8 best shows to watch in April 2024
By Bryce Olin
April is an interesting month for new shows. We don't have a lot of returning hits, likely because of the writers' and actors' strikes delayed production, which pushed new seasons of hit shows back until later this year. Even with the lack of established shows, April has plenty of great shows to watch.
We shared the list of the eight best shows coming in April 2024. Let's get the list started with a Netflix new release, Ripley.
Ripley
- Premiere Date: April 4
- Created by Steven Zaillian
- Cast: Andrew Scott, Johnny Flynn, Dakota Fanning, Vittorio Viviani, Bokeem Woodbine, and more
- Where to watch: Netflix
Ripley is based on The Talent Mr. Ripley, the best-selling novel of the same name by Patricia Highsmith. The series has an incredibly talented cast led by Andrew Scott, who stars as Tom Ripley. The black-and-white series is bound to be one of Netflix's biggest new shows of the month.
In the series, Tom Ripley is offered a tremendous amount of cash for the time period (the 1960s) to travel to Italy and bring a man's son home. Tom finds himself in a downward spiral into a life more full of crime.
If you like suspense-filled, character-driven shows, Ripley is the perfect for you to watch in April. All eight episodes are available to stream on Netflix as of April 4.
Mary and George
- Premiere Date: April 5
- Created by D.C. Moore
- Cast: Julianne Moore, Nicholas Galitzine, Tony Curran, Laurie Davidson, Trine Dyrholm, Nicola Walker, Unax Ugalde, Joseph Mawle, Kate Fleetwood, and more
- Where to watch: Starz
Mary and George premieres on Starz on Friday, April 5. It's definitely going to be one of the most talked about shows of the month. The series is based on The King's Assassin by Benjamin Wooley, which tells the true story of George Villiers, played by Nicholas Galitzine. Mary Villiers, played by Julianne Moore, pushes her son into a relationship with King James VI and I, played by Tony Curran.
How scandalous! It's unclear if all seven episodes of Mary and George will be released on Starz on April 5, but it appears that will be the case. Stay tuned for more information on that front!
Sugar
- Premiere Date: April 5
- Created by Mark Protosevich
- Cast: Colin Farrell, Amy Ryan, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Lindsay Pulsipher, Dennis Boutsikaris, Alex Hernandez, and more
- Where to watch: Apple TV+
This is the show I'm most excited to watch in April. I'll watch anything Colin Farrell is in! Sugar premieres on Apple TV+ on April 5 with new episodes coming every Friday to the streaming service. Sugar tells the story of a private detective, John Sugar, played by Farrell. In the series, John investigates the disappearance of Olivia Siegel, according to Apple TV+.
The first two episodes of Sugar are streaming on Friday, April 5. New episodes of the series will be added to Apple TV+ through May 17. This is going to be a good one; I can feel it!
Fallout
- Premiere Date: April 12
- Created by Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan
- Cast: Walton Goggins, Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Xelia Mendes-Jones, Kyle MacLachlan, Leslie Uggams, Matty Cardarople, and more
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Fallout is coming to Prime Video on April 12. Starring Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins, Fallout is based on the hit video game series of the same name. There's so much source material for inspiration, and I just hope they were able to do it justice.
Fallout tells the story of a young woman, Lucy, played by Purnell, who is leaving several hundred years after a nuclear war that left Earth basically uninhabitable for humans.
All eight episodes of Fallout season 1 are coming to Amazon Prime Video on April 12. It's interesting that all the episodes are dropping on one day when Amazon has moved away from that release schedule for its high-profile new releases. Hopefully, this doesn't mean the show is bad! It's definitely going to be popular. I can't wait to tune in and see how it is.
Franklin
- Premiere Date: April 12
- Created by Kirk Ellis and Howard Korder
- Cast: Michael Douglas, Daniel Mays, Marc Duret, Noah Jupe, Ludivine Sagnier, Thibault de Montalembert, Jeann Balibar, Eddie Marsan, Assaad Bouab, and Théodore Pellerin
- Where to watch: Apple TV+
A show about Ben Franklin and his time in France? Starring Michael Douglas? Well done is better than well said, as I always say! I'm actually excited to watch this series! I think it's going to be the most underrated watch of the month.
Franklin premieres on Apple TV+ on Friday, April 12. The first three episodes of the series will be available to stream. New episodes of the series will be released every Friday through May 17.
The series tells the story of Franklin's trip to France in 1776 that lasted through the first nine years of America's independence. It's based on A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America by Stacy Schiff.
The Sympathizer
- Premiere Date: April 14
- Created by Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar
- Cast: Hoa Xuande, Sandra Oh, Robert Downey Jr., Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Kieu Chinh, and more
- Where to watch: MAX
The Sympathizer is probably going to be the best show of the month. The A24 production premieres on MAX on April 14 with new episodes dropping weekly on the streaming service through May 26. A24 makes awesome shows and movies, and The Sympathizer looks like another hit from the studio.
The Sympathizer was created by the great Park Chan-wook, best known for The Handmaiden, and Don McKellar. It's based on the novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen. It tells the story of Captain, a North Vietnamese spy living in South Vietnam following the Vietnam War.
Watch the trailer for The Sympathizer and tell me it doesn't look incredible!
Dead Boy Detectives
- Premiere Date: April 25
- Created by Steve Yockey
- Cast: Jayden Revri, George Rexstrew, Briana Cuoco, Kassius Nelson, Jenn Lyon, Ruth Connell, Yuyu Kitamura, and more
- Where to watch: Netflix
From the world of The Sandman, Dead Boy Detectives arrives on Netflix on April 25. There's no doubt Sandman fans will want to tune in for this one, but it also looks like fans of The Umbrella Academy and some of the other fun Netflix shows should tune in, as well.
The series tells the story of two kids, Charles and Edwin, played by Jayden Revri and George Rexstrew, who were murdered. Instead moving on, they decide it's time stick around on Earth and get to the bottom of a few mysteries while they're at it. These aren't your normal meddling kids; that's for sure.
I don't know all that much about Dead Boy Detectives yet, but it's based on stories and characters created by Neil Gaiman, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to like it!
The Veil
- Premiere Date: April 30
- Created by Steven Knight
- Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Josh Charles, Yumna Marwan, Dali Benssalah, James Purefoy, Thibault de Montalembert, Joana Riberio, and more
- Where to watch: Hulu
The Veil starring Elisabeth Moss premieres on FX and Huli on April 30. It's definitely going to be one of the biggest shows of the month, but that month might be May since it premieres on the last day of April. Still, it officially makes the cut for the best shows to watch this month.
If you like spy shows, The Veil is the show for you. It's created by the great Steven Knight, best known for Peaky Blinders, and it tells the story of two agents, Imogen Salter of MI6, played by Moss, and Max of the CIA, played by Josh Charles. The pair must work together to thwart a threat.
That's the list of the best shows to watch in April! It's going to be a great month for new TV shows.