Clockwise from bottom left: Unprisoned (Photo: Kelsey McNeal/Hulu), Succession (Photo: Claudette Barius/HBO), Daisy Jones & The Six (Photo: Lacey Terrell/Prime Video), Ted Lasso, and Extrapolations (Photos: Apple TV+)Graphic: Libby McGuire
Brace yourselves for an overload of TV in March, as all the powers-that-be decided to compete with each other in the same month. This is exciting (and terrifying?) because new seasons of Succession and Yellowjackets premiere on the same weekend. Plus, Ted Lasso is back after almost two years, and that’s not to mention other returning shows like The Mandalorian, Perry Mason, and, yes, Riverdale.
March also sees a bunch of our favorite movie stars descending onto the small screen, including Meryl Streep in an Apple TV+ anthology and Olivia Colman in FX’s Charles Dickens adaptation. What’s more, Prime Video is premiering the buzzed-about Daisy Jones & The Six. And Kerry Washington and Bob Odernkirk both star in new TV dramas. Believe it or not, that’s only scratching the surface, so here’s The A.V. Club’s guide for setting up your viewing calendar.
The Mandalorian season 3 (Disney+, March 1)
Before , Pedro Pascal was busy playing another lone wolf escorting a very special cub on a perilous journey. We’re talking, of course, about . Now that Grogu and Mando have been reunited at the end of , season three will see them flying off together for more adventures throughout the Star Wars galaxy. That could include a trip to Mandalore, Coruscant, and other planets we haven’t heard of yet. We’ll also get to meet a bunch of new Mandalorian characters in cool colored armor, and catch up with Bo-Katan (Katee Sackoff, once again reprising the role she originated in The Clone Wars), who’s still in pursuit of the Darksaber, currently in the possession of one Din Djarin. [Cindy White]
True Lies (CBS, March 1)
, fending off fits and starts like they were a terrorist splinter cell, the suburban spies of True Lies are finally making their way to television. Based on James Cameron’s 1994 film, this adaptation shares some of the original’s DNA. The characters are the same—played by Ginger Gonzaga and Steve Howey this time—and Tom Arnold returns, with CBS adding the always welcome Keith David and Matthew Lillard for bonus points. Don’t be fooled, though. While Helen and Harry are back, don’t expect to see Arnold or Jamie Lee. [Matt Schimkowitz]
Based on the blockbuster novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, is a musical extravaganza mock-rockumentary that charts the meteoric rise and abrupt end of a Fleetwood Mac-esque group. Set against the rollicking backdrop of the ’70s music scene, expect original tunes (from songwriters like Phoebe Bridgers and Marcus Mumford) and delicious Behind The Music-style drama. Riley Keough (Elvis’ granddaughter) and Sam Claflin lead the band, with backup from Suki Waterhouse, Will Harrison, Josh Whitehouse, and Sebastian Chacon. [Mary Kate Carr]
History Of The World Part II (Hulu, March 6)
Hiding behind decades of talk of , Mel Brooks pulled a fast one for a 96-year-old. Few expected there to ever be a sequel to History Of The World: Part I let alone another piece of work written by Mr. Brooks. With the help of Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, and Ike Barinholz, History Of The World: Part II is a four-part miniseries starring just about every comedian in Hollywood. Based on the trailer, the only thing matching the number of funny people in the cast is the number of jokes. We’re not worthy. [Matt Schimkowitz]
Perry Mason season 2 (HBO, March 6)
The impeccably cast, shot, scripted, and paced noir , led by a brilliant Matthew Rhys—this all sounds hyperbolic, but this show is quite good—is back for another round, with Mason taking on cases that no doubt dig into the ugly, unjust underbelly of L.A. way back when. And it’s one that, also no doubt, rings pretty true now as well. For episode insights, be sure to keep up with AVC staffer Matt Schimkowitz’s recaps on Monday nights during the show’s run. [Tim Lowery]
Rain Dogs (HBO, March 6)
HBO is pairing Perry Mason with a dark comedy about motherhood as a nice little palette cleanser. Created by Cash Carraway, centers on devoted mother Costello Jones (Daisy May Cooper), who wants more for her young daughter. As she hustles to survive, she leans on her pseudo-soulmate, Selby (Jack Farthing), and the duo’s best friend, Gloria (Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo), to form an unlikely, dysfunctional family. [Saloni Gajjar]
School Spirits (Paramount+, March 9)
In the new Paramount+ series , Peyton List (Cobra Kai) plays a recently deceased teen who comes back as a ghost to solve the mystery of her death. The catch? She can’t leave the school where she died, and she’s trapped there with the ghosts of every other person who’s died there in the past 100 years. The plot clearly isn’t treading any new ground, but the trailer has a fun, soapy vibe that strikes a nice YA tone. [Jen Lennon]
Unprisoned (Hulu, March 10)
Kerry Washington returns to Hulu after with another timely limited series. In the eight-episode , she stars as relationship therapist Paige, who reconnects with her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo), after he’s released from a 17-year sentence for dealing drugs. Edwin moves in with Paige and her teenager, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana), to make up for lost time, but his criminal past doesn’t go over well with everyone. Helmed by Yvette Lee Bowser, Unprisoned is part of Hulu’s Onyx Collective, which consists of projects from creators of color. [Saloni Gajjar]
A Spy Among Friends (MGM+, March 12)
The British espionage thriller series makes its U.S. debut after premiering in, yes, the U.K. in December 2022. The based-on-a-true-story limited series stars Guy Pearce and Damian Lewis as spies at the height of the Cold War. When one of them turns out to be a double agent for the Soviet Union, the other is left reeling. [Jen Lennon]
Gotham Knights (The CW, March 14)
The CW is done with the Arrowverse, but it’s not ready to say goodbye to DC just yet. The upcoming (which has nothing to do with the video game of the same name that came out last year) focuses on Batman’s adopted son, Turner (Oscar Morgan), who teams up with some other Gotham nepo babies to solve his dad’s murder. alum Misha Collins also stars as District Attorney Harvey Dent. [Jen Lennon]
Ted Lasso season 3 (Apple TV+, March 15)
This is not a drill: is back. It’s been a while since we’ve checked in with the AFC Richmond squad, and a lot has happened behind the scenes. But we sure could use some of those feel-good vibes only Ted Lasso can provide. Season three catches up with Ted (Jason Sudeikis), Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt), Roy (Brett Goldstein), Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham), Keeley (Juno Temple), and the rest of the group as they set out to prove their promotion to the Premier League wasn’t just a fluke. And don’t forget to dig into the show with our weekly recaps. [Cindy White]
Shadow And Bone season 2 (Netflix, March 16)
, Netflix’s fantasy epic based on Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse novel, is set to return for its sweeping second season. Alina (Jessie Mei Li) is in a race against the Darkling (Ben Barnes) to collect the rest of the magical amplifiers and destroy the Fold. To do so, she’ll enlist the help of a pirate (Patrick Gibson), who is also interested in her power. But she’s not the only one collecting allies: Over in Ketterdam, the gang finally picks up their sixth Crow, Wylan (Jack Wolfe), ahead of their most … daring heist yet. [Mary Kate Carr]
Extrapolations (Apple TV+, March 17)
’s Scott Z. Burns is taking on climate change in his latest project. Anthology drama depicts the effects of global warming on the planet through different points of view and interconnected stories spanning hundreds of years. And what’s an anthology without a star-studded cast? This one features quite the list: Meryl Streep, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Tobey Maguire, Daveed Diggs, Kit Harington, Sienna Miller, Forest Whitaker, Marion Cotillard, Indira Varma, Hari Nef, Yara Shahidi, Adarsh Gourav, Gemma Chan, Edward Norton, and Diane Lane, among others. [Saloni Gajjar]
Lucky Hank (AMC, March 19)
Bob Odenkirk is back at AMC after finishing that remarkable six-season run on . In , adapted from Richard Russo’s novel Straight Man, the actor takes on the role of William Henry Devereaux, Jr., the English department chair at a struggling Pennsylvania college. Silicon Valley’s Aaron Zelman and The Office’s Paul Lieberstein are the showrunners, while Peter Farrelly is set to direct. [Tim Lowery]
Digman (Comedy Central, March 22)
Written and produced by ’s Andy Samberg and Neil Campbell, Digman is an animated comedy set in a world where archaeologists are the real heroes and the coolest people on the planet. Samberg will play one of these celebrities, Rip Digman. The stacked voice cast also includes Harvey Guillén, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Rust, Carl Tart, Jane Lynch, Daniel Radcliffe, Clancy Brown, and Cole Escola. B99’s Joe Lo Truglio, Marc Evan Jackson, and Maya Rudolph also pop up. [Saloni Gajjar]
The Night Agent (Netflix, March 23)
Based on Matthew Quirk’s novel of the same name, The Night Agent is a 10-episode action thriller about a low-ranking FBI agent, Peter (Shawn Ryan), who finds himself at the heart of a conspiracy theory involving Russia, the White House, and other very political things. (No, this is not at all like Netflix’s other drama, , starring Noah Centineo. Why do you ask?) Peter must, of course, take matters in his own hands to do the right thing. [Saloni Gajjar]
Up Here (Hulu, March 24)
In his first TV role after leaving Carlos Valdes is going for lighter, non-superhero fare. He stars alongside Mae Whitman in the musical romantic drama Up Here, which is set in New York City in the late ’90s. They play Lindsay and Miguel, who fall in love only to discover that the greatest obstacle in their relationship are the memories, obsessions, fears, and fantasies inside their heads. The show is created by ’s Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez—who won the Emmy for “Agatha All Along”—as well as Steven Levenson (Dear Evan Hansen) and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel (New Girl). [Saloni Gajjar]
My Kind Of Country (Apple TV+, March 24)
Apple TV+ looked at its competing platforms and said, “You know what we need? A music competition series.” Say hello to My Kind Of Country. Produced by Reese Witherspoon and Kacey Musgraves, this reality series breaks down country music barriers by providing opportunities to diverse, innovative artists. In the show, a handpicked roster of up-and-comers are invited to Nashville to showcase their sound and win a life-changing prize from Apple Music.[Saloni Gajjar]
Succession season 4 (HBO, March 26)
Every season finale of seems to floor us, leaving us wondering where the hell the show could go from there. And that’s certainly the case with the fantastic season-three ender “,” which left a ton of questions in its wake. None more pressing than this: What will happen with Shiv and Tom? (Less pressing: What’s going on with Greg’s love life?) We can’t wait to find out (and see all the other Murdoch-y dealings unfold). Do yourself a favor and follow along with episode recaps by The A.V. Club’s own William Hughes when the show arrives. [Tim Lowery]
Yellowjackets season 2 (Showtime, March 26)
hive: Our time has come again. The critically beloved thriller returns for a highly anticipated second season (and in case you missed the good news, the show has already been renewed for a third season). Yellowjackets features two timelines: In 1996, a plane carrying a girls soccer team crashes in the Canadian wilderness. Stranded for 19 months, they resort to some wild, cannibalistic chaos. In the present day, the surviving women struggle to keep their secrets buried while dealing with personal issues. Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Christina Ricci, Juliette Lewis, Warren Cole, and Steven Kreuger co-star. Season two’s additions include Lauren Ambrose and Simone Kessell. The A.V. Club’s Hattie Lindert will recap the show weekly. [Saloni Gajjar]
Rabbit Hole (Paramount+, March 26)
John Requa and Glenn Ficarra’s espionage thriller gives Kiefer Sutherland (, ) another chance to be an action hero. He plays corporate spy John Weir, who is adept at deception, but the tables turn when he is framed for murder. John has to fight suspicious powers, advanced technology, and even people he trusts to … save democracy. The cast also includes Rob Yang, Charles Dance, Meta Golding, and Ishan Davé. [Saloni Gajjar]
Great Expectations (FX, March 26)
Any adaptation of a Dickens classic lives and dies by its cast, and the BBC is bringing out its biggest gun for . Five words: Olivia Colman as Mrs. Havisham. Written by Steven Knight, whose credits include creating Peaky Blinders and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, this ain’t your daddy’s Dickens and it has all the hallmarks of Knight’s A Christmas Carol from 2019. Imagine Dickensian London but with more soot and swearing. If that ain’t for you, slag off. [Matt Schimkowitz]
The Big Door Prize (Apple TV+, March 29)
Based on M.O. Walsh’s novel of the same name, is a heartwarming comedy that tells the story of a small town that is forever changed when a mysterious machine appears in the general store. This machine promises to reveal each resident’s true potential, which sounds more scary than funny. The cast includes Chris O’Dowd, Josh Segarra, Gabrielle Dennis, Ally Maki, and Damon Gupton. [Saloni Gajjar]
Unstable (Netflix, March 30)
Rob Lowe is taking his son, John Owen Lowe, along for the ride in his new TV outing. Co-created by the Lowes along with ’s Victor Fresco, Unstable follows successful biotech entrepreneur Ellis Dragon (Rob Lowe), who is mourning the death of his wife. His son, Jackson, returns home to help save the family company from impending disaster, as Ellis’ employees work on potentially world-changing technology. Sian Clifford and Emma Ferreira co-star. [Saloni Gajjar]
The Power (Prime Video, March 31)
What if women all over the world suddenly developed a power that made them physically superior to men? What would they do with it? What kind of world would they build? The Power, based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Naomi Alderman, asks all of these questions and more. The international ensemble cast includes Toni Collette, Auliʻi Cravalho, John Leguizamo, Toheeb Jimoh, Halle Bush, and Ria Zmitrowicz. And carrying on the feminist theme behind the scenes, the show also features an all-female group of writers (including Alderman) and directors. [Cindy White]