Seasons: 1 season, 10 episodes. Starring: Clare-Hope Ashitey, Beau Knapp, Michael Mosley, David Lyons, and Regina King. Description: Seven Seconds is based on a Russian film called The Mayor, and it depicts the story of a young African-American boy who is killed in a car accident by a white police officer named Peter Jablonski. When the accident happens, Jablonski enlists the help of some fellow cops who help him cover up the scene. When the case takes time to resolve itself, discrimination-related tensions begin to flare as the boy’s family, friends, and community rally together to demand justice.
Why it’s lukewarm: The series gets off to quite a slow start but picks up the pace as it goes along. There is a real theme of injustice towards the black community. The show received a positive reception from critics, but some unlikeable characters may make it not so enjoyable for the average viewer.
The Get Down (SO-SO)
Seasons: 1 season, 11 episodes. Starring: Justice Smith, Herizen F. Guardiola, Shameik Moore, Jaden Smith, and Skylan Brooks. Description: In the South Bronx of the late 1970s, music is very much dominated by the disco scene, but hip-hop, though in its infancy, is on the rise. The story follows a young guy called Zeke, who is a poet and dreams of becoming a music star. The viewer joins him in his journey, as he discovers how his artistic talents fit into the culture of the time. The Get Down has a nostalgic feel and reminds us of musical classics like Grease and West Side Story, which are very much defined by their eras.
Why it’s lukewarm: The premise of the show is excellent, and it does a great job of pulling you in through the music and drama. However, it feels as though there is an unnecessary level of detail given to the wardrobe and setting, which means the storyline and character development are a little weak.
Easy (SO-SO)
Seasons: 3 seasons, 25 episodes. Starring: Jane Adams, Malin Akerman, Zazie Beetz, Orlando Bloom, Hannibal Buress, Kiersey Clemons, Dave Franco, Jake Johnson, Elizabeth Reaser, Aubrey Plaza, and Judy Greer. Description: Easy is set in Chicago, and the show is a patchwork of storylines that interweave across age, ethnicity, race, and profession, much like they would do in day-to-day life. The cast has some big names that help carry the show, which goes about exploring the lives of the diverse population living in modern-day Chicago.
Why it’s lukewarm: Easy, as its title suggests, is also easy to watch and should be on the list for anyone who isn’t looking for anything overly complicated. Although the story has a number of threads that are nicely acted by some well-known faces, the show lacks that special something to make it binge-worthy.
Travelers (SO-SO)
Seasons: 3 seasons, 34 episodes. Starring: Eric McCormick, MacKenzie Porter, Nest Cooper, Jared Abrahamson, Reilly Dolman, and Patrick Gilmore. Description: Set hundreds of years into the future, Travelers is about the last humans left on earth. The Travelers discover they have the unique ability to send consciousness back through time and perform secret missions through the lives and bodies of different people. The hope for these adventures is that they will be able to change the course of history and save humanity from the horrors that await.
Why it’s lukewarm: Travelers is not sci-fi enough for real enthusiasts, and too futuristic for the average viewer. It falls somewhere in the middle, and so is more of a light impact drama. Travelers is easy to binge-watch and for the most part, enjoyable, but it's not going to blow you away as other shows might.
Lady Dynamite (SO-SO)
Seasons: 2 seasons, 20 episodes. Starring: Maria Bamford, Fred Melamed, Mary Kay Place, Ana Gasteyer, Bridget Everett, and Jenny Slate. Description: Lady Dynamite is inspired by the life of Maria Bamford, who dealt with depression and other conditions her entire life, and depicts the struggles following her breakdown. Maria’s character, and how she interacts with friends, family, her partner, and professional colleagues, definitely make this show interesting to watch. Viewers may be attracted by the naturality with which the show confronts and addresses mental illness.
Why it’s lukewarm: The show jumps around a lot, and although this has an artistic reason, meant to illustrate the fractured mind of Maria, it leaves the audience somewhat confused. The show has a special quality to it, as it has no qualms about discussing mental illness, but the episodes themselves are hard to follow since they don’t always follow an obvious theme.