The April 2016 TV premieres calendar is packed with amazing shows, but the most anticipated debuts no doubt are new seasons of “Game of Thrones,” “Outlander” and “Orphan Black.”
“Outlander” fans will be transported from Scotland to Paris when Season 2 of the swoon-worthy Starz series begins April 9. On April 14, BBC America’s twisted thriller “Orphan Black” moves to a new night, Thursdays, for its fourth season. “Game of Thrones” returns to HBO for its sixth season April 24 to answer the million-dollar question: Is Jon Snow dead or not?
Those aren’t the only big debuts or returning shows. I’ve marked some of the most high-profile movies, mini-series and shows coming this month. I’ll continue to update the April 2016 TV premieres calendar; let me know if I’m missing something.
April 2016 TV premieres
All times are Central; check local listings at On TV Tonight.
Friday, April 1
Streaming
- “The Ranch,” Netflix (series premiere; semi-pro football player returns to Colorado to run family ranch with his brother)
3 p.m.
- “April Ghouls,” El Rey Network (marathon of the “Ghoulies” and “Critters” movies through 4 p.m. April 3)
5 p.m.
- “Paranormal Lockdown,” Destination America (“April Ghouls Day” marathon; ends after all-new episode airing at 9 p.m.)
- “Walk the Prank,” Disney XD (special sneak preview; kids pranks; also 8:30 p.m.)
7 p.m.
- “Dead 7,” Syfy (movie premiere; boy band zombie Western mashup)
- “AT&T Block Party at the NCAA March Madness Music Festival,” Audience Network (concert special)
8 p.m.
- “Kendra on Top,” WEtv (season 5 premiere)
8:30 p.m.
- “What if We Get Married?” TLC (series premieres; lovers and friends flip their relationships)
9 p.m.
- “Wynonna Earp,” Syfy (series premiere; Wyatt Earp’s great granddaughter battles otherworldly creatures, based on IDW comic)
- “Banshee,” Cinemax (season 4 premiere; 8 episodes in this final season)
- “Joan Rivers: Exit Laughing,” PBS (“Thirteen” premiere; doc examining Rivers’ legacy and impact on comedy)
- “El Hipnotizador,” HBO Latino (series premiere; hypnotist condemned to life with perpetual insomnia by rival solves people’s problems through hypnosis)
- “Driven to Love,” WEtv (series premiere; host Ray J introduces one hopeful single to 5 prospects in SUV driving to airport)
Saturday, April 2
6 p.m.
- “Alaska’s Wild Gourmet,” Outdoor Channel (series premiere; Ewing family runs catering company making 5-star gourmet meals from the wild)
7 p.m.
- “The Cheerleader Murders,” Lifetime (movie; girl’s family is murdered, then her fellow cheerleaders are kidnapped)
8 p.m.
- “All Yours,” Hallmark (movie; manny wins over kids and their mother)
- “Deadly Possessions,” Travel (series premiere; Zak Bagans shares haunted, cursed treasures from his Las Vegas museum)
9 p.m.
- “He Shed, She Shed,” FYI (series premiere; turning backyard chairs into outdoor living spaces)
10 p.m.
- “We Bought the Farm,” HGTV (series premiere; families search for luxury farmhouse)
Sunday, April 3
8 a.m.
- “The Real O.J. Simpson Trial,” Esquire (12-hour special; archival courtroom footage is used to examine the trial; through 8 p.m.)
5 p.m.
- “Wrestlemania Kickoff Show,” USA (series premiere)
7 p.m.
- “Call the Midwife,” PBS (season 5 premiere)
- “51st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards,” CBS (special)
- “Guy’s Grocery Games Redemption Tournament,” Food (season premiere)
8 p.m.
- “All-Star Academy,” Food (season finale)
9 p.m.
- “Ghost Asylum,” Destination America (season premiere)
Monday, April 4
Streaming
- “Detectorists, Series 2,” Acorn TV (U.S. premiere)
6 p.m.
- “The Powerpuff Girls,” Cartoon Network (animated series premiere; super-powered sisters Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup fight evildoers)
8 p.m.
- “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures,” HBO (doc; a look at Robert Mapplethorpe’s controversial photography)
- “Southern Charm,” Bravo (season 3 premiere)
- “Cake Wars,” Food (season finale)
Tuesday, April 5
7 p.m.
- “10 That Changed America,” PBS (3-part series premiere; homes, parks, towns that revolutionized the way we live)
8 p.m.
- “The Real Housewives of New York City,” Bravo (season 8 premiere)
- “America’s Greatest Makers,” TBS (series premiere; inventors compete for a $1 million grand prize)
- “Mann & Wife,” Bounce TV (season 2 premiere)
9 p.m.
- “Chasing Destiny,” BET (series premiere; Kelly Rowland and Frank Gatson create new female singing group)
10 p.m.
- “Point Taken,” PBS (series premiere; weekly debate series)
- “Saving Hope,” ION (season 3 premiere)
Wednesday, April 6
7 p.m.
- “Young and Hungry,” Freeform (season finale)
7:30 p.m.
- “Walk the Prank,” Disney XD (series premiere; kids pranks)
- “Baby Daddy,” Freeform (season finale)
9 p.m.
- “Two in a Million,” TLC (series premiere; people with rare medical conditions brought together)
- “Follow the Leader,” CNBC (series premiere; uncovering the secrets of entrepreneurial success)
Thursday, April 7
7:30 p.m.
- “The Odd Couple,” CBS (season premiere)
8 p.m.
- “Mysteries at the Museum,” Travel (season premiere)
- “Party Down South,” CMT (series finale)
9 p.m.
- “Carnival East,” Cooking (season premiere)
Friday, April 8
Streaming
- “Catastrophe,” Amazon (season 2 premiere)
9 p.m.
- “Skee TV,” fuse (season 3 premiere)
9:30 p.m.
- “Shadowhunters,” Freeform (season 1 finale)
- “Burgers, Brew & ’Que,” Food (season finale)
10:30 p.m.
- “Adult Swim Golf Classic,” Adult Swim (special; Jon Daly and Adam Scott compete in televised 1966 charity golf championship)
Saturday, April 9
1 p.m.
- “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” FX (marathon; all 10 episodes will aire back-to-back)
7 p.m.
- “Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper,” HBO (doc; mother and son reflect on their family’s history)
8 p.m.
- “Outlander,” Starz (season 2 premiere; read my review)
- “Hearts of Spring,” Hallmark (movie; famous mom blogger is trolled by a reader who turns out to be a single dad she starts dating)
Sunday, April 10
7 p.m.
- “The Girlfriend Experience,” Starz (series premiere; law student begins work as high-class companion)
8 p.m.
- “Doctor Foster: A Woman Scorned,” Lifetime (limited series premiere; doctor goes to great lengths to prove her husband is having an affair)
- “Fear the Walking Dead,” AMC (season 2 premiere; 15-episode season split into 2 parts)
- “House of Lies,” Showtime (season 5 premiere)
- “Shahs of Sunset,” Bravo (season premiere)
- “Spring Baking Championship,” Food (season premiere)
8:30 p.m.
- “Dice,” Showtime (series premiere; Andrew Dice Clay’s scripted, semi-autobiographical series; all 6 episodes available on Showtime streaming services)
9 p.m.
- “Talking Dead,” AMC (season premiere)
Monday, April 11
7 p.m.
- “Cupcake Wars,” Food (season premiere)
8 p.m.
- “The Detour,” TBS (series premiere; family comedy about a vacation gone horribly wrong)
- “Cake Masters,” Food (series premiere; baker Duff Goldman and his team make Hollywood’s cake dreams come true)
9 p.m.
- “Hunters,” Syfy (series premiere; FBI agent teams with Exo-Terrorism Unit to track alien terrorists)
- “The Real Housewives of Dallas,” Bravo (series premiere; same idea, different city)
- “Disappeared,” Investigation Discovery (season 7 premiere)
Tuesday, April 12
Streaming
- “The Mindy Project,” Hulu (midseason premiere)
8 p.m.
- “Living with Funny,” Oxygen (series premiere; a look at lives of five ricing comedians)
8:30 p.m.
- “Superfan Suite: Shadowhunters,” Freeform (special; cast talks about Season1 of the series)
9 p.m.
- “Game of Silence,” NBC (series premiere; a dark secret from the past challenges 4 friends)
- “The Last Panthers,” Sundance (series premiere; diamond heist in France sparks international manhunt)
- “The Last Alaskans,” Discovery (season 2 premiere)
- “24 to Life,” LMN (series premiere; 8 people go through their final 24 hours before they are incarcerated)
- “Boundless,” Esquire (season 3 premiere)
- “Idiotest,” GSN (season 3 premiere)
Wednesday, April 13
8 p.m.
- “Strong,” NBC (series premiere; fitness competition)
- “India’s Wandering Lions,” PBS (“Nature” premiere; Asiatic lions seem to be working with farmers in India’s westernmost state, Gujarat)
9 p.m.
- “Nashville Flipped,” DIY (series premiere; contractor rebuilds rundown homes in Nashville’s historic communities)
Thursday, April 14
7 p.m.
- “Bones,” Fox (spring premiere)
- “Strong,” NBC (time-slot premiere)
8 p.m.
- “Orphan Black,” BBC America (season 4 premiere)
- “American Grit,” Fox (series premiere; 4 teams of 16 participants each face military-grade and survival-themed challenges in the wilderness)
- “The Dude Perfect Show,” CMT (series premiere; the YouTube channel comes to TV)
9 p.m.
- “Game of Silence,” NBC (time-period premeire)
9:30 p.m.
- “Those Who Can’t,” truTV (season 1 finale)
Friday, April 15
Streaming
- “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” Netflix (season 2 premiere)
- “One More Happy Ending,” DramaFever (U.S. premiere; group of former K-Pop stars pursue a more conventional way of life)
9 p.m.
- “Ghost Brothers,” Destination America (series premiere; members of what is billed as the first African-American paranormal investigation team do their thing)
Saturday, April 16
7 p.m.
- “Confirmation,” HBO (movie; 1991 Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination hearings)
- “Hear My Song,” CBS (“Hallmark Hall of Fame” premiere; troubled kid is inspired to achieve by choir master)
8 p.m.
- “Love By Chance,” Hallmark (movie; woman who is secretly set up by mother feels betrayed when she learns the truth about her new relationship)
9 p.m.
- “Case Closed with AJ Benza,” Reelz (series premiere; unraveling enduring celebrity and movie mysteries)
- “Beowulf,” Esquire (season 1 finale)
Sunday, April 17
7 p.m.
- “The Good Witch,” Hallmark (season 2 premiere)
- “House of Darkness,” LMN (movie; dark force causes tragic events for San Francisco family; inspired by true events)
- “La Voz Kids,” Telemundo (season 2 premiere)
8 p.m.
- “White Hot,” Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (movie; woman returns to her hometown where she suspects her brother was murdered)
9 p.m.
- “El Vato,” NBC Universo (series premiere; an aspiring singer navigates life in Los Angeles after landing a once-in-a-lifetime record deal)
- “#RichKids of Beverly Hills,” E! (season 4 premiere)
11 p.m.
- “Mr. Pickles,” Adult Swim (season 2 premiere)
Monday, April 18
7 p.m.
- “Supergirl,” CBS (season 1 finale)
8 p.m.
- “12 Monkeys,” Syfy (season 2 premiere)
- “Hotel Impossible,” Travel (season 7 premiere)
- “Class Divide,” HBO (doc; effects of hyper-gentrification in New York City’s West Chelsea neighborhood)
9 p.m.
- “William & Kate: The Journey,” Reelz (U.S. premiere; four-part documentary about Prince William and Kate Middleton continues with parts 3 & 4 at 9 p.m. April 25)
Tuesday, April 19
Streaming
- “Choco Bank,” DramaFever (U.S. premiere; newbie to financial business and woman with new chocolate business learn together)
8 p.m.
- “Containment,” CW (series premiere; a section of Atlanta is put on lockdown when an Ebola-like virus begins killing people)
- “Cheap Eats,” Cooking (series premiere; food blogger Ali Khan looks for best meal deals)
9 p.m.
- “The Night Manager,” AMC (miniseries premiere; former hotel clerk becomes spy to bring down international businessman/gun runner)
Wednesday, April 20
Streaming
- “Deadbeat,” Hulu (season 3 premiere)
9 p.m.
- “Scream,” MTV (season 2 premiere)
- “Skin Wars,” GSN (season 3 premiere)
- “There Goes the Motherhood,” Bravo (series premiere; 6 L.A. mothers meet at popular parenting course)
Thursday, April 21
7:30 p.m.
- “Sweet Micky for President,” Showtime (U.S. premiere; doc about efforts of Pras Michel of The Fugees to get pop star Michel “Sweet Micky” Martelly elected president of Haiti)
8 p.m.
- “Alone,” History (season 2 premiere)
9 p.m.
- “Inside Amy Schumer,” Comedy Central (season premiere)
- “Cheap Eats,” Cooking (series premiere; Ali Khan has 12 hours and $35 to find best deals for breakfast, lunch, a snack and dinner)
9:30 p.m.
- “Comedy Knockout,” truTV (series premiere; 3 comics compete for live audience vote)
Friday, April 22
Streaming
- “Thunderbirds Are Go,” Amazon (series premiere; the classic marionette series updated)
- “Patton Oswalt: Talking for Clapping,” Netflix (stand-up premiere)
7 p.m.
- “Beyond the Tap,” PBS/World (“Local, USA” premiere; a look at the water crisis in Flint, Mich.)
- “Dear President Obama,” Viceland (doc; cross-country look at the fallout of fracking style of drilling)
- “The Pursuit of Tone: Mike Ness,” Audience (doc premiere; conversations with Social Distortion band leader Mike Ness)
- “Toxic Avengers Earth Day Marathon,” El Rey Network (marathon of “Toxic Avengers” movies and TV series through April 25; find the full schedule here)
Saturday, April 23
7 p.m.
- “Jack of The Red Hearts,” Lifetime (movie; teen on the run cons her way into helping the family of an autistic child)
- “Electronic Music Awards & Foundation Show,” Fox (special; first ever show honoring electronic music artists)
8 p.m.
- “Lemonade,” HBO (special; it has something to do with Beyonce)
- “Detras de la Fama,” Telemundo (special; interviews with top Latin music artists)
- “Sherpa,” Discovery (doc premiere; 2014 Mt. Everest through the eyes of the sherpas)
9 p.m.
- ‘The Vanilla Ice Project,” DIY (season premiere)
Sunday, April 24
7 p.m.
- “Rebellion,” SundanceTV (3-night miniseries premiere; birth of modern Ireland through the eyes of three women; continues at 8 p.m. April 25, 26)
8 p.m.
- “Game of Thrones,” HBO (season 6 premiere)
- “Flower Shop Mystery: Snipped in the Bud,” Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (movie; flower shop owner does more amateur sleuthing)
- “I Am Cait,” E! (season finale)
- “Sports Detectives,” Smithsonian (series premiere; hunting for missing sports treasures)
- “Barnwood Builders,” DIY (season 3 premiere)
9 p.m.
- “Silicon Valley,” HBO (season 3 premiere)
9:30 p.m.
- “Veep,” HBO (season 5 premiere)
Monday, April 25
Streaming
- “Murdoch Mysteries,” Acorn TV (U.S. premiere of Season 9; aka “The Artful Detective”)
7 p.m.
- “Mike & Molly,” CBS (time period premiere)
- “Reign,” CW (season premiere)
8 p.m.
- “Heart of a Dog,” HBO (doc; Laurie Anderson honors her beloved rat terrier Lolabelle)
- “Street Outlaws,” Discovery (season premiere)
- “Lucifer,” Fox (season 1 finale)
- “Scorpion,” CBS (season 2 finale)
9 p.m.
- “Turn: Washington’s Spies,” AMC (season 3 premiere)
- “Monica the Medium,” Freeform (season 2 premiere)
Tuesday, April 26
7 p.m.
- “Chopped Junior,” Food (season premiere)
8 p.m.
- “Top Gear,” History (season premiere)
- “Weird Wonders,” BBC America (U.S. premiere; secrets behind world’s weirdest events)
9 p.m.
- “Car Hunters,” History (series premiere; people search for their dream cars)
- “Limitless,” CBS (season 1 finale)
- “Chopped: Champions,” Food (season finale)
Wednesday, April 27
10 p.m.
- “Vice World of Sports,” Viceland (series premiere; deep dive into sports cultures)
Thursday, April 28
6 p.m.
- “La Alfombra de Premios Billboard,” Telemundo (red carpet special)
7 p.m.
“Billboard Latin Music Awards,” Telemundo (special)
9 p.m.
- “Huang’s World,” Viceland (series premiere; author and restaurateur Eddie Huang travels the world)
10 p.m.
- “King of the Road,” Viceland (series premiere; Thrasher Magazine’s annual scavenger hunt)
10:35 p.m.
- “Premios Billboard: Acceso VIP,” Telemundo (post-awards special)
Friday, April 29
Streaming
- “Team Foxcatcher,” Netflix (doc; downward spiral of millionaire John E. DuPont that led to wrestling champ David Shultz’s tragic 1996 murder)
9 p.m.
- “W. Kamau Bell: Semi-Prominent Negro,” Showtime (standup special)
Saturday, April 30
7 p.m.
- “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.” HBO (special; inductees include Cheap Trick, Chicago, Deep Purple, Steve Miller and N.W.A.)