We’ve made it to May, which means we’re rapidly closing in on the Emmy window, the end of the broadcast season, and the start of summer. That might leave you with some time to check out a new show, but what of these new offerings is worth your time? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new series this Spring. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Wednesdays:
Widow’s Bay, Streaming Wednesdays on Apple TV (Premiered April 29)
About: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be the Mayor in Jaws in 2026? Trying to market a small island despite some challenging circumstances? Well, that’s kind of the set up for the new Apple TV series Widow’s Bay, starring Matthew Rhys as Tom Loftis, mayor of a small island that needs to increase revenue to help bring things into the modern era. There’s a twist and a challenge, though, as the island is purported to be haunted, which prevents those born there from ever being able to leave. Tom doesn’t totally believe in the curse, which rankles Wyck (Stephen Root), who is trying to get him to take the threat more seriously. But as strange things start happening, it gets harder to ignore the truth. While Tom still wants to see the island thrive, that might first require him to square off against this threat. This is a blend of horror and comedy, created by Katie Dippold (Ghostbusters (2016), The Haunted Mansion), which explains the tone and how it all comes together. There’s a solid supporting cast here, too, that includes Kevin Carroll, Dale Dickey, Kate O’Flynn, K Callan, Jeff Hiller, and Christian Clemenson, among others. I liked the tone and the set up here. I think there’s some good promise in the first two episodes. It’s a fun and wild ride, with two episodes available and the rest dropping weekly. Episodes run around 40 minutes, making it something of a short commitment.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: B-

Thursdays:
Half Man, Thursdays at 9 p.m. on HBO Max (Premiered April 23)
About: This is the latest series from Richard Gadd, which stars him and Jamie Bell as estranged stepbrothers. They come together at the outset at Niall’s (Bell) wedding, but there is some history and animus. In the pilot, we saw a bit of how they came together as teenagers and learned to become something of friends. In the second episode, after an early introduction, we again travel to the past to a key incident when Niall is in college that led to their falling out. By the time we swing back to the wedding at the end, it’s clear that is what is at play in their reunion on this particular day. It’s an interesting approach and Bell and Gadd have been solid, though at this point they’ve been just a minor part of the series. Your interest in this will likely ebb based on how you feel about the story. This is dark and an uncomfortable watch, and it certainly wasn’t for me. Others might feel differently as this six-episode series continues weekly on HBO Max.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

Streaming Series:
Man on Fire, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered April 30)
About: This is a new adaptation of a story based on the novels of A.J. Quinnell. It’s twice been adapted into a feature film—the first time in the 1980s starring Scott Glenn and then again in 2004 starring Denzel Washington. The new version stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen as John Creasy, a former CIA operative who is going through a rough time. After a mission went bad, he kind of checked out on life, which has him circling the drain. That is until his friend (Bobby Cannavale) recruits him for a new private security job. But when things go wrong, it unleashes the beast within as Creasy seeks to protect his friend’s daughter (Billie Boullet) and get to the truth of what happened. This new series is seven episodes, all now streaming. Most are around 40-45 minutes, with the finale clocking in at an hour. It’s a quick enough binge, and it expands the basic story in a way that fits it more for a potential ongoing series. But there is an inherent struggle in taking something that worked as a feature film and stretching it out to series length. It’s the television equivalent of taking a meeting that could have been an e-mail. It’s not the first time we’ll see that this week. This one starts out solid, and I enjoy Abdul-Mateen and Alice Braga, who takes on a supporting role. But this ends up feeling quite repetitive and overly stretched out at times. It’s OK, but by about halfway through you’re just waiting to get to the resolution you can see coming early on in the series. Not sure I needed seven episodes; let alone a potential future season this finale sets up.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Lord of the Flies, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered May 4)
About: This is an adaptation of the novel of the same name from William Goldman. The book has been around since the 1950s and has been adapted as a feature film twice, once in the 1960s and once in the 1990s. In each case, the film adaptation runs about 90 minutes. This new limited series is four episodes, each running an hour. That’s a massive expansion of the screen time which, as noted above, feels at times like taking a meeting that could have been an e-mail. This story is about a group of boys stranded on an island after a plane crash that kills all the adults. They come together and try to create their own society to survive and set up the means needed to attract rescuers, but things go off the rails quickly. Well, not that quickly in this stretched out version, but it certainly doesn’t end well for everyone. The show looks strong and has a strong young cast, some of whom will be in high-profile projects coming up like the new version of Harry Potter and the new Chronicles of Narnia film. But it’s the story itself that can feel like a slog, especially in four, one-hour installments. This aired previously in the U.K., and will likely appeal to fans of the book, but it’s not exactly a quick, uplifting watch.
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.