Five Netflix series to keep an eye out for in April
Netflix has decided to spread its biggest shows across the month of April, so you are not getting everything at once, but you still have something to check out every week. And with most of these, you are not starting fresh, which means you have seen these stories before. What comes into play here is not the curiosity about what’s new, but what’s coming next.
Take Stranger Things, for example. You remember how that wrapped earlier this year, and it gave you an ending, but not the one which closed all the doors. So now, instead of continuing that same storyline, Netflix has decided to explore a different part of that universe, which is still tied to the same timeline and events. You already know what that means. You are going to be watching closely for connections.
You’ve also got shows like Bloodhounds and Beef coming back with a second season, and that’s not a small thing considering how their first seasons were received. One thing is for sure, that with these, fans are coming with a lot of expectations.
So, going into April, you are not figuring things out from scratch for the most part. You already have the context, and now it’s about seeing how far these stories are going to push things forward.
Five Netflix series to keep an eye out for in April
Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 (April 23)
This show is a prime example of Netflix and its undying love for Stranger Things and the Duffer Brothers. The OTT knew that fans would be devastated by the end of a show that ran for over a decade, and hence decided to bring them more of it. Tales from ’85 goes back to that gap between season two and three of the show when Hawkins had that brief moment where things looked normal again. The group is still the same: Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Max, and at the start of the show, it is going to be more about them getting back into regular life with school, hanging out, and all of that.
But you already know how it goes in the Stranger Things universe: that normal phase never lasts long in this world. The twist here is that it’s animated, with a completely new voice cast instead of the original actors. The story will focus on events that weren’t shown before, so you are basically getting extra context from the same timeline. And while you are watching it, you will notice how it connects back to things you have already seen, which is really the whole point of this one.
XO, Kitty: Season 3 (April 2)
Coming to XO, Kitty, this season is going to pick up with Kitty deciding to stay at KISS instead of leaving, so this time, she is walking into a place where she already knows how complicated things can get with full awareness. Last season didn’t leave her with clean answers, especially when it came to her feelings and the people around her, so now she has to deal with all of that continuing instead of starting over.
One of the bigger updates this time is Lana Condor returning as Lara Jean, which finally brings the connection to To All the Boys into the main story again. That matters because Kitty’s whole arc has always been tied to her sister, and now you are going to see that play out. You are still in the same school with the same characters, but now everyone is more aware of what’s going on between them, which, in simple words, translates to more drama.
Bloodhounds: Season 2 (April 3)
If you remember Bloodhounds from its first season, it wasn’t just another action K-drama. It took us through the harsh realities of debt collection and loan sharks and how deep that world actually goes, with boxing tied into it. The show got a lot of attention for its fight choreography and the way it handled that underground economy. And in all fairness, it deserved that attention.
Now we have season two bringing back that same setup, with Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi returning. It will continue the story of that space of illegal lending and power struggles. This time, the focus moves toward a bigger player. You will still be following the same characters, but the situation around them isn’t going to be small anymore. So all the action fans, if you haven’t watched this masterpiece, binge season one before season two comes.
Beef: Season 2 (April 16)
With Beef coming back, the first thing you need to know is that it isn’t continuing Danny and Amy’s story. That chapter is done, properly closed, so don’t dwell on it. Season two will start fresh with a new set of characters and a completely different story, but it keeps the same creator, Lee Sung Jin, which matters because the writing is what carried the first season. This season looks at two couples who get involved in a situation that keeps blowing up on them. Overall, it’ll be fun.
As far as the first season is concerned, it didn’t just do well… It went on to win multiple Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited Series, with Steven Yeun and Ali Wong both winning for their performances. So naturally, attention is already on this one before it even begins. A new cast means new dynamics and a completely different setup. But with Lee Sung Jin still in the picture, we know we’ll be good.
Man on Fire (April 30)
Ahh, this is a new show with no prequels. Man on Fire is Netflix’s take on A.J. Quinnell’s novel, which has already been adapted before, most famously in the 2004 film with Denzel Washington. This time, Netflix is bringing it as a series, which already tells you one thing: it is going to take its time with the story instead of rushing through it in two hours. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is going to play John Creasy in the show, and he already looks promising in the trailer.
And don’t worry about the setup. It is going to be the same. You are dealing with the same Creasy who works as a bodyguard, and the rest of the story is going to be the same. A good thing is that the series format gives more room to explore his past. And if you know anything about this story, you already know where it goes once things take a turn.