‘Mankind’ on Mars, Religious Drama on Hulu and Fox Nation, Colorful Comedy, the Return of BTS

For All Mankind

One of the streamer’s very first original series, an alternative-history space drama that often feels like The West Wing with a NASA backdrop, returns after a two-year hiatus for a fascinating fifth season, taking another time jump to 2012. Tensions are running high between the Happy Valley colony on Mars and “Earth First” political factions back home, with backlash following negative news about the turmoil on the Red Planet. A new generation of characters, including OG astronaut Ed Baldwin’s (Joel Kinnaman) now-grown grandson Alex (Sean Kaufman), may decide the future of Mars and space exploration beyond. A sixth and final season has already been ordered.

House of David

As we head into Palm Sunday weekend, Biblical drama once again is making a comeback. The lavish production depicting the life of the shepherd who will become king of ancient Israel returns for a second season (available for binge-watching), starring Michael Iskander as David, whose humble roots are a thing of the past after his triumph against the Philistine giant Goliath. Now celebrated as a warrior, David approaches his destiny while King Saul (Ali Suliman) wrestles with his demons and puts the young David in a bind when he commands the lad to marry his daughter Mirab (Yali Topol Margalith) after he’s already fallen for her younger sister Mychal (Indy Lewis).

Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints

The famed director’s Biblical docudrama series returns for a special Easter season installment, all about Mary, the mother of Jesus. As host, narrator, and executive producer, Scorsese appears in an introduction, describing his own childhood in Little Italy and the meaning of Easter to his community. The episode profiles the virgin mother from when she is visited by an angel through the birth of the Christ child and her maternal devotion up to and following the sacrifice of the crucifixion.

Color Theories by Julio Torres

Having once rhapsodized about My Favorite Shapes in an acclaimed 2019 comedy special, the creative visionary behind Los Espookys and Fantasmas is back for a second special, this time sharing his whimsical perspective on the world through colors. For Torres, red represents rage (prompting a fun Real Housewives take), blue symbolizes rules and order, and “beige is what millennials have become.” Captured during a recent off-Broadway run, his set of gently offbeat observations will make you look at a color wheel differently.

BTS: The Return

This has been a banner week for BTS fans, with the Korean boy-band supergroup drawing millions to a livestreamed concert last weekend, then holding court with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. As a bookend to the concert special, Netflix presents a making-of documentary, following the seven musicians as they reunite in Los Angeles after completing their mandatory military service in South Korea, creating new music for their latest album, and preparing for a global tour.