News · TV

New Versions of ‘Lost in Space’ and ‘Howards End’ and More TV You Must See This Week

Also: a new period drama starring Hayley Atwell and documentaries on Elvis, André the Giant, Harry Potter and shoe shining.
Lost In Space Netflix
By  · Published on April 8th, 2018

This week, we’re excited about two remakes: one is a reboot of a classic 1960s science fiction family adventure, the other a new adaptation of E. M. Forster’s “Howards End” making its American debut. Meanwhile, documentaries cover everything from the lives and times of musical and wrestling stars to shoe shining and the history of magic. Last but not least, Sandra Oh stars in her first regular TV role since Grey’s Anatomyin an action-packed spy thriller.

To help you keep track of the most important programs over the next seven days, here’s our guide to everything worth watching, whether it’s on broadcast, cable, or streaming for April 8th – 14th (all times Eastern):

Howards End (Starz, Sunday 8pm)

For your period drama needs, here’s a new adaptation of “Howards End,” the 1910 novel by E. M. Forster about class collision in turn-of-the-century England. The new four-episode miniseries follows sisters Margaret and Helen Schlegel as their fortunes change when they meet the wealthy and conservative Wilcox family and a sudden death, a romance, and a budding friendship put their place in the social food chain into perspective. While the previous adaptation of the book by the Merchant-Ivory team is a tough precedent to topple, this version has good credentials: written by Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea) and directed by Hettie Macdonald (Doctor Who), this Howards End stars Hayley Atwell, Philippa Coulthard, Matthew MacFayden, Julia Ormond, Tracey Ullman, and Joseph Quinn. Put the kettle on and bring out the good china.

Killing Eve (BBC America, Sunday 8pm)

How do you follow up the success of a viciously funny comedy like Fleabag? With a spy thriller drama, of course. Actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge takes the reins once again as creator and writer in her latest project, Killing Eve. Based on the “Villanelle” novellas by Luke Jennings, the series revolves around two women: Eve (Sandra Oh), a smart, desk-bound MI5 agent, bored with a job that doesn’t fulfill her fantasies of being a spy; and Villanelle (Jodie Comer), a mercurial assassin who enjoys the rush of her violent life a little too much. Equally obsessed with each other, both women will find themselves immersed in an epic game of cat and mouse. Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Kim Bodnia, Sean Delaney, Owen McDonnell, and Darren Boyd also star.

The Art of the Shine (PBS, Monday 10pm)

There’s much more to shoe shining than just rubbing polish over leather. Director Stacey Tenenbaum knows it and turns back our attention to this often overlooked trade to tell the stories of the men and women that still preserve the old school tradition in a fast-paced modern culture. From the masked shoe shiners of Bolivia to the high-end shiners of Tokyo, going through Sarajevo, Toronto, and New York, The Art of the Shine offers a joyous and quirky inside look to this noble profession.

André the Giant (HBO, Tuesday 10pm) 

Numerous wrestlers have successfully made the jump from the ring to the screen, including Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, and Dave Bautista in recent years. But few have managed to fascinate the public inside and outside of the arena the way André the Giant did. Produced by Bill Simmons (one of the minds behind ESPN’s 30 for 30) and directed by Jason Hehir, this HBO documentary examines the life and career of one of the most beloved figures in WWE history. Archival footage is combined with interviews with Hulk Hogan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Billy Crystal, Rob Reiner, Ric Flair, and other friends and colleagues, tracing André’s story from his upbringing in France, going through his rise in the WWE and his forays into the entertainment industry, and up to his fall from grace and his untimely death. Whether you are a fan of wrestling or The Princess Bride, André the Giant is certainly worth the watch.

Harry Potter: A History of Magic (The CW, Wednesday 8pm)

Potterheads: we have good news for you. While you patiently wait for the next installment of Fantastic Beasts, a new documentary provides the magical fix you need to get by until November. Originally a companion to the exhibition on display at the British Library last year, Harry Potter: A History of Magic explores all the real-life legends and folklore that inspired J. K. Rowling’s Wizarding World: from Elizabethan invisibility spells to the actual search for the Philosopher’s stone. Narrated by “Dolores Umbridge” actress Imelda Staunton and illustrated by Jim Kay, the film also features readings from Hogwarts alumni such as David Thewlis, Evanna Lynch, Warwick Davis, Miriam Margolyes, and Mark Williams.

Lost in Space (Netflix, Friday)

Reboot, Will Robinson! Few genres can benefit from modern remakes as much as sci-fi, so a new take on the classic 1960s Irwin Allen television series holds an exciting promise. Set 30 years in the future, Netflix’s Lost in Space finds the Robinson family bound for Alpha Centauri, as part of a mission to establish interplanetary colonies. But an accident pulls them off course, forcing them to crash-land on a lost world, where they’ll soon discover that they’re not alone. The 10 episodes were penned by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless (Dracula Untold) and several were directed by Neil Marshall (Game of Thrones). Toby Stephens, Molly Parker, Taylor Russell, Mina Sundwall, and Maxwell Jenkins bring the Robinson clan back to life, while the nefarious Dr. Smith will be played (in a gender-swapping twist) by Parker Posey. If Star Trek: Discovery left you missing uplifting, family-friendly science fiction, Lost in Space is just what the doctor ordered.

Elvis Presley: The Searcher (HBO, Saturday 8pm)

Cultural icons are often eclipsed by the myths that build around them and Elvis is no exception. Produced by Jon Landau (Titanic) and Priscilla Presley and directed by Thom Zimny, Elvis Presley: The Searcher is an effort to dispel the misconceptions and flesh out the man behind the legend. This two-part, three-hour deep dive into the life of The King uses unseen archival footage and photographs, interviews with friends, family, collaborators, and fellow artists — including Bruce Springsteen and the late Tom Petty — and an original score by Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, to put together an intimate portrait of rock and roll’s prodigal son. A must for music buffs.

Killing Eve

SUNDAY

Bob’s Burgers S8E13 “Cheer Up, Sleepy Gene” (FOX, 7:30pm)

Howards End S1E1 (Starz, 8pm) — miniseries premiere

Instinct S1E4 “I Heart New York” (CBS, 8pm)

Killing Eve S1E1 “Nice Face” (BBC America, 8pm) — series premiere

Our Cartoon President S1E10 “First Pitch” (Showtime, 8pm)

The Simpsons S29E15 “No Good Read Goes Unpunished” (FOX, 8pm)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine S5E15 “The Puzzle Master” (Fox, 8:30pm)

Ash vs. Evil Dead S3E7 “Twist and Shout” (Starz, 9pm)

Family Guy S16E15 “The Woof of Wall Street” (FOX, 9pm)

The Walking Dead S8E15 “Worth” (AMC, 9pm)

Unforgotten S1E1 (PBS, 9pm) — series American premiere

The Last Man on Earth S4E14 “Special Delivery” (FOX, 9:30pm)

Deception S1E5 “Masking” (ABC, 10pm)

Silicon Valley S5E3 “Chief Operating Officer” (HBO, 10pm)

Trust S1E3 “La Dolce Vita” (FX, 10pm)

Barry S1E3 “Chapter Three: Make the Unsafe Choice” (HBO, 10:30pm)

MONDAY

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow S3E18 “The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly” (The CW, 8pm) — season finale

Waco: The Longest Siege (Smithsonian, 8pm) — documentary special

One Strange Rock S1E3 (Nat Geo, 9pm)

The Terror S1E4 “Punished, as a Boy” (AMC, 9pm)

Good Girls S1E7 “Special Sauce” (NBC, 10pm)

Scorpion S4E21 “Kenny and the Jet” (CBS, 10pm)

The Crossing S1E2 “A Shadow Out of Time” (ABC, 10pm)

The Art of the Shine (PBS, 10pm) — documentary premiere

TUESDAY

Greg Davies: You Magnificent Beast (Netflix) — standup comedy special

Lethal Weapon S2E18 “Frankie Comes to Hollywood” (FOX, 8pm)

The Flash S4E17 “Null and Annoyed” (The CW, 8pm)

Black Lightning S1E12 “The Resurrection and the Light: The Book of Pain” (The CW, 9pm)

Elton John: I’m Still Standing – A Grammy Salute (CBS, 9pm) — music special

LA to Vegas S1E12 “Training Day” (Fox, 9pm)

New Girl S7E1 “About Three Years Later” (Fox, 9:30pm) — season premiere

Andre the Giant (HBO, 10pm) — documentary premiere

Legion S2E2 “Chapter 10” (FX, 10pm)

For the People S1E5 “World’s Greatest Judge” (ABC, 10pm)

Rise S1E5 “We’ve Got All Our Junk” (NBC, 10pm)

Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. S1E7 “Half the Job” (USA, 10pm)

The Last O.G. S1E2 “Bobo Beans” (TBS, 10:30pm)

WEDNESDAY

The Looming Tower S1E9 “Tuesday” (Hulu)

Harry Potter: A History of Magic (The CW, 8pm) — documentary American premiere

The Blacklist S5E18 “Zarak Mosadek” (NBC, 8pm)

Law & Order: SVU S19E18 “Service” (NBC, 9pm)

Modern Family S9E19 “CHiPs and Salsa” (ABC, 9pm)

The Expanse S3E1 “Fight or Flight” (Syfy, 9pm) — season premiere

America Inside Out With Katie Couric S1E1 (Nat Geo, 10pm) — series premiere

Conan Without Borders: Italy (TBS, 10pm) — special episode

Criminal Minds S13E20 “All You Can Eat” (CBS, 10pm)

Designated Survivor S2E17 “Overkill” (ABC, 10pm)

Hap and Leonard S3E6 “Monsoon Mambo” (Sundance, 10pm) — season finale

Krypton S1E4 “The Word of Rao” (Syfy, 10pm)

The Americans S6E3 “Urban Transport Planning” (FX, 10pm)

Back S1E6 (Sundance, 11pm) — series finale

THURSDAY

Pickpockets (Netflix) — movie premiere

Gotham S4E18 “That’s Entertainment” (FOX, 8pm)

Grey’s Anatomy S14E19 “Beautiful Dreamer” (ABC, 8pm)

RuPaul’s Drag Race S10E4 (VH1, 8pm)

Supernatural S13E18 “Bring ’em Back Alive” (The CW, 8pm)

Superstore S3E19 “Lottery” (NBC, 8pm)

Arrow S6E18 “Fundamentals” (The CW, 9pm)

Atlanta S2E7 “Champagne Papi” (FX, 10pm)

S.W.A.T S1E17 “Armory” (CBS, 10pm)

Scandal S7E17 “Standing in the Sun” (ABC, 10pm)

FRIDAY

Bosch S4 (Amazon) — season premiere

Chef’s Table: Pastry S1 (Netflix) — series premiere

Come Sunday (Netflix) — movie premiere

Lost in Space S1 (Netflix) — series premiere

Rellik S1E1 (Cinemax, 10pm) — series American premiere

The Graham Norton Show S23E1 (BBC America, 10pm) — season premiere  

Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas S1E1 (HBO, 11:30pm) — show premiere

Once Upon a Time S7E17 “Chosen” (ABC, 8pm)

Jane The Virgin S4E16 “Chapter Eighty” (The CW, 9pm)

SATURDAY

Elvis Presley: The Searcher (HBO, 8pm) — documentary premiere

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