What to watch on TV this week: Tokyo Vice, One Day, Halo and more (Feb. 12, 2024)

There is no shortage of new shows streaming each week including Tokyo Vice, One Day, and Halo. But should you watch them? We'll help you out.

Tokyo Vice (MAX)

Starring Ansel Elgort (Baby Driver), season 2 of Tokyo Vice debuted last week. Season 2 kicks off right where Season 1 left off and would be pretty difficult, though not impossible, to start season 2 without the prior season.

Tokyo Vice has Elgort as an American journalist in Tokyo in 1990s. In fact, Elgort's character, Jake, is the first foreigner to write for the Japanese newspaper, Meicho. He quickly gravitates to the crime beat trying to uncover illegal dealings and rivalries among rival Yakuza gangs.

Season 2 continues the story of Samantha's new hostess club, Hiroto's passion to keep the Yakuza peace while curtailing their illegal operations, Sato's recovery, and the return of the violent Hayama. Meanwhile, Elgort has been sufficiently scared off after being beaten up and is trying to lay low and keep off the Yakuza's radar.

Tokyo Vice is a fast paced, smart, and violent crime/journalism drama.

Verdict: Wait and See. The show is good, but let's see if this season can match last season's intrigue.

Halo (Paramount+)

Like Tokyo Vice, we haven't seen Halo since 2022. Pablo Schrieber (American Gods) and Natascha McElhone (Californication) star in the series. At least with the first two episodes that Paramount+ released, you don't have to watch the first season to understand the second season.

Based on the video game, Halo is the story of the Spartans, genetically engineered super soldiers with high-tech suits filled with all sorts of weapons. The Spartans are fighting the Covenant who are aliens that are destroying human planets. In season 1, there was a subplot that Schrieber (the Spartan leader Master Chief) was having visions with some connection to ancient artifacts that could help either side end the war.

The second season kicks off with the Spartans saving human planets that are being attacked by the Covenant. There is some mystery involving the Covenant's new tactics, the Spartan teams are being sent on mysterious, undocumented missions, and McElhone (the scientist behind the Spartan program) is being held prisoner by an unknown entity.

Halo is really cool. It is filmed coolly. The dialogue is cool. The jokes are cool. The fight scenes are cool. The story is cool. I hope that they don't ditch the complete artifact angle because that was a really interesting mystery.

Verdict: Watch.

One Day (Netflix)

Starring Leo Woodall (White Lotus) and Ambika Mod (This is Going to Hurt), the show is based on the popular novel of the same name. The bad news is that there are 14 episodes, the good news is that most shows are around 30 minutes or less.

Woodall is your typical rich kid who is aimlessly traveling the world courting beautiful women as he goes. Mod is an awkward actor/playwright trying to start a career and bumbling through romances. Each episode is based on the same day of the year, July 15, starting in 1989 and ending in 2007.

As you might guess, Woodall and Mod have a sexual attraction, but non-romantic relationship. There are some laughs and we go through each episode waiting to see if they have sex, meet up again, or start a serious relationship amid sappy pop songs.

Verdict: Pass. Feel like we have seen this show many different times.

Recent and Current Shows to Watch in February

• Fargo (Hulu). All episodes streaming.
• Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Apple TV+): All episodes streaming.
• For All Mankind (Apple TV+): All episodes streaming.
• Jack Reacher (Amazon Prime Video). All episodes streaming.
• The Brothers Sun (Netflix)
• Boy Swallows Universe (Netflix). This show didn't finish as well as it started, but it's a decent show.
• A Shop for Killers (Hulu). This show is getting better and better.
• Sexy Beast (Paramount+). Beast might be the best show on TV right now. Ultra-violent, not for the queasy.
• Monsieur Spade (AMC+).
• True Detective (MAX).
• Zorro (Amazon Prime Video).
• Expats (Amazon Prime Video).
• The Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (Hulu)