Tax season is finally over, so reward yourself with some time away from all the paperwork and watch this week’s new shows and movies. You might have to hide indoors anyway if, like this writer, you’re suffering through the beginning of allergy season once again.
This week’s What to Watch picks include the VOD premiere of Dune: Part Two, the WNBA draft, the season premieres of The Spiderwick Chronicles and season six of The Circle, and the sequel to Zack Snyder’s Netflix film Rebel Moon.
What’s new on TV this week
Dune: Part Two | VOD | Action, sci-fi
Available to buy or rent, Tuesday, April 16: Don’t miss the second half of Denis Villenueve’s Dune duology, based on the book by Frank Herbert. Timothée Chalamet (Wonka, Little Women) stars as Paul Atreides, a young space aristocrat who becomes a prophet and messiah of a desert world.
WNBA Draft | ESPN | Sports, football
Live, 7:00 ET on April 15: The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) will be televising its draft picks live from The Brooklyn Academy of Music. Don’t miss Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut, fresh off her appearance on Saturday Night Live.
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What to watch on Netflix this week
The Grimm Variations | Netflix | Anime, fantasy
Series premiere, Wednesday, April 17: WIT Studio (Attack on Titan, Spy x Family) brings classic fairy tale characters to life in this new anime anthology. The Grimm Variations covers stories like “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Hansel and Gretel” with a twist—reimagined from the eerie perspective of the Grimm Brothers’ younger sister.
Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver | Netflix | Action, adventure
New movie, Thursday, April 18: In the sequel to Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire, Kora (Sofia Boutella) continues to defend her new home from the Motherworld. No, despite the immense Star Wars vibes the name gives off, these two movies are not part of Star Wars or any similar cinematic universe.
What to watch on Max this week
Conan O’Brien Must Go | Max | Documentary, comedy
New series, Thursday, April 18: You may not have the time or resources to travel around the globe, but you can always live vicariously through your favorite celebrities. In this comedic travelog, Conan O’Brien (NBC’s Conan) travels to Norway, Ireland, Argentina, and more.
The Jinx: Part Two | Max | Documentary, crime
Documentary series, Sunday, April 21: True crime nerds won’t want to miss this follow-up series to the 2015 HBO docu-series. It covers the last few years of real-estate-heir-turned-serial-killer Robert Durst’s life—from his arrest to his death in prison.
What to watch on Hulu this week
The Stranger | Hulu | Thriller
New movie, Monday, April 15: Failed 10-minute streamer Quibi may be a thing of the past, but its legacy lives on in The Stranger. Director Veena Sud has re-edited the 13-episode series about a nightmarish rideshare experience into a full-length feature film.
Limited series, Sunday, April 21 (April 22 on Hulu): You don’t have to adopt a baby octopus to learn about cephalopods. Just check out Disney+ and/or Hulu this weekend and you’ll learn all of the octopus’s secrets, narrated by Ant-Man star Paul Rudd.
More of what to watch on streaming this week
The Spiderwick Chronicles | The Roku Channel | Fantasy, adventure
Series premiere, Friday April 19: Disney may have scrapped this reimagining of the classic children’s books, but The Roku Channel swooped in to save it from oblivion. Watch this story about a family discovering a hidden world of freaky fairies, goblins, and magic, for free starting April 19.
The Circle | Netflix | Reality
New season, Wednesday April 17: Nostalgic for the age of social distancing? These contestants LARP as remote workers by cutting themselves off from the outside world, only able to communicate via text. Of course, this leads to lots and lots of catfishing. It’s all part of the game.
New movie releases available to rent/buy on VOD this week
- Hundreds of Beavers (April 15)
- The Brink of (April 16)
- Class of Her Own (April 16)
- Deadly Justice (April 16)
- Dune: Part Two (April 16)
- Immaculate (April 16)
- In the Land of Saints and Sinners (April 16)
- Mind Body & Soul (April 16)
- The Star City Murders (April 16)
- Summer Solstice (April 16)
- Sweet Dreams (April 16)
- Blood for Dust (April 19)
- Dusk for a Hitman (April 19)
