Pop Culture

19 Spring TV Shows For All Your Social Distancing Needs

As COVID-19 continues to dominate the news, you may find yourself couch-ridden in social isolation for the foreseeable future. Of course, you can use this as an opportunity to do your taxes or catch up on the book pile you’ve been ignoring for years, but don’t forget that we still live in the era of peak TV, and there are many, many shows on the way to take your mind off the current crisis. Sit back, attempt to relax, and let new series from Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon, and even Sally Rooney herself temporarily soothe your fears.

1

High Fidelity (Hulu)

Zoë Kravitz channels the music-obsessed record-store owner Rob (played by John Cusack in the 2000 film), fixating on mistakes made in her earlier relationships vis-à-vis Top Five listsm as she comes to grips with losing the love of her life. It’s all set to a glorious soundtrack (think David Bowie, Blondie, 
and early OutKast) curated by Questlove. —Adrienne Gaffney

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2

The Outsider (HBO)

This miniseries based on a 2018 Stephen King novel not only offers one of the best pilots I’ve seen in a long time, but it manages to build on an inconceivable mystery without muddling its own storytelling. When a 12-year-old boy is found brutally murdered, overwhelming evidence points to Terry Maitland, a beloved teacher and baseball coach (Jason Bateman). When he proves he was in two places at the same time, Detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) brings in savant-like investigator Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo) to study the case. The finale just aired last Sunday, so you can catch up in one go with HBO Go or HBO Now. —Julie Kosin

3

Hunters (Amazon Prime)

Jordan Peele executive-produces this series about a band of vigilantes who come together for a murderous rampage when they learn that hundreds of high-ranking Nazis have escaped punishment and are planning a Fourth Reich in ’70s New York City. Stars Al Pacino and Carol Kane help capture the feel of the era, conjuring Serpico and Taxi vibes respectively. —AG

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4

Devs (FX on Hulu)

Director Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation) brings his signature mix of sci-fi and tech-focused dystopia to Silicon Valley. Devs follows computer engineer Lily Chan (Sonoya Mizuno), who believes a tech giant and its mysterious CEO (Nick Offerman) has something to do with her boyfriend’s disappearance. —Savannah Walsh

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5

The Plot Against America (March 16, HBO)

In HBO’s adaptation of the 2004 Philip Roth novel, David Simon and Ed Burns create a period piece that feels disturbingly modern in its depiction of how quickly democracy can dissolve. Seen through the lens of a Jewish family in Newark, New Jersey (portrayed by Zoe Kazan, Winona Ryder, and Morgan Spector), the six-part miniseries conjures a world in which Charles Lindbergh runs against and defeats President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1940 presidential election. The series explores how fascism and anti-Semitism can turn a country against its values and into a state of chaos in an imaginary reality that’s sadly not difficult to imagine. —AG

6

My Brilliant Friend: The Story of a New Name (March 16, HBO)

The gritty heroines of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels return to the screen for this adaptation of book two, The Story of a New Name. Though narrator Elena (Margherita Mazzucco) continues the education she hopes will take her beyond the violent neighborhood of her youth, one jealous eye is always fixed on the perceived success of newlywed Lila (Gaia Girace). But Lila’s husband is not the gentleman she thought, and her desire for independence takes the two young women on a journey of reckless decisions, careless lust, and the ceaseless grief of unmet expectations. —JK

7

Little Fires Everywhere (March 18, Hulu)

One of Hollywood’s most powerful collaborations is about to bear fruit. The highly-anticipated adaptation of Celeste Ng’s 2017 novel Little Fires Everywhere—about two families who get tangled in each others’ private drama in ’90s Ohio—heads to Hulu thanks to a partnership between stars and co-executive producers Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon. That Big Little Lies-shaped hole in your heart just shrunk three sizes. —JK

Watch on Hulu

8

Feel Good (March 19, Netflix)

The semi-autobiographical series from comedian Mae Martin recounts her move from Canada to London to launch her career. There, she embarks on an intoxicating new relationship while keeping her struggles with addiction under control. —SW

9

Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (March 20, Netflix)

The fascinating true story of Madam C.J. Walker, the beauty entrepreneur and first black female self-made millionaire, gets the miniseries treatment with a four-episode Netflix series. “Big as Carnegie, Ford, and Rockefeller put together,” is how Walker (Octavia Spencer) describes her dreams for the business in the trailer. Tune in to see how she makes that a reality, with the help of friends, family, and a little healthy competition. Tiffany Haddish, Carmen Ejogo, and Blair Underwood also star. —JK

10

Insecure Season 4 (April 12, HBO)

After a year and a half on hiatus, Issa Dee is finally back—and somehow, she keeps complicating her own life. Accidentally befriending Lawrence’s new girlfriend is only the beginning. —JK

11

Run (April 12, HBO)

Longtime Phoebe Waller-Bridge collaborator Vicky Jones brings her first series to HBO, with Merritt Wever and Domhnall Gleeson starring as former college sweethearts who reconnect 17 years later—and immediately decide to run away together. Waller-Bridge guest stars and executive produces this half-hour comedy, sure to be Sunday night appointment viewing come April. —JK

12

Mrs. America (April 15, FX on Hulu)

The thorny—and still ongoing—battle to pass the Equal Rights Amendment is given prestige screen treatment in limited series Mrs. America. Notorious antifeminist Phyllis Schlafly, the leader of a conservative movement opposed to the ERA, becomes a bit more palatable when portrayed by Cate Blanchett. Uzo Aduba and Rose Byrne round out the all-star cast as Shirley Chisholm and Gloria Steinem in this prescient retelling. —AG

13

Vida Season 3 (April 26, Starz)

The third season of the standout Starz drama sees sisters Emma (Mishel Prada) and Lyn (Melissa Barrera) contending with the trials and joys of re-opening their late mother’s bar—with the goal of making it the spot for Latinx culture, as Lyn puts it in the trailer—complete with “mariarchi karaoke” and a “queerciñera.” —SW

14

Defending Jacob (April 24, Apple TV+)

Chris Evans returns to New England for another Massachusetts-set drama, paired once again with his Knives Out teen costar Jaeden Martell. While also revolving around a murder, the miniseries takes a much darker tone than Rian Johnson’s comedy, with Evans and Michelle Dockery portraying a couple dealing with the reality that their son might be a killer. —AG

15

Killing Eve Season 3 (April 26, BBC America and AMC)

The cat-and-mouse relationship between Eve (Sandra Oh) and Villanelle (Jodie Comer) reached a suspenseful peak in the drama’s season 2 finale. Season 3 promises more twisty turns for the M16 operative and assassin, brought to us by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and new showrunner Suzanne Heathcote. —SW

16

The Eddy (May 8, Netflix)

Damien Chazelle (Whiplash, La La Land) explores the world of jazz once more. His new limited series follows Elliot (André Holland), who experiences the high notes and blues of owning a struggling Parisian jazz club while raising a daughter (Amandla Stenberg) and navigating an on-off relationship. —SW

17

Normal People (Spring TBD, Hulu)

A teen show with a bit more gravity, this adaptation—a joint production with the BBC—of Sally Rooney’s wildly popular (some might say ubiquitous) novel follows the winding love story between Marianne and Connell. When they meet in a small Irish town, she’s a wealthy outcast, and he’s a star athlete. Things take a turn when they reconnect at the elite Trinity College. —AG

18

The Great (May 15, Hulu)

If your favorite brand of 18th-century entertainment falls squarely between Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette and The Favourite, your next delicious binge comes from the screenwriter of the latter. The Great stars Elle Fanning as a quick-witted Catherine the Great, who must scheme her way out of marriage to the foolish emperor of Russia. —SW

19

Love Life (Spring TBD, HBO Max)

Among the shows launching on HBO’s new streaming platform is this anthology series, led in the first season by Anna Kendrick, who co–executive-produces with Paul Feig, her A Simple Favor director. Each season will follow a different protagonist as he or she navigates a variety of relationships, from platonic to romantic. —AG

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