Winter TV 2017: ’24: Legacy’ feels stale, ‘Superior Donuts’ could do better

The new shows keep coming this winter TV season.

Unfortunately, they aren’t all good. Here are my latest reviews of the winter TV season, after watching only the pilot:

 

24: LEGACY

8 p.m. Mondays on Fox

24” may have been an exciting show, but without Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland is starring in ABC‘s “Designated Survivor“), “24: Legacy” seems dated.

This reboot/spinoff follows the same real-time, hour-by-hour drama, but you don’t have to have watched any of the original to understand this show.

The plot revolves around terrorism and back-door knowledge, but it’s not as exciting as it might sound.

Grade: B-

 

APB

9 p.m. Mondays on Fox

How technology can change our world seems to be a trend in TV shows this season, and with “APB,” it’s technology meets the police force.

Celebrity billionaire Gideon (Justin Kirk) wants to avenge his friend’s death, so he convinces the mayor of Chicago (Nestor Serrano) to let him buy a whole police district to make it better.

He creates an app to help bring efficiency to the force, but the character doesn’t have much of a heart yet. He comes off as a bored man who knows money talks…and the mayor isn’t happy about having Gideon messing with the system.

Grade: B

 

POWERLESS

8:30 p.m. Thursdays on NBC

For a show about superheroes, this one is super boring.

The first TV comedy about superheroes is over-the-top cheesy, and predictable without any sort of high stakes.

All the material should be there. So should the acting, with Vanessa Hudgens, Danny Pudi and Alan Tudyk all starring.

But wow was I uninterested. They need the real Bruce Wayne, but I doubt even that would help.

Grade: C-

 

SUPERIOR DONUTS’ 

9 p.m. Mondays on CBS

I didn’t laugh once during this new CBS comedy.

For a half-hour show, they covered a lot of issues: race, police, gentrification, terrorism. But none of it was done well.

Sure there were some touching moments, but it was predictable and slow.

This show may be Jermaine Fowler‘s brand, but it didn’t work on CBS.

Grade: C

 

TRAINING DAY

10 p.m. Thursdays on CBS

If you want to see yet another movie reboot, here you go.

This drama is based on a 2001 movie starring Denzel Washington, but this iteration stars Bill Paxton.

It reminded me a bit of “Rush Hour” without the comedy.

It focuses on undercover police/detective work, but the real reason for going undercover is a little to-be-determined.

I can’t say I’ve seen the movie, but I bet it’s better.

Grade: B-

 

What are your favorites?