Utopia

This show ultimately feels a lot like somebody who commandeers your attention at a party: eager to impart far-out stories, but less interested in making sure said stories land with its audience. A show full of kooky plot elements that are also emotionally involving sounds great, but Utopia stumbles on that front. By the end of the first episode, we've met dozens of characters, each of whom only gets a brief turn in the overcrowded pilot, and some of whom are abruptly dispatched. What is this story about and who's important to watch? With her everygirl vibe and a big juicy speech where she takes comic fanboys to task, Lily feels like creator Gillian Flynn's mouthpiece, but she feels insubstantial, tasked with doling out exposition but not a character we're eager to get to know.

Flynn's most interesting creation is Grant (Javon "Wanna" Walton), a middle schooler posing as a wealthy adult to his cadre of conspiracy theorist buddies who actually does wind up pulling off some very adult stunts. With his loopy line readings and unnerving stare, Christopher Denham (Billions) also breathes some life into his stock grim-hitman-on-a-mission role, and John Cusack, too, is a reliable kick. But the concepts and characters don't quite come together to create a show worth watching.