New Shows + Movies by Women — Fallout, Meat, and Cold Cases

It’s a big week for new series, with seven showrun or directed by women. These cover post-apocalypse, near-future, slice-of-life, thriller, and a pair of mysteries. I’m always fascinated by what comes to us from other countries, and how streaming services choose to pursue certain markets. For instance, Hulu continues chasing Netflix’s lead in the burgeoning K-drama audience, as Netflix continues making deep inroads into producing and licensing Japanese live-action work.

There used to be a lot of competition for European shows between Max and Netflix, but since Discovery effectively took over Warner Bros. and HBO Max – and decided they didn’t want to pay European residuals – that area has been left for Netflix to farm. You’ll notice all three titles from continental Europe this week are on Netflix – that’s pretty usual these days. (The one from the U.K. is, too, but everyone tends to bring in British work.)

This week, new shows by women come from France, Japan, Korea, the U.K., and the U.S. New movies by women come from Spain and Sweden.

NEW SERIES

Fallout (Amazon)
co-showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet

Based on a beloved video game franchise filled with off-kilter humor, a woman who’s lived her life in an underground vault must trek a post-apocalyptic world filled with radiation and mutants.

Geneva Robertson-Dworet showruns with Graham Wagner. She also co-wrote the screenplays for “Captain Marvel” and the 2018 “Tomb Raider”.

All 8 episodes of “Fallout” are out on Amazon Prime immediately.

Blood Free (Hulu)
showrunner Lee Soo Yeon

Genetically engineered meat has replaced the consumption of animal meat, but the corporation that’s brought about this revolution is approaching turmoil. Rumors swirl about CEO Yoon Ja Yoo, and her bodyguard Chae Woon must engage a future world of industrial espionage.

Showrunner Lee Soo Yeon also wrote on “Stranger” and “Life”.

The two-episode premiere of “Blood Free” is out on Hulu. A new episodes arrives every Wednesday.

Anthracite (Netflix)
co-showrun by Fanny Robert

A reporter goes missing in the Alps, leading his daughter – a sleuth in her own right – to a remote and unsettling mountain town. The French series was filmed in Switzerland.

Fanny Robert showruns with Maxime Berthemy. Robert also wrote on “Profilage” and produced on “Passport to the World”.

All 5 episodes are out on Netflix.

Tonari no Yokai-san (Crunchyroll)
directed by Yamauchi Ami

A mountain town sees humans and supernatural beings living a cozy life side by side.

This is Yamauchi Ami’s second series as director after 2022’s “Ryman’s Club”.

“Tonari no Yokai-san” is on Crunchyroll. The premiere is out, with a new episode every Saturday.

Baby Reindeer (Netflix)
directed by Weronika Tofilska, Josephine Bornebusch

A stand-up comic is stalked from gig to gig and in his private life, forcing him to confront both his stalker and long-buried trauma. The series is based on Richard Gadd’s one-man play, and he writes the series.

Weronika Tofilska and Josephine Bornebursch direct. Tofilska co-wrote the exceptional “Love Lies Bleeding” and has directed on “The Irregulars”, “Hanna”, and “His Dark Materials”. Bornebusch wrote on “Love Me” and “Orca”.

All 8 episodes of “Baby Reindeer” are on Netflix immediately.

Mission: Yozakura Family (Hulu)
directed by Minato Mirai

Taiyo loses his family in a car crash. He’s comforted by his longtime friend Mutsumi. They eventually marry, but he must become a spy – just like every other member of the family.

Minato Mirai has also directed on “Bofuri” and “The Misfit of Demon King Academy”.

“Mission: Yozakura Family” has its premiere on Hulu, with a new episode every Sunday.

Destiny (Netflix)
showrunner Yoshida Noriko

(No embeddable trailer out, but you can see one on Netflix here.)

Kanade becomes a prosecutor, spurred on by the death of her prosecutor father. Years after she splintered from her friends in law school, she takes up the case that split them up…and it may reveal new information about her father’s death.

Yoshida Noriko showruns and writes.

The premiere of “Destiny” is on Netflix, with new episodes every Tuesday.

NEW MOVIES

Love, Divided (Netflix)
directed by Patricia Font

A young pianist named Valentina conflicts with – and falls for – David, a noisy inventor. I believe this is the feature film acting debut for Spanish singer-songwriter Aitana.

The Spanish comedy is helmed by Patricia Font and written by Marta Sanchez.

“Love, Divided” arrives on Netflix tomorrow, Friday April 12.

Stolen (Netflix)
directed by Ellke Marja Eira

A Saami woman tracks down a killer in a world where her culture is being choked out. The Swedish film is told in Saami and Swedish.

Elle Marja Eira directs.

“Stolen” is out on Netflix tomorrow, Friday April 12.

Take a look at new shows + movies by women from past weeks.

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New Shows + Movies by Women — Secret Agents, Refugees, and Theater

This is one of the more interesting weeks as U.S. series and movies are trying to avoid a number of heavy hitters. Between “Shogun” at home and “Dune: Part Two” in theaters, many U.S. releases are simply waiting for a week when they won’t be overshadowed.

January-February is generally understood to be a mix of awards contenders building their number of screens week over week, and of ‘genre’ films that studios couldn’t find a place for during more event-heavy seasons. In fact, “Dune: Part Two” coming out so early in the year would’ve been a rarity until a decade ago. Starting in 2014, you had a 5-year run where each February box office leader did better than anything 2013 or prior. It went “The Lego Movie”, “Fifty Shades of Grey”, “Deadpool”, “The Lego Batman Movie”, and “Black Panther”, setting up the month as viable for event releases but still not dependable for them.

It means that while you may see a major February release or two in theaters, it’s still not like the Spring, let alone the Summer, where you might see multiple per week. That February event release is still the exception among titles in the month, and the bulk of box office is still made up of awards contenders and films that weren’t entrusted with better months.

That covers the box office, but things tend to be much more varied at home. For series, Summer is more of a dead time, with Winter still being very active. It’s also when we get a ton of international work, including both series and movies from East and South Asia. It’s a mix of licensing timing, visibility, and international awards contenders not getting the same window that separates theatrical release to digital release.

This week, new shows by women come from France, Spain, and the U.K. New films by women come from Ireland, South Korea, and Thailand.

NEW SERIES

Red Queen (Amazon)
showrunner Amaya Muruzabal

A genius agent is offered the chance to lead a covert European police force, until the son of a powerful banker is found murdered in her home. The series is based on the novel by Juan Gomez-Jurado.

Amaya Muruzabal showruns and writes the Spanish series. This is the seventh series she’s written on. She got her start in the industry as a production controller on “Sex and Lucia”.

“Red Queen” is on Amazon Prime.

Dead Hot (Amazon)
showrunner Charlotte Coben

In this British comedy thriller, Elliot and Jess are brought together as they mourn the loss of Peter, Jess’s brother and Elliot’s first love. Peter may or may not actually be dead, though.

Charlotte Coben has written and produced on “Harlan Coben’s Shelter” and “Fool Me Once”.

“Dead Hot” premieres on Amazon Prime tomorrow, Friday March 1.

Everything is Fine (Hulu)
showrunner Camille de Castelnau

In this French series, a dysfunctional family in Paris attempts to deal with the illness of one of their children.

Showrunner Camille de Castelnau has previously written on “The Bureau” and “Call My Agent!”

“Everything is Fine” is on Hulu.

NEW MOVIES

Man Suang (Netflix)
co-directed by Ning Bhanbhassa Dhubthien

(Turn on closed captions for subtitles.)

In mid-1800s Siam, two young men attempt to find a document hidden in a luxurious entertainment club called Man Suang. That document is key to choosing the successor to King Rama III. They join the club’s theater troupe as a way of moving unseen between the various maneuvering political groups.

Ning Bhanbhassa Dhubthien is one of three directors on the Thai film.

“Man Suang” is on Netflix.

My Name is Loh Kiwan (Netflix)
directed by Kim Hee Jin

Loh Ki Wan is a North Korean defector who’s come to Belgium. He fights for refugee status with the help of Marie, a Korean woman who’s gained her Belgian citizenship in the past. The two begin to fall for each other, even as it’s unclear whether he’ll be able to stay.

“Vincenzo” lead Song Joong Ki stars as Loh Ki Wan, and “Beyond Evil” and “The Sound of Magic” lead Choi Sung Eun stars as Marie.

“My Name is Loh Kiwan” is directed and co-written by Kim Hee Jin, on her first film.

Baltimore (in theaters)
co-directed by Christine Molloy

Imogen Poots stars as Rose, a debutante who rejects her upbringing to join the Irish Republican Army, a paramilitary force that sought the end of British rule in Northern Ireland. The film is based on the life of Rose Dugdale.

Christine Molloy directs the Irish film with Joe Lawlor. The pair previously directed “Rose Plays Julie” and on the series “Kin”.

“Baltimore” sees a limited release in theaters tomorrow, Friday March 1.

Take a look at new shows + movies by women from past weeks.

Subscribe to my Patreon! It helps with the time and resources to write more features like this one.