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TV preview: New spring series have sprung – modern retellings, captivating origin stories

By Isabella Lee/Illustrations Director

By Maya Vibhakar, Puja Anand, Sanjana Chadive, and Alexis Jones

April 6, 2023 11:10 p.m.

Televisions will be in a fluorescent bloom this season.

Spring has sprung, and so have TV’s most anticipated titles. From rebooted murderous escapades to royal origin stories, shows will be showering audiences with entertainment galore.

Read on for Daily Bruin’s buzzing picks for this flowering season.

[Related: TV preview: Weather the winter season with new releases of 2023]

(Courtesy of Prime Video)
Richard Madden (left) and Priyanka Chopra (right) play Mason and Nadia in “Citadel.” The TV series airs on April 28. (Courtesy of Prime Video)

“Citadel” season 1 (Amazon Prime Video)

The heat is on in television’s newest global spy thriller.

Packed with high-stakes action and intense romance, “Citadel” is a tale of espionage and betrayal, premiering April 28 on Amazon Prime Video. Set eight years after the fall of an international spy agency called Citadel, the show focuses on former agents Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) as they fight to restore their erased memories and take down an emerging crime syndicate.

Unlike other American spy series, “Citadel” has differentiated itself by taking its international plotlines to the next level. Though “Citadel” is considered the main television series in the franchise, Amazon is also set to release spinoffs taking place in the Italian Alps, India, Spain and Mexico, featuring interconnected stories told through the countries’ local languages. Chopra Jonas stated in an interview with Variety that the use of global storytelling allows viewers around the world to engage with shows outside of their native language and culture, as they become invested in correlated plotlines within each show.

Through its action-packed plot and complex international storytelling, “Citadel” is looking to be a spy series that audiences won’t forget.

– Maya Vibhakar

(Courtesy of Monty Brinton/Paramount+)
Lizzy Caplan (left) and Joshua Jackson (right) play Alex and Dan in “Fatal Attraction.” The series airs on April 30. (Courtesy of Monty Brinton/Paramount+)

“Fatal Attraction” season 1 (Paramount+)

An ‘80s classic is getting a fatally attractive makeover.

Paramount+ has rebooted the 1987 psychosexual thriller, “Fatal Attraction,” as a series of the same name, premiering April 30. Following the same plot as the original film, a married Dan (Joshua Jackson) begins an affair with his colleague Alex (Lizzy Caplan) that yields deadly consequences.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Jackson stated that the sexual politics presented in the first film have been updated in the show to fit its modernized context. He also stated that the lengthened storytelling format will allow for more exploration and analysis of Alex’s character to explain her mindset and actions. And of course, there will be a bunny, which will undoubtedly reintroduce contemporary audiences to the origin of the term “bunny boiler.”

Based on the trailer and first-look photos, “Fatal Attraction” will be just as terrifyingly tantalizing as its predecessor.

– Alexis Jones

(Courtesy of Nick Wall/Netflix)
(Courtesy of Nick Wall/Netflix)

“Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” season 1 (Netflix)

It’s time to twirl with the Queen as her saga unfurls.

Where the first two seasons of “Bridgerton”centered around the Bridgerton children’s romances, the Netflix prequel titled “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” highlights the snarky young queen’s (India Amarteifio) journey to the crown. Premiering May 4, the limited series also gives viewers a glimpse into the lives of young Lady Agatha Danbury (Arsema Thomas) and Violet Ledger (Connie Jenkins-Greig).

Outlining the controversial marriage of Queen Charlotte and King George (Corey Mylchreest), the period piece stands apart from “Bridgerton” since it is based on the real Queen Charlotte, while the other characters are created by author Julia Quinn. The trailer colors the strong-headed queen’s life: how she falls in love, rises as royalty and tackles the pressures and secrets of society.

Channeling the energy of the “Bridgerton” series with its modern-turned-classic soundtrack, majestic costumes and racially diverse cast, the spinoff will no doubt make viewers swoon.

– Puja Anand

[Related: TV review: ‘Daisy Jones & The Six’ sings love letter to ’70s but misses beat on nuance]

(Courtesy of Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja)
(Courtesy of Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja)

“American Born Chinese” season 1 (Disney+)

After journeying to the West, the Monkey King is ready for his next adventure: high school.

Based on Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel of the same name, “American Born Chinese” will begin streaming May 24 on Disney+. The action-comedy series follows high school student Jin Wang (Ben Wang), who becomes embroiled in a centuries-old conflict with the Chinese Gods after discovering his new friend Wei-Chen (Ching Liu) is the son of the legendary Monkey King (Daniel Wu).

From the teaser, viewers are invited on an action-packed adventure that pays homage to Chinese mythology. Alongside the Monkey King, major deities including the Jade Emperor (James Hong) and Guanyin, the goddess of mercy (Michelle Yeoh), make an appearance. Yet beneath the colossal set pieces and large-scale battle sequences, however, is a story about ethnicity and belonging in everyday life. In an interview with Looper, Yang stated that the show’s commentary emphasizes the Asian American experience in the 21st century.

Through the promise of an unforgettable odyssey into the fantastical and mundane, “American Born Chinese” is sure to live up to its source material.

– Sanjana Chadive

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Maya Vibhakar
Sanjana Chadive | Lifestyle editor
Chadive is the 2023-2024 lifestyle editor. She was previously an Arts staff writer from 2022-2023. She is a third-year comparative literature student from Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania.
Chadive is the 2023-2024 lifestyle editor. She was previously an Arts staff writer from 2022-2023. She is a third-year comparative literature student from Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania.
Alexis Jones | Arts editor
Jones is the 2022-2023 Arts editor. She was previously an Arts staff writer from 2021-2022. She is a fourth-year psychology student from Las Vegas.
Jones is the 2022-2023 Arts editor. She was previously an Arts staff writer from 2021-2022. She is a fourth-year psychology student from Las Vegas.
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