Widescreen: Five can't-miss spring television shows to mark on your calendar

Posted January 06, 2023 5:00 am

Sean Stangland

Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) hide from the monsters that have taken over the country in “The Last of Us.” Courtesy of HBO

We've reached the post-”Avatar,” pre-Oscar period of the entertainment calendar that is usually dedicated to catching up with the fall's awards bait, but there is plenty of great original content coming to your home setup this spring. Here are five dates to circle on your TV calendar:

Sunday, Jan. 15

HBO's next big thing lands in two weeks: “The Last of Us,” a prestige adaptation of the Sony PlayStation game franchise from “Chernobyl” showrunner Craig Mazin. Cable's heaviest hitter is betting this post-apocalyptic tale about a grieving father (Pedro Pascal) who must shepherd a teenager (Bella Ramsey) across the country to possibly cure a monstrous pandemic will, at last, be the first truly great drama based on a video game. The franchise's 2013 installment wowed players with its writing, acting and knockout-punch of an ending; the 2020 sequel was more disturbing - and more divisive.

Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) and Red (Kurtwood Smith) are back in "That '90s Show." Courtesy of Netflix

Thursday, Jan. 19

Red and Kitty Forman (Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp) are still doling out jokes and (grand)parental wisdom from their Wisconsin kitchen in “That '90s Show,” a Netflix continuation of Fox's eight-season smash “That '70s Show.” The funny, famous kids from the first show - Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Laura Prepon and Wilmer Valderrama - will return as guest stars, but their kids now take center stage in a 1995-set sitcom co-written by the original duo of Bonnie and Terry Turner.

Thursday, Feb. 16

The first season of “Star Trek: Picard” tried too hard to be a dark, adult space adventure. The second season tried too hard to be all things to all fans. The third and final season looks like they've finally nailed it - all they had to do was bring back the entire principal cast of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”! Patrick Stewart (Picard) is joined by Jonathan Frakes (Riker), Brent Spiner (Data), LeVar Burton (Geordi), Michael Dorn (Worf), Gates McFadden (Crusher) and Marina Sirtis (Troi). Dare we dream of Picard and Crusher finally falling into each other's arms, 36 years after “TNG” premiered?

Grogu joins his surrogate dad for more adventures in "The Mandalorian." Courtesy of DISNEY+

Wednesday, March 1

The Year of Pedro Pascal continues on Disney+, where the third season of “The Mandalorian” finds the title character reunited with his surrogate son/tiny Jedi buddy Grogu. The trailer offers glimpses of Mando at odds with fellow warrior Bo-Katan (Katie Sackhoff) and paying another visit to wacky mechanic Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris). We can also surmise that Rosario Dawson will return as dual-wielding saber-rattler Ahsoka Tano, who will be getting a Disney+ “Star Wars” show of her own later this year.

Friday, March 17

Keira Knightley and Carrie Coon star in “Boston Strangler,” a Ridley Scott production about two reporters chasing the scoop on Albert DeSalvo, the real-life 1960s serial killer of the title. The film will premiere at home on Hulu, which might normally be a worrying sign, but let's not forget that last year's tremendous “Prey” also exclusively premiered on the platform.

Sean Stangland is an assistant news editor who has been waiting for an excuse to play “The Last of Us Part II” again.

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