April Newsletter

Hi there, and welcome to the latest edition of Substream! Your go-to source for honest, unpretentious streaming news, reviews, and recommendations.

In this month’s newsletter:

• Everything to look out for in April

• March series spotlight

• NEW: Stream It or Skip It

• Industry news and announcements

Don’t forget, you can always check out this newsletter or past newsletters here.

NEW THIS MONTH
Hacks Returns for 5th and Final Season

April 3

• Your Friends and Neighbors (Apple TV, S2)

• Pizza Movie (Hulu, Original comedy starring Gaten Matarazzo)*

April 8

• The Boys (Prime Video, S5)

• The Testaments (Hulu, New sequel series to The Handmaid’s Tale)*

April 9

• Hacks (HBO, Season 5; final season)

• Big Mistakes (Netflix, New crime comedy series with Dan Levy)*

• The Miniature Wife (Peacock, New dramedy series starring Elizabeth Banks and Matthew MacFadyen)*

April 10

• Malcom in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair (Hulu, New comedy limited series revival)*

April 12

• Euphoria (HBO, S3)

April 13

• Noah Kahan: Out of Body (Netflix, Documentary)*

April 15

• Margo’s Got Money Troubles (Apple TV, New dramedy series starring Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nicole Kidman)*

• The Law According to Lidia Poet (Netflix, S3)

April 16

• Beef (Netflix, S2)

April 20

• Sullivan’s Crossing (The CW, S4)

April 23

• Running Point (Netflix, S2)

April 24

• Nikki Glaser: Good Girl (Hulu, Comedy special)*

April 29

• Widow’s Bay (Apple TV, New mystery-thriller series)*

April 30

• Man on Fire (Netflix, New action-thriller series adaptation)*

Ongoing Series & Upcoming Finales:

• Shrinking (Apple TV, S3 Finale 4/8)

• The Last Thing He Told Me (Apple TV, S2 Finale 4/10)

• Imperfect Women (Apple TV, S1 Finale 4/29)

• Rooster (HBO, S1 Finale 5/10)

• Outlander (Starz, S8 Finale 5/10)

• The Comeback (HBO, S3 Finale 5/10)

• Daredevil: Born Again (Disney+, S2 Finale 5/12)

*Denotes new film or series. Recommend checking reviews here before watching or waiting for the next newsletter.

MARCH SPOTLIGHT
Young Sherlock: Prime Video’s Big Win

If you’re looking for your next binge, Young Sherlock is it. Directed by Guy Ritchie, the series has quickly become a breakout hit for Prime Video debuting at #1 globally after its March 2026 release and holding a top spot ever since. It even shattered platform records with 223 million trailer views in just seven days and is currently sitting at an impressive 83% on Rotten Tomatoes.

And honestly… the hype is warranted.

The show is incredibly well-written and perfectly paced, managing to feel sharp and suspenseful without ever taking itself too seriously. It’s genuinely and unexpectedly funny, while still delivering on the mystery and intrigue you want from a Sherlock story. Ritchie’s signature style of fast, kinetic, and a little cheeky, works beautifully here—bringing a fresh take to a character we’ve seen countless times before.

The casting is also impeccable, led by Hero Fiennes Tiffin, who somehow pulls off the impossible: being both convincingly nerdy and distractingly attractive as Sherlock. It’s a balance that shouldn’t work, and yet… it absolutely does.

Beyond the performances, the period setting deserves its own callout. It’s not just a backdrop—it feels like a character in itself, adding just the right amount of escapism to the story. The costuming in particular is tailored, layered, and deeply intentional, with nods to classic British tailoring that give each character a distinct identity while grounding the show in its time period.

It’s no surprise the series has outperformed other major releases and is still ranking among the top shows globally. While a second season hasn’t been officially confirmed, it feels like a matter of when, not if.

Verdict: Smart, stylish, and wildly entertaining, Young Sherlock is one of the most fun surprises of the year so far.

NEW SERIES
Stream It or Skip It

STREAM IT

‘Young Sherlock’ - Period mystery | Prime Video (TM 83%, PM 82%)
sharp, funny, and perfectly cast

‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ - Period drama | PBS Passport (TM 88%, PM 81%)
classic story, but fresh and cinematic

‘Rooster’ - Comedy | HBO (TM 88%, PM 65%)
weird in a good way

‘The Forsytes’ - Period drama | PBS Passport (TM 70%)
easy, polished period watch

SKIP IT

‘Sunny Nights’ - Crime comedy | Hulu (TM 100%, PM 81%)
critics love it, but a little too chaotic to be truly funny

‘The Madison’ - Western drama | Paramount+ (TM 60%, PM 73%)
if you’re still in your Yellowstone era, maybe — otherwise a bit dark and slow

‘Imperfect Women’ - Mystery drama | Apple TV+ (TM 42%, PM 30%)
not landing with critics or audiences

‘Scarpetta’ - Crime drama | Prime Video (TM 59%, PM 46%)
like every other crime drama, just with a better cast

‘Vladimir’ - Comedy drama | Netflix (TM 74%, PM 57%)
interesting premise, mixed execution

TOP STORIES
In Case You Missed It

RENEWALS & CANCELATIONS

• ‘The Night Agent’ has been renewed for S4 at Netflix. (more)

• ‘Paradise’ renewed at Hulu for third and likely final season. (more)

• ‘Wonder Man’ renewed for S2 at Disney+. (more)

• ‘Little House on the Prairie’ renewed for S2 at Netflix ahead of July premiere. (more)

• ‘Palm Royale’ canceled after two seasons at Apple TV. (more)

• ‘Watson’ and ‘DMV’ canceled by CBS ahead of announcing 2026-27 lineup. (more)

TV NEWS & DEVELOPMENTS

• HBO dropped its first teaser for the upcoming ‘Harry Potter’ series… and they crushed it. (trailer)

• ‘Hacks’ announces upcoming S5 will be the show’s final installment. (trailer)

• ‘KENNEDY’ cast revealed by Netflix, includes Michael Fassbender and Nick Robinson as Joe Kennedy Sr. and Jr. (more)

• Daren Star rom-com series ‘Uncorked’ ordered by Netflix. (more)

• ‘The White Lotus’ adds Max Greenfield and more to its S4 cast. (more)

• ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ starts S5 production and promotes Cobie Smulders to series regular. (more)

• ‘Nobody Wants This’ starts S3 production and shares photos. (more)

• Maya Hawke set to star in Netflix drama series ‘The God of the Woods.’ (more)

• Ashley Tisdale will star in CBS comedy ‘You’re Only Young Twice.’ (more)

• Kaley Cuoco has joined Ray Romano in HBO drama pilot ‘How to Survive Without Me.’ (more)

• Sean Hayes joins ‘The Morning Show,’ in a major recurring role for S5. (more)

• ‘Tink’ is in development at Disney+ as a live-action Tinker Bell series. (more)

FILM NEWS & DEVELOPMENTS

• ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ most watched trailer debut ever. (trailer)

• ‘13 Going on 30’ reboot is in the works at Netflix with Emily Bader and Logan Lerman starring and Jennifer Garner producing. (more)

• Kirsten Dunst is joining Sydney Sweeney in ‘The Housemaid’s Secret.’ (more)

• Bradley Cooper in talks to write, direct, and potentially star in ‘Ocean’s’ prequel with Margot Robbie. (more)

• Daisy Edgar Jones will star in film adaptation of ‘Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.’ (more)

• Dakota Johnson, Saoirse Ronan, Jessie Buckley, and Josh O’Connor will star in ‘Three Incestuous Sisters.’ (more)

• ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ sequel has been confirmed by Netflix. (more)

• Kathryn Hahn will play Mother Gothel in Disney’s live-action ‘Tangled.’ (more)

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