New Shows in April 2020: TV Premieres for Amazon, HBO, Hulu, and Apple

Odds are good that you’re probably looking for some TV to watch in the coming weeks.

Even as certain planned series are gradually moving to later in the year to help bolster programming lineups in flux, there are plenty that are still holding onto their original premiere dates.

The next few weeks bring new series across broadcast, premiere cable, and streaming services that want to debut in the home stretch of Emmy qualification time. Those shows won’t be short on recognizable names, with April’s offerings including — among many others — Chris Evans, Cate Blanchett, Merritt Wever, Rose Byrne, Michelle Dockery, Helen Hunt, Natalie Dormer, Rebecca Hall, Brooklynn Prince, and Jonathan Pryce.

And, of course, in all of this, there’s also the launch of Quibi on Monday, April 6. For more on the smorgasbord of quick bites that will soon be at your disposal, check out our massive roundup of the platform’s programming here.

For those shows not debuting on your phone, check out our concise overview of a dozen shows arriving on screens near you soon:

“Cursed Films” (April 2, Shudder)

This documentary series offers some insight into the productions of some of the most terrifying films of all time. From “The Omen” to “The Exorcist” to “Poltergeist,” these films have been shrouded in accusations and assumptions about the behind-the-scenes drama involved in their production. Through interviews with ardent fans and some cast/crew with firsthand knowledge, this five-part series digs through the myths and realities of filmmaking lore.
“Home Before Dark” (April 3, Apple TV+)

Image Credit: Apple TV+

Based on the experiences of child newspaper publisher Hilde Lysiak, “The Florida Project” star Brooklynn Prince plays an aspiring neighborhood sleuth who uncovers far more about her community than she expected. Jim Sturgess, Abby Miller, and Joelle Carter co-star in this show with a pilot directed by “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights” filmmaker Jon M. Chu.
“Tales from the Loop” (April 3, Amazon Prime Video)

Image Credit: Jan Thijs

Taking its cue from the artwork of Simon Stålenhag, this new sci-fi series imagines a community where the magical becomes almost commonplace. Jonathan Pryce and Rebecca Hall headline the ensemble of a cast of characters living in a community above The Loop, a device designed to conquer some of the foundational scientific questions of our age.
“World on Fire” (April 5, PBS)

Image Credit: Mammoth Screen

The latest presentation in the network’s Masterpiece series, this WWII drama looks at the conflict on an international level, following individuals fighting for survival across various fronts. The series’ cast includes Helen Hunt, Lesley Manville, Sean Bean, Jonah Hauer-King, and Blake Harrison. New chapters in the seven-part series will air weekly on Sunday nights through the middle of May.
“Deadwater Fell” (April 6, Acorn)

The latest series from “Grantchester” creator Daisy Coulam stars David Tennant and Cush Jumbo as two of many friends and community members looking for answers after a family is murdered in their Scottish village. Co-starring Matthew McNulty and Anna Madeley, the four-part series originally aired on Channel 4 in the UK back in January.
“Belgravia” (April 12, Epix)

Image Credit: Carnival Films

The latest TV writing effort from “Downton Abbey” boss Julian Fellowes is this newest period piece, center on the lingering effects of a fateful social gathering of the well-to-do London social set on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo. The series, which is currently in the midst of its run on ITV in the UK, looks at the events of that night still affect the central family a quarter-century later. These six episodes star, among others, Tamsin Greig, Philip Glenister, Harriet Walter, and Alice Eve.
“Run” (April 12, HBO)

Image Credit: Ken Woroner/HBO

Merritt Wever and Domhnall Gleeson star in this thriller-by-way-of-rom-com which features a pair of old flames who spontaneously decide to escape their lives on a runaway train. As you might guess, things don’t particularly go according to plan. For more thoughts about the series (and the relative influence of executive producer and guest star Phoebe Waller-Bridge), read Ben Travers’ review here.
“The Baker and the Beauty” (April 13, ABC)

Image Credit: ABC/Guy D'Alema

Adapted from a popular Israeli series, this ABC version tells the story of an employee at a small family bakery whose chance encounter with a celebrity model could end up changing both of their lives. Nathalie Kelley and Victor Rasuk co-star, with “The Devil Wears Prada” director (and recent “The Morning Show” contributor) David Frankel behind the camera for the pilot.
“Mrs. America” (April 15, FX on Hulu)

Image Credit: Sabrina Lantos/FX

Dahvi Waller’s portrait of the 1970s cultural battleground of the Equal Rights Amendment looks at that period of American life through the eyes of the women central to that fight. Using historical figures from the time, the series looks at how feminist and Christian conservative movements collided as established gender roles began to shift in personal, political, and social spheres. The star-studded ensemble includes Cate Blanchett as Phyllis Schlafly, Rose Byrne as Gloria Steinem, Uzo Aduba as Shirley Chisholm, and Tracey Ullman as Betty Friedan.
“Defending Jacob” (April 24, Apple TV+)

Image Credit: Apple TV+

William Landay’s novel becomes a Morten Tyldum-directed limited series, part of Apple’s latest programming wave. Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery play the parents of a teenage son (Jaeden Martell) accused of murder. Among those playing the various community members and law enforcement officials looking to the family for answers are J.K. Simmons, Pablo Schreiber, Betty Gabriel, Cherry Jones, Sakina Jaffrey, and Leighton Meester.
“Penny Dreadful: City of Angels” (April 26, Showtime)

Image Credit: Justin Lubin/Showtime

Nearly four years after its predecessor series met a surprise, unexpected end, creator John Logan returns with another series that switches from literary-drenched Victorian England to the Hollywood-infused mysteries of 1938 Los Angeles. Shape-shifting demons, the city’s emerging freeway system are just part of the background for a season that also draws on the city’s “deep traditions of Mexican-American folklore.” Natalie Dormer, Kerry Bishé, Rory Kinnear, Nathan Lane, and Adriana Barraza lead the cast.
“Council of Dads” (April 30, NBC)

Image Credit: Seth F. Johnson/NBC

After a March premiere following the season finale of “This is Us,” NBC’s latest attempt at a heartwarming family drama scoots over to its normal time on Thursdays heading into the summer. Loving father Scott (Tom Everett Scott) makes some preparations for the future after a health scare makes him think about the kind of person he’d want to take care of his wife Robin (Sarah Wayne Callies) and the rest of the family in his absence. For more thoughts on the beginning of the series from IndieWire’s Kate Erbland, read her review here.