April 2017 is going to be absolute insanity for anyone who watches TV. There’s no two ways about it; with multiple amazing shows airing new seasons every week in April, you won’t be able to spit without hitting a prestige drama. But just in case The Leftovers and Fargo and Better Call Saul and The Americans and Attack on Titan and Veep and Silicon Valley and countless others aren’t enough for you, here are five brand new, highly anticipated shows to check out.
The White Princess – April 16 – Starz
A sequel to The White Queen, an excellent adaptation of an excellent Phillippa Gregory novel, The White Princess is one of the many properties Starz has acquired to up its game in the era of Peak TV. (They’ve already got Ash vs. Evil Dead, an awesome experience in its own right, and another entry on this list…) The series takes place in an England which has been united by the marriage of Henry VII to Elizabeth of York. But this unity is only skin-deep, and beneath its surface lies an undercurrent of partisanship with the potential to once more plunge the nation into conflict. Emma Frost, a writer for The Man in the High Castle, will be serving as the showrunner. The series will also feature Michelle Fairley as Margaret Beaufort, who you probably know as Catelyn Stark from Game of Thrones. Fantasy fans take note.
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GirlBoss – April 21 – Netflix
GirlBoss is an admittedly “loose” adaptation of Sophie Amoruso’s autobiography about her life leading up to the creation of Nasty Gal, a massive, multi-million dollar fashion empire. Amoruso, the titular character, will be played by Britt Robertson, who appears perfect for the raucous, anarchistic narcissism demanded by the role. Kay Cannon, who wrote the screenplay for Pitch Perfect, will be serving as showrunner. It will be fascinating to see how GirlBoss depicts Nasty Gal, especially considering the company’s recent plummet from grace and into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Nonetheless, shows about strong, entrepreneurial females are far and few between, and Netflix has an excellent track record with this type of series.
Bill Nye Saves the World – April 21 – Netflix
This one is a little bit of a cheat compared to the others. It is not a drama but a “talk show” hosted by Nye, who presumably has realized he has better, more interesting things to do than debate creationists. Considering the host, it should not come as a surprise that the show will focus on discussing the impact of science in many different aspects of society, while also refuting anti-scientific claims. Nye has drafted Karlie Kloss, Emily Calandrelli, Nazeem Hussain, and Derek Muller to serve as scientific correspondents. We have also been promised appearances by stars ranging from Zach Braff and Rachel Bloom to Steve Aoki, so this is definitely something science fans should be paying attention to.
The Handmaid’s Tale – April 26 – Hulu
It seems odd that there has never been a successful adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale, which is one of the most widely-read novels of the 80’s and certainly Margaret Atwood’s magnum opus. Nonetheless, this Hulu series seems to be the one to do it. With a cast featuring Elisabeth Moss, Samira Wiley, Joseph Fiennes, and Yvonne Strahovski, it’s hard to imagine how this project could go wrong. In the series, the United States has come under the power of Gilead, a Christian-fundamentalist government bent on the utter subjugation of women. To tell you anymore than that would be to ruin the powerful experience of discovering this dystopian nightmare for yourself. If the show has half the impact of Atwood’s novel, we’re in for a hell of a ride.
American Gods – April 30 – Starz
If American Gods is anything less than the best new show of 2017, it will be a huge disappointment. Sporting Bryan Fuller (of the stunning Hannibal) as the showrunner, along with Michael Green (who co-wrote the script for Logan), this adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s masterpiece features one of the best casts literally ever assembled. Rick Whittle, Ian McShane (!), and Emily Browning lead an ensemble which features Crispin Glover, Jonathan Tucker, Cloris Leachman, Peter Stormare, Gillian Anderson, Dane Cook, Kristin Chenoweth, Jeremy Davies, and Corbin Bernsen, among others. The only thing you need to know about the premise is that Shadow Moon, played by Whittle, is released early from prison due to the death of his wife. On the plane ride home, he sits next to someone who changes his understanding of everything he knows about how the world works. As with The Handmaid’s Tale, to explain anything else would be to ruin your discovery of this beautiful, brutal, riveting universe for yourself. Don’t spoil anything for yourself, just make sure your schedule is clear on April 30.
What do you guys think? Which of these shows are you excited for? What did I leave off the list?
