Marvel’s Daredevil
Daredevil marks Marvel’s first collaboration with Netflix and the first installment of a far riskier and darker side to the cash cow company. Marvel prides itself on Disneyfied, PG-13 blockbusters but Daredevil dares to steer the franchise in a new direction. Considered Marvel’s first R-rated production, the show surrounds an everyman aptly nicknamed “The Man Without Fear.” Starring Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/ Daredevil, his character parallels that of Arrow’s Oliver Queen as he is a lawyer-by-day who attempts to fight crime by night. All Season 1 episodes to be released on April 10th.
Bloodline
An American, thriller-drama, Bloodline, was just renewed for a second season only 11 days after it’s initial release which in the TV world, is unprecedented. The indisputable darling of the critics, it surrounds the story of a family of grown-up siblings dealing with the return of their eldest, “black sheep,” of a brother, Danny. With Danny’s return, a slew of past secrets and scars are revealed taking a toll on the family. All episodes are available to stream on Netflix.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
This undeniably charming sitcom, penned by both Tina Fey and Robert Carlock (the creators of 30 Rock,) and starring Ellie Kemper, follows a 29-year-old “bunker woman” navigating her new life in New York. At the beginning of the series, Kimmy is rescued from an underground bunker, where she has been locked up for 15 years, along with three other women, as they are all part of a doomsday cult in Indiana. The show also stars Tituss Burgess (the beating heart of the show in all of his black, gay glory) and Jane Krakowski. I guarantee the theme song will be stuck in your head all week. All episodes are available to stream on Netflix.
Drama:
Empire
Empire is a gem. One of the most highly-rated shows of the season, it follows the story of corrupt record-company CEO, hip-hop artist Luscious Lyon and his family. Luscious and his wife, Cookie, made over $400k drug-dealing before finally getting caught. Cookie took the fall, serving 17 years in prison while Luscious went on to create one of the world’s most successful record companies, Empire. As soon as Cookie gets out of jail, she demands her rights to half the company. Cookie and Luscious end up pitting two of their insanely musically-talented sons against each other, the soft-sided crooner Jamal and angsty rapper Hakeem, to see who is most qualified to inherit the company. The soapy, but brilliantly written drama is not given justice in a small summary. My favorite show of the season, Empire delivers on all levels from the snappy dialogue to the expertly composed songs. The show premiered on January 7th but can be watched on iTunes or streamed online.
CSI: Cyber
CSI: Cyber stars this years Academy Award winner for Best Actress, Patricia Arquette. The series acts as a spin-off to CSI and is the 4th show to become part of the CSI franchise. The show follows a team of FBI agents who work to solve cases involving the darknet and deep web, essentially the hacking world. Arquette, Special Agent Avery Ryan, leads a decorated task force who deal with Internet-related murders, cyber theft, sex offenses, etc. Cyber premiered on March 4th after a backdoor pilot on CSI which was aired on April 30th. Catch it on Wednesday’s on CBS at 10/9c while you still can! The previous few episodes can be watched on iTunes or streamed online.
American Odyssey
American Odyssey serves as NBC’s newest Middle Eastern terrorist drama. The show surrounds the story of the discovery that a major U.S. company has been funding Islamist terrorist groups. The coverup ensues after a convoy of American soldiers are killed under command of private military contractors from the same company. However, one soldier remains, a middle-aged female soldier, played by Anna Friel, who is relatable to audiences in being that she is both a wife and mother. Peter Facinelli and Jake Robinson’s characters, among others, serve as the individuals back home who have allegedly unearthed the cover-up. The series premiere aired on April 5th at 10/9c. Catch up on the episode now (iTunes or online) before watching the rest of the first season continuing this Sunday, April 12th. This is definitely not a show to miss!
American Crime
In ABC’s newest crime drama, the aftermath of a murder in Modesto, California is used along with the resulting journey to explore the intricate inner workings of the American legal system. This is primarily through the views of both victims’ themselves and their families. The show premiered on March 5th. You can catch Crime on Thursday nights at 10/9c. Catch up on the first few episodes now at iTunes or streamed online.
Comedy:
Fresh Off The Boat
In ABC’s newest sitcom, the story follows the journey, based on the memoir by food personality, Eddie Huang, of him and his Taiwanese family as they make the move from Washington D.C. to Orlando in order to open up a steak restaurant. The family struggles with embracing the cultural differences of the new city but Eddie’s father finds solace in embracing the “American Dream.” Eddie and his brothers struggle to integrate into their new school. The show premiered on February 4th but can be watched on iTunes or streamed online.
One Big Happy
In this new Ellen DeGeneres-produced sitcom, a lesbian woman is pregnant with her best friend’s baby and her best friend is in love with a different woman. The show premiered with three episodes on March 17th soon followed by NBC ordering six more episodes. The following six episodes will continue on April 14th at 9:30/8:30c. Catch up on the previous three while you can! Can be streamed online.
Man Seeking Woman
In this buzzed-about new sitcom that premiered on FXX in January, an innocent and demure man named Josh Greenberg finds himself in numerous equally awkward and bizarre situations while on the journey to try to find love. Conflicts in the show are taken to both farcical and literal extremes such as Josh going on a date with a troll. The show was picked up for a 10 episode long second season on March 3rd. It can be watched on iTunes or can be streamed online.
Watch out for these season premiere dates:
Outlander — April 4th, 2015 at 10 et/pt on Starz
Mad Men: The Final Episodes — April 5th, 2015 at 10/9c on AMC
Silicon Valley — April 10th, 2015 at 10pm on HBO
Game of Thrones — April 12th, 2015 at 9pm on HBO
Veep — April 12th, 2015 at 10:30pm on HBO
Orphan Black — April 18th, 2015 at 9/8c on BBC America
Nurse Jackie: The Final Season — April 12th, 2015 at 9pm et/pt on Showtime