Ten New and Returning Shows to Watch on Netflix in April 2021

April is upon us, and with it Netflix is set to deliver another haul of new and returning shows, including Jamie Foxx's return to TV comedy, the long awaited fantasy series Shadow and Bone, a new season of The Circle, and much more.

Here are the new releases we're most looking forward to in April:

Prank Encounters (Season 2)

While we're not likely to see Stranger Things 4 land on Netflix until this summer, Gaten Matarazzo is back hosting the second season of his elaborate hidden-camera prank show. Pairing two unsuspecting strangers for a seemingly mundane day, events take a turn for the terrifying. Think spiders, zombie attacks, and other scary surprises before the Stranger Things star reveals it's all a ready-for-April-Fools-Day set-up.
Available April 1

Worn Stories (NEW series)

From producer Jenji Kohan, this new docuseries based on Emily Spivack's book of the same name brings her sartorial memoir to life, delving into the meaning behind specific items and the wider stories they tell. Each episode explores a different theme, capturing poignant and often hilarious anecdotes about the items we hold onto and how clothing helps build identity. Interviews with cultural figures are mixed with archival footage and illustrations as the show performs a deep dive into our closets.
Available April 1

The Serpent (NEW series)

The Serpent tells the story of 1970s serial killer Charles Sobhraj (Tahar Rahim) and those he ensnared in his trap. Told in a non-linear fashion, the story cuts between Sobhraj and the dogged few who were convinced a mass murderer was preying on tourists traveling in Southeast Asia. Jenna Coleman plays Marie-Andrée, a woman whose involvement in the whole scheme adds to the complexity. A BBC/Netflix co-production that initially shot in Thailand before production was shut down, and completed in the UK.
Available April 2

Snabba Cash (NEW series)

Set ten years after the events of the movie trilogy of the same name (the 2010 film starred Joel Kinnaman), this Swedish crime thriller reboot follows single mother Leya (Evin Ahmed), who quickly finds that juggling motherhood, difficult relationships, and trying to make it in the status-driven startup world are far from simple. Meaning "easy money," Snabba Cash depicts an entrepreneurial jet-set lifestyle colliding with a criminal element all hoping to make a quick buck while reaping the lavish benefits.
Available April 7

The Wedding Coach (NEW series)

Comedian and author Jamie Lee is the wedding coach of the title, but rather than leaning into the fantasy of weddings, this six-episode series explores the more stressful side of planning your big day. Lee's role is to help the couples navigate the huge pressures that often come with public nuptuals, including managing in-laws and offering a practical perspective that doesn't demand perfection. She also brings a different plus-one comedian to each installment with Fortune Feimster, Matteo Lane, and Punkie Johnson heading up the guest list.
Available April 7

This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Heist (NEW docuseries)

The robbery took place at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston over St. Patrick's Day weekend in 1990 but its ripple effect was felt across the globe. This four-part docuseries from the producers of The Irishman explores how the biggest art heist in history has ties to the mob, and why the still-unsolved mystery continues to confound investigators thirty years later.
Available April 7

My Love: Six Stories of True Love (NEW series)

What are the secrets for long-lasting love? Taking a different approach in depicting real-life romance, Korean director Jin Mo-young has adapted his 2013 documentary My Love, Don't Cross That River into a six-part series. The original movie portrayed a couple who had been married for 76 years, and the couples featured in My Love have been together from between 43 to 60 years. Spending a year with each pair, local filmmakers capture the intimacy of a lifetime together in countries including the US, India, Korea, and Spain.
Available April 13

Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! (NEW series)

Reuniting Jamie Foxx with The Jamie Foxx Show showrunner Bentley Kyle Evans, this multi-cam sitcom is inspired by the Oscar-winner's relationship with daughter Corinne Foxx (who serves as an executive producer). Foxx plays a successful businessman and bachelor who is also a full-time father to adolescent daughter Sasha (Kyla-Drew) — cue the Obama jokes. Turning to those nearest to him for advice, this multi-generational family comedy includes his father (David Alan Grier) and sister Chelsea (Porscha Coleman). Awkward parents are highly relatable no matter your age.
Available April 14

The Circle (Season 2)

Actress and comedian Michelle Buteau returns with the COVID-delayed second season of last year's surprise smash hit The Circle. Like last year, the season will be released over multiple weeks, with four-episode batches dropping Wednesdays, leading up to the finale on May 5. 
First four episodes avaialble April 14

Shadow and Bone (NEW series)

Shadow and Bone is the latest worldwide bestselling fantasy novel series getting a streaming adaptation. Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse novels are set in a war-torn world that is further threatened by the Shadow Fold. Lowly soldier and orphan Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) discovers she has powers and is pulled from her regular life to train with elite magical soldiers Grisha. It's going to take more than magical abilities to survive this world in which dangerous forces are at play lurking around every corner.
Available April 23

The Innocent (NEW series)

Author Harlan Coben signed a multi-million dollar contract with the streamer and this makes the third book to be released as part of their five-year development deal — there are 14 titles up for grabs. The Spanish adaptation is another twisty thriller and this story follows Matteo (Mario Casas), a man who was imprisoned for murder (after he accidentally killed a man while trying to break up a fight). In the present, Matteo is attempting to rebuild his life, but his world is thrown into chaos after someone rings his wife, Olivia (Aura Garrido), and reawakens this nightmare.
Available April 30

Emma Fraser has wanted to write about TV since she first watched My So-Called Life in the mid-90s, finally getting her wish over a decade later. Follow her on Twitter at @frazbelina.