What2Watch-April-2024

What2Watch

JULIANNE MOORE IS UNSTOPPABLE IN Greatest Arena Run Ever Goes To BILLY JOEL MGM’s 100th The Wizard Of Oz, Father Of The Bride, Singin’ In The Rain, Ben-Hur & More!

MGM TURNS 100!

Turner Classic Movies will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of MGM Studios this month with a large selection of MGM’s greatest hits, starting with its first ever release, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, which was a major success in 1925 (as was its remake in 1959) and employed many future movie stars such as John and Lionel Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Gary Cooper, and Marion Davies. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was founded in April 1924 when American business magnate Marcus Loew combined Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Pictures into one company and hired a slew of well-known actors under contract with the slogan “More stars than there are in heaven.”

CLASSIC MOVIES AIRING IN APRIL

Grand Hotel (Monday, April 1)

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (Monday, April 8)

The Wizard of Oz (Monday, April 8)

Gone With the Wind (Sunday, April 14)

Meet Me in St. Louis (Monday, April 15)

Father of the Bride (Monday, April 15)

Singin’ in the Rain (Monday, April 15)

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Monday, April 15)

Doctor Zhivago (Monday, April 22)

How the West Was Won (Monday, April 22)

2001: A Space Odyssey (Monday, April 22)

Moonstruck (Monday, April 29)

Fame (Monday, April 29, late night)

Throughout the month of April, TCM will air many of MGM’s biggest hits including 1939’s Gone With the Wind. The scope of the film, including the burning of Atlanta, was nearly unprecedented for its time, and upon its release, GWTW became the industry’s highest-grossing film. Also part of the lineup and from 1939 is The Wizard of Oz, a classic among classics. The musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s fantasy actually became more famous on the small screen than it ever did when first released in movie theaters in late summer. Generations anticipated each yearly TV broadcast showing as a family event, and every time Judy Garland’s Dorothy emerged “Over the Rainbow” from sepia-toned Kansas into the Technicolor wonderland of Oz, audiences were thrilled.

Once the world’s largest and most profitable studio, MGM reached its peak in the 1950s, undergoing management changes in the 1960s and then selling off many assets in the 1970s, but it is still home to some of the greatest films of all time.

The Wizard of Oz: Courtesy Everett Collection

The Wizard of Oz

RETURNING FAVORITES

Accused: Guilty or Innocent? A&E (April 4)

All American The CW (April 1)

The Big Door Prize Apple TV+ (April 24)

The Brokenwood Mysteries Acorn TV (April 29)

Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog

Nat Geo (April 12)

The Challenge: All Stars Paramount+ (April 10)

Collector’s Call MeTV (April 7)

Guilt PBS (April 28)

Heartbreak High Netflix (April 11)

It Couldn’t Happen Here SundanceTV (April 18)

Loot Apple TV+ (April 3)

Lopez vs. Lopez NBC (April 2)

Love During Lockup WE tv (April 19)

My Mane Problem ALLBLK (April 25)

Neighborhood Wars A&E (April 9)

The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch History (April 23)

Star Trek: Discovery Paramount+ (April 4; final season)

Them: The Scare Prime Video (April 25)

The Upshaws Netflix (April 18)

Walker The CW (April 3)

Welcome to Wrexham FX (May 2)

We’re Here HBO (April 26)

When Calls the Heart Hallmark Channel (April 7) WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures A&E (April 14)

Jared Padalecki saddles up for the fourth season of Walker. Last season ranked as The CW’s mostwatched linear show of 2022-23.

YANKED!: Recently Canceled Shows

Firefighter comedy Tacoma FD went up in smoke after four seasons on truTV. ... Netflix’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest prequel series Ratched, starring Sarah Paulson, won’t go forward with Season 2. ... Netflix also dropped a bomb on action/comedy Obliterated after one season and said “Nein!” to Season 4 of period cop drama Babylon Berlin. ... Disney Channel’s teen time-travel mystery series Secrets

of Sulphur Springs has vanished after three seasons. ... The fourth and final season of psychological thriller Evil, including four bonus episodes, will begin streaming on Paramount+ in May. ... Paramount+ also passed on Season 2 of supernatural drama Wolf Pack, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. ... Hugs Not Thugs has ceased operations. Hulu’s comedy This Fool won’t get a third season. Ratched

earth ay happy

arth Day 2024 is Monday, April 22, and on and around that date, some outstanding series and specials will help viewers learn more about our planet and the creatures on it, and how to better protect them — as well as our own future on this world.

NOVA: “Great American Eclipse”

Wednesday, April 3 on PBS

This month, the moon’s shadow will sweep from Texas to Maine as the United States witnesses its last total solar eclipse until 2044. This extraordinary astronomical event will plunge locations in the path of totality into darkness for more than four minutes — nearly twice as long as the last American eclipse in 2017. In this episode of NOVA, learn how to watch an eclipse safely and follow scientists as they work to unlock the secrets of our sun.

A Brief History Of The Future

Wednesdays beginning April 3 on PBS

NEW SERIES!

This six-part docuseries weaves together history, science and unexpected storytelling to expand our understanding about the impact that the choices we make today will have on our tomorrows. Each episode follows those who are working to solve our greatest challenges, and features insights from a wide range of thinkers, scientists, developers and storytellers. In the premiere episode, “Beyond the Now,” host Ari Wallach seeks the individuals and ideas that can shape a better, more sustainable future for each generation to build upon.

Changing Planet: Coral Special

Wednesday, April 24 on PBS

This program covers the third year of a sevenyear project to examine the issues facing our planet’s most threatened ecosystems. Dr. M. Sanjayan visits the Maldives to take an indepth look at coral reefs and the urgent efforts to help them and reefs worldwide survive climate change that is warming the seas and causing corals to bleach and possibly die off in the next few decades.

Ari Wallach walking through Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

A Brief History of the Future:

Credit: BetterTomorrows/PBS Coral: © Terra Mater Studios. Credit: Alfredo Barroso

Secrets Of The Octopus

Sunday, April 21 on NAT GEO NEW SERIES!

This latest in Nat Geo’s franchise of Earth Day natural history series from executive producer James Cameron (following Secrets of the Whales and Secrets of the Elephants) uncovers the lives of one of the most alien-like animals on the planet: the octopus. The three-part series (all episodes air April 21), narrated by Paul Rudd, shows how these eight-armed creatures can shapeshift, and reveals how intelligent and social they are through incredible footage, some of which shows octopus behavior never before captured on film.

One such behavior is an octopus mating ritual, as seen between “Scarlet,” a little octopus featured across the episodes, and a male suitor. Scarlet, due to having a scar underneath one eye, was given her name by National Geographic Explorer and expert Dr. Alex Schnell, who also features throughout the series.

Dr. Schnell and others travel to various places and meet several octopuses,

and all of them are incredible. But there’s a particularly amazing and touching relationship between Schnell and Scarlet — who seems to remember Schnell each time the human dives into her world — that developed quickly during the filming of this series.

“It varies from individual to individual how quickly [octopuses] want to interact with you,” Schnell says, “and sometimes they never do. But Scarlet took probably a couple of hours before she felt comfortable with me, which is really quick. We have an animal here that has no way to protect [itself from a human] … and yet she wanted to interact with a species 10 times her size. That’s really rare for a wild animal to want to do that.”

“I want the main take-home message of this series to be a shift in perspective, that while [octopuses] are very alien to a certain extent, we share similar traits with them. And hopefully that forms a bridge and a point of connection, and a growth of compassion and love, and then we want to protect what we love.”

—

Jeff Pfeiffer

American Experience: “Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy At Love Canal”

Monday, April 22 on PBS

Revisit the story of the 1970s Love Canal disaster, one of the most notorious environmental and public health disasters in U.S. history. Unfolding like a mystery, the film begins in 1977, when residents in a small neighborhood on the east side of Niagara Falls first noticed pungent chemical odors in their homes. Soon, dozens of families began to suffer abnormally high rates of cancer, asthma, miscarriage, birth defects and more. The battle for justice, led mostly by women, created the basis for the landmark federal Superfund program.

April Predator V Prey

Saturdays beginning April 20 on BBC AMERICA

NEW SERIES!

This new series looks at nature’s oldest rivalry: the hunters vs. the hunted. Follow some of the world’s apex predators as they use their keenly honed senses and millions of years of evolutionary instinct to stalk, capture, kill and consume their prey. But there’s no such thing as a free lunch in nature. Most hunts end in failure, and bringing down a bison, wildebeest or elephant many times their size could be a fatal endeavor. Predator v Prey uses stunning wildlife footage and combines it with innovative visual effects to offer a forensic look at this link in the food chain and a moment-bymoment breakdown of how carnivores overcome the challenges of survival.

— Ryan A. Berenz

16 A QUICK RUNDOWN OF WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH

THE TOP mary & george

Nicholas Galitzine and Julianne Moore

1

MARY & GEORGE

Fridays beginning April 5 on STARZ NEW SERIES!

Fans of The Tudors and Bridgerton will want to consort with this intriguing new seven-part drama series based on true historical events and figures from England’s Jacobean Era (1603-25).

Julianne Moore is an executive producer and stars as Mary Villiers, a woman of low birth who used her second son, George (Nicholas Galitzine, Red, White & Royal Blue), as a means to become one of the wealthiest and most influential people in England.

King James I (played by Tony Curran) is most remembered for sponsoring a translation of the Bible, the establishment of colonies in America, and the failed Gunpowder Plot against him, but he cared more for hunting and revelry than he did matters of state. James granted political favor to the Gentlemen of the Bedchamber, his most intimate associates (several of whom were also his lovers, according to this series and historical evidence).

Mary sent George to France to learn fencing, dancing and other graces in order to gain his entry into the royal court. Upon his return to England, he caught the king’s eye and swiftly moved up the ranks, eventually becoming a rival to James’ most favored gentleman, Robert Carr, the 1st Earl of Somerset (Laurie Davidson).

As George is played as a pawn by both his mother and Somerset’s enemies, he becomes increasingly driven by a lust for power and ensnared in the dangerous treachery of London’s elite. — Ryan A. Berenz

Julianne Moore on Playing Mary: “She’s clever, exciting and fun. So it was just a matter of settling into the language and the storytelling. And it was a pleasure to do that. It’s really wonderful to play somebody who seems to know what they want and doesn’t suffer fools to get it. I think it’s interesting what she achieved at a time when women couldn’t even own property, and the fact that she actually managed to be buried in Westminster Abbey. That’s a pretty amazing achievement.”

Nicholas Galitzine on George’s Rise: “As the series goes on, George starts to become aware of his own powers. He starts to enjoy the power that he’s gained, the wealth, being able to attract whoever he wants to attract. It corrupts him and forces a wedge between him and his mother, which makes for a very explosive ending.”

Tony Curran on King James’ Appetites: “I don’t think we’re shy about expressing the way human beings feel when they have an urge, if you will. I think if you were in court and you were the king or queen or had some power and you wanted to have some downtime, what would you do? I know what James wanted to do. He loved hunting. And he loved to have some friends in the room and have a good old romp.”

24 IN 24: LAST CHEF STANDING

Sundays beginning April 14 on FOOD NETWORK NEW SERIES!

When it comes to survival competition series, the good news for competitors is this one has a lot of food, no bugs and doesn’t involve being stranded on an island. This is Food Network’s most grueling culinary competition to date. The network has gathered 24 fearless chefs comprised of culinary icons, rising stars and competition rookies to take on 24 food challenges in 24 consecutive, nonstop hours. This social experiment/competition pushes these chefs to the extreme, where not only are their skills and creativity being judged, but also their stamina. The chef who cooks the best and outlasts the competition will take home $50,000 and win a trip of a lifetime. Judging the competitors are Eric Adjepong, Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant, Stephanie Izard, Jet Tila, Bryan and Michael Voltaggio, and Brooke Williamson. Game on! 2

3TOP CHEF RETURNS WITH KRISTEN KISH AS HOST

Supersized Episodes, Epic Challenges, And Lots And Lots Of Cheese.

By Barb Oates

Chefs from around the country headed to the cheesiest state in the nation — Wisconsin — for the 21st season of Bravo’s Top Chef (Wednesdays beginning March 20). This season marks a few firsts, including supersized episodes, with the biggest being Kristen Kish (Top Chef Season 10 winner and host of Restaurants at the End of the World) taking over as host, as Padma Lakshmi left the show after 17 years.

“I’m excited to shake things up,” Kish shares. “I could not be more thrilled.”

The location couldn’t have been easier, as the Midwest is home to the Korean-born chef, who was adopted and raised in Michigan and attended college in Chicago. She knew she would be in her comfort zone in Milwaukee and Madison, where the majority of filming took place. “It kind of feels like a homecoming in more ways than one.”

A creative problem solver from an early age, Kish laughed when reflecting on her earliest days in the kitchen, preparing a chocolate pudding she served to her parents. “I remember what my parents told me when they tried it: ‘Kristen, we’re so proud, we love it.’ But it wasn’t delicious, but they’re my parents.’” The chef confessed that her secret ingredient for making the pudding look like chocolate, when she didn’t have chocolate, was soy sauce.

Kish, however, is first to admit that the series is not about her or her fellow judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons, but rather it’s the human narrative of the cheftestants that fuels the popularity of the series — the stories of their lives, their professional backgrounds, and their talent and poise in a competitive scenario.

Kristen Kish

THE CHEFTESTANTS

At stake for the 15 talented chefs from across the country is not only the title of Top Chef, but also $250,000 cash, a feature in Food & Wine magazine and an appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. The mix of chefs includes James Beard nominees, Michelin-starred kitchen alums and one former Top Chef finalist, Kevin D’Andrea (from Top Chef France). Milwaukee’s own Dan Jacobs, a local celeb of sorts who competed on Beat Bobby Flay, is also part of the mix.

NEW RULES & SHOCKING TWISTS

This season there will be no immunity given for a Quickfire Challenge win, but instead a cash prize will be awarded. The winner of the Elimination Challenge, however, will receive immunity, which means the cheftestant can’t be sent home in the following Elimination Challenge. Adding some pressure, Colicchio and Simmons will also lend their expertise as they join Kish at Quickfire Challenges during the back half of the season.

THE CHALLENGES

We were on set for a blisteringly hot day at a cheese festival (airing April 10), where the chefs had to create a cheese-inspired dish with some of Wisconsin’s award-winning cheesemakers serving as judges. A few favorites of mine (can’t disclose the chefs) included a fried potato and cheese curd covered in gravy, and a gorgonzola crab Rangoon salad with rice chips. Challenges also involved the Milwaukee Brewers Famous Racing Sausages, dishes inspired by architect and Wisconsin native Frank Lloyd Wright, chaos cuisine involving The Bear’s Matty Matheson, an old-fashioned Door County fish boil, and a Restaurant Wars that went back to the basics.

FAVORITES RETURNING

Former Top Chef winners, finalists and favorites also make appearances throughout the season, including Sara Bradley, Joe Flamm, Jeremy Ford, Gregory Gourdet, Stephanie Izard, Carla Hall, Edward Lee, Mei Lin, Buddha Lo, Kwame Onwuachi, Shota Nakajima, Amar Santana, Justin Sutherland and Bryan Voltaggio.

THE NEW YORK TIMES PRESENTS: BROKEN HORSES

Friday, April 26 on FX

The “Sport of Kings” is a sport in crisis. Twelve horses died at Churchill Downs in Louisville during events surrounding the 2023 Kentucky Derby, forcing the track to suspend racing to investigate safety. A horse was euthanized on the track in a Preakness Stakes preliminary race at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course last year. Two horses — both with the same trainer — suffered catastrophic leg injuries and had to be euthanized at Belmont Park in New York during the 2023 Belmont Stakes weekend. This episode of the investigative series examines the systemic problems and questionable practices of breeders, owners, trainers, veterinarians and tracks that are pushing racehorses beyond their limits. 4

5 THE 100TH: BILLY JOEL AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN — THE GREATEST ARENA RUN OF ALL TIME

Sunday, April 14 on CBS

It was Dec. 14, 1978, when Billy Joel performed at New York City’s Madison Square Garden for the first time. A ticket for an orchestra seat cost $11.50. His sixth studio album, 52nd Street, was released that fall and was his first record to hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. More than 45 years later, Joel has become as much of a fixture at MSG as the New York Knicks or Rangers, and his current residency there began in January 2014. This two-hour special, taped March 28 at Joel’s 100th consecutive monthly performance at the venue, is the artist’s first ever concert to air on a broadcast TV network. His 150th and final show at the Garden is scheduled for July 25. — Ryan A. Berenz

Billy Joel

Top Chef: Kristen Kish: © 2023 Bravo Media, LLC. Credit: Stephanie Diani/Bravo The New York Times Presents: Broken Horses: © Luke Sharrett and The New York Times

Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden:

Photo Credit: CBS

6 THE SYMPATHIZER

Sundays beginning April 14 on HBO NEW LIMITED SERIES!

Any TV series would be lucky to land superstar Robert Downey Jr. for a major role. HBO signed him up to play four. Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the seven-part limited series The Sympathizer is a satirical espionage thriller about an unnamed former Viet Cong spy dubbed “The Captain” (newcomer Hoa Xuande). A refugee in Los Angeles toward the end of the Vietnam War, he finds himself caught between two worlds when his old life comes calling.

Throughout the series, the Captain crosses paths with several white men — a professor, an Orange County congressman, a CIA operative and

7

SIGHT UNSEEN

a Hollywood film director — who embody different facets of the American establishment.

Showrunner Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) told Vanity Fair that he and co-showrunner Don McKellar wanted one noted actor to play all of those roles so that the “many faces of Western imperialism shared one single body.”

Enter Downey, who had the talent and versatility to make each part unique. “I was astounded by how quickly he was able to come up with a very different performance,” Park has said. “He’d do a different improv for each and every take.” The Oppenheimer actor brought plenty of wild ideas of his own to the series, McKellar added, and Downey had the cachet to make them a reality. “He used his star power to liberate me. He liberated all of us to go for it.”

— Dylan Ford

Wednesdays beginning April 3 on THE CW NEW SERIES!

This unusual Canadian crime drama follows former homicide detective Tess (Dolly Lewis), who is forced to leave her job after being diagnosed clinically blind. After being introduced to a visual assistant (Agam Darshi) who can “see” for her with an app but struggles with agoraphobia, Tess begins to help the police department with solving crimes while trying to navigate a new world without most of her vision.

“I have my own issues with divergence in my sight, so I have a jumping-off point for getting into the character of Tess,” Lewis said. “We humans talk so much in the language of behavior. And if you see somebody just run into the table, you assume that they didn’t see it. So, it’s like a funny interplay of thinking: What’s the nuance of the psychology of not being able to see? And what are the very basic building blocks, physically, of not being able to see? It was a wonderful challenge.” — Zhanna

Slor

Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey Jr.

Dolly Lewis

THE BARNES BUNCH

Thursdays beginning April 11 on WE TV NEW SERIES!

This new reality series follows NBA champion/podcaster Matt Barnes and his fiancée, model Anansa Sims, as they blend their two families and six children aged 5 to 15. Along with their supportive parents, including Sims’ mother, former supermodel Beverly Johnson, the couple will take fans and viewers inside their home and very active lives as they navigate fame, love and parenting.

The day-to-day life of filming a reality show has its challenges, however, especially with such a big family. “It’s just pure chaos,” said Sims. “Our house is loud every day, and you add the cameras in there, on until bedtime. But the kids are so thrilled. They love it.”

“I think they feel like this is kind of their shot to be cool and be on

9 ELKHORN

TV and brag to their friends,” Barnes said. “The twins, my kids, the older ones, are good at basketball. They’re obviously better than us now and they definitely let us know about it. It was a little humbling.

“There’s not a ton of Black

Thursdays beginning April 11 on INSP NEW SERIES!

While many Americans are familiar with the man who charged up San Juan Hill with his Rough Riders, became the country’s youngest president and is immortalized on Mount Rushmore, few have heard of Theodore Roosevelt’s adventurous early days. In this 10-episode drama series, newcomer Mason Beals plays our “Cowboy President,” bringing to life his days on the frontier. “I got really excited by his flaws,” the Idaho-raised Beals tells us. “He’s only human and dealt with his grief in a not-so-traditional way and was somewhat blind to the pain he was experiencing — he’s an asthmatic with terrible eyesight and digestive issues. Teddy Roosevelt is an incredibly determined individual, but sometimes that determination can get in the way of the right decision. I think that struggle comes through in the show in a really entertaining way and I’m excited for people to see it.”

family love out there, so to speak, or Black family positivity,” Barnes added, about the inspiration behind the new show. “We hope that The Barnes Bunch can be a small piece of hopefully something that’ll start being bigger.” — Zhanna Slor

Mason Beals

The

10

FAR HAVEN

Sunday, April 14 on INSP ORIGINAL FILM!

“If standing up for what I believe in makes me a coward, then so be it,” Hunter Braddock (Bailey Chase) tells his two children in this follow-good-morals Western. In 1887, after serving two years in prison, the virtuous and wrongfully accused Braddock moves back to the Arizona town of Far Haven to start over with his children. Things don’t go well, and one of the only kindred spirits he finds is loner Abraham Chavez (Longmire’s A Martinez). “It’s such a clear story about redemption

and about the power of courage under difficult circumstances,” shares Martinez, who learned how to ride a horse from John Wayne. It’s a story that resonated with Martinez not only for its message, but also the film’s historical accuracy depicting a massacre that actually happened. “I was aware of that outrageous event and I thought it was great that [producer and director] Gary Wheeler chose to bring that into the story. … It’s not something that gets referenced very often in the culture [and is known], unless you’re an Indigenous person and you have it seared in your memory.”

11

MR. BATES VS. THE POST OFFICE

Sundays beginning April 7 on PBS NEW SERIES!

Starring Toby Jones, Monica Dolan and Julie Hesmondhalgh, this four-part British drama is based on the true story of the British Post Office scandal in which hundreds of post office employees were wrongly prosecuted for theft and fraud because of a faulty computer system that created cash discrepancies across the U.K., later classified as a miscarriage of justice.

Far Haven: Credit: INSP Mr Bates vs The Post Office: Courtesy of ITV Studios and MASTERPIECE/PBS

Bruce Boxleitner, A Martinez, Bailey Chase and Martin Kove

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney

12 WELCOME TO WREXHAM

Thursdays beginning May 2 on FX SEASON PREMIERE!

It was exciting when Wrexham AFC, a long-suffering club from North Wales owned by a pair of Hollywood novices, finally won promotion to the English Football League in this docuseries’ November finale. But because the game had occurred months earlier, it wasn’t exactly news to fans. That’s why the Emmy-winning show’s third season has been pushed up to more closely align with the EFL season. If the Red Dragons can remain strong despite injuries, expect celebrations from owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.

13

WHEN CALLS THE HEART

Sundays beginning April 7 on HALLMARK CHANNEL SEASON PREMIERE!

In Season 11 of Hallmark’s hit historical drama series, schoolteacher Elizabeth Thornton (Erin Krakow) navigates new challenges with Mountie Nathan Grant (Kevin McGarry) as they lean on each other for support, and newly elected governor Lucas Bouchard (Chris McNally) must confront his past in order to lead Hope Valley into the future.

14 TCM 30TH ANNIVERSARY!

Turner Classic Movies, one of the few long-running cable networks to have remained mostly true to its original name and stated mission, began broadcasting at 5pm CT on April 14, 1994, with an airing of 1939’s Gone With the Wind. This month TCM spotlights its anniversary with numerous specials including “Two for One,” where prominent filmmakers introduce a double feature of their choice every Saturday night. The lineup includes Martin Scorsese (April 6), Olivia Wilde (April 13), Paul Thomas Anderson (April 20) and Rian Johnson (April 27).

15

COLLECTOR’S CALL

Sundays beginning April 7 on METV SEASON PREMIERE!

Host Lisa Whelchel (The Facts of Life) returns for Season 5 of Collector’s Call, which will feature 26 episodes beginning this month, including the show’s milestone 100th installment, slated to air in August.

The popular series explores the rarely seen private collections of the nation’s biggest collectors of pop culture and nostalgia memorabilia. Joining each episode are professional appraisers and experts who value what the prized collectibles are worth, then try to tempt the collectors with a trade.

Here’s a look at the first four Season 5 episodes, airing this month:

SUNDAY, APRIL 7: “Meet Stewart Berkowitz — TV Props/Costumes” (New Jersey)

The season kicks off with a tour of Stewart Berkowitz’s incredible TV props and costumes collection. One of the largest of its kind to be in private hands, it mostly includes screen-used TV costumes, props and vehicles from the 1960s and ’70s, like William Shatner’s Captain Kirk and Leonard Nimoy’s Spock costumes from Star Trek, and Batman hero and villain costumes from the 1960s series.

This episode marks the second time Berkowitz has appeared as a collector on Collector’s Call. He told us in a recent interview that he thinks the biggest part of this episode will be showing off an entire onstage set from

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

“This was acquired from Johnny Carson himself by another collector who then made it available to me,” Berkowitz explained. “[For this episode,] we took as much of the set as we could out of our warehouse to set it up for the filming ... we have the desk, the couches, the curtains.”

SUNDAY, APRIL 14: “Meet Shawn & Gina Sheridan — Horror & Sci-fi Toys” (Los Angeles)

Shawn Sheridan is into horror; his wife, Gina, is all about sci-fi. They’ve made their passion for pop culture a cornerstone of their marriage. In this episode, Lisa joins them in the room they’ve dedicated to their shared collection of action figures, memorabilia and more.

Shawn and Gina display such treasures as a production-made Jason mask from Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives and Twiki the robot from the TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

SUNDAY, APRIL 21: “Meet Kenneth Guinup — ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic” (Seattle)

Kenneth Guinup isn’t just a lifelong fan of “Weird Al” Yankovic — he’s a collector who has assembled a wild and wonderful range of artifacts, collectibles and oneof-a-kind treasures related to the musician, including a screen-used guitar signed by the entire band.

SUNDAY, APRIL 28: “Meet Telina Cuppari — Pizza” (Kenilworth, New Jersey)

Telina Cuppari, who collects pizza-related items, shows off some of her most offbeat items, like a pizza box from a cult classic movie and even a pizza dress that was designed especially for her. — Jeff Pfeiffer

16 THERESA CAPUTO: BEYOND THE READINGS

Thursdays beginning April 18 on LIFETIME NEW SERIES!

This new companion series to Theresa Caputo: Raising Spirits explores Theresa’s gift through behind-the-scenes moments, expanded scenes with never-before-seen footage and follow-up interviews with participants from the main series. Describing her “gift” to us, she shares that one of the best examples she can give is the movie The Sixth Sense. “That’s how I grew up as a child. I would see things, sense things, but I thought everyone did. And then I was like, ‘OK, you didn’t see that? You didn’t know that?’"

Lisa Whelchel

Lisa Whelchel: Credit: MeTV Theresa Caputo: Raising Spririts: Credit: Caroline Tompkins

RETURNING FAVORITES August

Understanding TV Everywhere

Adventure & Awe Await

Expand your mind and travel along with National Geographic to remote parts of the world exposing viewers to the Queens, featuring matriarchies and female leaders in the natural world and how they rise to power. The network also follows the most deadliest animals, heartland docs, critter fixers, wicked seas, dictators and more. With TV Everywhere from Midco, you can the get the latest updates on popular shows, watch videos, browse photo galleries and more! You can stream National Geographic shows online or on your mobile device with TV Everywhere from Midco — which is included free with your TV package — anywhere there’s an internet connection!

Lisa Frankenstein

(Comedy) What happens when one teenager’s crush just happens to be a corpse? That question is put to the test when he comes back to life and the two journey through society trying to find love — oh, and some body parts. Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano (PG-13, 1:41) Available April

April NEW RELEASES

Land of Bad

(Action) An Army Special Forces team is ambushed and their mission goes horribly wrong It will take the soldiers on the ground working with the Air Force personnel overhead to get extricated from those who would do them harm Liam Hemsworth, Russell Crowe, Luke Hemsworth (R, 1:53)

Available April 2

French Girl

(Comedy) Gordon travels with his girlfriend Sophie to her hometown, Quebec City, where she is testing for a restaurant of a talented chef . There, Gordon meets Sophie’s family, who he is very different from, and the chef, who happens to be Sophie’s former girlfriend Zach Braff, Evelyne Brochu, Vanessa Hudgens (R, 1:46)

Available April 2

WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH

Scrambled

(Comedy) Nellie is a woman who is very used to weddings, baby showers and bad dates As the clock is ticking, she decides it’s important to preserve her childbearing ability to allow for time to take charge of her future in this tale of empowerment Leah McKendrick, Ego Nwodim, Andrew Santino (R, 1:40)

Available April 9

PREMIERES BEGINNING PREMIERES BEGINNING PREMIERES BEGINNING

©Lionsgate

©Paramount

Wish

(Family) When Asha wishes on a star, the star comes from the sky to join her, and the young girl gets more than she bargained for as more wishes than ever come to reality, some of which the king of this territory tried to keep in check for years Voices of Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk (PG, 1:35) Available April 11

5lbs of Pressure

(Thriller) Adam is trying to start over He did his time and is searching to restart his life by a return to his old neighborhood But the brother of the man he killed is not ready to let Adam start again and seeks revenge . Luke Evans, Rory Culkin, Alex Pettyfer (R, 1:51)

Available April 20

Accidental Texan

(Comedy) An actor gets stranded in the middle of Texas, where he meets a nearly bankrupt oil driller . The two need to form a bond to help the actor get home, while saving the Texas man’s livelihood . Thomas Hayden Church, Rudy Pankow, CarrieAnne Moss (PG-13, 1:44)

Available April 23

Bob Marley: One Love

(Drama) Bringing his memorable reggae tones to life for the world was only part of the story for Bob Marley . Although his message was not welcome in all corners, that message became an anthem to many, and his joyful lyrics are still shared throughout the world Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch (PG-13, 1:47)

Available April 26

Parallel

(Drama) When multiple timelines come crashing together, a woman suffering from grief decides it is in her best interest to see if one of the other timelines holds the key to her happiness Danielle Deadwyler, Aldis Hodge, Edwin Hodge (NR, 1:28)

Available April 27

Ordinary Angels

(Drama) A hairdresser puts her mind to helping a father and his critically ill daughter . With a difficult road ahead, it will take an entire community rallying together to change the lives of all involved Hilary Swank, Alan Ritchson, Nancy Travis (PG, 1:56) Available April 30

The Regime

The drama series telling the story of one year within the walls of the palace of a modern European regime as it begins to unravel finishes

Season 1 Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne (TV-MA)

Premieres on HBO April 7

The Sympathizer

Part thriller, part satire, this seven-episode limited series depicts the turbulent moral journey of a nameless antihero who acts as a Communist spy while exiled to America after the fall of Saigon Hoa Xuande, Robert Downey Jr., Sandra Oh (TV-MA)

Premieres on HBO April 14

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Larry David’s comedy offering a tonguein-cheek depiction of the writer/producer/ comedian’s fictionalized life comes to an end after 12 seasons Also stars Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin (TV-MA)

Premieres on HBO April 7

We’re Here

Season 4 of the reality series follows Latrice Royale, Priyanka, Sasha Velour and Jaida Essence Hall as they spread love and connection through the art of drag (TV-MA)

Premieres on HBO April 26

Max is free with your HBO subscription. Get unlimited access wherever you are. Watch now at max.com or access Max on MidcoTV or another streaming device.

The Regime:

Credit: Miya Mizuno/HBO Curb Your Enthusiasm:

Credit: Max The Sympathizer: © HBO/Hopper Stone/SMPSP We're Here: © Greg Endries/HBO

Magnolia

Coincidence, divine intervention and fate link several people on an intense day that becomes a moral odyssey Jason Robards, Julianne Moore, Tom Cruise (R)

Premieres on Showtime April 3

Talk to Me

Friends unleash terrifying supernatural forces through an embalmed hand that can conjure spirits . Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird (R) Premieres on Showtime April 6

Star Trek: Discovery

The fifth and final season of this Star Trek series from Paramount+ begins airing on Showtime with the first two episodes “Red Directive” and “Under the Twin Moons .” Sonequa MartinGreen, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp (TV-14)

Premieres on Showtime April 8

The Painter

An ex-CIA operative is tracked down by a young woman and they become entangled in an unauthorized black ops program . Charlie Weber, Madison Bailey, Jon Voight (R)

Premieres on Showtime April 27

Small Town Crime

When an alcoholic ex-cop finds the body of a young woman, he becomes obsessed with redeeming himself by finding the killer . John Hawkes, Anthony Anderson, Octavia Spencer (R) Premieres on Starz April 1

Dear David

After responding to online trolls, a man becomes haunted by the ghost of a dead child named David . Justin Long, Augustus Prew, Andrea Bang (R) Premieres on Starz April 10

Mary & George

This limited drama series is the story of how Mary Villiers molded her beautiful son, George, to seduce King James I and become his allpowerful lover in 17th century England Julianne Moore, Nicholas Galitzine, Tony Curran (TV-MA)

Premieres on Starz April 5

Halloween Ends

Four years after her last encounter with Michael Myers, Laurie Strode is forced to confront the evil she can’t control when a local murder unleashes violence and terror Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney (R) Premieres on Starz April 13

When you subscribe to Starz, you get instant access to their new & past episodes, movies, sports & more!

Lucky

A 90-year-old atheist has outlived and outsmoked his contemporaries, and as he comes to terms with his own mortality, he searches for ever-elusive enlightenment Harry Dean Stanton, David Lynch, Ron Livingston (TV-MA)

Premieres on Cinemax April 5

The Weekend

A down-on-her-luck comedian’s vacation plans are interrupted by her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend . Sasheer Zamata, Tone Bell, DeWanda Wise (R) Premieres on Cinemax April 9

Out of Time

When a town is shocked by a brutal double homicide, beloved police chief Matt Lee Whitlock finds his life unraveling as all of the evidence points to him as the prime suspect Denzel Washington, Eva Mendes, Sanaa Lathan (PG-13) Premieres on Cinemax April 5

Dracula II: Ascension

A vampire hunter goes in search of medical students who hope to distill the key to immortality from the body of Dracula Jason Scott Lee, Craig Sheffer, Diane Neal (R)

Premieres on Cinemax April 16

When you subscribe to Cinemax, you get instant access to their new and past episodes, movies & more!

RETURNING FAVORITES August Access Netflix Through MidcoTV

I ORIGINAL SERIES, FILMS, DOCUMENTARIES & SPECIALS

Crooks

Original Series

Available April 4

This German thriller stars Frederick Lau as Charly, a former safecracker who is forced into one last robbery. Unfortunately, things quickly start going sideways, and Charly’s whole life suddenly hangs in the balance, forcing him to leave the life he’s built to protect his family.

Scoop

Original Film

Available April 5

Inspired by real events, this dramatization offers an inside look at the tenacious journalism that landed an earth-shattering interview — Prince Andrew’s (Rufus Sewell) infamous BBC Newsnight appearance. Stars Billie Piper, Gillian Anderson and Keeley Hawes.

Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp

Original Film

Available April 12

This sequel to 2017’s Woody Woodpecker again follows the classic cartoon character. This time, after getting kicked out of the forest, Woody thinks he’s found a forever home at Camp Woo Hoo — until an inspector threatens to shut it down.

Ripley

Original Series

Available April 4

A grifter (Andrew Scott) scraping by in early 1960s New York, Ripley is hired by a wealthy man to travel to Italy and try to convince his vagabond son (Johnny Flynn) to return home. Ripley’s acceptance of the job is his first step into a complex life of deceit, fraud and murder. Dakota Fanning costars.

Heartbreak High

Original Series

Season 2

Available April 11

This Australian teen drama begins Term Two at Hartley High with returning faces, fresh hotties, a new sports teacher, a mystery assailant and dirty tricks running rampant during the race for school captain.

Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver

Original Film

Available April 19

Cowriter/director Zack Snyder’s next installment in his epic space opera franchise finds Kora (Sofia Boutella) and her revolutionary recruits facing an enemy they thought they had defeated: Admiral Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) and the Imperium legion.

The Tearsmith

Original Film

Available April 4

Two orphans, Nica and Rigel (Caterina Ferioli and Simone Baldasseroni), are taken in by the same family. Even though they are united by a common past of pain and hardship, Rigel is the last person Nica would want as an adoptive brother, and living together seems impossible.

Amar Singh Chamkila

Original Film

Available April 12

This Indian production is filled with music and spectacle as it charts the untold true story of singer/musician Amar Singh Chamkila (portrayed by Diljit Dosanjh), who had been known as the “Elvis Presley of Punjab.”

City Hunter

Original Film

Available April 25

This live-action adaptation of the popular Japanese manga follows Ryo Saeba (Ryohei Suzuki), a premier “sweeper” who navigates the gritty underbelly of modern-day Shinjuku, Tokyo. Ryo tackles high-stakes challenges in the underworld. Misato Morita costars.

Parasyte: The Grey

Original Series

Available April 5

While this sci-fi thriller from South Korea is inspired by the popular manga Parasyte by Hitoshi Iwaaki, it is set in a new locale with fresh characters, and charts its own unique course as it tells the story of parasitic life-forms infiltrating Korea. The series follows a woman named Su-in (Jeon So-nee).

Love, Divided

Original Film

Available April 12

Singer-songwriter Aitana plays a young pianist preparing for an audition who lives next door to an inventor (Fernando Guallar) who can only concentrate in complete silence. Separated by only a paper-thin wall in conjoined apartments, will they learn to live in harmony with each other?

The Asunta Case

Original Series

Available April 26

This Spanish miniseries dramatizes the 2013 murder of Asunta Basterra. Rosario Porto (Candela Peña) and Alfonso Basterra (Tristán Ulloa) report the disappearance of their daughter. The investigation soon reveals evidence pointing to Rosario and Alfonso as possible suspects.

Next Generation Streaming

MidcoTV® is the next generation of TV watching . It is an all-streaming, personalized experience You can watch the shows you want, when you want — whether that’s live TV and sports, recorded programming, ON Demand or on connected apps . It includes a next-generation, intuitive platform that is simple to set up and makes it easy to find and watch all your content — so you never have to wonder where to find your favorite shows and movies  Enjoy a whole home entertainment experience without a large set-top box like traditional cable TV .

Benefits

■ Smarter smart TV: With TiVo OnePass personalization, your MidcoTV gets smarter the more you use it — automatically recording shows you might like based on your viewing habits

■ One-stop entertainment: You no longer have to jump apps to find what you want to watch Enjoy seamless integration with your favorite apps, like Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video, as well as access to more than 3,000 apps through the Google Play Store through MidcoTV .

■ Next-generation TV platform: MidcoTV makes it easy to see what’s on live TV and find your recordings with an easy-to-use, cutting-edge interface

MidcoTV requires Midco internet and a DOCSIS 3 1 modem The number of available channels, TV networks and TV Everywhere networks are subject to change and depend on your MidcoTV package and location App streaming available on select devices and requires MidcoTV equipment Visit MidcoTV com for more info This material includes references to products, services and/or equipment not manufactured by Midco The respective companies retain trademark and registered trademark ownership for those referenced items