April TV Picks: 5 shows to watch this month
April has finally arrived and with it the imminent return of HBO’s Game of Thrones. It feels like a lifetime since we last visited Westeros but the wait is almost over, hopefully delivering the answer to the question on everyone’s lips: Is Jon Snow really dead? Whilst we wait for our weekly fix of dragon-filled fantasy TV, there are plenty of exciting shows coming to UK screens. Here are 5 you won’t want to miss this month.
Colony (Sky1, 7 April 9PM)
Josh Holloway hasn’t had much luck on the small screen since he starred as anti-hero Sawyer on Lost. Fortunately, he’s back on top form this month in Carlton Cuse and Ryan J. Condal’s sci-fi drama, Colony. The latest alien invasion series sees Holloway starring as Will Bowman, a former FBI agent in a dystopian Los Angeles run by extraterrestrials. The Walking Dead/Prison Break’s Sarah Wayne Callies plays Will’s wife Katie, a resistance operative against the Colony Transitional Authority. Reviews in the US have been positive and it’s already been renewed for a second season, which bodes well for the show’s future. Stephen King called it “smart, suspenseful, subversive”, and if it’s good enough for the King of Horror, it’s good enough for me.
11. 22. 63 (FOX UK, 10 April 9PM)
Speaking of Stephen King, the adaptation of his 2011 novel will be premiering on FOX UK on the 10 April. 11. 22. 63. follows James Franco as Jake Epping, an English teacher from Maine who travels back in time to try and prevent the assassination of JFK. Jake uses his friend Al’s time portal to go back to Texas and begins investigating the fatal shooting, however he finds it increasingly difficult to separate himself from the past timeline. With solid performances from Franco and co-star Sarah Gadon, this looks like a promising eight-parter. Here’s hoping it’s better than Under the Dome.
The Five (Sky1, 15 April 9PM)
Colony isn’t the only exciting show on Sky1 this month. Mystery/thriller author Harlan Coben’s original series The Five will begin on 15 April. The 10-part series follows a group of friends united by a terrible accident who are forced to revisit their past. It’s being described as a “roller-coaster thriller” and knowing Coben’s writing, it won’t disappoint. Hannah Arterton (sister of actress Gemma) will star alongside Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey), Lee Ingleby (Inspector George Gently) and Sarah Solemani (Bad Education).
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix, 15 April)
Also premiering on 15 April is season two of Netflix hit Kimmy Schmidt, starring comedy queen Ellie Kemper. If the hilarious trailer was anything to go by, the second outing with cult-survivor Kimmy is going to have more of the same, and then some. Expect romance, musical numbers (of course) and some A-mazing guest stars, including the show’s creator Tina Fey and Girls’ Zosia Mamet. Oh and Titus and Dong are back too. I’m sold, are you?
Rush Hour (E4, 19 April 9PM)
The initial reaction to the Rush Hour reboot was not a good one. Why remake a perfectly decent comedy franchise? But, in the interest of being an open-minded TV watcher, let’s give it a chance. The police procedural comedy is heading to E4 on the 19 April, with Jon Foo stepping into Jackie Chan’s shoes as Lee and Justin Hires as Chris Tucker’s James Carter. Much like the films, the TV show sees the two detectives forced to form an unlikely partnership to fight the bad guys. It could be just another unnecessary remake but it also might provide some light Tuesday night comedy.
