We’re into March, with the Olympics behind us, and seeing the wave of new shows explode. But what of these new shows are worth your time to check out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new series this Winter. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesdays:
RJ Decker, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered March 3)
About: This new series is based on the book from Carl Hiaasen. At the outset, we meet RJ Decker (Scott Speedman), a news photographer accused of assault. He’s quickly framed and convicted. Flash-forward 18 months, and Decker is now divorced and starting over as a Private Investigator. But he’s still laser focused on an old case from his news days. Now he’s trying to get his life together and do a little good. The premise here is simple and the opening was wild. I enjoyed Speedman in the lead role and the rest of the cast. The pilot moved at a decent pace, and I thought the story and tone were fun. This slots in nicely with the ABC Tuesday night, which includes High Potential and Will Trent. I look forward to seeing where this goes.
Pilot Grade: C+

Sundays:
Marshals, Sundays at 9 p.m. on CBS (Premiered March 1)
About: This spin-off of Yellowstone puts the focus on Kacey Dutton (Luke Grimes) as he joins the U.S. Marshals. It focuses on Kayce and his relationship with his son (Brecken Merrill), while he reunites with an old Army buddy (Logan Marshall-Green) and his top Marshal team. The pilot was about building the world and the premise. The second episode was about being on the job. The connection is a heavy focus on Kayce, one of my favorites from the original, and the action which is plentiful. This is a high-octane ride. So far, it lacks the depth and some of the charm of the original series. But I still like the premise and the cast, so I could see this working OK. If you were a fan of Yellowstone or CBS procedurals, this will work well for you.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

DTF St. Louis, Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO (Premiered March 1)
About: The latest drama from HBO comes from Steve Conrad and focuses on a weatherman (Jason Bateman) and an ASL Translator (David Harbour) working together in St. Louis. In the pilot we learned how they met, how they became friends, how they got into the app DTF St. Louis, and how Floyd (Harbour) ended up dead. Pretty quickly the lead detective (Richard Jenkins) locks on to Clark (Bateman) as the prime suspect, owing in part to his affair with Floyd’s wife, Carol (Linda Cardellini). The second episode was about seeing how the affair started and progressed—from two perspectives—as well as furthering the investigation. The junior investigator (Joy Sunday) isn’t convinced Clark is the guy, or that Carol is giving an accurate version of events. We get the same feeling in flashbacks. But the bigger question remains—what happened to Floyd and why. I really enjoy the tone, and the blend of comedy and drama. This isn’t the kind of laugh-out-loud comedy, but rather the subtle situational humor and blend of tone. It’s a fun and engaging series, and a great limited mystery to chase down. The series is seven episodes, each about an hour, and a great addition to the HBO Sunday lineup.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

Rooster, Sundays at 10 p.m. on HBO (Premiered March 8)
About: This new comedy finds Steve Carell as Greg Russo, a popular author how arrives at a college as a guest lecturer. He’s invited by Professor Dylan Shepard (Danielle Deadwyler), with whom he hits it off. He’s also offered a job by the college President (John C. McGinley). But he’s there to see and support his daughter, Katie (Charly Clive), a professor at the college. She’s endured a breakup of her marriage to a fellow professor, Archie (Phil Dunster), who has taken up with a Grad Student. There are a lot of things going on here, but this series is created by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, a great comedy team who have worked on varied series including Scrubs, Ted Lasso, and Shrinking. Carell is great in the lead here, but this is a fun cast all around. The writing is crisp, and the comedy works well. This pilot is a pure delight. The first season is 10 episodes, each about a half an hour. It makes for a great addition to the HBO Sunday night lineup. I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
Pilot Grade: A-

Streaming Series:
Young Sherlock, Now Streaming on Prime Video (Premiered March 4)
About: This new series puts the focus on a young Sherlock Holmes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin). In this series, he’s not a master detective buy a precocious young man pushing the limits of the law and society. He’s brought to Oxford by his brother Mycroft (Max Irons) and forms a connection with another outcast student, James Moriarty (Donal Finn). There, he becomes the focus as he’s accused of murder and has to work to prove his innocence. The series is eight episodes, each about 45 minutes, making for a quick binge. The series comes from Guy Ritchie, who helmed the theatrical Holmes films with Robert Downey, Jr. He has a feel for a specific vision of the character and the world, and that carries over to this series. It also reminds me of other origin stories of this type that pit our hero and his long-term nemesis together as partners or friends in youth. So, seeing Holmes and Moriarty working together is part of the fun appeal here. The first two episodes were decent, but it will mostly depend on how you feel about this concept and your interest in yet another expansion of the world of Sherlock Holmes. Either way, it makes for a quick binge.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Vladimir, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered March 5)
About: This new comedy is based on the novel of the same name from Julia May Jonas, who helped adapt it for the screen. We follow M (Rachel Weisz), a professor who is having a rough time. Her husband Sid (John Slattery), a fellow professor, is embroiled in a scandal owing to his long-standing history of affairs with co-eds. She’s also immediately attracted to a new professor, Vladimir (Leo Woodall), despite the fact he’s married to another new professor, Cynthia (Jessica Henwick). It’s all quite complicated and somewhat sultry. The episodes are about a half an hour, with an eight-episode series. It makes for an incredibly quick binge, and it’s one that you might want to dive into. This is a great cast with some interesting writing and sequences. It is at time wild, but it works because of Weisz in the lead role. I like the whole cast here, and I had some fun with this series. (I actually finished the whole thing). I think people looking for an off-beat comedy will be interested in checking it out as well.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

The Dinosaurs, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered March 6)
About: This new docuseries from Netflix tells the story of dinosaurs. It comes from creator David Fowler and features narration from Morgan Freeman. It’s a four-part series, with each running between 45 and 50 minutes. That makes for a quick binge that offers some entertainment and some learning. If you’re a fan of nature documentary series, especially ones narrated by Freeman, this is worth checking out.
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.