As springtime rolls around, Friday nights mean dining alfresco, rooftop bars, outdoor parties and generally blowing off steam from the stressors of winter. Hand-in-hand with all that fun are the inevitable hungover Saturday mornings, which make for the perfect excuse to binge-watch light-hearted comedies and gripping thrillers.
Here are our picks for the best shows premiering or returning this spring, from nostalgic reboots to super-topical snapshots of modern dating (Aziz Ansari, you just get us). Grab a glass of rosé, prepare some popcorn and get excited about these upcoming TV gems.
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Season 9 premieres on VH1 on March 24
If your idea of staying in and “reading” on a Friday night doesn’t involve books, then get ready for the next lineup of girls competing to be crowned “America’s next drag superstar.” There is even promise of hot-off-the-Superbowl Lady Gaga making an appearance this season.
Grace and Frankie
Season 3 drops on Netflix on March 24
Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda return as two baby boomers who have to deal with their respective former husbands getting remarried... to each other.
13 Reasons Why
The series premieres on Netflix on March 31
The much anticipated adaptation of Jay Asher’s bestseller was announced by executive producer Selena Gomez, who termed it a “passion project.” The show follows a group of teenagers uncovering the truth behind a classmate’s tragic suicide by listening to tapes she left behind that outline the “13 reasons” why she took her own life.
Better Call Saul
Season 3 premieres on AMC on April 10
There are rumors circulating about a possible storyline involving Gus Fring, which means that this will be a killer season for the Breaking Bad spinoff.
Mystery Science Theatre 3000
The series premieres on Netflix on April 14
Sci-fi aficionados, rejoice! This cult classic, which originally ran from 1988 to 1997, about a janitor who is trapped by mad scientists and forced to watch B-movies is back, this time with Patton Oswalt, Felicia Day and Jonah Ray.
Veep
Season 6 premieres on HBO on April 16
Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns as the sassy, overwhelmed, witty Selina Meyer—the recently ousted first female POTUS and former VPOTUS.
The Leftovers
The final season premieres on HBO on April 16
An ominous trailer for the final season plunges us deep into the post-sudden departure world, when 140 million people inexplicably disappeared all at once.
Fargo
Season 3 premieres on FX on April 19
The Emmy award-nominated Coen brothers spin-off returns for another season of its darkly comedic portrayal of a small North Dakota town. Expect Ewan McGregor, Jim Gaffigan and Carrie Coon to be part of a whole new storyline.
Bill Nye Saves the World
The series premieres on Netflix on April 21
Admit it: you never paid attention to your seventh grade science teacher but you can recite an entire Bill Nye the Science Guy episode by heart... Right? The beloved icon and recent environmental protection advocate returns after a 19-year hiatus with a talk show that invites guests to explore modern scientific issues.
Girlboss
The series drops on Netflix on April 21
This new series chronicles the career of Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso, who grew an eBay site into a multi-million dollar retail company and has since been referred to as the “Cinderella of tech.”
Silicon Valley
Season 4 premieres on HBO on April 21
Speaking of tech: the boys are back with sharp one-liners and ambitions of making it big in the competitive Northern California tech industry after which the show is named.
Dear White People
The series drops on Netflix on April 24
Despite (or because of) the controversial response to the trailer, this is one of the most highly anticipated shows of the season. Based on the 2014 eponymous film, the show has been praised by early reviewers for retaining the humor and satire of the original, which explores racial relations and identities across Ivy League schools.
The Handmaid’s Tale
The series drops on Hulu on April 26
Based on the Margaret Atwood novel, this new Hulu original tells the story of a post-apocalyptic world where infertility is a widespread epidemic and the few women with child-bearing abilities are subjugated by a totalitarian government. Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) and Samira Wiley (Orange is the New Black) are expected to bring some of the most powerful female performances we’ll see this year.
Master of None
Season 2 drops on Netflix on May 15
Aziz Ansari, Eric Wareheim and Noel Wells return for the second season of this hit show, which won the Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Emmy last year. As seen in the teaser, Dev will be embarking on a voyage to Italy with his pal Arnold to become a pasta chef.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Season 3 drops on Netflix on May 19
You may already have seen the season's viral trailer, which features Titus Burgess “lemonading” in Beyonce’s iconic yellow dress through New York City streets with a baseball bat in hand. Expect appearances by Jon Hamm (probably), some Pinot Noir (hopefully) and more killer one-liners from Tina Fey and her team (definitely).
Twin Peaks
The series premieres on Showtime on May 21
You thought the second season of Master of None was taking a long time? David Lynch’s masterpiece is coming back after 25 years, featuring most of the original cast and crew—including Lynch himself in the director’s chair.
House of Cards
Season 5 drops on Netflix on May 30
After trolling the inauguration by releasing a trailer while the world watched our 45th president getting sworn into office, House of Cards is gearing up to put Frank Underwood back in the oval during the show's fifth season.