And the second ones will be the first: which series premieres are waiting for us in April

April promises to be a true celebration of serial classics: the next seasons of such legendary TV shows as Doctor Who, Black Mirror, One of Us, The Handmaid's Tale and Andor will be released almost simultaneously. Fans of new movies will also have something to watch: from the comedy series "The Actor" starring Dmitry Nagiyev in his traditional role to "Sherlock and Daughter", which once again breaks the biography of the famous detective through his knee, and the hellish horror "Bounty Hunter". Izvestia reports on the most interesting new series in April.

"The actor"

April 1st, KION

Star actor Vyacheslav Tretyakov has achieved success on and off the screen: he has indulged in drunkenness and excitement in the company of Johnny Depp himself, and this, of course, is a good reason to look at others as a purely secondary product of subculture. But Vyacheslav, as an actor should be, has a quivering nature. Therefore, after learning about the devastating review of his game by the popular Internet critic Nikita Kislyak, he first demands to remove the review from the Network, and then starts a fight with the hated video blogger in a restaurant. After that, the movie star falls into a trap: for refusing to report to the police, Kislyak, who also turned out to be a director, demands that Tretyakov play in his play on the stage of the academic theater of the city of Novolyalinsk. The star is in shock, but there is nowhere to go, and the sworn enemies will have to work together.

The series was written and directed by Dmitry Nevzorov, the author of Cyber Village, a great expert on the delights of provincial life. The main roles were played by Dmitry Nagiyev and Anton Lapenko: the perfect duet of a manic Internet jolly man with a Boyar moustache and an eternally tipsy gym teacher in a Turkish leather jacket. Both are convinced that a person's point of humor is located approximately at hip level, and on the back side. A lot of—sorry for the hint— sparkling jokes are guaranteed.

"The Bounty Hunter"

April 3, Prime

Lucifer sends a former killer, a "bounty hunter" with the speaking surname Halloran, who died while fulfilling another order, back to earth to hunt escaped demons. But Halloran's biggest dream is to escape from hell himself, to atone for his sins and get a second chance. However, it will not be so easy: each of the demons he fights becomes for him the embodiment of his own internal conflicts, and overcoming them turns out to be more difficult than sending another fire-breathing creature back to hell. Psychoanalysis in the process of forceful exorcism is a complicated thing, so the traditional question is: The fighter even allows himself to answer "no" without fear or reproach, challenging the superheroes of the past.

The viewer loves hellish creatures, it's enough to remember even Hellboy, even Pinhead, even Konstantin. From this point of view, there is no need to fear for the future of "Bounty Hunter": "the guy from hell" was brilliantly performed by Kevin Bacon ("Sleepers", "Wild River"). The dry, dispassionate servant of the devil, who dreams of becoming a country music star and, after another exorcism, puts down his shotgun to pick up a banjo, perfectly sets off the spectacular scenario with a healthy dose of self-irony, adding points to the series.

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"Hypnosis"

April 3, Okko

Three friends with supernatural abilities are a private detective who can read minds (Daniil Strakhov — "We are from the Future", "Peregon"), a lawyer who can see the future (Rostislav Bershauer — "Surgeon", "Alice's Dreams") and a priest who penetrates the past of any person (Kirill Kyaro — "Power", "Chelyuskin. The first"), they met in a mysterious army training school for people with paranormal abilities. Now they are settled in life and career, but one day the lawyer sees his own death in the future — and the friends realize that the evil they met in their youth is bringing death back into the world, and they will have to confront it.

Today, in the year of the 35th anniversary of David Lynch's iconic Twin Peaks, the fashion for mystical detective thrillers looks especially appropriate. It's a pity that so far no domestic experiment in this genre has really taken off. The fate of "Hypnosis" also does not look entirely cloudless, despite the careful observance of the canons of mystical cinema — an abundance of black-and-green filters, flashing fluorescent light, thick streaks of blood on the walls and the unexpected appearance of the dead from the darkness. Everything seems to be fine, but still something is wrong. Maybe the realistic part is the problem? The creators of Hypnosis are quite talented at pumping up the atmosphere, but when one of the junior commanders of a military unit declares to a crowd of rookies from the doorway: "Each of you has potential," those who served on television sigh in disappointment. Perhaps a consultant in this area would benefit the TV show.

"The Crusaders"

April 7, TV-3

Investigator Konstantin Krestonostsev (Denis Vasiliev — "Sunstroke", "Bachelor Party") accompanied by psychologist Masha, who is in love with him (Ekaterina Domashenko — "First Department", "Anna Medium") and the forensic expert Morozov (Alexander Kononets — "Chikatilo", "Cipher") were called to fight zombies and other evil spirits who challenged the domestic law enforcement forces. At first, Krestonostsev is sure that the strange cases included in the case assigned to him have a rational explanation, but the first steps in the investigation convince him that there is always a place for mysticism in the world.

"Crusaders" could, perhaps, be put on a par with "Hypnosis", which started a little earlier, but it seems that their creators have not yet fully decided on the genre in which they will work. Psychologist Masha sighs languidly, purses her lips and talks to the head of the investigation team in the tone of an offended girl. Krestonostsev himself winks coquettishly at every female character who appears nearby, then gives a broken cop from the dust—covered streets of broken lanterns, then poses in front of provincial colleagues with an incognito look from St. Petersburg - where he actually comes from, which only adds intrigue to the unraveling of the main character's multidirectional impulses. However, Vasiliev is really handsome here — maybe in the final he will be able to charm zombies with his sunny smile without streams of blood and silver bullets. And the girls, including Masha, the psychologist, will finally exhale with relief.

"Friends and neighbors"

April 11, Apple TV+

More recently, Andrew Cooper, a top financier, wealthy hedge fund manager and respectable husband and father, owner of a luxury villa and expensive cars, loses everything almost instantly. He is going through a divorce, he is dismissed from his job in disgrace, and, finally, he loses almost all means of livelihood. To solve pressing financial problems, Cooper begins robbing his neighbors' houses in the elite Westmont Village. Robbing the rich turns out to be an extremely profitable business and, as it seems to Cooper at first, almost safe. But he soon finds out that there are many dark secrets hidden behind the iron gates of rich mansions, and some of those that he accidentally witnessed during his outings may cost him more than just his career.

The main role in the series was played by Emmy and Golden Globe winner John Ham ("Mad Men"), and it seems that he got into the character perfectly. He is accompanied by Amanda Peet ("Nine Yards") and Olivia Munn ("Violet"). It is known that almost six months before the premiere, it was decided to immediately extend the series for a second season. Apple TV+ producers are famous for their flair, so "Friends and Neighbors" is probably worth the audience's attention.

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The main premieres of online cinemas in March

"Sherlock and Daughter"

April 16, The CW

Sherlock Holmes is no longer the same: the great detective is getting older, his reaction is getting worse, and his old powers of observation are clouded by senile farsightedness. But this is not the time to retire: Dr. Watson and Mrs. Hudson have been abducted by a gang of followers of Professor Moriarty, and the detective must rescue his friend and landlady. He needs a partner, and he, or rather she, appears on the doorstep, as if by order. Young American Amelia Rojas (Blue Hunt — "The Ancients") investigates the disappearance of her own mother and therefore comes to Holmes for help, who, as she is convinced, is her father. The detective is not ready to believe in such bold statements and nevertheless agrees to conduct the investigation together with Amelia. They have different methods and opposing views on life, but this, as it turns out, is not so bad: together they save the missing, restore justice and once again trick Moriarty.

After the incredible success of "Sherlock," the biography of the great detective began to be enriched with new episodes, one crazier than the other, almost every year. The 2020 series "Enola Holmes" has already given the detective a sister with the makings of a detective, but now the cavalry has joined the battle — a new generation of the Holmes family of detectives. It looks, of course, like outright madness: in the descendant of the Apache Blue Hunt, even the most persistent geneticist is unlikely to find even a drop of English blood, but her habit of swaggeringly twirling a revolver on her finger betrays a salon upbringing and promises a very piquant story of the mystery of her birth. However, madness often turns out to be the most winning strategy: Benedict Cumberbatch was also difficult for many to imagine as a coldly logical detective, but come on! In this case, Holmes was played by David Thewlis, an excellent actor who starred in a variety of blockbusters from Total Eclipse to Harry Potter, and who looks no more like the classic Holmes than Cumberbatch, and this is a serious claim to victory.