This month on TV, two dystopian sensations come roaring back, a couple demon hunters hit the scene, and we jump into the TARDIS. Here are the performances and shows to check out in April.
“Devil May Cry”
Series premiere April 3 on Netflix
Fans of the Capcom video game franchise “Devil May Cry” won’t need much convincing to watch this animated adaptation from Adi Shankar and Alex Larsen. Johnny Yong Bosch voices the main protagonist, a freelance demon hunter named Dante. (Fun fact: Bosch voiced Nero, Dante’s nephew, in the video games “Devil May Cry 4” and “Devil May Cry 5.”) In the ’90s, the actor starred as Adam Park, aka the Black Ranger, on the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” TV series—but he’s built a stunning career as a voice actor, especially for anime projects like “Akira,” “Trigun,” and “Bleach.” We can’t wait to hear how this multifaceted performer interprets the wise-cracking Dante.
“Pulse”
Series premiere April 3 on Netflix
Netflix dips into the medical procedural genre with this drama from Zoe Robyn and Carlton Cuse. Willa Fitzgerald stars as Danny Simms, a brilliant doctor navigating forbidden workplace romance and emergency room chaos. The actor is one to watch. She made our jaws drop as a manipulative maniac in the 2024 thriller “Strange Darling”—a far cry from her “Pulse” character—and proved her procedural chops on Season 1 of “Reacher.” Colin Woodell (“The Continental”) and Justina Machado (“One Day at a Time”) also star.
“The Bondsman”
Series premiere April 3 on Prime Video
The prolific Kevin Bacon gets into supernatural high jinks on this action-horror from Grainger David. The actor plays Hub Halloran, a murdered bounty hunter brought back to life by the devil. His assignment: Find runaway demons and send them back to hell. It’s particularly exciting to see Beth Grant among the cast. Her trademark sweet-and-sour delivery elevates any supporting role, from “Donnie Darko” to “The Mindy Project.” Singer-songwriter Jennifer Nettles (“The Righteous Gemstones”) also stars.
“Dying for Sex”
All episodes streaming April 4 on Hulu
In 2019, Michelle Williams nabbed an Emmy for portraying Gwen Verdon on FX’s limited series “Fosse/Verdon.” The actor and the network reunite for “Dying for Sex,” an eight-episode series from creators Kim Rosenstock and Elizabeth Meriwether that’s based on a podcast of the same by Nikki Boyer. Will awards lightning strike twice? Williams plays Boyer’s real-life friend Molly Kochan, whose breast cancer diagnosis spurs her to explore her true sexual desires for the first time. If there’s one thing Williams is going to do, it’s break our hearts with a nuanced, emotionally grounded performance. The cast includes Jenny Slate (“I Want You Back”), who plays Boyer, and the iconic Sissy Spacek as Kochan’s mom.
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
Final season premiere April 8 on Hulu
Elisabeth Moss leads the sixth season of Bruce Miller’s hit drama based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 dystopian novel. We can already tell from the trailer: Moss’ June is burning with rage as she makes a final gambit to dismantle the repressive Gilead regime. From “Mad Men” to “Top of the Lake,” the enthralling Moss never fails to draw an audience into a story; she’s made June’s fight feel like our fight. Yvonne Strahovski (“Chuck”), Ann Dowd (“The Leftovers”), O-T Fagbenle (“Presumed Innocent”), and Max Minghella (“Babylon”) also return for the final season.
“Doctor Who”
Season 2 premiere April 12 on Disney+
Every actor who’s played the time-traveling Doctor has found a distinct interpretation. (Matt Smith’s dorky 11th Doctor was especially endearing.) Since 2023, Ncuti Gatwa (“Sex Education”) has wooed diehards with his charming, stylish, and sexually fluid take on the iconic Time Lord. For his second season, Gatwa’s Doctor picks up a new companion: Belinda Chandra, played by Varada Sethu, who notably guest-starred last season in a different role and appears on the upcoming season of “Andor.” Also watch for wickedly arch Alan Cumming (“The Traitors”), who guest stars on Episode 2 as a cartoon character peering into the “real” world. Russell T. Davies serves as showrunner.
“The Last of Us”
Season 2 premiere April 13 on HBO/Max
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey return for the highly anticipated second season of Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann’s video game adaptation, as their characters, Joel and Ellie, butt heads in the fungus-zombie apocalypse. This time, they’ll cross paths with vengeful soldier Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever. The character caused much fan conversation after debuting in the 2020 game “The Last of Us Part II.” Abby is morally complex, not always likable, and a bit of a bulldozer to the existing narrative. Good thing that the effortlessly charismatic Dever—whose TV credits include “Apple Cider Vinegar,” “Dopesick,” and “Unbelievable”—excels at playing complicated characters.
“Government Cheese”
Series premiere April 16 on Apple TV+
David Oyelowo leads this 1960s-set surrealist comedy, which he also executive produced. He plays the patriarch of the Chambers family, described in the series logline as a “quirky” brood “beautifully unfettered by the realities of the world.” We’re used to seeing Oyelowo command respect in authoritative roles, like Martin Luther King Jr. in “Selma” and as the titular hero of “Lawman: Bass Reeves,” so it’ll be fun to watch him get weird. Simone Missick (“All Rise”) costars in the series co-created by Paul Hunter and Aeysha Carr.
“The Rehearsal”
Season 2 premiere April 20 on HBO/Max
True, this project from creator-star Nathan Fielder blurs the line between unscripted and scripted comedy. Still, there are good reasons for actors to watch its second installment. Fielder’s deadpan persona, for example, is a singular work of comedy performance art. Mostly, the premise of “The Rehearsal”—Fielder helping people prepare for real-life situations through outlandishly elaborate simulations—provokes useful questions: Where does truth end and performance begin? How deeply can one get into character without losing themself? Hey, maybe it’ll shake something useful loose in your mind.
“Andor”
Season 2 premiere April 22 on Disney+
The critically acclaimed “Star Wars” prequel series “Andor” is back for a sophomore outing. Diego Luna reprises his role as rebel hero Cassian Andor, whom he first played in the 2016 film “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” His performance blends the grit of a revolutionary with the swagger of a space cowboy. The “Star Wars” franchise has no shortage of either archetype (hello, Han Solo). But Luna’s world-weary—er, galaxy-weary—soul makes “Andor” must-see TV. Tony Gilroy created the series, which also stars Stellan Skarsgård (“Dune”) and Adria Arjona (“Hit Man”).
