Netflix is gunning hard for your viewership in 2015, rolling out more original programming than ever before. We’ve already had the return of House of Cards and The Fall, but there’s still plenty of Netflix TV series, movies, and comedy specials on the way. So, let’s get right to it. Here’s the rundown of what you can look forward to from the streaming giant for the rest of this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRnS8FkcXNk
Bloodline — March 20: Set in the Florida Keys, this drama centers around a tight-knit family of four adult siblings who must confront some old scars when their estranged brother returns home. The series has some strong creative talent at the helm with Damages co-creators Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman, and Glenn Kessler, and an all-star cast that’s sure to make the network’s jealous with Kyle Chandler, Linda Cardellini, Chloë Sevigny, Sissy Spacek, and Sam Shepard.
Derek: Special — April 3: Derek didn’t exactly pull in the audience its first season, but Ricky Gervais is bringing the 50-year-old retirement home worker back for a one-hour finale special.
Marvel’s Daredevil — April 10: It’s been over a decade since Daredevil had his reputation tarnished by Ben Affleck, so a return to form is certainly in order and the trailer looks very promising. We don’t see the classic red suit yet, but the tone certainly has a gritty feel to it, and based on Marvel’s run of hits lately, this should be another respectable entry.
Chris D’Elia: Incorrigible — April 17: D’Elia is the golden boy of the L.A. comedy scene, and NBC has been pushing hard for him to be their next comedy star, banking on him elevating Undateable out of the ashes that was Whitney. Expect an hour or so of D’Elia making fun of rappers and valley girls in this stand-up special.
Grace and Frankie — May 8: This half-hour comedy series stars Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda as two women who become frenemies when their husbands leave them for each other. The series has executive producers Marta Kauffman (Friends) and Howard Morris (Home Improvement), and it will be one of the few new shows, streaming or otherwise, with its stars both in their ’70s and navigating their way through old age in the 21st century.
Between — May 21: Imagine a world run by teens. God, what a nightmare, right? That’s more or less what Netflix has in mind with Between, a thriller starring Jennette McCurdy where a mysterious illness has wiped out every living soul over the age of 21 in her small town. McCurdy plays a pregnant teen who tries to get to the root of the disease that killed all the old folks. Netflix also won’t be releasing all the episodes at once for your binge-watching pleasure, but instead will abide by the old network format and release a new episode each week.
Jen Kirkman: I’m Gonna Die Alone and I Feel Fine — May 22: Like her former late night pal, Chelsea Handler, Jen Kirkman is also taking her talents to Netflix with this one-hour special. Kirkman already has two full-length comedy albums, Self Help (2006) and Hail to the Freaks (2011) and a handful of short TV spots, and this should be a nice addition to her budding body of work.
Sense8 — June 5: I’ve got to imagine that Syfy is a least a bit jealous of Netflix over this series, it is a creative effort by the Wachowski siblings after all. The 10-episode series follows eight characters around the globe who share both a mental and emotional connection following a tragic death. The characters struggle to find meaning in their connection while an individual named Jonas tries to unite them, and a villain who goes by Mr. Whispers attempts to hunt them down. The cast includes sci-fi vets Daryl Hannah, Lost’s Naveen Andrews, and Stargate Universe‘s Brian J. Smith.
Orange is the New Black Season — June 12: Netflix’s summertime hit returns with Piper undoubtedly dealing with old problems from the pen as well as finding a set of new ones. It’s also been confirmed that Jason Biggs will not be returning this season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llfBIJF9cxI
What Happened, Miss Simone? — June 26: Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus helms this documentary of legendary recording artist and civil rights activist Nina Simone. The musical documentary should be a must-see for fans of Simone and will offer up rare concert footage, diary entries, and interviews with family and collaborators.
Wet Hot American Summer — July 17: The teaser trailer doesn’t offer much of any of the action set to go down at Camp Firewood, but the entire cast is on-board, which is a pretty amazing considering how much busier many of them are these days. In addition to the original cast of camp counselors, we’ll also be seeing John Slattery, Paul Scheer, Rob Huebel, Michaela Watkins, and Randall Park.
Crouching Tiger: The Green Destiny — August 28: This followup to 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon will give audiences the choice of sitting on their couch, or paying $15 to watch it at an IMAX theater, as it will be released on both the same day. It’ll be interesting to see whether fans of the highly anticipated martial arts flick opt for couching it or watching the flying kicks on the big screen. Yuen Woo-ping (True Legend) will direct the script by John Fusco (The Forbidden Kingdom), and Michelle Yeoh will reprise his role from the first movie.
Bojack Horseman — TBA: Bojack was another win for Netflix in 2014, showcasing that the streaming service was capable of offering up a solid animated comedy series. Netflix renewed Bojack for a second season in August of last year, just a week after its debut. Not much has been said about its new season, but Will Arnett, Aaron Paul, Alison Brie, Amy Sedaris, and Paul F. Tompkins are all expected to return.
Chelsea Handler (documentary comedy series) — TBA: Chelsea Handler is going to be all over Netflix this year, having already released Uganda Be Kidding Me, and she will also roll out a documentary comedy series. Handler has said that it will not be focusing on the celebrity gossip that Chelsea Lately was famous for, but instead will likely focus on Handler’s travels. Expect occasional nudity?
F is for Family — TBA: After several Netflix stand-up specials, the streaming giant is finally taking a chance on Bill Burr and letting him star in his own series. Created by Bill Burr and Emmy award-winner, the half-hour animated series follows a blue-collar family in the 1970s, and as Burr put it, “It captures all the characters of my childhood the way I remember it to be.”
Hemlock Grove — TBA: Not a whole lot is know about Hemlock Grove‘s third season, but it will be the series last. Richard Gunn will reportedly be playing Aitor Quantic, a “mysterious stranger who comes to the already very mysterious and strange town.”
Knights of Sidonia — TBA: It’s not yet known when Netflix will roll out Season 2 of its exclusive mecha anime series, but Knights of Sidonia: Battle for Planet Nine is set to air in Japan next month, and the streaming service will likely purchase the international rights. Season 2 is expected to continue the story of the surviving humans in space coping with the total destruction of their planet.
Longmire — early fall: Fear not, Longmire fans, A&E might have cancelled this modern western, but Netflix has picked up the series for a fourth season that is set to start filming this month. The new season is expected to continue where Season 3 left off, with Walter investigating his wife’s murder.
Narcos — TBA: This drama series will pull from real-life events circling around the international distribution of cocaine. The show will feature dramatic interpretations of such infamous cartels as Pablo Escobar and star Brazilian film actor Wagner Moura and Game of Thrones’ Pedro Pascal.
Club de Cuervos — TBA: This will be Netflix’s first series aimed at its Spanish-speaking audience, and it will be a 13-episode comedy series centered around a family feuding on how to handle a soccer team following the owner’s death.
Chef’s Table — TBA: Netflix will expand its programming later this year with its first docu-series, focusing on “six of the worlds most renowned international chefs, and offering viewers the opportunity to go inside the lives and kitchens of these culinary talents.”
Marseille — TBA: Created by Carlos co-writer, Dan Franck, Netflix is betting on Marseille as its French version House of Cards, with a story centered around the port city’s mayor of 25 years going up against a much younger, but just as blood-thirsty candidate in an election. Brush up on your French because the entire series will be spoken in the Parisian tongue.
Marvel’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones — TBA: Jessica Jones already has some solid buzz around it, and the addition of Doctor Who’s David Tennant will only add to the hype. The series stars Krysten Ritter as a woman who’s trying to rebuild herself after a disappointing stint as a superhero. While Jessica might just be a rookie sleuth, she will find herself dealing with cases that involve individuals of extraordinary ability.
