What are you going to be watching in April? With thanks to our friends at Nando’s, we round up everything coming to streaming services this month, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, Neon and TVNZ OnDemand.
The biggies
Obi-Wan Kenobi (limited series weekly on Disney+ from May 27)
If there’s one part of the expanding Star Wars universe that I’ve been most excited about, it’s this long gestating Obi-Wan Kenobi midquel, which sees Ewan McGregor reprising the role of the Jedi Master in a series set after the prequels and before the original films. Also starring Joel Edgerton and Queen’s Gambit breakout Moses Ingram, the series follows Kenobi as he watches over Luke Skywalker but finds himself embroiled in a “rollicking adventure”. Perhaps most excitingly: Hayden Christensen returns as Darth Vader. / Sam Brooks
Hacks (seasons one and two on TVNZ on Demand from May 12)
It’s finally happened: the critically acclaimed, Emmy-winning series that was the buzz of 2021 is finally making it to our shores. Hacks stars the incredible Jean Smart (Mare of Easttown, Watchmen, a host of other amazing things) as Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas comedy diva who, finding herself in need of a career revamp, hires a young TV writer, Ava (Hannah Einbinder), who has recently been fired for insensitive tweets. What’s even better is that TVNZ on Demand is getting the second season express, so you’ll be able to binge the first season and get straight onto the second. / SB
The Staircase (limited series on Neon from May 5)
Fans of true crime, it’s time to celebrate. The documentary that kickstarted an entire genre is getting the Hollywood treatment, with the pioneering 2004 doco being adapted into a starry HBO Max miniseries. The series looks to closely follow the twists and turns of the original TV documentary – available on Netflix – and follows the criminal trial of Michael Peterson, accused of murdering his wife and staging it to look like she’d fallen down the stairs. Starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette, the series will have its work cut out to match the “see it to believe it” weirdness of the original doco. Here’s hoping it can. / Stewart Sowman-Lund
Kid Sister (on TVNZ on Demand from May 26)
This new semi-autobiographical comedy follows the loveable Lulu, a young Jewish Aucklander who is navigating life in a city where more people identify as Jedi than Jewish. Lulu struggles to balance the pressures of family life with her need to find her own place in the world, and her relationship with her non-Jewish boyfriend (Paul Williams) makes things more complicated. Simone Nathan stars as Lulu, with her real-life brother Joe appearing alongside her. / Tara Ward
The notables
Conversations with Friends (limited series on Amazon Prime Video from May 16)
It’s been two long years since we saw a Sally Rooney adaptation about moody pretty people poorly expressing what they really want, and I’m so ready to see some beautiful people get messy. This series is adapted from Rooney’s first book, and stars Joe Alwyn (The Favourite, Taylor Swift’s boyfriend), Alison Oliver, Sasha Lane (The Girlfriend Experience) and Jemima Kirke (Girls) as four friends who end up in confusing, and ultimately heartbreaking relationships with each other. If you love Sally Rooney, you’ll love this. If not, pass. / SB
We Own This City (limited series on Neon from May 3)
Fans of The Wire should check out this gritty new HBO drama, inspired by the true story of corruption within the Baltimore police department. Based on a book by Baltimore Sun journalist Justin Feston, We Own This City traces how a dysfunctional police unit started organising and participating in crime, making the lives worse for the communities they were supposed to protect. Nerve wracking, infuriating and compelling, all at once. / TW
Stranger Things 4: Volume 1 (on Netflix from May 27)
Yes, Stranger Things is still going! And for a fourth season, where each episode cost reportedly $30 million. What a time we live in. If you’re on the Stranger Things train, chances are you’ll tuning in to this one immediately, but the basic premise is teenagers in the 80s deal with supernatural, otherworldly beings and their own inner demons. But let’s be real: if that wasn’t your thing when the show debuted in 2016, it’s not gonna be now. / SB
I Love That For You (weekly on Neon from May 9)
Who hasn’t dreamed of an American comedy set in the hectic world of a home shopping channel? Vanessa Bayer stars as childhood leukaemia survivor Joanna Gold, who lands her dream job as the host of a home shopping channel. Things go badly until Joanna tells a white lie about her illness, and discovers that sometimes dreams can turn into nightmares. It might sound far-fetched, but it’s inspired by true events. SNL’s Molly Shannon and Jenifer Lewis also star. / TW
The Lincoln Lawyer (on Netflix from 13)
David E. Kelley (Boston Legal, Ally McBeal, The Practice) is back with a new drama, and guess what? It’s about lawyers. Based on the best-selling book by Michael Connolly, The Lincoln Lawyer follows a Los Angeles defense attorney forced to work out of his Lincoln car, rather than a boring office like everyone else. Yes, it was a 2011 movie starring Matthew McConaughey, and the small screen version promises plenty of Kelley’s trademark courtroom drama, compelling characters and fancy lawyer banter. / TW
The movies
Senior Year (on Netflix from May 13)
If you told me that the Rebel Wilson industrial complex would still be in full force in 2022, I’d say “good for her!” This is the kind of premise that seems tailor-made for Wilson’s screwball gifts: A high-school cheerleader falls into a coma before her prom. Twenty years later she awakens and wants to return to high school to reclaim her status and become prom queen. I can only imagine hijinks will ensue. / SB
The Valet (on Disney+ from May 20)
Can we officially call 2022 the return of the proper rom-com? With The Lost City and now this, we can only hope so. By rom-com I mean a proper romantic comedy, with the three Cs: chemistry, charisma and actual comedy! The Valet, a remake of a 2006 French film, stars Samara Weaving, a highlight of last year’s middling Nine Perfect Strangers and Eugenio Derbez, from Best Picture winner Coda, and my hopes might be a little bit too high, but I’ll take a rom-com as it’s served. On Disney+. / SB
This post is made possible by our friends at Nando’s.
The rest
May 1
Wolf Creek
Rango
May 2
Octonauts: Above and Beyond: Season 2
May 3
Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive
May 4
The Circle: Season 4
Summertime: Season 3
El marginal: Season 5
4o Years Young
Meltdown: Three Mile Island
May 5
The Pentaverate
Clark
Blood Sisters
Christina P: Mom Genes
Wild Babies
May 6
Welcome to Eden
The Sound of Magic
Thar
The Takedown
Along for the Ride
Marmaduke
May 9
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Sustainable War
May 10
Workin’ Moms: Season 6
May 11
Brotherhood: Season 2
42 Days of Darkness
The Getaway King
Our Father
May 12
Savage Beauty
Maverix
May 13
The Life and Movies of Ersan Kuneri
The Lincoln Lawyer
Bling Empire: Season 2
New Heights
Senior Year
May 16
Vampire in the Garden
Jungleland
May 17
The Future Diary: Season 2
May 18
Who Killed Sara?: Season 3
Love on the Spectrum US
The Perfect Family
Toscana
Cyber Hell: Exposing an Internet Horror
May 19
Insiders: Season 2
A Perfect Pairing
Rodrio Sant’Anna: I’ve Arrived
The G Word with Adam Conover
The Photographer: Murder in Pinamar
The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib
May 20
Love, Death & Robots: Volume 3
Wrong Side of The Tracks
F*ck Love Too
May 23
Godspeed
Sea of Love
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045: Season 2
May 25
Larva Pendant
May 26
My Little Pony: Make Your Mark
May 27
Stranger Things 4: Volume 1
May 30
Mighty Little Bheem: I Love Taj Mahal
Neon
May 1
The Great British Bake-Off: Season 12
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
May 2
The Legend of Tarzan
May 3
We Own This City
May 4
Power Rangers; Dino Charge
Military Wives
May 5
The Staircase
May 7
The Suicide Squad
May 8
Paw Patrol: The Movie
May 9
I Love That For You
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Get Him to the Greek
May 10
Transformers Prime
The Invisible Plot
May 11
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?
Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off
May 12
The Angry Birds Movie
May 13
Chucky
Candyman
Escape Room: Tournament of Champions
Don’t Breathe 2
Halloween Kills
Separation
The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It
May 14
12 Mighty Orphans
May 15
Together Together
May 16
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Bad Teacher
May 17
Charming
May 18
Naomi
Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom: Season 2
May 19
I Am Legend
May 20
Made for Love: Season 2
Sin City
May 21
Reminiscence
May 22
Undercurrent: The Disappearance of Kim Wall
Megamind
May 24
The Fear Index
Our Ladies
May 25
A Black Lady Sketch Show
The World’s End
May 26
Terry Bradshaw; Going Deep
May 27
Never Back Down: Revolt
Bill Maher: #ADulting
May 28
Julia
South of Heaven
May 29
Blue Bayou
TVNZ on Demand
May 1
Ghosts
Ruby and the Well
Coming of Age in Cherry Grove
Camp Wannakiki
Influence
Betting on Zero
Friday Night Lights: Season 1-5
From the Vault: Kiwi Music Flashbacks
Smiling Friends
Tender Touches: Season 1-3
Iron Fury
The Realm
Vanished: Searching for my Sister
The Lover in the Attic: A True Story
Big Driver
Deadly Secrets by the Lake
Buccaneers and Bones: Season 5
Gold Fever: Season 4
Wild Boar Fever X: Season 2
Nubia Amplified: Season 1b
Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn Soros
May 3
Four Lives
May 5
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Girls 5eva
May 6
Ready to Mingle
May 7
2000s Baby
May 8
Line of Duty: Season 1-5
May 9
The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe
Doctor Doctor: Season 5
May 10
In the Flesh: Season 1-2
May 11
Kea Kids News
May 13
Smash: Season 1-2
May 14
Detention Adventures: Season 3
May 18
Skins: Season 1-7
May 26
Kid Sister
May 29
Covert Affairs: Season 1-5
Disney+
May 4
Disney Gallery: Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett
9-1-1: Lone Star: Season 2
Better Things: Season 5
Promised Land: Season 1
The Strain: Season 1-4
May 6
Rules Don’t Apply
Shutter
Bohemian Rhapsody
May 11
The Quest: Season 1
Marvel Studios: Assembled – The Making of Moon Knight
Africa’s Deadliest: Season 7
The League: Season 1-7
Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller: Season 2
May 13
Sneakerella
The Revenant
Inside North Korea: The Cyber State
Inside North Korea; The Next Leader
Thailand’s Wild Cats
May 18
The Wonderful Winter of Mickey Mouse
The Client
JFK
9-1-1: Season 4
Apocalypse: Hitler Takes on the East: Season 1
Chai of Command: Season 1
Code Black: Season 1-3
Terriers
May 20
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers
The Valet
Baymax & Mochi
Mickey Mouse Squad: La Batalla Por El Zasca
November Story
OK Computer
May 25
Unknown Europe
May 27
Obi-Wan
We Feed People
Parched
May 31
Pistol
Amazon Prime Video
May 1
The Godfather
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone
How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days
May 4
The Angry Birds Movie
May 6
Bosch: Legacy
The Wild: Season 2
May 10
Don’t Breathe 2
May 11
Bad Boys (1995)
The Revenant
May 12
Halloween Kills
May 13
The Contractor
The Thing About Pam
May 15
A Summer Romance
Love at Sea
Love in the Sun
Sailing Into Love
Summer Love
Summer of Dreams
Sun, Sand and Romance
May 16
Conversations With Friends
May 18
2012
Lovestruck High
May 20
Night Sky
May 25
The Dark Tower
May 26
Blue Bayou
May 27
Kick Like Tayla
Almost Had You
Emergency
Iain Stirling – Failing Upwards
Queen Elizabeth
May 31
Fashionably Yours
Just The Way You Are
The Perfect Bride
Apple TV+
May 6
Tehran: Season 2
The Big Conn
May 13
The Essex Serpent
May 20
Now and Then
May 23
Prehistoric Planet
Acorn
May 2
Signora Volpe
The Ipcress File
Theresa Raquin
May 9
White Sands
The Shell Seekers
May 16
Garage Sale Mysteries: Season 2
May 23
My Life Is Murder: Season 2
Resort to Murder
May 30
Hip
Four Seasons
Shudder
May 2
Eli Roth’s History of Horror: Season 3
May 3
Excess Flesh
The Glass Coffin
Life After Beth
May 6
The Twin
May 10
V/H/S: Viral
February
May 12
The Sadness
May 17
We Summon the Darkness
The Taking of Deborah Logan
May 19
The Found Footage Phenomenon
May 24
Knock Knock
Tales of Halloween
May 26
A Banquet
May 31
Viral
The Resident
Blair Witch (2016)