What to Watch the Week of April 14: Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough in Hulu’s Chilling Under the Bridge

Hulu/CBS/FX; art by Channing Smith

Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone marks her first major role post–Killers of the Flower Moon with a powerful performance in Hulu's new drama series Under the Bridge, which premieres this week. Gladstone stars alongside Emmy nominee Riley Keough (who is also an executive producer) in the series, which is based on late author Rebecca Godfrey's book about the 1997 murder/killing of 14-year-old Reena Virk (played by Vritika Gupta), who went to a party with her peers and never returned home.

The chilling series takes place in Victoria, British Columbia, and also stars Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) as well as Chloe Guidry, Javon “Wanna” Walton, Izzy G., Aiyana Goodfellow, and Ezra Faroque Khan. Quite frankly, Under the Bridge is a tough watch, but it's also extremely powerful, thanks in large part to the moving performances from Gladstone, Keough, and Panjabi as well as the supporting cast.

Quinn Shephard, who created, wrote, directed, and executive-produced the series, tells Glamour that she personally had never been drawn to true crime in the past, but she felt compelled to develop it for TV thanks to the beauty and poetry of Godfrey's book. “Within this story about a brutal murder, I found a surprisingly tender tale of childhood that surfaced,” she says. “I think everyone can see themselves in some facet of this story, because coming of age is so universal.” Shephard goes on to say that she's “most drawn to making film and television that challenges the viewers to understand different, often complicated or flawed perspectives, and this book does that so smartly. The writing is radically empathetic, and it really puts you inside of what happened, so much so that it forces you to reflect. I feel like you’ll find yourself asking: Could I have been a part of this at that age? Who do I feel sympathy for and why? What is ‘justice’ in this scenario? Beyond all that, I think Reena Virk’s story deserves to be known in the States, and I hope we’ve done her some justice in this adaptation.”

As for how the series differs from the book, Shephard says, “when you read nonfiction, I think there’s a tendency to forget how perspective and opinion still shapes a narrative, even if all the details are ‘fact.’ While Rebecca is not a character in her book the way she is in the show, her personality and her perspective on the teens certainly shaped the writing of Under the Bridge. In the series, we actually get to explore that, which allows us to see the crime through a deeply personal lens. Fans of the book will also notice that Reena’s personal story is far more present. Her plotline before her murder in the show was largely inspirited by details from her father’s book, but because we (unlike Rebecca) had the ability to fictionalize, we were able to infer what Reena might have been thinking or feeling at times and therefore give her a larger arc.”

And even if you haven't read Godfrey's book, Shephard says the “series is a true bird’s-eye look at this crime and all the people it impacted, pulling not just from Rebecca's book but also Manjit Virk’s writing, the raw police files and interview transcripts, news footage, and years of interviews with Rebecca. It has a rich cast of characters, and gets inside the psychology of trauma, bias, violence, childhood, the justice system, and even true crime as a concept itself, all while (hopefully) being a pretty fast-paced, thrilling watch.”

Meanwhile, if you're looking for something lighter to watch this week, start with Billy Joel's CBS special marking his 100th performance at Madison Square Garden and his first concert to air on a broadcast network. Joel has sold out MSG more than any other artist (his first show there was in December 1978). His final residency show will be this July, and in what shouldn't come as a surprise, every single one of his concerts has sold out.

Season three of Welcome to Wrexham also premieres this week as well as Conan O'Brien's new travel docuseries. There's also a new episode of Palm Royale, which introduces something I never thought I'd see on this show—and that's saying something.

Also, Dune: Part Two will be available for rent or purchase this week, and we have a first look clip at one of the bonus features, which includes commentary from Zendaya. Check out that below.

On that note, have a great week, and I'll see you back here next Sunday.

Sunday, April 14

The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden—The Greatest Arena Run of All Time (CBS/Paramount+): The two-hour special will celebrate the Piano Man's 100th consecutive performance of his historic franchise run at the iconic New York City venue. Sting will join Joel for “Big Man on Mulberry Street” and “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” and Jerry Seinfeld will also make an appearance. 9 p.m. ET/PT, 8 p.m. CT, and streaming live on Paramount+

Monday, April 15

The Bravo Vault (Peacock): No, this is not the name of a new show, but rather Peacock making dozens of past Bravo shows available to stream. From Shahs of Sunset, NYC Prep, and Don't Be Tardy..., to The Rachel Zoe Project, Blood Sweat and Heels, Tabatha Takes Over, and more, your reality TV dreams are about to come true. Streaming

Tuesday, April 16

Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.): If you didn't get around to seeing Dune: Part Two in the theater, the good news is you can now buy and/or rent the film to watch at home. Starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, with Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem, Denis Villeneuve’s critically acclaimed film explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.

Dune: Part Two will be available for early premium digital ownership at home for $29.99 and for 48-hour rental via PVOD for $24.99 SRP on participating digital platforms where you purchase or rent movies, including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Fandango at Home, and more. (In case you're wondering, Dune: Part Two will be available to own on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD from online and physical retailers on May 14.)

In the meantime, Glamour has a special look at one of the extra features, which takes a detailed look at the intricate costume design. Watch:

Wednesday, April 17

Under the Bridge (Hulu): The first two episodes will premiere today, with one new episode rolling out weekly through May 29.

The logline for episode one—titled “Looking Glass”—reads as follows: “In 1997, on a quiet island in BC, 14-year-old Reena Virk attends a party and never returns home. Her disappearance intrigues a novelist returning to her hometown, who finds herself drawn into the hidden world of the teen suspects.”

And in episode two—titled “The John Gotti of Seven Oaks”—“Cam is thrown by a shocking discovery, and the police rush to unravel what really happened under the bridge. Josephine makes a deal with Rebecca, while a look into the past reveals Reena’s first rebellion.” Streaming

Our Living World (Netflix): Cate Blanchett narrates the four-part docuseries. Per Netflix, “This is the wondrous, untold story of the most magical, powerful force on Earth: life itself, and how it shapes the world through incredible physical connections and astonishing webs. From the kooky capybara to the crafty crocodile, the savvy wolverine to the busy beaver, the mightiest tree in the forest to the tiniest egg in a salmon’s spawning pool, every creature plays a role.” Streaming

Palm Royale (Apple TV+): Episode eight is the craziest episode yet, which means you're gonna have to see it to know what I'm talking about. In “Maxine Saves the Whale,” a beached whale appears on the Beach Ball site, throwing the event into doubt with days to spare. Meanwhile, Linda and Evelyn adjust to their new normals. Streaming

Thursday, April 18

Dinner With the Parents (freevee): Michaela Watkins (Tiny Beautiful Things, Casual), Dan Bakkedahl (Veep), Carol Kane (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), and more star in this 10-episode series centered around a weekly family get-together that always devolves into chaos. Per Freevee, “Every Friday evening, the closely knit Langers prove that it takes those we love best to bring out our worst. On the menu: pranks, schemes, unwelcome neighbors, childhood crushes, at least one felony, many very bad decisions, and a scrumptious, freshly baked apple crisp.” Streaming for free

Welcome to Wrexham (FX): Season three premieres tonight, and for the first time, WtW's cameras have unprecedented access on the pitch, bringing viewers into the locker room and alongside the players, while the action unfolds in some of the biggest matches Wrexham AFC has ever played. 10 p.m. ET/PT, and streaming the next day on Hulu

Conan O’Brien Must Go (Max): This four-episode original travel series is based on O'Brien's popular podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan. With stops in Norway, Thailand, Argentina, and Ireland, he visits new friends he’s met through his podcast, where he does a deep dive with listeners from around the world while also taking in the local culture, cuisine, and sights. Streaming

Jessica Radloff is the Glamour senior West Coast editor and author of the NYT best-selling book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series.

Originally Appeared on Glamour