What to Watch: Spring 2024

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid

It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought, it figures.

Yes, just like Alanis Morissette told us, it’s ironic. (Technically, it’s a series of unfortunate events, not ironic events. But that makes the song ironic, right? But I digress…)

What is ironic is that the quarterly “What to Watch” Badass Women’s Book Club newsletter consistently has the highest open rates!

Well, I love putting this issue together so I’m always glad that it is much appreciated! Here we go…

Save the Date – Season 3 of Hacks is coming May 2nd! That means if you haven’t yet watched Seasons 1 and 2 you still have time!  As a reminder, Hacks stars Jean Smart as Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas stand-up comedy diva, needing to re-invent her aging act to avoid losing her residency at the Palmetto Casino. Ava (Hannah Einbinder) is a young comedy writer who is unable to find work due to an insensitive tweet and her reputation for being self-centered and arrogant. Smart and Einbinder are great – I also love the Jimmy (show writer and actor Paul Downs) and Kayla (Meg Stalter) relationship.  Can’t wait!

After being canceled by Peacock, Girls5eva makes its Netflix debut with Season 3, with the girls of '90s girl group Girls5eva — Dawn (Sara Bareilles), Wickie (Renée Elise Goldsberry), Summer (Busy Philipps), and Gloria (Paula Pell) — having recorded a new album and ready for the logical next step: a big comeback tour. With literally no plans, the girls pile into a van together and hit the road with hopes of promoting their new album and somehow landing back on top.

A few page-to-screen adaptations that are new this Spring…

Based on Liane Moriarty's book, Apples Never Fall follows the Delaney family, a picture-perfect family. Stan (Sam Neill) and Joy (Annette Bening) are ready to settle into life as a married, retired couple who just want to spend more time with their adult children when a young woman knocks on their door and changes everything. When Joy suddenly disappears, her children are forced to re-examine their parents' seemingly perfect marriage as dark family secrets bubble to the surface.

Palm Royale follows Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig), as she attempts to break into the illusive group of Palm Beach's high society. As Maxine tries to cross that line between the haves and have-nots, she's left wondering how much of her true self she's willing to sacrifice to get something someone else has. Set during 1969, Palm Royale is a story about an outsider fighting for their chance to truly belong.

Based on Amy Chozick's book Chasing Hillary, this new limited series follows four female journalists who are on the campaign trail for an upcoming presidential election. Sadie (Melissa Benoist), who is an idealistic journalist who yearns for a bygone era of campaign reporting, joins the trail alongside Grace (Carla Gugino), Lola (Natasha Behnam), and Kimberlyn (Christina Elmore). All four have different tactics and reporting styles, but ultimately create a found family as they have a front-row seat to what it takes to make it to the White House.

Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone stars in Under the Bridge, a new series based on Rebecca Godfrey's book. The show tells the true story of 14-year-old Reena Virk (Vritika Gupta), who went to a party with friends and never returned home. Told through the eyes of Godfrey (Riley Keough) and a local police officer (Gladstone), Under the Bridge dives deep into a world where a group of young girls are accused of murder and where startling truths reveal an unlikely killer.

Based on the novel of the same name, We Were the Lucky Ones is a limited series inspired by the true story of a Jewish family that are separated at the start of World War II. Determined to survive and reunite, the series follows members of the family during one of the most heartbreaking periods in history.

After spending graduation night together, Emma and Dexter go their separate ways — but their lives remain intertwined. This Netflix limited series is based on David Nicholls' novel.

And here are some non page-to-screen adapations…

Based on a true story, Mary & George follows Mary Villiers (Julianne Moore), who literally shaped and molded her son George (Nicholas Galitzine) to seduce King James I (Tony Curran). Through scheming, the pair rose from humble beginnings to become one of the richest and most influential players in the English court, as George became the most powerful lover, and Mary and George becoming the king's most trusted advisors.

Written by Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, this new series follows the relationship between two women, who suddenly find themselves in a deadly game of truth and lies on the road from Istanbul to Paris to London. One woman has a secret, and the other a mission to reveal it before thousands of lives are lost. Meanwhile, in the shadows, the CIA and French DGSE must put their differences aside and work together in attempt to stop a potential disaster.

Did I miss anything? Shoot me an email at hello@badasswomensbookclub.com with your show recs!