February may be the shortest month of the year, but it is definitely not short on good new TV. We’ve got much-anticipated reboots, new seasons of cult favorites and a lot of delightful-looking brand-new shows and movies — quite a few with exciting Jewish stars and twists.
Here is all the Jewish and Jew-ish TV coming in February:
February 6: “Kinda Pregnant” (Netflix)
After the excellent “Trainwreck,” Amy Schumer is, once again, starring in a rom-com, and this time it’s a Happy Madison production (that’s Adam Sandler’s production company, for those not in the know!). It also happens to be directed by Adam Sandler’s nephew, Tyler Spindel, who previously directed 2023’s “The Out-Laws.” The movie is Schumer’s first big project since her very Jewish and very wonderful TV series “Life & Beth” got canceled (why????).
In “Kinda Pregnant,” Schumer plays Lainey, a woman in her 40s who, according to the Netflix synopsis, puts on a fake pregnant belly when her “plans to settle down and start a family fall apart.” This leads her to “accidentally fall for her dream guy,” played by an incredibly endearing Will Forte. While the movie takes place in New York, it doesn’t look particularly Jewish, but it does look like a very Sandleresque diverting watch.
February 16: “The White Lotus” (HBO, Season 3)
As a Jewish TV writer, I spend a lot more time than I should be trying to find excuses to write about “The White Lotus.” I’m sad to say that despite the third season being set at a frequent Israeli tourist destination, Thailand, I doubt there’ll be much Judaism in the newest installment of the hit HBO show.
But there is one important Jewish component to it: It stars one of my favorite British Jewish actors, Jason Isaacs, as a wealthy dad of three vacationing at the resort chain with his family. Also, Sam Nivola, son of Jew-ish actor Alessandro Nivola, who recently starred in the pretty Jewish “Big Cigar,” plays Isaacs’ son.
February 20: “Zero Day” (Netflix)
Last month, I wrote about how Israeli actor Mark Ivanir is literally everywhere — including in the big Oscars contender “Emilia Perez.” This month he plays Natan, a quite clearly Israeli “intelligence operative… from an era when intelligence — and trust — still mattered,” according to Netflix’s Tudum, in the presidential drama “Zero Day.” Oh, and he also plays Robert De Niro’s former President George Mullen’s closest confidant, because of course he’s best friends with De Niro. Also in this show is one of our favorite Jewish actresses, Lizzy Kaplan (“Fleishman Is In Trouble” and “Masters of Sex”), who plays Mullen’s daughter Alexandra, a New York congressional rep trying to distance herself from her father and his legacy. In the show, the former president gets brought out of retirement to investigate a dire nationwide cyberterrorist attack while facing his own personal demons. “Right now, our actual world is scarier,” De Niro told Netflix.
February 23: “Suits LA” (NBC)
We don’t really know if this spinoff of the hit Meghan Markle show “Suits” will feature any Jewish characters, though we are hopeful for a cameo from the original’s show iconic but lovable Jewish villain, lawyer Louis Litt. What we do know is that the show stars one of the dreamiest Jewish actors around, Bryan Greenberg, who plays entertainment lawyer Rick Dodson, who, from perusing his office in the trailer, appears to be a music and Philadelphia Eagles fan, which does feel like everyone’s nice Jewish cousin from Philly.
February 26: “Survivor” (CBS, Season 48)
“Survivor” is back for another season, and it appears it has at least one Jewish contestant: former New Yorker latchkey kid Stephanie Berger, a lover of Mardi Gras whose favorite “Survivor” quote is Parvati’s, “Is that kosher?” She’s a Teach for America teacher who turned into a business big shot and has a very winning chortle. I’m already rooting for her.
February 27: “House of David” (Prime Video)
This may feel sacrilegious, but no biblical king has more teen idol vibes than King David. It’s not surprising that Prime Video is airing a TV series about the Jewish ruler that looks pretty epic. This is the most explicitly (non-Israeli) Jewish show in this list, but I feel a little weary of it because of the Christian moviemaking team behind the limited series. The cast of the show is incredibly diverse: Egyptian American actor Michael Iskander plays David, Palestinian actor Ali Suleiman plays his father, King Saul, and British actress Indy Lewis (“Industry”) plays Mychal who narrates the series’ trailer.
It also features some pretty big Jewish and Israeli names: Stephen Lang plays Samuel, Ayelet Zurer (“Shtisel,” “Man of Steel,” “Munich,” “Losing Alice”) plays Queen Achinoam, Oded Fehr (“The Mummy,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “Night Therapy”) plays Abner, Yali Topol Margalith (“A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,” “The Tattooist of Auschwitz,” granddaughter of the great Chaim Topol) plays Mirab (Meirav).
February 27: “Running Point” (Netflix)
Schmidt is back!! Well, sort of. “New Girl” star Max Greenfield, who played the iconic Jewish character, is playing another Jewish one, Doctor Lev Levy (could you possibly find a more Jewish name), in the very fun-looking basketball comedy which stars nice Jewish actress Kate Hudson as a woman who gets called in to manage her family’s basketball team. Dr. Levy is a pediatrician and the very supportive fiancé of Kate’s Isla Gordon. Here’s hoping the show, and Greenfield’s character, are a slam dunk (I’m sorry, I don’t know a lot of basketball terms but I think I got this cheesy one right?).
February 28: “Kugel” (IZZY)
We saved the best for last! “Shtisel” is finally coming back — in a way. Two of our favorite characters from the Israeli show about a Haredi family in Jerusalem are at the center of this new prequel based in the Belgian city of Antwerp which, in case you didn’t know, is home to a big ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. Sasson Gabbay, who gave us the show’s most iconic lines, “Rheso’im arurim” (cursed villains), returns as Nuchem Shtisel, a diamond dealer who can’t seem to do quite right by his clients. And Hadas Yaron, who also recently starred in “We Were the Lucky Ones,” returns to play his daughter, Libbi, dreaming of her perfect match but also secretly dreaming up stories. I’m already enchanted.
