Mystery Science Theater 3000 (Series Premiere, April 14, Netflix) – Following its 1999 cancellation, the B-movie-riffing comedy lands a crowd-funded reboot.
The Leftovers (Season Premiere, 9 p.m. April 16, HBO) – What started as a show about the aftermath of a global event in which two percent of the human population disappeared has somehow developed into an even more cryptic mystery. This third and final season of the psychological drama brings the action from Texas to Australia, the geographical “end of the world.”
Veep (Season Premiere, 10:30 p.m. April 16, HBO) – Never has a comedy mocking bureaucracy and presidential processes felt so relevant.
Fargo (Season Premiere, 10 p.m. April 19, FX) – As one Noah Hawley FX series ends (Legion), another begins. Season 3 of this dark anthology — inspired by the Coen brothers flick of the same name — stars Ewan McGregor (in heavy prosthetics and dual roles), Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Carrie Coon, Jim Gaffigan and David Thewlis. Expect police and parolees, mobsters and murder, and “cut-throat competitive Bridge.”
Dear White People (Series Premiere, April 28, Netflix) – Justin Simien’s TV spinoff picks up where his titular 2014 film left off, examining race and class in an Ivy League setting. Brace for ridiculous cries of “reverse racism.”
I Love Dick (Series Premiere, May 12, Amazon) – Directed by Transparent creator Jill Soloway and based on Chris Kraus’ 1997 novel, this new drama stars Kathryn Hahn as a New York filmmaker who follows her academic husband to Texas for work. There, she meets a scholar named Dick (Kevin Bacon), who becomes the object of her obsession.
Twin Peaks (Series Premiere, 9 p.m. May 21, Showtime) – After much back-and-forth and false alarms, the 1990 cult drama returns as a limited series with original creators David Lynch and Mark Frost, Kyle MacLachlan’s Dale Cooper and more familiar faces and newcomers.
House of Cards (Season Premiere, May 30, Netflix) – Come to see how Trump may have influenced Season 5, stay for the icy performances by Robin Wright and Kevin Spacey.
Picks of the Week
Workaholics (Series Finale, 10 p.m. Wednesday, Comedy Central) – The guys become party legends when an energy drink company begins sponsoring their ragers — not unlike how Comedy Central has paid the real-life actors to capture their craziness for the past six years.
Big Little Lies (9 p.m. Sunday, HBO) – Madeline gets positive feedback about her play, but worries about the director’s change in attitude; Ziggy’s teacher and principal confront Jane about her son’s behavior; Celeste discusses her marriage in therapy.
Keeping Up with the Kardashians (9 p.m. Sunday, E!) – The Paris episode. (To clarify: The one about Kim’s Paris robbery — not one in which Kim revisits her days as Paris Hilton’s assistant.)
American Crime (10 p.m. Sunday, ABC) – Luis falls further into farm servitude; Isaac tries to shield Coy from abuse on the farm; Kimara works to protect Shae; Jeanette worries the family is downplaying a fire that killed undocumented workers.
Cosplay Melee (Series Premiere, 10 p.m. Tuesday, Syfy) – The nerdification of reality TV continues! Costumed performers compete for cash and fandom fame.
CONTACT JAC KERN: @jackern
