Here’s your guide to all of this week’s new TV shows and movies for the week of April 3rd-9th across all major networks and streaming platforms. But first, here are my top 5 recommendations for this week.
Tokyo Vice (HBO Max), The Hardy Boys (Hulu), Woke (Hulu), Return to Space (Netflix), Benjamin Franklin (PBS/National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian Institution)
Top 5 of the Week
- Benjamin Franklin
- When: Monday, April 4th at 8/7c on PBS
- What: An in-depth Ken Burns documentary that reveals new truths of one of America’s founding fathers.
- The Hardy Boys
- When: Wednesday, April 6th on Hulu
- What: Frank and Joe are back in the second season of the hit series based on the classic novels.
- Return to Space
- When: Thursday, April 7th on Netflix
- What: Oscar-winning directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (Free Solo, The Rescue) follow Elon Musk and Space X through the first crewed mission launched from U.S. soil since 2011.
- Tokyo Vice
- When: Thursday, April 7th on HBO Max
- What: Ansel Elgort (West Side Story) stars in this series inspired by Jake Adelstein's first-hand account of uncovering crime in 1990s Tokyo.
- Woke
- When: Friday, April 8th on Hulu
- What: Lamorne Morris and Sasheer Zamata return for a second season of the live-action/animation comedy hybrid about a cartoonist who becomes an activist.
Sunday, April 3rd
New TV Shows
- 64th Annual Grammy Awards – Special – 8/7c on CBS – Awards Show – NR
- Trevor Noah hosts the biggest night of the year for the music industry, featuring performances by BTS, Brandi Carlile, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X With Jack Harlow, and Olivia Rodrigo.
- Final Moments – Series Premiere – 7/6c on Oxygen – True-Crime – TV-PG
- Each hourlong episode tracks a different investigation in which law enforcement's efforts to solve a case hinge on dissecting the victim's final moments, using their last interactions with family and friends, surveillance footage, text messages, and social media posts to build a timeline.
- The Jackson 5: Breaking the Band – Special – 8/7c on Reelz – Documentary – NR
- With more than 100 million records sold worldwide, the Jackson 5 – later known as the Jacksons – changed the pop landscape forever, paving the way for the modern boy band and bringing black music to a mainstream audience. But beneath their wholesome, bubble gum image, was a dark side: Betrayal, fraternal jealousy, a controlling father and a burgeoning megastar fighting to break free, threaten to rip the once close-knit family and group apart. This is the story of the spectacular break-up of the Jackson 5.
- Prince and the Revolution: Breaking the Band – Special – 9/8c on Reelz – Documentary – NR
- Created from the imagination of enigmatic pop superstar Prince, the Revolution grew to be one of the most successful bands of the eighties. Their greatest album, Purple Rain, produced some of the most iconic tracks of all time, selling millions of records and turning them into Hollywood stars. Recruited from Prince’s hometown of Minneapolis and the music studio scene of LA, this group of talented young musicians were barely out of their teens as they stormed stadiums nationwide and won the hearts of fans across the globe. But as The Revolution reached legendary heights, Prince’s controlling nature took hold and disagreements and disputes began to dog the once tight knit group. Everything came to a head as Prince and the Revolution performed in front of thousands of people, and an explosive Prince shocked fans and the band with his blazing onstage antics, throwing the Revolution into disarray and jeopardizing his greatest ever achievement.
- Saints & Sinners – Season 6 Premiere – 8/7c on Bounce – Reality – Drama – TV-14
- On the heels of last season's organ ring, season 6 of Saints & Sinners sees former Mayor Ella Johnson stepping into a new role as Special Prosecutor leading a task force to take down those responsible. Unfortunately, that puts her family members, the dastardly duo of Lady Leona Byrd and Dr. Christie Johnson, directly in her sights.
New Movies
- Always Amore – 9/8c on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries – NR
- As Elizabeth tries to keep her late husband's once acclaimed restaurant afloat, she's forced to work with a consultant to turn things around. He reignites her passion for baking and life itself. Starring Autumn Reeser, Tyler Hynes and Patty McCormack.
Monday, April 4th
New TV Shows
- Benjamin Franklin – Miniseries Premiere – 8/7c on PBS – Documentary – NR
- Ken Burns’s four-hour documentary, Benjamin Franklin, explores the revolutionary life of one of the 18th Century’s most consequential figures, whose work and words unlocked the mystery of electricity and helped create the United States.
- Harry Wild – Series Premiere – Streaming on Acorn TV – Mystery – NR
- Literature professor Harriet "Harry" Wild (Jane Seymour) is adjusting to retirement when she's mugged. While recovering at the home of her son (Kevin Ryan), a detective in the Dublin police, Harry gleans a clue for his current case. But when she's rebuffed, Harry decides to solve the crime herself. Recruiting an unlikely young sidekick (Rohan Nedd), she finds a new path as a private investigator.
- The Invisible Pilot – Series Premiere – 9/8c on HBO – Docuseries – NR
- The Invisible Pilot unfolds in three chapters, each one divulging new, shocking surprises. When Gary Betzner, a father of three, unexpectedly commits suicide the mystery surrounding his death deepens and unfurls a caper-filled tale involving a clandestine world of drug smuggling, gun running, and involvement in a covert war conducted at the highest level of the U.S. government.
- Low Slow Exhale – Series Premiere – Streaming on Spectrum Originals – Drama – NR
- Set in the high-stakes world of women’s college basketball, the 12-episode series follows J.C. Abernathy, a successful Head Coach of a competitive women’s college basketball team who finds herself in the middle of a potentially career shattering sexual abuse scandal. As she tries to find the truth among the many secrets she uncovers, she has to make hard decisions that will affect her, her family and the team of female athletes who all rely on her.
- Madagascar: A Little Wild – Season 7 Premiere – Streaming on Hulu/Peacock – Animation – TV-G
- New York’s favorite Habitat crew, Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria continue to have each other’s backs as they follow their dreams, no matter the size! Marty finally has a chance to become a Junior Ranger Zebra. Melman is chosen to perform an original song for his favorite animal country star, if only he can overcome some serious stage fright. Gloria finally gets a taste of the attention she’s always craved as the Habitat’s first-ever radio show host. Alex tries his paw at cooking, hoping to become a big time celebrity chef. And the whole gang helps Ant’ney convince his mom that he’s mature enough to build a nest of his own!
Tuesday, April 5th
New TV Shows
- Big Restaurant Bet – Series Premiere – 10/9c on Food Network – Reality – TV-G
- Food Network star, acclaimed chef, and restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian is looking to invest $250,000 of his resources for the next rising star in the restaurant world. Geoffrey presents eight talented chefs with the opportunity to take the next step in their culinary career with challenges to determine who has what it takes to run their first restaurant. When it comes to developing and operating a successful restaurant, there is no one with more knowledge than Geoffrey, and he is putting his reputation on the line to lift up a new generation of chefs competing to make their restaurant vision come true.
- Black Dog: Being a Teacher – Series Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Drama – NR
- After failing her teaching certification again and again, Ko Ha-neul finally passes an interview for a temporary role at Daechi High. As a new teacher, Ha-neul struggles with the intricacies of teaching as well as departmental strife.
- Bloody Boston: A Mob is Born – Special – 9/8c on Reelz – NR
- When James “Whitey” Bulger was murdered in prison in 2018, it marked the end of an era in Boston organized crime that dates to the 50's when Bulger was just another thug in the streets of 'Southie'. At the time, Boston was the site of heist so big it was dubbed The Crime of the Century.
- The Croods: Family Tree – Season 2 Premiere – Streaming on Hulu/Peacock – Animation – TV-Y7
- Grug, Eep and Sandy enjoy a Crood-ific Daddy Daughter Day while Thunk, bored with the window-TV viewing options, creates a bit of real life drama. Even Gran rocks the boat when she declares it’s time to choose a new Thunder Sisters’ Queen! Meanwhile, pushed to their limits and ready to relax, the parents set out on separate staycations. But with the kids in charge, only prehistoric time will tell if the treehouse will still be left standing.
- Gangsters: America's Most Evil: Larry Hoover – Special – 8/7c on Reelz – Documentary – NR
- Known as the founder of the notorious Chicago street gang, the Gangster Disciples, Hoover’s legacy is starting one of the first street gangs that was run as a business. While in state prison, Hoover ran a $100 million-a-year drug business, according to federal authorities. Law enforcement says tens of thousands of gang soldiers continued to work for Hoover in Chicago and other cities, answering ultimately to a corporate-style board that Hoover led as the undisputed chairman. Hoover’s name continues to be controversial, as many Chicago residents feel he was a role model to the community. There are several high-profile Hollywood A-listers who are campaigning for his early release, including rap superstar Kanye West, who famously met with President Trump on Hoover’s behalf to ask for Hoover’s charges to be diminished, but the request was denied and Hoover remains incarcerated.
New Movies
- Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off – 9/8c on HBO – NR
- Centering around intimate new interviews with Tony Hawk himself, the film is an all-encompassing look at the skateboarder’s life, legendary career, and relationship with the sport with which he’s been synonymous for decades. Hawk, a pioneer of modern vertical skating who is still pushing his limits at the age of 53, remains one of the most influential skateboarders of all time.
Wednesday, April 6th
New TV Shows
- Body Parts – Series premiere – 10/9c on TLC – Reality – TV-14
- Anaplastologist Allison Vest creates amazing, lifelike prosthetics for patients who have missing or deformed body parts. Taking on unique and extreme cases, Allison melds medicine and artistry to help her patients both functionally and psychologically.
- Green Mother's Club – Series Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Drama – NR
- A story depicting the friendships, motherly love, and growth of 5 mothers who met in the elementary community, each with a complex that they could not overcome.
- The Hardy Boys – Season 2 Premiere – Streaming on Hulu – Mystery – TV-PG
- When a Bridgeport classmate mysteriously disappears, Frank (Rohan Campbell) and Joe Hardy (Alexander Elliot) drop their new normal routine and get back to detective work. But when they discover the mystical relic they destroyed last year is still in play, it becomes clear their simple missing person case is actually part of something far more sinister. The Hardy boys and their friends quickly learn who they can and can’t trust as they race against time to unravel the truth, and ultimately realize that no one is safe from their past.
- Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story – Series Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Documentary – NR
- Jimmy Savile rose to prominence in a career spanning decades in the entertainment industry in the UK. He had raised millions for charity, been knighted by the Queen and achieved national treasure status by the time he died on the 29th October 2011. His funeral was broadcast live on the BBC. Since his death, independent investigations and those made by Scotland Yard uncovered that Savile had been a prolific and predatory sex offender, abusing hundreds of people, some as young as 5. To date, more than 450 allegations of sexual assault and abuse have been made against him. The documentary examines, through extensive archive footage, Savile’s relationship with the British people, the establishment and the media to understand how he managed to fool an entire nation for so long.
- Michela Giraud: The Truth, I Swear! – Special – Streaming on Netflix – Stand-Up – NR
- From the stage of Vinile, in Rome, rigorously standing up alone in front of her audience, Michela Giraud tells her own truth through the strong and self-deprecating point of view that has always distinguished her. In this special, produced by Dazzle, Michela faces, with great self-irony, existential issues, very personal but also the mirror of an entire generation, always remaining faithful to only one lowest common denominator: herself.
- The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On – Series Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Reality – TV-MA
- Six different couples, on the verge of marriage. One partner is ready to get married, the other isn’t quite as sure. An ultimatum is issued – and in just over eight weeks, they must commit to marriage, or move on. In the meantime, each will choose a new potential partner from one of the other couples, in a life-changing opportunity to get a glimpse of two different possible futures.
New Movies
- Furioza – Streaming on Netflix – TV-MA
- A policewoman makes her ex-boyfriend an offer he can't refuse: Either he infiltrates and informs on a gang of hooligans or his brother goes to jail.
Thursday, April 7th
New TV Shows
- Chef Boot Camp – Season 2 Premiere – 10/9c on Food Network – Cooking – TV-G
- Chef Cliff Crooks is on a mission to help struggling chefs across America prove that they deserve to keep running their kitchens.
- Close Enough – Season 3 Premiere – Streaming on HBO Max – Adult Animation – TV-MA
- From JG Quintel, creator of the Emmy-winning Regular Show, comes Close Enough, a surreal animated comedy about a married couple, their five-year-old daughter, and their two divorced best friends/roommates, all sharing a cramped apartment on the eastside of Los Angeles. They navigate a chaotic time in their 30s as they struggle to grow up without growing old. It’s about juggling work, kids, and pursuing your dreams, all while avoiding alien fitness cults, yacht-rock vampires, and silent film era bison. Their life may not be ideal, but for now, it's close enough.
- Cursed Films – Season 2 Premiere – Streaming on Shudder – Documentary – NR
- The facts, myths and mysterious surrounding iconic films and franchises whose casts and crews have been struck by misfortune and tragedy, including The Wizard of Oz, Rosemary’s Baby, and others.
- Queen Stars – Series Premiere – Streaming on HBO Max – Competition – NR
- Pabllo Vittar and Luísa Sonza host this drag queen competition series from Brazil.
- Senzo: Murder of a Soccer Star – Series Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Documentary – TV-MA
- The thrilling five-part true crime documentary series delves into the beloved soccer star’s murder, sharing insight into what transpired that fateful night when Meyiwa was gunned down in what was alleged to be a botched robbery in 2014.
- Serving the Hamptons – Series Premiere – Streaming on discovery+ – Docuseries – NR
- Each summer on the East-end of Long Island, as the Hamptons play home to those looking for an escape from the city, 75 Main Restaurant becomes the epicenter of who’s who. As the seasonal temperatures rise, so does the drama on the new discovery+ docuseries. The five hour-long episodes take viewers into one of the most exclusive enclaves in the world, while showcasing all the juicy drama in the lives of the young, sexy restaurant staff at Southampton’s “it” destination for dining, 75 Main, as they hook up, argue, and work together to make sure the clients come back for more.
- Tokyo Vice – Series Premiere – Streaming on HBO Max – Drama – NR
- Loosely inspired by American journalist Jake Adelstein's non-fiction first-hand account of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat, the crime drama series, filmed on location in Tokyo, captures Adelstein's (played by Ansel Elgort) daily descent into the neon-soaked underbelly of Tokyo in the late ‘90s, where nothing and no one is truly what or who they seem.
- Trinity of Shadows – Series Premiere – Streaming on HBO Max – Drama – NR
- Trinity Of Shadows follows a murder investigation that leads righteous detective Tze-Wei, an up-and-coming public official, and rookie policeman Chia-Hao into a dark labyrinth of power play. As the trio close in on the truth, they are inextricably intertwined and forced to confront their demons linked to a cold case from three years ago.
New Movies
- Return to Space – Streaming on Netflix – TV-MA
- For the first time, Oscar-winning directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (Free Solo, The Rescue) point their lenses to the sky, covering the inspirational rise of SpaceX and Elon Musk’s two-decade effort to resurrect America’s space travel ambitions. Offering rare access inside the first crewed mission launched from U.S. soil since the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011, this is an intimate portrait of the engineers and astronauts chosen for the historic moment. Following NASA veterans Bob Behnken, Doug Hurley, and their families in the leadup to launch, Return To Space brings viewers along for their thrilling ride to the International Space Station, and into mission control with Musk and the SpaceX team as they bring them back to Earth for a dramatic splashdown return.
Friday, April 8th
New TV Shows
- A Black Lady Sketch Show – Season 3 Premiere – 11/10c on HBO – Comedy – TV-MA
- The Emmy-winning narrative sketch comedy series features a core cast of Black women living relatable, hilarious experiences in a magical reality that subverts traditional expectations.
- Dirty Lines – Series Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Drama – TV-MA
- The story of Dirty Lines starts in 1987's Amsterdam, at a time when Dutch society was changing rapidly. Psychology student Marly Salomon takes on a side job working for a brand new firm: Teledutch – a company started by two brothers, Frank and Ramon Stigter, who established Europe’s first erotic telephone lines. Frank and Ramon become rich overnight and Marly finds herself immersed in this wild and rapid transformation. The final years of the Cold War sparked a sense of hope and inspired a new generation to celebrate life to its fullest. Amsterdam became the center of that cultural revolution with a radically new form of music: house and a new love drug: XTC. The erotic phone lines offer the opportunity to experience anonymous sex in a new way, changing the morality of its consumers, but also very much the people creating it.
- Elite – Season 4 Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Mystery – TV-MA
- When three working-class teens enroll in an exclusive private school in Spain, the clash between them and the wealthy students leads to murder.
- Green Eggs and Ham – Season 2 Premiere – Streamy on Netflix – Animation – TV-Y7
- Based on the beloved book by Dr. Seuss, the upcoming animated series follows opposites “Guy” and “Sam” as they venture out on a road trip to save an endangered animal from a far off zoo. Along the way they learn to try new things like hope, friendship, and a certain delectable dish.
- iCarly – Season 2 Premiere – Streaming on Paramount+ – Comedy – TV-PG
- The 10-episode second season of Paramount+’s iCarly picks up right after the first season ended, with Carly refocusing her attention on her friends and family following her romantic complications, all while working to boost her revived web channel. Spencer and Harper must also navigate new personal and career developments, while Freddie balances raising Millicent with a new app and a new girlfriend.
- Pinecone & Pony – Series Premiere – Streaming on Apple TV+ – Animated – TV-Y
- Kate Beaton’s beloved book comes to life in this animated series. As a warrior in training, Pinecone fears no challenge. Thankfully, Pony always makes sure Pinecone never gets in over her head. Together they learn life can be a fun-filled adventure.
- Tiger & Bunny – Season 2 Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Anime – TV-14
- Kotetsu T. Kaburagi and Barnaby Brooks Jr. continue their hero activities to boost the image of their company, Apollon Media, as well as maintain peace. The hero system that originated in Sternbild City has now been adopted in places around the world. As more and more heroes appear, a new hero enters Sternbild City. Now that they are more veteran heroes, will Kotetsu and Barnaby be able to live up to the expectations put on them?!
- Woke – Season 2 Premiere – Streaming on Hulu – Comedy – TV-MA
- Cartoonist Keef Knight is now a popular activist on the rise, but he’s facing a world where “woke” has become big business. Can Keef and his friends bring about real change, or is it just about the dollar$? And can Keef navigate this new world without destroying what he’s become? Inspired by the life and work of artist Keith Knight, Woke continues to upend Black nerd and activist culture, deftly satirizing with a wink and a smile.
New Movies
- All the Old Knives – Streaming on Prime Video – R
- Two CIA agents and ex-lovers (Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton) are brought back together years after a failed rescue attempt and forced to blur the lines between profession and passion in this deeply riveting tale of global espionage, moral dilemma and deadly betrayal.
- Dancing on Glass – Streaming on Netflix – TV-MA
- After the star of the National Classical Ballet tragically commits suicide, Irene is selected to take her place in the company’s biggest ballet production: Giselle. Now the target of all the girls' jealousy and cruelty, Irene finds a friend in Aurora, a solitary dancer controlled by her mother. Isolated and fueled by the pressures of the ballet world, Irene and Aurora’s relationship turns more and more obsessive, until they run away together to find themselves.
- Metal Lords – Streaming on Netflix – R
- Two kids start a metal band in a high school where exactly two kids care about metal. They can't find a bassist, but there is this one girl who plays the cello. They need to work together if they're going to win the Battle of the Bands.
- Yaksha: Ruthless Operations – Streaming on Netflix – TV-14
- With the highest spy density in the world, Shenyang is the geopolitical key point in North East Asia. Kang-in, team leader of the BlackTeam dedicated to overseas secret operations in South Korea, is active in Shenyang. He is a veteran who will do anything and everything he can to accomplish his mission, and he is commonly referred to as ‘Yaksha’. One day, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) find out that all of the report findings on local trends in Shenyang (sent by the Black Team) are actually fake. Seriously troubled by this, the 4th Director of the NIS, Ms. Yeom Jeong-won, dispatches Seoul Central Prosecutor's Office Prosecutor Han Ji-hoon as a special inspector.
Saturday, April 9th
New TV Shows
- Kids' Choice Awards 2022 – Special – 7:30/6:30c on Nickelodeon – Awards Show – NR
- Children choose favorites from across the worlds of film, television, music, pop culture, animation and more; Miranda Cosgrove and Rob Gronkowski host from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.
- Masters of Illusion – Season 8 Premiere – 9/8c on The CW – TV-PG
- Some of the world's top magicians perform their best illusions in front of a live audience, without assistance from camera or computer gimmickry.
- My Liberation Notes – Series Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Drama – TV-14
- Three siblings, exhausted by the monotony of day-to-day adulthood, seek to find fulfillment and freedom from their unremarkable lives.
- Our Blues – Series Premiere – Streaming on Netflix – Drama – TV-14
- Romance is sweet and bitter — and life riddled with ups and downs — in multiple stories about people who live and work on bustling Jeju Island.
- Portals to Hell – Season 3 Premiere – 10/9c on Travel – Supernatural – TV-14
- Jack Osbourne and Katrina Weidman investigate locations they suspect are gateways to the spirit world. They take along a team of seasoned pros to document evidence of paranormal activity and search for answers about the afterlife.
- Would I Lie to You? – Series Premiere – 8:30/7:30c on The CW – Game Show – TV-PG
- Based on the original British series of the same name, "Would I Lie to You?" is a hilarious comedy panel show that elevates the art of lying, featuring lightning-quick team captains joined by a stellar cast of celebrity guests. Competing teams must ask questions and watch body language to determine which elaborate tales are outrageous but true and which are completely made up.
New Movies
- Fallen Angels Murder Club: Heroes and Felons – 8/7c on Lifetime – NR
- The members of the Fallen Angels Murder Club must band together again as they search for answers surrounding the death of one of their own. Hollis Morgan (Toni Braxton) finds herself at the center of the investigation when a journalist reporting on the murder also winds up dead. As bodies begin to stack up, and Hollis connects the dots, she must solve the murders before it's too late.
- A Royal Runaway Romance – 8/7c on Hallmark – TV-G
- Princess Amelia of Bundbury travels across America to explore a budding romance with an artist, only to fall in love with her bodyguard Grady. Staring Philippa Northeast, Brant Daugherty, Sarah-Jane Redmond and Vincent Gale.
- She Went Missing – 10/9c on Lifetime – NR
- When investigative reporter Maya learns that her childhood best friend has gone missing, she decides to cover the story herself. But just as her return to her hometown unearths memories and rekindles past relationships, it also brings a long dormant (and still totally unknown) stalker that she had years ago. As her investigation deepens, the danger strikes closer and closer to home. Will she uncover the truth about her friend’s disappearance? Or will Maya herself wind up being the next tragic news story?
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