Want to know what to watch in April? This month brings a ton of program debuts that give us way too many reasons to tell friends we're too busy with the best streaming services.
Netflix's month starts with a big new comedy film from Judd Apatow and ends with the end of Ozark. But in the weeks between, HBO Max and Apple TV Plus are fielding some awfully interesting new projects, including the return of The Flight Attendant and Barry.
Over on Prime Video, we've got a new western starring Josh Brolin that looks more True Detective than Yellowstone. Hulu's big strategy for April? They've been keeping up with the royal family of reality TV by bringing The Kardashians back. So, dear reader, keep on scrolling to see what you can't miss this month.
If you're looking for a more immediate binge, check out our guide on the new movies and shows to watch this weekend.
The Bubble (Netflix)
When to stream it: Friday, April 1
Originally advertised with a viral marketing campaign based on its movie within a movie setting, The Bubble looks like a very hilarious and very specialized kind of farce. It takes place in England in October 2020 — right as the pandemic has locked everyone into their own bubbles. But not the actors, actresses and crew of a blockbuster called Cliff Beasts 6: Battle For Everest - Memories Of A Requiem that sounds a lot like the oft-delayed Jurassic World: Dominion.
The Bubble looks to thrive with a strong ensemble, including Fred Armisen running the show and feeling smug about how much the film means to the world. You've also got Karen Gillan as the star of the movie, and Keegan-Michael Key and David Duchovony as two of her co-stars. The Bubble also features Kate McKinnon as an aggressive studio exec, alongside appearances from Pedro Pascal, Leslie Mann and a neat cameo from Benedict Cumberbatch. — Henry T. Casey
Watch it on Netflix
Slow Horses (Apple TV Plus)
When to stream it: Friday, April 1
Slow Horses made me think "what if Ted Lasso, but with spies?" as I watched Gary Oldman address his new colleagues, telling them that Slough House is where MI5 screw ups go. Especially when Oldman said "bringing you up to speed is like trying to explain Norway to a dog," which kicked with that random charm that Coach Lasso slings. But then he said that working with these colleagues was "the lowest point in a disappointing career." And that was when I realized that Slow Horses is better seen as an island of misfit spies. A spy drama with some charm, Slow Horses looks like Apple TV's latest success story. — Henry T. Casey
Watch it on Apple TV Plus
Ronny Chieng: Speakeasy (Netflix)
When to stream it: Tuesday, April 5
I’ve seen Ronny Chieng’s first Netflix special, 2019’s Asian Comedian Destroys America!, three times now, and each time, it left me doubled over with laughter. Chieng is a brilliant storyteller, unleashing truth bombs and well-constructed analogies with surgical precision.
In the past few years, he’s been busy making inroads in Hollywood, appearing in Shang-Chi, Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., Young Rock and other projects. But he also continues to do stand-up regularly. His new special, filmed at the Chinese Tuxedo bar and restaurant in New York City, sees Chieng tackling the pandemic, cancel culture, online critics and race relations with his unique and brutally honest style. — Kelly Woo
Watch it on Netflix
Tony Hawk: Until The Wheels Fall Off (HBO Max)
When to stream it: Tuesday, April 5
The Michael Jordan of the halfpipe, pro skater Tony Hawk is as synonymous with his industry as anyone else, if not moreso. This HBO film coming to HBO Max will show us a lot more of the man who became the face of an entire sport, including the troubles he faced behind the scenes. That includes difficulties created by his father, who tried to change how early skate competitions worked. So, if you've loved Tony Hawk's tricks and his video games, this looks like the perfect time to understand the human behind it all. — Henry T. Casey
Watch it on HBO Max
Tokyo Vice (HBO Max)
When to stream it: Thursday, April 7
Tokyo Vice looks like another of HBO Max's lowkey winners, alongside Our Flag Means Death, because it takes audiences to a land they may have little clue about. It stars Ansel Elgort (Baby Driver) as American journalist Jake Adelstein, in a story that's "loosely inspired" by his non-fiction reporting of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat.
A co-production from HBO Max, Japanese pay TV network WOWOW and Endeavor Content, Tokyo Vice looks like an incredible view of the seedy underbelly of crime in Tokyo. The show co-stars include Ken Watanabe and Rinko Kikuchi. — Henry T. Casey
Watch it on HBO Max
A Black Lady Sketch Show season 3 (HBO Max)
When to stream it: Friday, April 8
Life rarely gives us what we want or hoped for. The Black Lady Sketch Show looks to continue to show its own relatable perspective on a bevy of issues in its third outing. From a mediocre bachelorette party besieged by a lackluster male stripper to biblical incidents that don't really make sense, season 3 looks to offer plenty of really unexpected incidents. The trailer shows us that ABLSS is keeping its brand strong with the same hilarity that brought it to its third season renewal — and it will pack a ton of celebrity guests including Vanessa Williams, Lance Reddick and Tommy Davidson.
Other celebrity guest stars will include Ava DuVernay, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Raven-Symoné, Wanda Sykes, David Alan Grier, Jemele Hill, Holly Robinson Peete, Kel Mitchell, Michael Ealy, Wayne Brady and Bob the Drag Queen. — Henry T. Casey
Watch it on HBO Max
Woke season 2 (Hulu)
When to stream it: Friday, April 8
The comedy, co-created by Black cartoonist Keith Knight, premiered at a particularly pertinent time — just a few months after summer 2020’s upswell of protests against racial injustice. The series stars Lamorne Morris as a version of Knight. Keef is a cartoonist who begins to hear inanimate objects talk after a traumatic encounter with the police.
As season 2 kicks off, Keef is an activist on the rise, but in an environment where being “woke” is less about politics and more about money. He and his friends want to bring about real change, without cashing in as influencers. Yet again, the show seems to be hitting the most relevant topics of the moment. — Kelly Woo
Streaming April 8 on Hulu
61st Street (AMC)
When to stream it: Sunday, April 10
We've all read and heard a lot about Chicago's troubled criminal justice system, and the hell that kids have to survive. 61st Street, AMC's next big new series, looks to bring our perspective to the ground-level, as promising young Black track athlete Moses Johnson (Tosin Cole) is being tracked down by Lt. Tardelli (Holt McCallany) who believes him to be a criminal involved with a local gang. Johnson's family does their best to help protect him, but his freedom may rely on his lawyer, Franklin Roberts (Courtney B. Vance). — Henry T. Casey
Watch it on AMC+ via Amazon
The Kardashians (Hulu)
When to stream it: Thursday, April 14 (and following Thursdays)
The Kardashians may have a new home on Hulu, but it looks like the drama is staying the same. The above trailer shows that the cast may have taken some time off of the reality TV scene, but they've got plenty of stories to go over. Khloe's talking about how her situation with Tristan Thompson is "complicated," while Kourtney's talking about how she and Travis Barker want to have a baby. And Kim? Yep, we're getting to see the early days of her situation with Pete Davidson. And, of course, Ye (the artist formerly known as Kanye West) shows up as well. Who knows how much of that conflict we'll see. — Henry T. Casey
Watch it on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney Plus internationally, check out our guide for how to watch The Kardashians online for more specifics.
Killing It (Peacock)
When to stream it: Thursday, April 14
Craig Robinson's too good not to get his own sitcom (this is his third, following the one-season shows Mr. Robinson and Ghosted), so we're not surprised that Peacock's latest promising sitcom stars The Office vet as Craig, a security guard who wants more than his current job. Claudia O’Doherty stars as Jillian, an unfiltered rideshare driver who introduces Craig into the world of — you won't guess — python hunting.
Peacock summarizes Killing It as "a comedy about class, capitalism and one man’s quest to achieve the American dream." And we're all in. The series reunites Robinson with Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-creator Dan Good. — Henry T. Casey
Watch it on Peacock
Outer Range (Prime Video)
When to stream it: Friday, April 15
The Western has been a staple genre for decades, but the recent success of Yellowstone is bound to invite more entries. Prime Video’s new Western adds a supernatural spin, making it feel more like the first season of True Detective.
Josh Brolin stars as Wyoming rancher Royal Abbott, who is dealing with the disappearance of his daughter-in-law as well as greedy neighbors coveting his land. On top of all that, he discovers an “unfathomable mystery" at the edge of the wilderness. Between the black void in the pasture and strange symbols carved into trees, Royal can only hazard theories about what’s going on. So, he’s living out a puzzlebox, while we get to watch one. — Kelly Woo
Watch it on Prime Video
Roar (Apple TV Plus)
When to stream it: Friday, April 15
You may not know the names Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, but the Glow co-creators have earned a special place in many hearts (my own included) for that series. They're back on streaming with another four-letter show: Roar.
This series, though, goes a different route from Glow, using an anthology format to tell hilarious (and hilariously dark) stories about what it's like to be a woman today. Just like fellow Apple TV Plus series The Afterparty, Roar will jump from genre to genre to tell these stories, with episodes using everything from magical realism to psychological horror. Its phenomenal cast includes Glow stars Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin, as well as Nicole Kidman, Issa Rae, Meera Syal, Merritt Wever and Cynthia Erivo. — Henry T. Casey
Watch it on Apple TV Plus
The First Lady (Showtime)
When to stream it: Sunday, April 17
A star-studded cast ushers viewers into the residence at the White House. The First Lady chronicles the experiences of three of the most fascinating presidential wives. Oscar, Emmy and Tony winner Viola Davis plays Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer takes on Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson portrays Eleanor Roosevelt. Their counterparts are O. T. Fagbenle as Barack Obama, Aaron Eckhart as Gerald Ford and Kiefer Sutherland as Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The anthology series follows each First Lady on their journey from childhood to marriage to the East Wing of the White House, highlighting the important and world-changing decisions they made behind the scenes and mostly unknown to the greater public. While I’m especially psyched to see Davis as Obama, Pfeiffer seems primed for a major comeback as the trailblazing Ford. — Kelly Woo
Watch it on Showtime
Russian Doll season 2 (Netflix)
When to stream it: Wednesday, April 20
The time-tripping, mind-bending comedy finally returns after an unconscionable three-year hiatus. Yeah, we know: pandemic. Which made production especially difficult for a show that films in New York City.
I guess I should just be happy that Russian Doll is back at all, considering how cancel-happy Netflix has gotten. Oh, and Schitt’s Creek star Annie Murphy is now on board. Let’s all practice gratitude.
When last we saw them, Nadia (Natasha Lyonne) and Alan (Charlie Barnett) had escaped the time loop together. Four years later, they find an unexpected time portal located in one of Manhattan’s most notorious locations, leading them on an era-spanning, intergenerational adventure. — Kelly Woo
Watch it on Netflix
The Flight Attendant season 2
When to stream it: Thursday, April 21
HBO Max didn’t really start coming into its own until The Flight Attendant premiered some six months after the service launched. The dark comedy/crime thriller is the kind of edgy and entertaining original that a nascent streamer needs to shine.
Kaley Cuoco headlines as the titular stewardess, Cassie Bowden, whose alcohol-fueled one-night stand in Bangkok ended up with a dead body. After some dangerous escapades, she managed to clear her name.
When season 2 begins, Cassie has moved to L.A., gotten sober and found a new boyfriend. She’s still flying the friendly skies, but also working as a CIA asset on the side. When an overseas assignment results in another murder, Cassie becomes embroiled in international intrigue once again. — Kelly Woo
Streaming April 21 on HBO Max
Barry season 3 (HBO Max)
When to stream it: Sunday, April 24
Many claim we're in an era of people just quitting their jobs out of nowhere. HBO's Barry is telling a slightly different story, as the titular character (played by Bill Hader) can't quite extricate himself from the contract killing industry.
Barry season 3 appears to explore what draws Barry to the world of assassinating people, as he needs to figure himself out in order to get out. As the trailer says, we're "like, legit nervous." — Henry T. Casey
Watch it on HBO Max
Shining Girls (Apple TV Plus)
When to stream it: Friday, April 29
Elizabeth Moss doesn't take on new projects lightly — the Mad Men and The Handmaid's Tale star's batting average shows it. So, technically, she's all we needed to get excited for Apple TV's new series adapting Lauren Beukes' bestselling novel. But this isn't any ordinary project for Moss: she's directing and executive producing on top of starring as journalist Kirby Mazrachi, whose career tragically ended early after an assault. Things change for Kirby, though, when she learns that a new spate of recent murders are awfully similar to her own incident. — Henry T. Casey
Watch it on Apple TV Plus
Grace and Frankie season 7 (Netflix)
When to stream it: Friday, April 29
The comedy featuring the odd couple of uptight Grace (Jane Fonda) and freewheeling Frankie (Lily Tomlin) is coming to an end. The women were forced to live together after their husbands divorced them to be together, but over the years, they’ve become as thick as thieves — literally, since they’ve engaged in some low-level criminal acts. They found new loves, built businesses and learned some interesting lessons about life. Whatever the next chapter holds, they’ll face it together. Maybe after smoking some pot first.
The first four episodes of season 7 dropped last August, and now the final 12 arrive to close out Grace and Frankie’s hate-turned-platonic-love story. That’s what I call true romance. — Kelly Woo
Watch it on Netflix
Ozark season 4 part 2 (Netflix)
When to stream it: Friday, April 29
It's the end of the line for the Byrde family, as Ozark season 4 part 2 wraps up April over at Netflix. The big red streaming machine is keeping the story details close, but we know that the latter half (another seven episodes, like the first) finds Marty and Wendy with a possible chance to leave behind all the trouble they've seen in the Ozarks. It's just that their past has a way of catching up with them.
Netflix will also drop a 30-minute retrospective entitled "A Farewell to Ozark," that goes behind the scenes of the series.
Watch it on Netflix
