased out at a good pace. Hulu has done well with these limited series so far in 2024, and this seems like another solid hit. I’m intrigued.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C+

Sundays:
MaryLand, Sundays at 9 p.m. on PBS (Premiered May 5)
About: This three-part series from the U.K. centers on estranged sisters (Suranne Jones and Eve Best) who come together after getting the call that their mother passed away on the Isle of Man. When they go to identify the body, they discover that their mother was leading something of a secret life. As they begin to seek answers, they uncover a deeper mystery that could bring them together or tear them apart. The series features a strong cast that includes Stockard Channing. It originally aired in May 2023 in the U.K. and now is making its American debut on PBS. For those that enjoy a good masterpiece drama, this should hit the spot. With just three episodes and a decent cast, this could make for an interesting streaming series.
Pilot Grade: C+

Streaming Series:
Shardlake, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered May 1)
About: This new series is from the U.K. and makes its American debut on Hulu. All four episodes of the series are now available to stream. Based on the novels from C.J. Sansom, the books are set in 16th Century England as King Henry VIII is making a break from the Catholic Church. Thomas Cromwell (Sean Bean) is seeking to abolish the monasteries in England, a task made easier when there’s a murder. Cromwell dispatches Matthew Shardlake (Arthur Hughes) along with his aide John Barak (Anthony Boyle) to solve the crime and find the evidence needed to push the Catholics out. For fans of period pieces and holy wars, this will be right in your wheelhouse. In addition, the series is just four episodes, each about 50 minutes, making for a quick binge. Fans of the books will be excited to see the adaptation. Hughes does a nice job in the lead role, while Boyle and Bean bring some star power to the series. I wasn’t as taken with the story and the politics of the era. If you’re more drawn to that, this will hit better for you.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

A Man in Full, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered May 2)
About: This new series on Netflix is adapted by David E. Kelley from the Tom Wolfe novel. It is a six-episode limited series featuring three episodes directed by Regina King and three from Thomas Schlamme. It’s a good production team, and a solid cast led by Jeff Daniels. In it, Daniels plays Charlie Croker, a real estate mogul in Atlanta who is one of the most powerful men in the region. He’s also hit a rough patch which could lead to his financial downfall. Bill Camp and Tom Pelfrey play bankers trying to put the squeeze on Charlie, while Sarah Jones is his current wife and Diane Lane plays his first wife, who is trying to establish herself outside of Charlie’s shadow. There is a lot going on here including a few other subplots and about a half dozen other characters. All that is a lot to follow in a series that is only six episodes, each between 44 and 38 minutes. It moves fast and it’s a lot to keep track of for the audience. The performers are good, and the basic hook is intriguing. I trust Kelley and the talent involved. I also like that it’s a short series and a quick binge. There’s some promise here, even if the first two episodes was a little uneven.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Now Streaming on Peacock (Premiered May 2)
About: The latest for Peacock is a Holocaust story based on a novel. It tells the story of Lale Sokolov, who was imprisoned in Auschwitz, became a tattooist to survive, and fell in love along the way. It’s based on a true story that was captured in a book of the same name in 2018. In the series, we meet an older Lale (Harvey Keitel) as he shares his stories with Heather Morris (Melanie Lynskey) so she can share it with the world. In part, we see these two interacting in the present (or near present). In part, we see Lale (Jonah Hauer-King) as he tries to survive in the past and meets his future wife, Gita (Anna Prochniak). The limited series is six episodes, each around an hour, and all now streaming. We’ve seen a rise in Holocaust themed series in recent years. Many are true stories, like this one, that tell of a heart-breaking quest for survival. These stories are important and should be difficult to watch but are necessary. That being said, with so many of these stories now flooding the streaming market it can be difficult for them to stand out absent some outstanding performances or a new take. This project, while heart-rending, doesn’t offer that. It’s got a decent cast, but the episodes run long and in this saturated market of shows and series, even shows and series on the same subject, it likely doesn’t offer enough to stand out. That combined with the fact the source material has become somewhat controversial since its release, and this likely isn’t going to capture and sustain a big audience. If it’s a subject you want to explore, this does that well. But sadly, it’s something we’ve seen before, and often in recent years.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, Now Streaming on Disney+ (Premiered May 4)
About: Just in time for Star Wars Day we got another new series, this time an animated companion to Tales of the Jedi, released in 2022. This one features six episodes, all around 15 minutes, telling the origin story for Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto). We also get Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen), General Grievous (Matthew Wood), and Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff), among others appearing in this limited, animated series. It comes from Dave Filloni, has a similar animated style to previous Star Wars projects and helps to fill in some of the gaps in the world. It’s a quick binge and made for a nice addition to the Star Wars cannon. If you’re a fan of Star Wars, this will be some can’t miss entertainment.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.