8 new & returning TV shows to look forward to this spring

The past couple months have been a bit of a dead zone when it comes to TV, especially considering last year’s glut of ripped-from-the-headlines, must-see shows. Apart from HBO’s The Last of Us and Peacock’s Poker Face, not much has broken through to dominate the cultural conversation so far in 2023. But that might be about to change as we head into spring.

Of course, spring doesn’t technically start for another couple of weeks, but as we white-knuckle it through the waning days of winter, there are already signs of the glorious growth ahead — at least on the small screen.

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From “Everything Everywhere All At Once” to “Renaissance,” these are a few of our favorite things.

Daisy Jones & The Six

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Arriving on Prime Video this week, Daisy Jones & The Six offers up a faux docudrama about a fictional 1970s rock band very much inspired by Fleetwood Mac. The 10-episode miniseries is based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s 2019 bestselling novel, and comes from executive producer Reese Witherspoon.

It follows the parallel stories of wild child singer-songwriter Daisy Jones (Riley Keough) and rock band The Six, fronted by troubled heartthrob Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin), and their eventual explosive collision. The show promises a whirlwind of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, and even dips into the Black queer disco scene via singer Simone Jackson (Nabiyah Be).

Swarm

It’s hard to top MTV News editorial director Terron Moore’s description of this show on Twitter: “Donald glover made a horror series about the Beyhive. I CANNOT.”

Of course, the series from the Atlanta creator and Janine Nabers isn’t officially about Beyoncé fans. Officially, the fantastic Dominique Fishback stars as Dre, a young woman whose obsession with a pop star turns deadly. The pop star’s fandom is called “The Swarm.” You do the math.

Glover’s work is so weird, funny, subversive, and creepy, Swarm is bound to be a wild ride regardless. All seven episodes arrive on Prime Video on March 17.

Yellowjackets

Meanwhile, another wasps’ nest is buzzing again.

Showtime’s spooky thriller about a girls’ high school soccer team trying to survive after a plane crash in the remote wilderness returns for a second season on March 24.

Great Expectations

Look, you may be wondering why we need a 700th adaptation of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. If so, I have five words for you: Olivia Colman as the obsessive bride-left-at-the-altar Miss Havisham. Truly, all grande dames and camp icons of the screen deserve a crack at this bonkers role, and it is now Colman’s time. That alone is reason enough to give what looks like a rather bleak series from the executive producer of Peaky Blinders and Taboo at least a chance when it arrives on Hulu on March 26.

Succession

The astoundingly rich and equally as astoundingly dysfunctional Roy kids are back for one last chance to try to steal their media mogul dad’s throne. The final season of foul-mouthed power plays kicks off March 26 on HBO.

Love & Death

Elizabeth Olsen is back in the demented suburban housewife mode she perfected in WandaVision for this true crime limited series. The show from executive producer David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies) tells the story of Candy Montgomery (Olsen) and Allan Gore (Jesse Plemons), two good Christian Texans whose extramarital affair leads someone to pick up an axe and go ham. The first three episodes stream on HBO Max on April 27.  

Dead Ringers

Rachel Weisz takes on the dual roles of twin gynecologists Elliot and Beverly Mantle in this reimagining of David Cronenberg’s 1988 thriller. If the original is any indication, expect plenty of perversity and body horror. Plus, Weisz continues to come for Cate Blanchett’s “straight queen of lesbian cinema” crown! The series premieres on Prime Video on April 21.

Somebody Somewhere

Wow, spring TV sure is looking like it’s going to be really dark and creepy, right? Well, luckily there’s a sweet little light at the end of this very weird and intense tunnel in the form of Season 2 of Somebody Somewhere.

This gentle little slice-of-life dramedy stars cabaret phenom Bridget Everett as a woman just trying to get by and find a little joy with her gay best bud (Jeff Hiller) in her Kansas hometown. It returns on April 23 on HBO.