This post originally ran on our Jewish TV Club Substack.
April is full of exciting Jewish TV! Most of the very explicitly Jewish TV comes from shows that began airing earlier on. “Reformed” and “The Pitt” on Max will continue to air new episodes, and the excellent “Kugel” will air its last episode of the season on April 10. But there are also a lot of new shows with fascinating Jewish backgrounds and thrilling new stars.
April 4: “Dying for Sex” (Hulu)
This show is based on a 2020 podcast by Nikki Boyer, in which she talks with her best friend Molly about her experience dealing with Stage 4 cancer and her journey of sexual discovery after her diagnosis. It was funny and raunchy and real. Molly’s real name was Molly Kochan, and she was Jewish — she passed away in 2019. In her posthumously released autobiography, she even writes about her and her mother’s early fascination with Orthodox Judaism and her experience with Jewish dayschools in the city.
In the show, Molly is played by Michelle Williams, herself a mother of Jewish children married to director Thomas Kail. Boyer’s stand-in is played by very funny Jewish mom Jenny Slate. Molly’s husband, who she leaves after a 15 year marriage, is played “Transparent’s” Jay Duplass.
April 4: “Secrets Declassified With David Duchovny” (History)
Mulder, aka David Duchovny, is back to uncover the truth (that is, of course, out there) in a fun History Channel show where the Jewish actor and grandson of Yiddish writer Moshe Duchovny uncovers recently declassified state secrets. I’m into it.
April 10: “Hacks,” season 4 (Max)
We all know Jean Smart’s character in “Hacks” is based on some iconic Jewish comedians, and also Hannah Einbinder is the daughter of SNL legend Laraine Newman and Chad Einbinder. Last season featured a very odd and somehow unforgettable non-Jewish bat mitzvah moment and I won’t be surprised if this season also features some out of left field Jewish references.
April 13: “The Last of Us,” season 2 (Max)
I’m still holding out hope that, like in the action adventure game “The Last of Us: Part II” that inspired this season of the wildly popular post-apocalyptic zombie drama, Dina (Eli’s friend-turned-girlfriend) will be Jewish. But if not (sigh) at least we know that Neil Druckmann, the game’s creator and the TV show’s executive producer, was inspired by his experience growing up in Israel when he created the second game.
April 20: “The Rehearsal,” season 2 (Max)
The trippiest Jewish show of all is returning. Nathan Fielder’s show, which gave us a truly fascinating take on interfaith parenting during its first season, is coming back. As always, we have no idea what to expect — in the best of ways.
April 23: “The Children of October 7” (Paramount+)
Singer, dancer, social media maven and activist Montana Tucker is featured in this upcoming documentary which tells the stories of children whose lives were affected by the October 7 massacre.
April 24: “Étoile” (Prime Video)
The Sherman-Palladinos (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Gilmore Girls”) are back with a new ballet show after their short-lived but delightful “Bunheads.” Jewish French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg stars as Genevieve, the head of France’s national ballet company, who embarks on an unconventional exchange with New York’s dance company, run by Luke Kirby’s Jack (Lenny Bruce in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”). Gideon Glick, also from “Maisel,” returns as a gifted choreographer. I’m so excited to jump back into a show created by this duo, where we’re guaranteed a visually lush world and dialogue set to super-speed.
April 24: “You,” season 5 (Netflix)
This year, we say goodbye to the most Jewishly named serial killer Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley, swoon! (Also love this “You”/”Gossip Girl”/”Nobody Wants This” crossover.) There have been a few Jewish jokes about his last name throughout the series’ run and we do get a glimpse of his Jewish mother and troubled past, but other than that, the show isn’t particularly Jewish, though the author of the books, Caroline Kepnes, wrote them during a dark time in her life in which she was dealing with the death of her Jewish father.
April 25: ‘“Jessica Kirson: I’m the Man” (Hulu)
Hilarious Jewish comedian Jessica Kirson, who in her 50s became a bit of a viral sensation, has a fun new special coming out at the end of the month. The lesbian comic and Jewish mother often brings her Jewish identity into her hilarious shows. Fun fact: She’s also Zach Braff’s stepsister. The more you know!
