March has come and gone, and Netflix is springing into the season with almost 40 Netflix originals
for April.
This month, you can leave the world behind with the Lost in Space reboot, take an emotional
ride through the midnight streets of L.A. with 6 Balloons, and journey into the ancient
past with Troy: Fall of a City.
We'll also see new episodes of ongoing talk shows like The Joel McHale Show and My Next
Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.
There's going to be something for even the pickiest viewer on Netflix this April, so
let's take a look at everything hitting the streaming service, starting with the Netflix
originals.
Amateur
In Amateur, 14-year-old Terron Forte is a natural at basketball, but skill alone won't
be enough when he's transferred to a prestigious new school.
With the odds stacked against him, Terron will have to push harder than ever to live
his dream of being a basketball star.
In life, there are no free throws.
Shoot for the hoop when Amateur arrives on April 6th.
Fastest Car: Season 1
Like it says on the box, this upcoming series is all about finding the fastest car.
In each episode, a high-ticket supercar will race a handful of souped up junkers to see
whether money or hometown know-how is better at reaching the checkered flag.
Described as "sleeper cars" in Netflix's series description, these secret speedsters could
be anything from an '84 Honda to a minivan, but they've all been turbocharged, gas-injected,
and other car phrases to match the likes of Porsches and Ferraris on the tarmac.
Season 1 races onto Netflix on April 6th.
Money Heist: Part 2
If you haven't yet tuned in to Money Heist, you don't know what you're missing.
Despite its silly, satirical-sounding name, Money Heist is a legitimately riveting crime
drama about nine thieves attempting to pull off the world's largest heist: break into
the Spanish Royal Mint and print off more than 2 billion euros.
While the entire series aired in Spain in 2017, Netflix split the season into two parts
for its US audience, just because they can.
You can catch the second part of Money Heist on April 6th.
Orbiter 9
This Spanish sci-fi drama opens on a young girl in an interstellar space pod on her way
to a distant planet.
When her pod docks at a space station for maintenance work, she falls in love with the
tech guy — one of the first humans she's ever met — and quickly finds out that she
doesn't know the whole truth about her perilous journey.
Take the ride when Orbiter 9 launches on April 6th.
The 4th Company
This film swept Mexico's Ariel Awards and was reportedly on the shortlist for Best Foreign
Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards before it was dropped from the list.
The 4th Company is based on the true story of a prison football team that moonlighted
as a violent enforcement gang in one of Mexico's most notorious penitentiaries.
To preserve the sense of realism, the filmmakers decided to take the production inside the
actual prison and use real inmates as extras.
It doesn't get any closer to home than that, and you can experience the whole wild story
on April 6th.
6 Balloons
Starring Dave Franco and Abbi Jacobson, 6 Balloons details a harrowing night in Los
Angeles as a woman desperately tries to find a detox center for her heroin-addicted brother.
Complicating their search is the man's two-year-old daughter, who's along for the ride.
Early reviews of this South by Southwest entry have praised the film's riveting portrayal
of addiction — including the emotional addiction of a sister who can't bring herself to break
away from the brother destroying her life.
Take the ride on April 6.
Ram Dass, Going Home
Ram Dass was one of the 1970s' most outspoken counterculture gurus, an acid philosopher
who toured the country giving lectures on the nature of consciousness and life.
Now, a little morbidly, Netflix is documenting Ram Dass's final days with Ram Dass, Going
Home, a conversation with the 86-year-old guru as he awaits the end at his home in Hawaii.
Ram Dass, Going Home will be released on April 6th.
Troy: Fall of a City
It's literally the oldest story in Western literature, and we still can't get enough
of the tale of Troy.
This Netflix miniseries focuses on the love affair between Paris and Helen of Troy and
the advent of the Trojan War — you know, everything that happened in the Brad Pitt
movie, but with probably a lot more drama and a lot less neck stabbing.
Troy: Fall of a City has already premiered on BBC One to mixed reviews.
There's still plenty of time for the series to pick up steam, but...we mean, you already
know how it's going to end.
People knew how it was going to end 800 years ago.
Anyway, check it out on April 6th.
Amo: Season 1
Marking Netflix's first Filipino series, Amo is a 12-part miniseries about the Philippine
government's war on drug trafficking.
The limited series was created by Brillante Mendoza, who previously took home the award
for best director at the 2009 Cannes [CAN] Film Festival for his film Kinatay.
Amo looks like another thrilling entry in Mendoza's filmography of gritty, hard-hitting
dramas.
Look for it on April 9th.
Lost in Space: Season 1
The Lost in Space of the '60s is undoubtedly a classic, but man, is it cheesy.
Full of cardboard sets and robots made from the same plastic as hula hoops, it was still
groundbreaking for its time, and the Robinson family were everybody's favorite Saturday
night heroes.
"There is no longer a Will Robinson.
I am now a useful cog in the vast all-powerful mechanism."
"Don't talk like that, Will.
We'll help you."
Is the Netflix remake going to carry on the torch and delve into all the insane sci-fi
shenanigans and moral conundrums that elevated the original past its shoddy, budget-deprived
special effects?
Who knows!
It has cool robots and a young, hip cast, so there's that.
"Danger Will Robinson."
At this point, all we can do is wait until April 13th to find out.
Chef's Table: Pastry — Season 1
A spinoff of the series Chef's Table, this show focuses on pastry chefs and their culinary
delights.
A restaurant that only serves dessert?
Why not?
Exotic ice cream bars?
You bet!
Deep fried candy?
Marry me.
If your mouth is already watering, make a reservation for Season 1 of Chef's Table:
Pastry on April 13th.
Come Sunday
Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jason Segel, Come Sunday tells the surprising true story
of Carlton Pearson, a bishop who was literally dubbed a heretic after he started preaching
that there was no such thing as a fiery afterlife.
Should be a fun ride.
Look for it on April 13th.
Charité: Season 1
This award-winning German historical drama centers on a hospital in Berlin in the late
1800s.
The series focuses on the doctors of Charite hospital as they try to deal with seemingly
incurable diseases in a rapidly changing political climate.
Tune in for Season 1 on April 19th.
Mercury 13
Back in the heyday of space exploration, NASA put a lot of emphasis on finding the right
astronauts to be the first humans in space.
Seven men were chosen to fly for the Mercury program in the early '60s, but NASA also trained
13 women for the same program.
Even though they performed just as well in training, this group, dubbed the Mercury 13,
never flew on a single space mission.
Netflix's Mercury 13 documentary looks at these forgotten women and explores the reasons
they didn't get the privilege of being among the first people in space.
Climb aboard when the documentary premieres on April 20th.
Dope: Season 2
Netflix's drug war documentary series Dope landed in December 2017 and immediately pulled
in a strong viewership.
The series looks at the drug issues from the perspectives of buyers, sellers, and law enforcement.
Whether you're a fan of the series or just now hearing about it, you can look forward
to more of the same stories when Season 2 of Dope hits the market on April 20th, appropriately
enough.
Dude
Based on writer/director Olivia Milch's own high school experiences, Dude follows four
girls in their last few weeks of school.
Kathryn Prescott, Lucy Hale, Alexandra Shipp, and Awkwafina star, and the film arrives on
Netflix on April 20th.
Kodachrome
In Netflix's upcoming Kodachrome, Ed Harris and Jason Sudeikis star as a father and son
who set off on a road trip to find the last Kodachrome processing lab.
It ought to be a real nostalgia-fueled trip into memory lane for all those old-school
photography buffs out there.
Look for it on April 20th.
The Letdown: Season 1
Although it already aired in Australia in 2017, The Letdown will be making its way to
American audiences this April.
This comedy series focuses on Audrey, a young mom trying to balance her life and relationships
without going crazy.
Season 1 lands on April 21st.
Psychokinesis
From Yeon Sang-ho, director of Train to Busan, Psychokinesis is a Korean supernatural action
thriller about a man who suddenly discovers that he has telekinetic powers.
But after using his newfound abilities to help his daughter, he finds himself in the
crosshairs of an unexpected threat.
Whether you're a fan of Asian thrillers or just love a good action movie, Psychokinesis
looks like a film to check out.
Look for it on April 25th.
The Week Of
The latest product of Adam Sandler's ongoing deal with Netflix is The Week Of, a comedy
about two parents during the week leading up to their kids getting married.
Sandler stars, along with Chris Rock.
"I'm just saying, AC would be great."
"You say it and we'll turn it on."
"I said it."
Get ready for all the awkward conversations and ridiculous situations your brain can stand
when The Week Of arrives on April 27th.
The Rachel Divide
You may remember Rachel Dolezal from her many news appearances in 2015.
As president of the Spokane branch of the NAACP, Dolezal claimed to be African-American,
but it turned out she was actually white.
Dolezal subsequently resigned from her position and faced a media backlash.
Now, she's entering the spotlight again as the subject of the Netflix documentary The
Rachel Divide.
Tune in for all the riveting plot twists on April 27th.
Bobby Kennedy for President
If you've ever been curious about 1960s politics, Netflix has you covered this April.
"It's a statistical fact that Netflix releases 54 lengthy, high-brow documentaries everyday.
And some people find it hard to keep up, like this idiot."
Bobby Kennedy for President will look into Senator Robert Kennedy's 1968 presidential
campaign and its tragic end when he was assassinated in a hotel kitchen.
Queue it up on April 27th.
3%: Season 2
As one of the most highly acclaimed Brazilian shows in Netflix history, 3% is definitely
one of those shows you need to watch.
And with the second season due out soon, there's never been a better time to get started.
The first season set the stage for a futuristic world where our planet is devastated by poverty
and hunger, but a lucky 3% of the population gets the chance to live a better life free
from the struggles of the masses.
Where Season 2 will take us is anyone's guess.
Find out on April 27th.
The New Legends of Monkey: Season 1
Back in the '70s, there was a weird little Japanese show called Monkey.
It was about a magical monkey warrior who traveled the land battling monsters and demons,
and it had the best theme song ever.
[singing] "Monkey Magic!"
The New Legends of Monkey is a remake of that old show, and follows basically the same premise:
Monkey leads his band of misfit warriors across ancient China, learning valuable lessons while
they kung fu demons.
Should be a good ol' time.
Check it out on April 27th.
Original stand-up comedy
April will see a solid collection of new stand-up comedy routines hitting the streaming service.
French comedian Fary is showing up with his new special Fary is the New Black on April
3rd, followed by Greg Davies: You Magnificent Beast on April 10th and Kevin James: Never
Don't Give Up on April 24th.
That does it for the Netflix originals.
Now here are all the other films and TV shows arriving on the streaming service in April
2018.
New movies
April is bringing the big guns on the action front - along with plenty of robots, sharks,
and magical karate.
"Those were $500 sunglasses, a------."
Mortal Kombat, Deep Blue Sea, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines show up on the 1st,
as well as Bad Boys and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
You can also expect a whole lot of emotional, character-driven dramas, such as Cold Mountain,
Friday Night Lights, Life is Beautiful, and Scarface, all of which arrive on the 1st.
"Say hello to my little friend!"
Later releases in the month aren't toning down the drama, with the Will Smith-led Seven
Pounds on the 15th, Chasing the Dragon on the 19th, and The Man Who Knew Infinity on
the 27th.
On the flip side, only four new comedy films are being added in April.
Along Came Polly and Jackass 2.5 are coming on the first, along with The Lost Boys.
That's a comedy, right?
"You're mine!"
Similarly, the new documentary selection in April will be slim pickings.
On the first, Netflix is adding Big Time, an exposé on the Danish architect Bjarke
Ingels, and Fishpeople, a sweeping look at people who spend most of their lives in the
ocean.
On the 5th, you can check out Behind the Curtain: Todrick Hall, followed by the 2017 documentary
Bill Nye: Science Guy on the 25th.
For family fare, we'll be getting Cats & Dogs, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, and both Flintstones
films, and those aren't even the highlights for family movies on April 1st.
That honor goes to The Iron Giant, the single most emotionally scarring animated movie of
all time.
Also, the kids are bound to love the addition of Despicable Me 3 on April 5th.
But the family fun has to end sometime, so after you're done crying your eyes out at
The Iron Giant, lighten the mood with Seven or the original Cabin Fever.
Both of those arrive on the first, alongside the 2009 Cabin Fever sequel and the vampire
schlockfest Queen of the Damned.
New television
Netflix truly saved the month for its original content this April, and as such we only have
two new TV shows premiering throughout the month.
On April 2nd, La Piloto: Season 1 hits the airwaves, and on the 24th you can catch up
on Call the midwife: Series 6: "Christmas Special 2017," which is full of the holiday
cheer of nurses, midwives and birthing babies.
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