The Ultimate Guide to What to Watch on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max, and More in April 2024

Everything old is new again this April. The first full month of spring brings plenty of updated takes on familiar properties, like Netflix's Ripley, a limited series starring Andrew Scott as the talented Mr. Ripley himself; Prime Video's Fallout, which adapts the video game franchise for TV; and HBO's The Sympathizer, based on the book of the same name. But April has plenty of fresh stories to offer, too. Two of this month's biggest releases — Apple TV+'s detective series Sugar, starring Colin Farrell, and Hulu's spy series The Veil, starring Elisabeth Moss — are as enigmatic as their characters.

Our guide to the best TV in April is divided into three sections: the best shows and movies to watch this month, the best shows to watch by streaming service, and a calendar of TV highlights. Whatever you're looking for, you'll find it below. 

More: 

• Everything to know about what to watch on TV this spring
• The ultimate guide to what to watch on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max, and more in May
• The ultimate guide to what to watch on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max, and more in March
• All the renewed and canceled shows in April

The best shows and movies to watch in April

Ripley (April 4, Netflix)

The true heads have been waiting for this — colloquially known as "the Andrew Scott Ripley show" — for a while. First announced in 2019 and originally set to air on Showtime, Ripley was eventually picked up by Netflix and will finally premiere this April. A limited series adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel The Talented Mr. Ripley (which was previously adapted into the 1999 Matt Damon film), Ripley stars Andrew Scott as the titular conman as he travels from New York to Italy to help convince a wealthy man's layabout son to return from an extended vacation. And, well, you probably know the rest — but if you don't, I won't spoil the dark and twisted web Ripley leaves in his wake here. Johnny Flynn, Dakota Fanning, and John Malkovich co-star alongside Scott. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

Girls State (April 5, Apple TV+)

The 2020 Sundance Film Festival Documentary Grand Jury winner Boys State took audiences inside Boys State, a summer leadership program for high schoolers that culminates in a convention where a mock government is set up, complete with candidates creating political parties and running for office. Things got weird! Now it's the girls' turn. This sorta-sequel follows high school girls in the sister program as they get a first-hand look at how government runs and learn what it takes to be a good politician versus what it takes to be a popular politician. Boys State exposed some universally scary truths about our system of elected officials, with the young men sacrificing their beliefs for power; will the girls follow suit? -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Mary & George (April 5, Starz)

What's better than a deliciously outrageous period piece? The historical series stars Julianne Moore as a desperate countess who, terrified of losing her fortune and social standing, transforms her son (Nicholas Galitzine) into the ideal lover for King James I (Tony Curran). Together, mother and son scheme, deceive, and murder their way to power. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

Sugar (April 5, Apple TV+)

Colin Farrell detective show? Colin Farrell detective show! Say less! OK, fine, I'll say a little more: Colin Farrell stars in and executive produces this series about a detective tracking the mysterious disappearance of the beloved granddaughter of a legendary Hollywood producer. Its sounds straightforward, but the stylish direction from Fernando Meirelles and a twist keep things interesting. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

Fallout (April 11, Prime Video)

Bethesda Game Studios' popular franchise looks to follow in the footsteps of The Last of Us as game-to-TV adaptations that don't totally suck. This one is partially in the hands of Westworld's Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who are on board to executive produce, and stars Yellowjackets' Ella Purnell and Justified's Walton Goggins in a story of survival in a post-nuclear apocalypse, in a retrofuturistic, alternate Los Angeles full of mutants, mech suits, and opportunists. Based on the trailer, the games' sly and dark sense of humor looks to be intact, so grab your Pip-Boy and get ready. This looks really good. -Tim Surette [Trailer] [Review]

The Sympathizer (April 14, HBO)

The adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen's 2015 book of the same name follows a conflicted spy for the Communist party in Vietnam over the course of his life and mixes dark humor with espionage thrills during the Cold War. Co-created by Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) and Don McKellar, The Sympathizer's '70s and '80s vibe oozes off the screen with style, thanks in part to a trio of cool directors behind the camera — Park, City of God's Fernando Meirelles, and Utopia's Mark Mullen. Hoa Xuande stars as the unnamed protagonist, with Sandra Oh and Robert Downey Jr., in several roles, supporting. -Tim Surette [Trailer] [Review]

Under the Bridge (April 17, Hulu)

Riley Keough stars in this adaptation of Rebecca Godfrey's true-crime novel about the 1997 murder of teenage girl Reena Virk in British Columbia, Canada. As Godfrey (Keough) investigates the case, she exposes a hidden underworld of teenagers, mob mentality, and unheard cries for help. Lily Gladstone also stars as Cam Bentland, one of the only women of color on the B.C. police force. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

The Jinx - Part Two (April 21, HBO)

I don't know what's more unbelievable: that The Jinx, a monumental moment in true-crime television that investigated real estate mogul Robert Durst and his possible involvement in the murder of three people, came out over nine years ago, or that we haven't been given another season, more episodes, or some way to capitalize on the fervor around the show until now. Almost a decade after we heard Durst's bizarre confession at a urinal, filmmaker Andrew Jarecki uncovers more details on the murder cases and interviews new witnesses. It's hard to think this could have the impact that the first did — in a timely coincidence, Durst was arrested for the murder of Susan Berman the day before The Jinx finale aired — given that Durst died in 2022 before he could go to trial, but for those feeling that the case is incomplete, these six episode should suffice. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

The Big Door Prize Season 2 (April 24, Apple TV+)

Few shows can claim to be as cosmic and cozy as Apple TV+'s The Big Door Prize, a delightful small-town relationship comedy with a sci-fi mystery at its center. When the town of Deerfield discovers a mysterious machine in a local market that supposedly tells users their life potentials, the citizens see their lives turned upside down as unspoken desires take over, jealousies emerge, and people break out of their shells with new confidence. Season 1 left plenty of questions unanswered — where did this machine come from, anyway? — but that was by design, as the wacky townspeople come first in this character-driven dramedy that stars Chris O'Dowd, Gabrielle Dennis, Josh Segarra, and Crystal Fox. -Tim Surette

The Veil (April 30, Hulu)

Elisabeth Moss and Yumna Marwan star in this thriller series about a pair of women engaged in a globe-trotting game of cat and mouse. FX's official synopsis is just enigmatic enough to be intriguing: "One woman has a secret, the other a mission to reveal it before thousands of lives are lost." A recent Vanity Fair preview revealed a little more, with creator Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) comparing the leads' dynamic to Thelma & Louise. Josh Charles and Dali Benssalah also star. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

What's on Netflix, Max, Hulu, Amazon, and more in April

Netflix's best new shows and movies in April

April is the month of fools, and Netflix is starting the month off with a man who is looking to take advantage of all of them. Ripley, the newest adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley, stars Andrew Scott as the titular grifter, sent to Italy to convince a rich guy's son to return home to the United States. It's our top pick for what to watch on Netflix in the month. Also coming in April is Season 2 of Heartbreak High, the Australian high school drama that's a mix of Sex Education and Euphoria but actually appropriate for teens. An adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Dead Boy Detectives and Yeon Sang-ho's Parasyte: The Grey should fill your supernatural/horror needs, but if you're just here for some good-natured pranking, check out The Magic Prank Show, starring Magic for Humans' Justin Willman. Here's our list of the best shows and movies on Netflix in April, plus everything coming to and leaving Netflix in April.

More on Netflix:

• The best shows on Netflix right now
• The best movies on Netflix right now
• The new TV shows and movies on Netflix in March

HBO and Max's best new shows and movies in April

April is a pretty busy month for HBO and Max. Things start off with this year's Academy Award winner for Best International Feature, The Zone of Interest, on April 5, and end with The Jinx - Part Two, the true crime docuseries that's a follow-up to the 2015 miniseries that rocked the world. But for quality HBO entertainment, pay special attention to The Sympathizer (April 14), a groovy spy dramedy starring Hoa Xuande, Robert Downey Jr., and Sandra Oh. Here's our list of the best shows and movies on HBO and Max in April, plus everything coming to HBO and Max in April.

More on HBO and Max:

• The best movies on Max right now
• The best shows on Max right now
• The new TV shows and movies on HBO and Max in March
• HBO Max review: Everything to know about the streaming service

Hulu's best new shows and movies in April

The end of Oscars season brings the start of a new season: the one where Oscar and Emmy nominees (and winners) star in limited series that air right before the Emmy voting window closes. Hulu has a pair of them this April. First up is Under the Bridge, a true crime drama about the investigation into the 1997 murder of a teenage girl in British Columbia, starring Emmy nominee Riley Keough and Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone. And at the end of the month, Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss leads the FX-produced limited series The Veil, an enigmatic, globe-trotting spy thriller. Here's our list of the best shows and movies on Hulu in April, plus everything coming to Hulu in April.

More on Hulu: 

• The best TV shows on Hulu right now
• The best movies on Hulu right now
• The new TV shows and movies on Hulu in March
• How much does Hulu cost? Plans, pricing, channels, and more

Amazon Prime Video's best new shows and movies in April

When looking at what's new on Amazon Prime Video for the month, would you rather have four or five shows that look decent or one show that looks totally frickin' awesome? If you're in the latter crowd, good news! Fallout, the adaptation of the Bethesda Game Studios video game series, comes out in the middle of the month, and we cannot wait. Sarcastic robots, angry mutants, Walton Goggins with no nose... what more could you ask for? As for the rest of Prime Video's lineup... did we mention Fallout? Here's our list of the best shows and movies on Amazon Prime Video in April, plus everything coming to Prime Video in April.

More on Amazon:

• The best movies on Amazon Prime Video right now
• The best shows on Amazon Prime Video right now
• The new TV shows and movies on Amazon Prime Video in March
• Amazon Prime Video pricing, channels, and deals
  

The best new shows and movies everywhere else in April

Looking to welcome the first full month of spring with a costume drama about a mother and son scheming their way into power and influence? Good news! Mary & George, starring Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine, premieres April 5 on Starz. April 5 also marks the debut of Apple TV+'s Sugar, a detective series starring Colin Farrell. Later in the month, Apple TV+ has the second season of charming comedy The Big Door Prize (April 24). Peacock has the British comedy series Hapless (April 10), while Disney+ has the second season of Monsters Inc. series Monsters at Work (April 5). And on Paramount+, the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery kicks off April 4.

More on Apple TV+, Peacock, Disney+, and Paramount+:

• The best shows and movies on Apple TV+ right now
• The best shows on Peacock right now
• The best movies on Peacock right now
• The best shows on Paramount+ right now
• The best shows on Disney+ right now
• The best movies on Disney+ right now
• How to get a Paramount+ free trial and deals

April TV calendar highlights

Monday, April 1
All American (Season 6, The CW)
Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal (Documentary, Peacock)
The Synanon Fix (Docuseries, HBO)
Vanderpump Villa (Season 1, Hulu)

Tuesday, April 2
Demetri Martin: Demetri Deconstructed (Special, Netflix)
Lopez vs Lopez (Season 2, NBC)
Together: Treble Winners (Docuseries, Netflix)
Weakest Link (Season 3 Part 2, NBC)

Wednesday, April 3
American Horror Story (Season 12 Part 2, FX)
Files of the Unexplained (Docuseries, Netflix)
Loot (Season 2, Apple TV+)
Sight Unseen (Season 1, The CW)
Walker (Season 4, The CW)

Thursday, April 4
Hop (Season 1, Max)
Ripley (Limited Series, Netflix)
Star Trek: Discovery (Season 5, Paramount+)

Friday, April 5
Alex Rider (Season 3, Freevee)
The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem (Documentary, Netflix)
Dinosaur (Season 1, Hulu)
Girls State (Documentary, Apple TV+)
How to Date Billy Walsh (Film, Prime Video)
Mary & George (Limited Series, Starz)
Monsters at Work (Season 2, Disney+)
Parasyte: The Grey (Season 1, Netflix)
Scoop (Film, Netflix)
Sugar (Season 1, Apple TV+)

Saturday, April 6
Alex Edelman: Just for Us (Special, HBO)
Two for One (Limited Series, TCM)

Sunday, April 7
2024 CMT Music Awards (Special, CBS)
Beacon 23 (Season 2, MGM+)
Mr. Bates vs The Post Office (Limited Series, PBS)
Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight (Docuseries, CNN)
When Calls the Heart (Season 11, Hallmark)

Monday, April 8
30 for 30: 26.2 to Life (Documentary, ESPN)
NCISVerse: The First 1,000 (Special, CBS)

Tuesday, April 9
Brandy Hellville & The Cult of Fast Fashion (Documentary, HBO)
Grand Cayman: Secrets in Paradise (Season 1, Freeform)
Neal Brennan: Crazy Good (Special, Netflix)

Wednesday, April 10
The Challenge: All Stars (Season 4, Paramount+)
Chucky (Season 3 Part 2, Syfy)
Hapless (Seasons 1-2, Peacock)
Unlocked: A Jail Experiment (Season 1, Netflix)
What Jennifer Did (Documentary, Netflix)

Thursday, April 11
Baby Reindeer (Season 1, Netflix)
Fallout (Season 1, Prime Video)
Heartbreak High (Season 2, Netflix)
Patti Stanger: The Matchmaker (Season 1, The CW)

Friday, April 12
Franklin (Limited Series, Apple TV+)
Good Times (Season 1, Netflix)
The Greatest Hits (Film, Hulu)

Sunday, April 14
The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden (Special, CBS)
Bluey: The Sign (Special, Disney)
The Sympathizer (Limited Series, HBO)

Tuesday, April 16
An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th (Documentary, HBO)
CTRL+ALT+DESIRE (Docuseries, Paramount+)

Wednesday, April 17
The Circle (Season 6, Netflix)
Our Living World (Season 1, Netflix)
Under the Bridge (Limited Series, Hulu)

Thursday, April 18
Conan O'Brien Must Go (Season 1, Max)
Dinner With the Parents (Season 1, Freevee)
Going Home With Tyler Cameron (Season 1, Prime Video)
Orlando Bloom: To the Edge (Limited Series, Peacock)
The Upshaws (Season 5, Netflix)

Friday, April 19
The Never Ever Mets (Season 1, OWN)
Rebel Moon Part 2: The Scargiver (Film, Netflix)
The Spiderwick Chronicles (Limited Series, The Roku Channel)

Saturday, April 20
High Hopes (Season 1, Hulu)
Predator v Prey (Docuseries, BBC America)

Sunday, April 21
The Jinx - Part 2 (Limited Series, HBO)

Monday, April 22
Fern Brady: Autistic Bikini Queen (Special, Netflix)
Hip-Hop and the White House (Documentary, Hulu)

Tuesday, April 23
The Express Way with Dulé Hill (Docuseries, PBS)

Wednesday, April 24
The Big Door Prize (Season 2, Apple TV+)

Thursday, April 25
Dead Boy Detectives (Season 1, Netflix)
Them: The Scare (Season 2, Prime Video)

Friday, April 26
Knuckles (Limited Series, Paramount+)
The New York Times Presents: Broken Horses (Documentary, FX)
Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story (Docuseries, Hulu)
We're Here (Season 4, HBO)

Tuesday, April 30
The Veil (Limited Series, Hulu)