Pilot Review: No Tomorrow

No Tomorrow (CW)
Premiered October 4 at 9pm

I think I’ve seen this show advertised more than any other new series this fall, at least in poster form, and, aside from the likelihood that someone’s life was coming to an end, I had no idea what it was about until I sat down to watch this premiere. It turns out that, yes, the world may be ending, but no, that’s not the reason to state the show’s title. I like that Xavier’s apocalypse theory isn’t confirmed and that presenting it to Evie, combined with her fortuitous fall based on the gift he sent to her, has inspired her to make the most of her life in a way that she wants to while no longer sitting back and letting herself follow someone else’s path. It also makes some sense that he tried to tell everyone but no one wanted to listen, which means that it may be true but could also be just as fabricated and absurd as Hank’s Russian nuclear holocaust theory. Hank happens to be this show’s weak link, a distracting supporting character who probably didn’t need to be on the show. Saraya Blue’s friend Kareema is a bit more valuable, and Amy Pietz’s evil boss Deidre is also stronger, using the insults sent to her by e-mail against Evie while giving her another chance. The fact that Joshua Sasse is even available to do this show is a sad reminder that the bizarre, entertaining “Galavant” is no longer on the air, and while he’s a perfect fit for this role, I wish that show was still on instead. I’m not familiar with lead actress Tori Anderson, but she seems perky enough to steer a show like this. The setup is fine and somewhat fun, but this is far from the most enticing new show of the fall.

How will it work as a series? This is a show designed to tackle one list item per episode, which could work well, but there are also unexpected developments like Jesse breaking out of prison to live out his last few months on the outside. There’s ample material but I’m not sure how great it’s all going to turn out – it could get very silly very quickly.
How long will it last? Well, the CW renewed its entire slate last year in an extraordinary vote of across-the-board confidence. This show should hope the same will happen this year, because despite decent reviews, the ratings weren’t great and were way down from “The Flash” in the 8pm hour. I think this one won’t make it to season two.

Pilot grade: B-