We’re making our way into May, and that means the tide of new series is slowing, but it hasn’t dried up yet. But what of these new shows is worth checking out? 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.

Wednesdays:
Careme, Streaming Wednesdays on Apple TV+ (Premiered April 30)
About: In recent years, Apple TV+ has expanded its offerings by diving into foreign content. This new series falls into that category. It’s a French series, set during the Revolution and focusing on Antonin Careme (Benjamin Voisin), a great chef who ended up serving some of the most famous people in France at the time, including Napoleon. In fact, Napoleon is at the heart of the two episodes that premiered Wednesday. The series is eight episodes, each about 45 minutes, with new episodes streaming Wednesdays. There is plenty of sex and culinary delights here. There’s also plenty of drama. For those interested in a soapy take on this time period, this will work the best. For the rest, it didn’t feel overly compelling. I wasn’t drawn into the characters or the world in the first two I sampled.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Sundays:
Miss Austen, Sundays at 10 p.m. on PBS (Premiered May 4)
About: The latest from Masterpiece is based on the novel from Gill Hornby. It focuses on an older Cassandra Austen (Keeley Hawes), the sister of famous novelist Jane Austen. The death of a friend and the discovery of some old letters stirs memories of a younger Cassy (Synnove Karlsen) and Jane (Patsy Ferran). There, we see that her life played out a lot like the novels she’d go on to write. The rest of the cast includes famous faces like Rose Leslie, Alfred Enoch, and Phyllis Logan, among others. The series has a strong period look and some fine performances. It will work best for those who are fans of the PBS Sunday night offerings and have an interest in the writings of Jane Austen. It’s a four-part mini-series, airing Sunday nights. Episodes run about an hour.
Pilot Grade: C

Streaming Series:
The Four Seasons, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered May 1)
About: This new series from Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield is based on the 1981 film of the same name that was directed by and starred Alan Alda. Alda himself makes a cameo early in this eight-episode series. Each episode is about a half an hour, making for a quick binge. It follows three couples, starring Fey, Will Forte, Steve Carell, and Coleman Domingo, among others. We follow them over the course of a year, dropping in on group vacations in each of the four seasons. The segments each last two episodes, beginning with Spring and ending with Winter. It’s funny and charming, each episode moving at a good pace. I enjoyed it enough to binge through the whole season already, and I suspect many will feel the same. It leaves things open-ended enough to see a second season, while providing enough closure to feel self-contained. I enjoyed the stories, the performances, and the set up here. This is a strong group of actors given some interesting parts to play. This feels like something worth checking out or perhaps binging as Spring draws to a conclusion.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld, Now Streaming on Disney+ (Premiered May 4)
About: As has become a May 4 tradition, Disney+ is releasing another streaming animated series set in the extended Star Wars universe. This one focused on the criminal underworld, though containing some characters that will be familiar to long-time fans of the world. The series runs six episodes, each about 15 minutes. That makes for a quick binge, especially for fans who want more from the extended universe. The animated style is solid and the first two moved at a decent pace. If you’re a completist, this will be a can’t miss special.
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.