Samuel Brace with 4 TV Shows to watch in March and April that are not on Netflix…
As touched upon in my piece last week regarding how the month of March will belong to Netflix, the start of 2018, especially in the TV space, has been an arid and desolate affair to put it at all politely. It seems to me, and seems rather clear, that there’s not been much of anything going on, at least nothing worth speaking about in a complimentary manner. While there will soon be some content of worth arriving to everyone’s favourite streaming service, the next two months in this calendar year known as 2018 are not entirely barren for the medium’s other content providers. There happens to be a handful of intriguing if not outright exciting possibilities appearing on the horizon. So with the space afforded to me here, I thought it proper to highlight just which shows, ones not appearing on Netflix, that the television junkie can hope to be consumed by in the months of March and April.
Barry – March 25
For those in search of a comedic respite from the often overwhelmingly dark and earnest leanings of the TV sphere, and for those who appreciate certainly one of the funniest comedic actors working today, Barry, starring Bill Hader on HBO, could very well be what you’ve been searching for. Barry proposes to tell the story of a hitman (Hader) who ends up catching the acting bug after arriving in Los Angeles to carry out his latest assassination. Barry, also starring Henry Winkler, will hopefully be an offering that stacks up favourably to shows of a seemingly similar tone like Showtimes’ Weeds or Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet, therefore potentially residing prominently in a genre in desperate need of new citizens.
The Terror – March 26
From producer Ridley Scott, The Terror is a rare attractive proposition from AMC, a network fallen so far from grace that its preposterous to think that it was once the acclaimed home of prestige TV royalty. Based on the novel of the same name, The Terror is a suspense thriller that tells the story of the Royal Navy’s perilous journey into the Arctic’s Northwest Passage. This 10 episode season stars the likes of Ciarán Hinds and Jared Harris, and looks to be a cinematic and sinister historical offering. Oh, and if the danger wasn’t grave enough, there’s some kind of monstrous predator involved, pursuing our noble crew. Can AMC offer something of quality that hasn’t got Vince Gilligan’s name on it? I’m unsure but hopeful none the less.
Legion – April 3
Is Legion the most praiseworthy superhero show in the business? Maybe, it’s certainly in the conversation, and its second season is one of the more enticing prospects of 2018’s first half. Season one was a trip, a visually stunning odyssey into the mind of a disturbed individual, struggling to overcome his demons. The fact that Legion is also a superhero series often feels ancillary – a feat as impressive as it is welcome. With terrific performances, interesting characters, and a charismatic leading turn from the ever watchable Dan Stevens, this show is second only to Logan in the world of X-Men themed live action entertainment. Can season two deliver? Will the visuals remain fresh and inventive? Or will Legion succumb to indolence, becoming a lazy and meretricious copy of its former self? We’ll have to tune in to find out.
Westworld – April 22
The second season of Jonathan Nolan’s hit sci-fi epic hardly needs promoting by the likes of me, but no commentary on April’s television endeavours would be complete without its name being mentioned. Westworld season one was billed as a successor to your Game of Thrones addiction and it didn’t disappoint. This was prestige TV at its finest, engrossing and mystifying, presented with visual splendour, sharp writing, and performed by some of the finest actors in either film or TV. Can season two possibly match what has come before? It’s difficult to say, especially now that the mystery has been revealed, now that the scales have fallen from the eyes of audiences and characters alike. I am certainly rooting for it; let’s hope the nearly two year wait proves to be worthwhile.
If all the above manage to perform in the way one would hope, the next two months could turn out to be a true delight for those that enjoy the medium. Combine this with offerings on Netflix, including the reimagining of Lost in Space (April 13), there should be a little something to treasure for all involved. Let’s cross our fingers and hope a few marvels present themselves, that the dark months of January and February fade quickly into the background, and that 2018’s accretion of quality content can continue forever onward.
Samuel Brace
