Welcome to the first of this season’s pilot posts (part of our TV Preview series)! Over the next couple of months, we’ll be taking a look at the shows we highlighted in our TV Preview: New Friends posts, and voicing our ExPERT* opinions on what’s good, what’s bad, what’s meh, and what you can avoid at all costs.
*ExPERT=Exceptionally Practiced at Expressing Random Thoughts
Warning! Possible spoilers ahead.
Premiered: Sept. 17 on Fox (Watch online.)
Twitter Pitch
Boarding school for sick kids but even better because they know how to fully use their #cancerperks. #ThereWillBeTears #OctaviaSpencerRocks!
Familiar Faces
Octavia Spencer as Nurse Jackson
Wilson Cruz as Kenji Gomez-Rejon
Charlie Rowe as Leo Roth
Griffin Gluck as Charlie
Ciara Bravo as Emma Chota
Dave Annable as Dr. Jack McAndrew
Thomas Ian Nicholas as Nick Hutchinson
Griffin Dunne as Ruben Garcia
Faces That Might Become Familiar (If You Keep Watching)
Zoe Levin as Kara Souders
Nolan Sotillo as Jordi Palacios
Astro as Dash Hosney
Rebecca Rittenhouse as Brittany Dobler
Redeeming Qualities
Emily: The show is sweet. The ensemble of kids are all new to the scene, and that puts them on even playing field so it's easy to balance all of their story lines. So far, there don't seem to be any weak links. Trust me, I'm as hesitant as anyone about watching "sick kids" almost dying week to week, but the fact that there were some emotional moments in the pilot, but I found myself smiling more than crying is a good place to start.
Mandy: I think this show has promise. I wasn’t really that interested in it at first—I don’t often watch things that are likely to make me cry on purpose—but it was kind of darling. Octavia Spencer is a hoot, and the kids are all pretty believable so far. That is, most of them are not overly dramatic (minus Kara, see below) and seem like real kids who just happen to have found themselves in a situation no kid should ever have to find themselves in.
It's Not Me, It's You
Emily: There's definitely some cheesiness happening. These kids are so much more well in-tune with their emotions than I was at 16. As much as I like a good inspirational quote, there were a few too many in the pilot to make the dialogue feel natural. Maybe being sick just caused these kids to mature way faster than I did, but where's the teenage awkwardness?
Mandy: As kids on TV so often seem, these kids are a little too wise beyond their years. And Kara is basically Cordelia Chase with blonde hair. I’m sure we’ll see a glimpse of her softer side before too long, and I wonder how many episodes will go by before she falls—in secret—for a guy “below her status”?
Let's Do This Again
Emily: Yep, I'm in. There aren't many teen shows on right now, so that immediately has me interested. Plus, for the moment it seems like a heartfelt wholesome show...and TV is definitely lacking both of those right now. The end of the pilot left me feeling hopeful, and I can't tell you the last time an episode of dramatic television had that effect on me.
Mandy: I’ll give it another episode or two. I wasn’t completely charmed by the kiddos, but I can see them growing on me pretty quickly. But I seriously won't be able to handle it when one of them gets even sicker and has super close call.
Did you watch? If so, let us know your thoughts below!