This week is, once again, full of quality TV shows to watch. From a bonkers new show from “Lost” co-creator Damon Lindelof to a new Chris Evans/Ana de Armas romantic action comedy to a doc about Judy Bloom. There’s also a new version of “Dead Ringers,” the endings of “Picard” and “The Mandalorian,” and the beginning of the final season of “Barry” (we already miss him). Plus, a new Keri Russell drama, a series set in the aftermath of the Waco tragedy, and a movie where a woman naps in alternate dimensions while she’s engaged. Truly, we live in a blessed time.
with television!
mrs davis
Thursday, April 20, Peacock
Ready to get weird? “Mrs. Davis” might be one of the weirdest – and best – television shows this year. Created by Damon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez, the simplest way to describe the series is that it’s about a nun named Simone (played by Betty Gilpin) fighting an evil algorithm named Mrs. Davis. But, of course, there’s a lot more to the series, including a band of ultra-masculine freedom fighters (led by Jake McDorman’s Willie, who happens to be Simone’s childhood crush) and the quest to find the Holy Grail. (Don’t ask.) We’d say more but part of the enjoyment of the series is watching it veer off in unexpectedly nutty directions, all the while maintaining essential humanity and emotionality through the line. It’s never too weird for weirdness’ sake. Lindelof is known for shows obsessed with mystery (“Watchmen,” “Lost,” “The Leftovers”) and “Mrs. Davis” he is exploring the depths that humanity is unaware of. It’s so lively and energetic and fun that it makes the rest of the shows released this week (and really, the rest of the shows currently airing) feel predictable and safe. What’s more, you can have a mini-binge this week, with the first four episodes streaming April 20, followed by new episodes weekly (the finale streams May 18). get your wings. [TRAILER]
Star Trek: Picard / The Mandalorian
Thursday, April 20, Paramount+ / Wednesday, April 19, Disney+
TV’s biggest science-fiction series — “Star Trek: Picard” and “The Mandalorian” — came to an end this week. Idiots must be crying everywhere. The two shows are fascinating in their attempts to woo a dedicated, preestablished fan base and how, in their current seasons, they have drifted apart in terms of viewership and critical acceptance. “The Mandalorian,” the first “Star Wars” live-action series that became one of Disney+’s flagship series after launching with the streaming service, has taken a nosedive this season, with critics and viewers bemoaning its sinister plot. And complained about the shortage. Story Drive. (Plus are we ever going to see Pedro Pascal’s face again?) On the other hand, after two seasons that were enjoyable but not homeruns, “Picard” finally found its voice, embracing the awkwardness that The first season was so resistant – it became a full-fledged “Star Trek: The Next Generation” sequel. But instead of straying, there’s actually some real emotional weight to getting the gang back together and off on another intriguing space adventure. Can’t wait to see how the two wrap up. [TRAILER / TRAILER]
pale
Friday, April 21, Apple TV+
Who’s in the mood for a good old fashioned high concept romantic action comedy? In “Ghosted”, Chris Evans plays Cole, a nerdy dude who falls in love with Ana de Armas’s Sadie. When he appears to be her ghost, he travels to London to surprise her. Of course, once he gets there, he’s in for a surprise – she’s actually an international spy, caught up in a very dangerous espionage plot. It’s fun, isn’t it? (The script is by the teams behind “Deadpool” and the most recent “Spider-Man” trilogy.) The supporting cast includes Adrien Brody, Mike Moh, Tim Blake Nelson, Amy Sedaris and Burn Gorman and it is directed by Dexter Fletcher Was. The former Guy Ritchie confederate who directed “Eddie the Eagle,” “Rocketman” and parts of “Bohemian Rhapsody” was flabbergasted when Bryan Singer. “Ghosted” sees Fletcher as a big, commercial blockbuster for Apple and Skydance. Could “Ghosted” Be A “True Lie” For The Modern Age? We certainly hope so. [TRAILER]
judy bloom forever
Friday, April 21, Prime Video
Judy Bloom is really having a moment. “Are You There God?” There is a feature version of . It’s Me, Margaret” is opening in late April (starring Rachel McAdams) and features a feature-length documentary about the life and work of the groundbreaking young adult novelist. The documentary, from Ron Howard’s Imagine documentary, includes archival footage of the author along with key interviews with Lena Dunham, Molly Ringwald, Anna Konkley, Samantha Bee, Mary HK Choi, Jacqueline Woodson, two of Bloom’s children, and adult women who speak with who corresponded with Bloom. They were teenagers. will you cry Perhaps [TRAILER]
Dead Ringers (1988)
Peacock
With a new version of “Dead Ringers” debuting on Prime Video, why not revisit the David Cronenberg original (on Peacock)? In the original film, Jeremy Irons (who would reunite with Cronenberg several years later for an underrated version of “M. Butterfly”) plays twin gynecologists in New York City who begin to lose their grip on reality. Genevieve Bujold plays a woman caught between two men (a decade after experiencing similar medical-adjacent adventures in “Coma”). It is based on the novel “Twins” by Bari Wood and Jack Geesland, a fictionalized account of the lives of real-life twin New York gynecologists (and serious drug addicts) Stewart and Cyril Marcus. Leave it to David Cronenberg to turn a funny story into something totally disturbing. We’ll see if the new streaming remake can go live. [WATCH]
“Barry”
Sunday, April 16 at 10 PM, HBO
Time to say goodbye to “Barry”. The show’s fourth season, co-created, starring and (this season) directed solely by Bill Hader, sees Barry, the controversial hitman, in prison for his crimes. How is he going to get out of this? And more importantly – is redemption even possible? Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg, Anthony Carrigan and Henry Winkler all return for the final go-around, which promises to be just as intense and hilarious as the seasons that came before it. [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW]
“Waco: The Aftermath”
Sunday, April 16 at 10 PM Showtime
The follow-up to 2018’s “Waco” miniseries, “Waco: The Aftermath”, follows the trials of the surviving members of the Branch Davidians and the unease and tension between average people and the government in the days and months leading up to the Oklahoma City bombing, which It was on the second anniversary of the siege. (Timothy McVeigh was actually on campus during the siege; he was selling white nationalist bumper stickers and other trinkets.) The new series stars Michael Shannon, John Leguizamo, J.J. Smith-Cameron, Abbey Lee, Shea Whigham, Gary Cole and Sasheer. Jamata. [TRAILER]
“diplomat”
Thursday, April 20, Netflix
Keri Russell is back! Russell, who starred in “Felicity” and “The Americans” (and is coming off the sleeper hit “Cocaine Bears”), has a new project that hews much closer to the latter than the former. In “The Diplomat”, she plays the American ambassador to England, who is forced to downplay potential international incidents while attempting to keep her marriage together (she was married to Rufus Sewell, a former ambassador). Is). Rory Kinnear, Miguel Sandoval and Michael McCann also star. Will it be too soapy? Or not enough soap? You decide! [TRAILER]
“Dead Ringers”
Friday, April 21, Prime Video
For the TV version of the David Cronenberg classic (see above), the genders of the gynecologists are flipped, with Rachel Weisz playing the roles of Beverly and Elliot Mantle. British playwright Alice Birch, who wrote Florence Pugh’s brilliant early film “Lady Macbeth” and the episodes “Succession” and “Ordinary People”, led this new version (she also wrote the first and second episodes), starring Sean Durkin in the film. with producers (who directed the episode “Martha Marcy May Marlene”), Karen Kusama (“Jennifer’s Body”) and Lauren Walkstein (“The Strange Ones”). It may not be as warped and redundant as the Cronenberg original, but if it gets even close, it will be a major achievement. [TRAILER]
“slide”
Friday, April 21, Roku Channel
Zoe Lister-Jones, incredibly talented actor (who you may remember from series like “New Girl,” “Life in Pieces” or “Whitney”) and filmmaker (seriously, “The Craft: Legacy,” it Terrific). And stars in this new high-concept series. In the show she plays a woman who travels to an alternate universe every time, um, climax, revealing the possible paths her life could have gone down and leading her to discover that Which result does he find most attractive? Like “Quantum Leap” but hornier. Emily Hampshire, hunky “Willow” Amar Chadha-Patel and Whitmer Thomas also star. This could be a sleeper sensation. Sure enough, enough people have a Roku — in this dimension and any other. [TRAILER]
