4 best Netflix shows to watch (and 2 to skip) in April 2024

A new month means new shows on Netflix! While 2024 has gotten off to a slower start as far as Netflix shows are concerned, March brought a fair share of new hits with The Gentlemen and 3 Body Problem, as well as underrated darlings like Girls5eva. Thankfully, April has plenty more to binge-watch where those excellent titles came from.

Sure, there aren't any big-name returns headed for our watch lists in the coming month (we'll have to wait a bit longer for some of the streamer's biggest originals), but there's no shortage of content to check out. Andrew Scott stars in the new limited series Ripley, while the Upshaw family returns for more shenanigans in the fifth part of the sitcom The Upshaws.

But what about the unscripted content? Should you watch the long awaited sixth season of The Circle or skip Justin Willman's new magic prank show? Between Heartbreak High and Dead Boy Detectives, which teen show is the must-watch? We're sharing the shows to watch and the shows to save for another time on Netflix's list of new releases for April 2024.

Ripley

Watch! Based on Patricia Highsmith's book The Talented Mr. Ripley, which inspired the hit 1999 film of the same name starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, and Gwyneth Paltrow, Netflix's new limited series Ripley tells the story across eight episodes. Andrew Scott stars as Tom Ripley, who's hired to convince wayward son of luxury Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) to return to his home. The series, which takes place in the 1960s and is presented in black and white, also stars Dakota Fanning in Paltrow's role of Marge Sherwood. Don't miss what's sure to be a critically acclaimed and award-nominated limited series when it makes its premiere on April 4.

Dead Boy Detectives

Watch! Although Dead Boy Detectives was original intended to release on Max, the series based on DC Comics characters moved to Netflix and will release its eight-episode first season on Netflix on April 25. The series centers on Edwin Payne (George Rexstrew) and Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri), teenagers born years apart who have one thing in common: They're dead. The ghosts join forces to solve paranormal mysteries while fighting against some evil forces themselves. Doesn't that sound like fun? (As an added bonus, the series takes place in the same universe as Netflix's The Sandman.)

The Magic Prank Show with Justin Willman

Skip! Justin Willman, the host best known for Food Network's Cupcake Wars and Netflix's Baking Impossible (among others), brings his magic skills to the forefront in his new Netflix reality series The Magic Prank Show. In the six-episode series, magician and comedian Willman works with his fellow magicians to team up with people to pull some pranks you have to see to believe. He helps a little brother get revenge on his big sister with a magical prank and other hilariously wild circumstances. It's like Punk'd but with magic! If you like magic and pranks, it's the show for you. But if you don't, it's probably best to skip the series and watch something else.

The Circle season 6

Watch! It's been a long time since Netflix dropped a new season of The Circle. The fifth season last premiered in December 2022 and ended its run in January 2023. That's quite the wait for fans of the reality competition series! Even though it's not quite the same as the streamer's other top reality competition titles like Love is Blind and Too Hot to Handle, it's just as insanely watchable. Now that we're seemingly in a temporary drought for those shows on Netflix, it's time to get into The Circle season 6 when it begins streaming on April 17. And don't worry: Netflix has already renewed the show for a seventh season, so there's even more to come!

The Upshaws part 5

Watch! Look, comedies are few and far between on Netflix. It seems that it's the genre with the least success on Netflix these days, when it comes to the streamer's own originals at least. But the Netflix original comedy series that has managed to outlast many of the others is the funny and charming family sitcom The Upshaws. Mike Epps, Kim Fields, and Wanda Sykes lead the series, which returns on April 18 with six more episodes making up the second part of season 3 and the fifth part of the series overall. Netflix has already renewed the sitcom for a 10-episode fourth season, surely to be dubbed as "part 6."

Heartbreak High season 2

Skip! A reboot of the 1994 Australian teen drama series of the same name, Heartbreak High premiered on Netflix back in September 2022 with its first season and became a fan-favorite. The series nabbed a decent viewership, earned positive reviews, and won an International Emmy Award. However, if you're not a fan of the genre or haven't already started watching the show, it's unlikely that the second season will be on your radar when it finally makes its premiere on April 11. Of course, diehard fans will be tuning in, but those not interested in teen dramas should skip it.

What Netflix shows will you be watching and skipping in April?