What are you going to be watching in April? The Spinoff rounds up everything that’s coming to streaming services this month, including Netflix, Lightbox, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, Neon and TVNZ OnDemand.
Click here to read our listings from March.
The Biggies
Run (Season 1 on Neon weekly from April 13)
I’m calling it: This is the show of the year. This is the one that everybody will be talking about on Twitter, week after week. It features huge name Phoebe Waller-Bridge as producer and co-star, but the primary creator is Vicky Jones who was the director of the original Fleabag theatre show and script editor on both the eventual TV show and Killing Eve. It stars TV’s best actress of the moment, Merritt Wever, and the hottest Weasley, Domnhall Gleeson, as two 30-somethings who suddenly escape their very established lives when they text each other “Run.” It’s a thriller, it’s a relationship drama, it’s a dark comedy. Once more for those at the back: It’s the show of the year. / Sam Brooks
What We Do in the Shadows (Season 2 on Neon weekly from April 16)
Mere months after Wellington Paranormal closed out its second season, New Zealand’s most successful cinematic IP roars back onto our screens. What We Do in the Shadows, the TV show, hews closely to the premise and spirit of the 2014 movie mockumentary, though the vampires of this version find themselves marooned not in New Zealand but in the drab New York borough of Staten Island. As absurdly funny as the original film, but with tighter sitcom plotting, season one was a true delight; roll on season two. / Catherine McGregor
Noughts + Crosses (Season 1 on TVNZ OnDemand, binge from April 10)
The premise of Noughts + Crosses, based on the series of novels by Malorie Blackman, is genius. It’s speculative fiction – basically alternate history – where black people (Crosses) are the upper class of society while white people (Noughts) are the lower class. The series follows the passionate romance between Sephy, a Cross and Callum, a Nought, as they try to paper over their distances in a world that asks, or more like demands, that they never be together. The novel series is truly excellent, so expect nothing less of this BBC adaptation. / SB
Killing Eve (Season 3 on TVNZ OnDemand weekly from April 13)
Thanks to Covid-19, the third season of the brilliant Killing Eve will be released two weeks earlier than planned, hitting our screens on April 13. It’s a must-see drama on several counts – the electric chemistry between Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer, the darkly funny scripts, and the smart, surprising story about the twisted relationship between a spy and a hired assassin. Despite last season’s massive cliffhanger, it looks like the intriguing cat-and-mouse battle between Eve and Villanelle will isn’t over yet, with the two women set on a collision course that will turn their lives upside down once more. / Tara Ward
The Notables
Mrs. America (Limited series on NEON weekly from April 16)
It’s the law that anything starring Cate Blanchett is an incredible watch, and based on the trailer, Mrs America will scoop up every award available in 2020. As well as exec-producing the series, Blanchett plays Phyllis Schlafly, the ‘housewife activist’ who led the movement against the Equal Rights Amendment in 1970s America. The drama follows the two opposing sides of the women’s rights argument, and shows the impact Schlafly’s work had on American society. The nine-part limited series also features a killer cast, including Tracey Ullman, Rose Byrne, Uzo Uduba, Sarah Paulson and our own Melanie Lynskey. / TW
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (Season 1 on NEON weekly from April 27)
Nope, it’s not a return of the Victorian-era series starring Eva Green, but a new fantasy spin-off, this time set in 1930s Los Angeles. Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) stars as Magda, a supernatural demon who morphs into a variety of tricky characters, as two detectives try to solve a grisly murder in a city simmering with racial and political tension. Like the original, this Penny Dreadful is part historical drama, part supernatural extravaganza, with a unique story that makes the show feel very much like its own series. / TW
Nailed It! (Season 4 on Netflix, binge from April 1)
Nicole Byer is the human equivalent of serotonin, and Nailed It! is the best delivery service for the happiness hit you need. Nailed It! is basically what would happen if you mashed The Great Bake-Off with the first few rounds of American Idol: Contestants who have no business being in front of an oven compete to see who’s best at making very complex baking recipes. Many of them fail, delightfully. Byer and legit chef Jacques Torres commentate. It’s delightful, and what we all need right now./ SB
The Secret She Keeps (Season 1 on TVNZ OnDemand, weekly from April 23)
Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) and the Huntress (Jessica de Gouw) in an Australian version of Gone Girl? Yes, please! The Secret She Keeps, based on the novel by Michael Robotham, is set in the Blue Mountains and follows two women from vastly different backgrounds who have explosive secrets that could destroy everything they hold dear. As someone who is a huge fan of fiction about women who lie to everybody, but to nobody more than themselves, this is on my must-watch list. / SB
The Movies
Tigertail (on Netflix from April 10)
This debut film from Alan Yang, one of the writers on Parks and Recreation and the co-creator of Master of None, focuses on Grover (Tzi Ma of The Farewell, an absolute legend of an actor) who years earlier took the opportunity to move to America with a woman he doesn’t love to start a new life, creating a long-lasting rift with his daughter (Christine Ko) in the process. Yang’s career since Parks and Recreation has excelled in navigating emotionally difficult situations (I especially recommend Forever, on Amazon Prime) and this looks to be one of Netflix’s best Originals in some time. / SB
Jumanji (on NEON from April 20)
Want a throwback to a gentler time? Like, say, the mid-90s? Look no further than Jumanji, in all its Robin Williams/Kirsten Dunst/Bonnie Hunt realness. This family film holds up, while still being maybe unnecessarily terrifying. Come for the nostalgia, stay for Williams’ characteristically committed performance as a man trapped in a board game. / SB
The Mummy trilogy (all on Netflix from April 10)
Sometimes I’m here to tell you about new shows, and sometimes I’m here to perform an (essential) public service. This is the latter. From April 10, you can watch Brendan Fraser be absolutely delightful in three different Mummy films as much as you want. You’re welcome. / SB
The Rest
Netflix
April 1
Nailed It!: Season 4
Sunderland ‘Til I Die: Season 2
The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show
David Batra: Elefanten I Rummet
How to Fix a Drug Scandal
Bridge to Terabithia
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Superbad
Community: All Seasons
Collide
The Last Airbender
Happily N’Ever After
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Steel Magnolias
The First Wives Club
Catch Me If You Can
Superman Returns
Stuart Little 2
Friday
Passengers
Labor Day
Freedomland
Captain Phillips
Stuart Little
Next Friday
The Cold Light Of Day
The Duchess
April 3
La casa de papel: Part 4
Coffee & Kareem
Money Heist: The Phenomenon
Spirit Riding Free: Riding Academy
StarBeam
April 5
BlacKkKlansman
April 6
The Big Show Show
April 7
Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020: Part 3
April 9
Hi Score Girl: Season 2
April 10
Brews Brothers
Tigertail
Love Wedding Repeat
The Main Event
LA Originals
American Pie 2
Get Him to the Greek
Life of the Party
American Reunion
Smokey and the Bandit
American Wedding
The Mummy Returns
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
The Breakfast Club
Jaws 3
The Mummy
American Pie
Jaws 2
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman
How to Be Single
The Land Before Time
Hannibal
April 14
Chris D’Elia: No Pain
April 15
Outer Banks
The Innocence Files
Richie Rich
Once Upon a Time in London
The Hangover: Part II
Dennis the Menace
April 16
Fary: Hexagone: Season 2
Fauda: Season 3
Mauricio Meirelles: Levando o Caos
April 17
El Dragón: Return of a Warrior: Season 2
Too Hot to Handle
Sergio
Betonrausch
Legado en los huesos
Earth and Blood (La terre et le sang)
The Last Kids on Earth: Book 2
Unfriended: Dark Web
April 20
Cooked with Cannabis
The Midnight Gospel
April 21
Middleditch & Schwartz
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
April 22
Absurd Planet
Win the Wilderness
El silencio del pantano
The Plagues of Breslau
Circus of Books
The Willoughbys
April 23
The House of Flowers: Season 3
April 24
After Life: Season 2
Extraction
Hello Ninja: Season 2
April 26
The Last Kingdom: Season 4
April 27
Never Have I Ever
Kings
April 29
Nadiya’s Time to Eat
Extracurricular
Summertime
A Secret Love
Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story
April 30
The Victims’ Game
The Forest of Love: Deep Cut
Rich in Love (Ricos de Amor)
Dangerous Lies
Drifting Dragons
Neon
April 4
Agatha and the Truth about Murder
The ABC Murders
The Pale Horse
April 6
All in the Mind
Dino-King: Journey to Fire Mountain
April 8
Enlightened: Seasons 1 and 2
Child’s Play
Oldboy
April 9
Happy Feet Two
Stuber
April 10
Angels in America
The Wrestler
April 11
Bored to Death: Seasons 1-3
April 12
Wild Dolphins
After
April 13
Insecure: Season 4
Run: Season 1
Phoenix, Oregon
The Boat That Rocked
April 14
Vice Principals: Seasons 1-4
The Mad Whale
April 15
The Woodstock Bus
47 Ronin
Richard Says Goodbye
Shrek
Shrek 2
April 16
What We Do In The Shadows: Season 2
Abominable
Downton Abbey
The Great Gatsby
April 18
Beethoven
Beethoven’s 2nd
Never Back Down
April 19
Fixed
April 20
Jumanji
April 21
Getting On: Season 1-3
April 22
A Dog’s Journey
State of Play
April 23
Eastern Promises
Good Boys
April 24
Last Vegas
April 26
Pitch Perfect 2
April 27
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels: Season 1
Vida: Season 3
April 28
The Secret Versailles of Marie-Antoinette
The Keeper
April 29
I Know This Much Is True: Season 1
The Corner: Season 1
Palm Beach
April 30
Whitmer Thomas: The Golden One
Blinded by the Light
Holy Lands
TVNZ OnDemand
April 1
From The Vault: Classic Current Affairs
In Plain Sight: Season 1
Orphan Black: Seasons 1-5
Ripper Street: Seasons 1-5
An Honourable Woman
Whitney
April 7
BossBabes: Season 2
April 8
Liar: Season 2
April 9
Revenge: Seasons 1-4
Scream Queens: Seasons 1-2
April 10
Noughts + Crosses
Anika’s Naughty Shorties
April 16
Project Blue Book
April 23
The Secret She Keeps
April 25
Weeds: Seasons 1-8
April 27
Killing Eve
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Amazon Prime
April 1
Birds of Paradise
Comedy Wave #3
Goodnight Mommy
April 3
Tales From The Loop: Season 1
Bibi & Tina: Season 3
April 10
Zoe Coombs Marr: Bossy Bottom
Celia Pacquola: All Talk
April 15
Superstore: Seasons 1-4
Citizen K
April 16
Four More Shots, Please!: Season 2
April 17
Tommy Little: Self-Diagnosed Genius
Alice Fraser: Savage
Selah and the Spades
April 23
Comicstaan (Tamil)
April 24
Judith Lucy: Judith Lucy vs Men
Dilruk Jayasinha: Live
The Challenge, ETA
Absentia
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Disney+
April 1
Mickey & The Roadster Racers: Nutty Tales
April 3
A Tale of Two Critters
In a Nutshell
COSMOS: A Spacetime Odyssey
Don’s Fountain of Youth
Donald’s Dog Laundry
Double Dribble
Dragon Around
Early to Bed
Elmer Elephant
Fish Hooks (S1-3)
How to Play Football
Lambert, The Sheepish Lion
On Ice
Out of Scale
Penguins
Pluto’s Party
Sonny with a Chance: Seasons 1-3
The Boy Who Talked to Badgers
The New Neighbor
The Small One
April 10
Thor Ragnarok
Eddie The Eagle
Edward Scissorhands
Night At The Museum
Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Night At The Museum: Secret of the Tomb
Paradise Island
Playtime With Puppy Dog Pals
Tut’s Treasures: Hidden Secrets
Marvel Rising: Operation Shuri
Marvel Rising: Playing With Fire
April 17
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul (NZ Only)
Let’s Stick Together
Pluto’s Purchase
April 18
Z.O.M.B.I.E.S 2
April 22
Fury Files
April 24
Jade Goodall: The Hope
Man In Space
Mars and Beyond
The Olympic Elk
Apple TV+
April 3
Home Before Dark
April 17
Home
Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth
April 24
Beastie Boys Story
Defending Jacob
Acorn TV
April 6
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries: Season 1-3
Doc Martin: Season 7
A Touch of Frost: Seasons 10-15
April 13
Finding Joy: Season 1
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
April 20
Jack Irish: Season 2