Winter isn’t quite over yet, but Spring TV has definitely arrived. From an Aretha Franklin miniseries to a drama about high school students figuring out who they are, there are plenty of television and broadcast projects to check out this March.
HBO Max’s “Generation” (March 11), created by the teenage Zelda Barnz and her father, Daniel, sees a group of high schoolers navigating sexuality and all the other ups and downs of adolescent life — family, school, future plans — in a largely conservative community. Kari Skogland takes on directing duties for Disney+’s latest MCU show, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (March 19), and Demi Lovato gets personal in the YouTube docuseries “Dancing with the Devil” (March 23).
The latest installment of anthology series “Genius” will explore the mark Aretha Franklin made on the world through her music and activism. Cynthia Erivo portrays the legendary Queen of Soul in “Genius: Aretha” (March 21), and Pulitzer-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks serves as showrunner.
A slew of women-driven documentaries are also set to broadcast this month. Among them are OWN’s “(In)Visible Portraits” (March 2) and HBO’s “Tina” (March 27). The former, from Oge Egbuonu, is a celebration of American Black women, past and present, the latter a portrait of iconic songstress Tina Turner.
Of course, March will also see the return of several beloved series by and about women. Syfy’s “Wynonna Earp” will begin airing its final episodes March 5 and the fourth season of “Good Girls” debuts March 7 on NBC.
Here are this month’s premiering and returning women-driven and women-created TV projects. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted.
TV and Episodic Premieres
“(In)Visible Portraits” (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Oge Egbuonu (Premieres March 2 on OWN)
“(In)Visible Portraits”
“(In)Visible Portraits,” the feature documentary directorial debut from Oge Egbuonu, shatters the too-often invisible otherizing of Black women in America and reclaims the true narrative as told in their own words. The film illuminates the history of how we got here, dismantles the false framework of the present-day reality, celebrates the extraordinary heritage of exceptional Black women, and ignites hope for the next generation.
“Covid Diaries NYC” (Documentary) – Directed by Aracelie Colón, Camille Dianand, Rosemary Colón-Martinez, Marcial Pilataxi, Shane Fleming, and Arlet Guallpa (Premieres March 9 on HBO)
This documentary chronicles the lives of five young filmmakers, ranging in age from 17 to 21, who turn their cameras on themselves to tell the stories of their families during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. The deeply personal film illuminates the plight of essential workers and their families during the early days of the COVID-19 crisis as they navigate the deadly virus and a country riven by social upheaval.
“Generation” – Created by Zelda Barnz and Daniel Barnz (Premieres March 11 on HBO Max)
“Generation”
“Generation” is a dark yet playful half-hour following a group of high school students whose exploration of modern sexuality (devices and all) tests deeply entrenched beliefs about life, love, and the nature of family in their conservative community. The ensemble cast includes Chase Sui Wonders, Chloe East, Haley Sanchez, Lukita Maxwell, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Nathanya Alexander, Nava Mau, Uly Schlesinger, Justice Smith, and Martha Plimpton.
“Cold Courage” – Directed by Agneta Fagerström-Olsson and Kadir Ferati Balci (Premieres March 11 on AMC+)
“Cold Courage”: Viaplay
Based on the award-winning and best-selling novels from Finnish journalist Pekka Hiltunen, “Cold Courage” follows two women as they collide during a series of murders in present-day London. As they are drawn together through a clandestine group called the “Studio,” they seek to right the wrongs of the powerful, influential, and corrupt – starting with a dangerous, charismatic politician looking to put the “Great” back into Great Britain.
“Isabel” (Miniseries) (Premieres March 12 on HBO Max)
“Isabel”
“Isabel” is a story about forgiveness and overcoming pain to achieve success. At the peak of her career, Isabel (Daniela Ramírez) receives the devastating news that her adult daughter is on the verge of dying. She abandons everything to become a full-time mother and her daughter dies in her arms a year later. In parallel, viewers will witness the passion and risks taken by a woman who is willing to break all socially accepted standards of her time to pursue happiness. Isabel must leave her native Chile due to political conflicts, abandoning everything for love and immersing herself into literature to heal her wounds. The pain may have bent her, but it never breaks her.
“Busy Inside” (Documentary) – Directed by Olga Lvoff (Premieres March 16 on WORLD Channel)
Karen Marshall is a respected therapist who treats patients with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) — the condition of having multiple personalities often resulting from child abuse. Among her patients is Marshay, a biracial musician, who sometimes struggles to believe that she really has DID. Marshay works with Karen to overcome her painful childhood memories, embrace her multiple personalities, and find peace. But Karen is still haunted by her own past, juggling 17 of her own alter egos. “Busy Inside” works to return dignity to those with DID and bring better understanding of it through an honest portrayal of people who live with it every day and giving audiences a direct window into their inner world.
“Country Comfort” – Created by Caryn Lucas (Premieres March 19 on Netflix)
After hitting the skids in her career, an aspiring country singer (Katharine McPhee) finds new life as a nanny for a handsome widower (Eddie Cibrian) and his five charming children.
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (Miniseries) – Directed by Kari Skogland (Premieres March 19 on Disney+)
Following the events of “Avengers: Endgame,” Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) team up in a global adventure that tests their abilities — and their patience.
“Sky Rojo” (Premieres March 19 on Netflix)
A fatal turn of events at a brothel sends three women haunted by their pasts on a wild run from their pimp and his henchmen.
“Genius: Aretha” (Miniseries) – Developed by Suzan-Lori Parks (Premieres March 21 on National Geographic)
“Genius: Aretha”
“Genius” is anthology series focusing on the untold stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators. This season will explore Aretha Franklin’s (Cynthia Erivo) musical genius, her incomparable career, and the immeasurable impact she has had on music and culture.
“Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil” (Docuseries) (Premieres March 23 on YouTube)
“Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil”: OBB Media
Demi Lovato holds nothing back in this powerful four-part documentary series exploring every aspect that led to her nearly fatal overdose in 2018, and her awakenings in the aftermath. The filmmakers are granted unprecedented access to the superstar’s personal and musical journey during the most trying time of her life, as she unearths her prior traumas and discovers the importance of her physical, emotional, and mental health. Far deeper than an inside look beyond the celebrity surface, this is an intimate portrait of addiction, and the process of healing and empowerment.
“Cocktails and Tall Tales with Ina Garten and Melissa McCarthy” (Special) (Premieres March 26 on Discovery+)
Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, and Melissa McCarthy have long been fans of one another from afar. Now the two are finally getting to meet, virtually that is, with “Cocktails and Tall Tales with Ina Garten and Melissa McCarthy.” In the special, shot on location from Ina’s home in East Hampton, New York, as well as from outside Sydney, Australia, where Melissa and her family have been the last few months, these two megastars invite fans to join them for cocktails and a unique one-on-one conversation.
“Into the Dark: Blood Moon” (TV Movie) – Directed by Emma Tammi (Premieres March 26 on Hulu)
When Esme (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and her 10-year-old son, Luna (Yonas Kibreab), move to a small desert town looking for a fresh start they attract all the wrong kinds of attention. As the locals begin to probe, Esme must battle to protect her son and a terrifying secret before the next full moon threatens their very existence.
“Tina” (Documentary) (Premieres March 27 on HBO)
“Tina”: Rhonda Graam/HBO
This feature documentary is a revealing and intimate look at the life and career of musical icon Tina Turner, charting her improbable rise to early fame, her personal and professional struggles throughout her life, and her even more improbable resurgence as a global phenomenon in the 1980s.
“‘Til Kingdom Come” (Documentary) – Directed by Maya Zinshtein (Premieres March 29 on PBS)
Pastors encourage an impoverished Kentucky community, “the forgotten people of America,” to donate to Israel in anticipation of Jesus’s impending return. This documentary by Maya Zinshtein (“Forever Pure”) exposes the controversial bond between Evangelicals and Jews in a story of faith, power, and money.
Returning Series
“Good Girls”: Greg Gayne/NBC
“Wynonna Earp” – Created by Emily Andras (Syfy, March 5)
“Good Girls” – Created by Jenna Bans (NBC, March 7)
“The Restaurant” – Created by Malin Nevander, Ulf Kvensler, and Johan Rosenlind (Sundance Now, March 25)
