10 new shows to freshen spring’s television season – The Boston Globe

“Hollywood” Ryan Murphy’s second Netflix series (after the middling “The Politician”) is a seven-episode limited series about Tinseltown in the late 1940s. The film industry is ridden with sexism and racism, as a group of young actors — some fictional, others familiar, including Jake Picking’s Rock Hudson — try to become stars. The plot: What happens when a black man writes a script that goes into production with a black leading lady? The cast includes Darren Criss, David Corenswet, Jeremy Pope, Patti LuPone, Dylan McDermott, Holland Taylor, and Maude Apatow. Netflix, May 1

“Upload” Greg Daniels of “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation” has created this sci-fi satire, which is set in the near future — 2033, to be exact. Dying people can have their minds “uploaded” into a custom-made virtual afterlife, which is managed by a company whose customer service reps serve as angels. Yup, digital heaven awaits those who aren’t counting on a more traditional version. Robbie Amell and Andy Allo star. Amazon, May 1

“The Eddy” Netflix has scarfed up a bunch of behind-the-scenes talent including Ryan Murphy, Shonda Rhimes, Kenya Barris, and Damien Chazelle, the guy behind “La La Land” and “Whiplash.” Chazelle will direct this eight-episode musical series set in Paris, written by Jack Thorne with original songs from Glen Ballard and Randy Kerber. Andre Holland, so good in “The Knick” and “Moonlight,” stars as a pianist and part owner of a failing jazz club whose estranged teen daughter (Amandla Stenberg of “The Hunger Games”) suddenly reenters his life. Netflix, May 8

“I Know This Much Is True” This six-episode miniseries based on Wally Lamb’s 1998 novel stars Mark Ruffalo and Mark Ruffalo. Yup, the actor plays very different identical twins, and he gained 30 pounds to play the twin whose weight is changed by the medication he takes for schizophrenia. Written and directed by Derek Cianfrance (“The Place Beyond the Pines”), the miniseries also features Rosie O’Donnell, Melissa Leo, Juliette Lewis, Kathryn Hahn, Imogen Poots, Rob Huebel, and Archie Panjabi. HBO, May 10

“The Great” As in Catherine. This comedy series from Tony McNamara (who wrote “The Favourite”) follows Catherine the Great as she weds Peter III of Russia in an arranged marriage and then rises in power. Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult star as the couple, with support from Phoebe Fox and Gwilym Lee. This will be more like Apple TV+’s genre-bending “Dickinson,” it seems, than Helen Mirren’s HBO miniseries “Catherine the Great.” Hulu, May 15

“Snowpiercer” It was a graphic novel, then a 2013 film from “Parasite” director Bong Joon-ho, and now, after some backstage drama, it will be a TV series. “Orphan Black” creator Graeme Manson is running the show, which is set in a frigid, post-apocalyptic future on a perpetually moving train (with 1,001 cars containing Earth’s remaining human population). Class differences play out as the train keeps a-rolling, with a cast including Daveed Diggs, Jennifer Connelly, Alison Wright, Annalise Basso, and Mickey Sumner. By the way, it has already been renewed for a second season, when Sean Bean will join the cast. TNT, May 17

“Love Life” The new high-end streaming service HBO Max is launching on May 27 with this exclusive show, among others. It’s a rom-com anthology series created by Sam Boyd, and each season — assuming there will be more than one — will track a main character on his or her quest for love. The first season stars Anna Kendrick as a woman looking in all the wrong places, alongside Lesley Manville, Scoot McNairy, Sasha Compère, and Zoë Chao. HBO Max, May 27

“Space Force” “The Office” alums Steve Carell, Greg Daniels, and Howard Klein reunite for a workplace comedy of a different stripe. The workplace in question is the new branch of the American armed services, the Space Force, and Carell plays a four-star general trying to get it going from a secret base in Colorado. The cast is primo: John Malkovich, Lisa Kudrow, Ben Schwartz, Noah Emmerich, Jessica St. Clair, Tawny Newsome, Fred Willard, Diana Silvers, and Jimmy O. Yang. Netflix, May 29

“Quiz” He wanted to be a millionaire, that’s who. This three-episode co-production between AMC and ITV looks back at the attempt by a man named Charles Ingram (played by Matthew Macfadyen of, among many things, “Succession”) to cheat on the UK version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” And he succeeded, at first. Written by James Graham (of the HBO movie “Brexit”) and directed by Stephen Frears, it also stars Michael Sheen, Sian Clifford (“Fleabag”), Aisling Bea, and Helen McCrory. AMC, May 31

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Matthew Gilbert can be reached at matthew.gilbert@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewGilbert.