This April marks the yearly peak of prestige TV, with several well-known shows and movies available on streaming providers.
The reason for this is that networks and streaming services are rushing to deliver their most popular shows before the Emmy deadline at the end of May, including new seasons of Disney’s “Andor,” Max’s “The Last of Us,” and Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Since few of us have the time or money to watch everything that is available, it presents a bit of a consumer dilemma, but it’s excellent news for viewers who will have no shortage of good series to watch this month.
However, it is feasible to watch the greatest of the best while keeping your monthly streaming spend under $50 if you engage in some smart churning, which involves subscribing and removing services on a regular basis. Remember that a billing cycle doesn’t always begin at the beginning of the month; it can begin when you join up.
This column, which rates the major streaming services as “play,” “pause,” or “stop,” according to the conventional ratings of buy, hold, and sell given by investment analysts, provides advice on how to optimize your streaming experience and budget each month. It also selects the top shows to assist you in making monthly decisions.
Here’s what the different streaming services will offer in April 2025 and what makes the monthly subscription fee worthwhile:
Maximum ($9.99 with advertisements, $16.99 without, or $20.99 ‘Ultimate’ without)
With the conclusion of the slow-burning third season of “The White Lotus” (season finale April 6) and the amazing ER drama “The Pitt” (season finale April 10), the premiere of three more major shows, and new weekly episodes of the satirical news show “Last Week Tonight” and the televangelism comedy “The Righteous Gemstones,” it’s likely the biggest month of the year for Max.
The fourth season of multiple Emmy-winning “Hacks” (April 10) is back, and it’s comforting to have a show that consistently returns at (almost) the same time each year. Thanks to some blackmail from the previous season, Deborah (Jean Smart) is finally hosting her own late-night program in the current season, with her now-enemy Ava (Hannah Einbender) serving as her head writer. One of the best-written comedy on television, “Hacks” is still a must-see.
Five years after the events of Season 1, the post-apocalyptic drama “The Last of Us” (April 13) returns for its second season following a two-year hiatus. Ellie and Joel, played by Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal, are compelled to leave the relative protection of the Wyoming facility and continue their westward trip over a landscape filled by vicious zombies and even scarier humans, causing tension in their relationship. With the addition of Kaitlyn Dever, Jeffrey Wright, and Catherine O’Hara, fans may anticipate a plot that deviates greatly from the wildly successful videogame from which it is adapted. In addition to garnering a sizable fan base, Season 1 garnered numerous Emmys and a Peabody. One of the year’s most anticipated shows, you can be sure it will live up to the anticipation.
The other major returnee is Nathan Fielder’s incredibly bizarre comedy sociological experiment, “The Rehearsal” (April 20), which comes back for a second season following a three-year hiatus. Though that doesn’t fully capture how squirmy it is, the show may be loosely defined as Fielder “helping” individuals make important life decisions by painstakingly developing realistic simulations that they can rehearse in. Is it authentic? Is there a script? Is it both, in some way? Just know that it will undoubtedly be captivating, embarrassing, and quite strange.
Max also features “Y2K” (April 4), a teen disaster-comedy film from “SNL” alumni Kyle Mooney; “Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life” (date TBA), a stand-up comedy special from the “Ted Lasso” co-star; and the streaming premiere of “Babygirl” (April 25), the erotic-thriller film from last year that stars Nicole Kidman as a high-powered executive who has a tumultuous affair with a much younger man.
A full schedule of NBA and NHL games, including the NBA playoffs (beginning April 15) and Stanley Cup playoffs (beginning April 19), NASCAR races on Sundays, and two U.S. women’s soccer matches against Brazil (April 5 and 8) are all part of the sports scene. Major League Baseball also returns every Tuesday night.
Get rid of the wabbit? In the meantime, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is destroying its legacy by making incredibly imprudent, consumer-unfriendly choices. The most recent of these was taking the whole “Looney Tunes” collection away from Max, which coincidentally happened right before a new “Looney Tunes” film was released. Additionally, the story of “Coyote vs. Acme” is at least coming to a happy conclusion. Additionally, the original “Looney Tunes” structure on the Warner lot is being demolished. What’s going on, really? Was the father of CEO David Zaslav murdered by Bugs Bunny?
Binge-worthy: One of the year’s most enjoyable surprises is the animated thriller series “Common Side Effects” on Adult Swim. It’s worth seeing because of its stunning imagery, witty banter, and convoluted plot involving the government and Big Pharma trying to thwart the discovery of a mushroom that essentially treats all illnesses. Not surprisingly, its co-creator, Joe Bennett, was also responsible for the 2023 release of the gorgeous animated sci-fi/horror series “Scavengers Reign” (which Max canceled but is still accessible on Netflix). This time around, he and co-creator Steve Hely are doing better; “Common Side Effects” was recently renewed for a second season.
Stop, pause, or play? Have fun. To be honest, you could be content if you only had Max as your streamer this month.
Disney+ ($15.99 without advertising, 9.99 with them)
Season 2 of the “Star Wars” prequel “Andor” premiered on Disney’s (DIS) network on April 22 and was undoubtedly the most anticipated show of the year. Don’t hold onto your “Star Wars,” or even sci-fi, stereotypes if you missed Season 1. Fundamentally, Tony Gilbert has crafted a grim, tense war narrative about resistance—from guerilla warfare to clandestine political intrigue—and identifying a cause that is worthwhile despite insurmountable obstacles. It’s a classic, character-driven, action-packed film that is cleverly written and acted. Perhaps most importantly, despite their stunning nature, the special effects complement the plot rather than detract from it, a common mistake made by many contemporary blockbusters. Along with a stellar ensemble that includes Ben Mendelsohn, Genevieve O’Reilly, Forest Whitaker, and Stellan Skarsgård, Diego Luna returns as rebel spy Cassian Andor. The 12 episodes of the new season, which spans four years and all of which lead up to the events of the 2016 film “Rogue One,” will air in “chapters” of three episodes every Tuesday for four weeks. Each chapter jumps ahead by about a year and tells stories that are essentially self-contained. This is a must-see; the trailers have given me chills.
In addition, there will be a 4K version of James Cameron’s 1989 deep-sea thriller “The Abyss” (April 15), the final episodes of Marvel’s “Daredevil: Born Again” (season finale April 15), and a new season of “Doctor Who” (April 12), in which the 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and his new friend Belinda (Varada Sethu) embark on adventures in time and space.
Stop, pause, or play? Have fun. The quality of “Andor” alone is quite remarkable.
Hulu ($9.99 with advertisements or $18.99 without)
FX’s “Dying for Sex” (April 4), a limited series about a woman with terminal cancer who ditches her spouse and tries to spend her remaining time on a “sex quest” of self-discovery, is generating a lot of attention. Michelle Williams plays Molly, a woman with Stage 4 breast cancer who finds some freedom in unconventional, sometimes kinky, sex with the support of her encouraging best friend and, later, posthumous podcast partner, Nikki (Jenny Slate). The podcast is based on a true story. Sissy Spacek, Rob Delaney, and Jay Duplass co-star in the incredibly moving and uplifting comedy-drama.
The dystopian thriller “The Handmaid’s Tale” (April 6) returns for its sixth and final season after a three-year hiatus and, sadly, seems as relevant as ever. It has always been a difficult watch, but with June (Elisabeth Moss) and her friends finally launching a full-scale uprising against the oppressive Gilead regime, this season might provide some emotional relief. A joyful ending might be asking for too much, but creator Yahlin Chang has assured viewers that it will be fulfilling. The story won’t finish here, either, as a television series adaption of Margaret Atwood’s sequel, “The Testaments,” which takes place 15 years after “The Handmaid’s Tale,” is currently in development for Hulu.
In addition, Hulu offers new episodes of popular network shows like “American Idol” and “Abbott Elementary,” as well as “Got to Get Out” (April 11), a reality competition show akin to “Traitors” and hosted by Simu Liu; and Season 2 of “No Man’s Land” (April 16), a French thriller set in the midst of the Syrian civil war. The Oscar-nominated Bob Dylan biography “A Complete Unknown” was also added in late March.
Worth watching: The crime comedy series “Deli Boys” skillfully strikes a balance between slapstick humor and terrifying violence, giving a new twist to the well-worn plot—uninformed siblings learn their father was an underworld kingpin and must take over his empire. Poorna Jagannathan is a vicious family queenpin who steals every scene she’s in, but Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh are great as pampered (but easy to root for) failures attempting to run a drug-distribution empire in Philadelphia. It’s surprisingly entertaining to watch.
Stop, pause, or play? Have fun. Even though the roster isn’t very strong, “Dying for Sex” and “The Handmaid’s Tale” are certain to be Emmy contenders, and Hulu already has a vast library.
Apple TV+ (monthly price: $9.99)
