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5 shows to binge on in April

Phil on Film
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Posted at 1:03 PM, Apr 05, 2022
and last updated 2022-04-05 13:03:13-04

TUCSON, Ariz. — Looking to camp out on the couch and take down a show that will keep you up too late and help you procrastinate from doing more important tasks? Here are five shows to stream.

MOON KNIGHT
Premise: An everyday guy and the life force of a mercenary inhabit the same body as they investigate mysteries of the Egyptian pantheon.
Stars: Oscar Isaac, Gaspard Ulliel, Ethan Hawke, May Calamawy.
Service: Disney+.
Why it's impossible to stop watching: Not all Marvel shows on Disney+ have been hits, but a solid cast and clever writing crew keep "Moon Knight" near the top of the heap. The series finds buried value in one of Marvel's lesser-known characters, tying them in with flair to the big-picture Marvel Cinematic Universe.

THE DROPOUT
Premise: The expose delves into the life and crimes of Elizabeth Holmes, the sparkplug CEO-turned defendant who fell from grace as a Silicon Valley darling whose blood-testing company was found to be a fraud.
Stars: Amanda Seyfried, Naveen Andrews, Kate McKinnon, William H. Macy.
Service: Hulu.
Why it's impossible to stop watching: Seyfried's Emmy-worth performance fuels the potboiler drama, which remains fascinating even if you've seen and read a ton of content delving into Holmes' story.

HALO
Premise: An adaptation of the beloved Xbox video game franchise about fighting alien soldiers.
Stars: Pablo Schreiber, Jen Taylor, Natasha McElhone, Danny Sapani.
Service: Paramount+.
Why it's impossible to stop watching: Nailing the look and feel of the games while also admirably injecting compelling characters and storylines that the source material is lacking, this is just about as good as a "Halo" adaptation could be.

BEL-AIR
Premise: A twist on the 1990s sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" is a dramatic take on the concept of a teen from South Philly moving in with wealthy SoCal relatives.
Stars: Jabari Banks, Coco Jones, Olly Sholotan, Jimmy Akingbola.
Service: Peacock.
Why it's impossible to stop watching: A strong cast of actors and incisive writing carry this series, filled with fresh takes on well-established characters that will both please and surprise fans of the old comedy series.

THE GIRL FROM PLAINVILLE
Premise: The drama delves into the 2014 case in which a teen boy committed suicide, and his girlfriend was jailed for encouraging him via text to do so.
Stars: Elle Fanning, Colton Ryan, Chloe Sevigny, Cara Buono.
Service: Hulu.
Why it's impossible to stop watching: Fanning turns in the defining performance of her burgeoning career as the troubled teen in the title role. Sevigny is also striking as the victim's devastated mother. Avoiding cliches and "After School Special"-style tropes, the series digs into befuddling speculation and questions surrounding the case.

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Phil Villarreal is the senior real-time editor for KGUN 9. He is also a digital producer and host of "Phil on Film" seen weekly on Good Morning Tucson, Phil moved to KGUN after 17 years with the Arizona Daily Star. He is married and has four children. Share your story ideas and important issues with Phil by emailing phil.villarreal@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.