What to Watch March: Oscars, Mulaney Talk Show and TV's Most Underrated Drama

by Julian Spivey

Photos: ABC, AMC, Apple & Netflix

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Academy Awards – Sunday, March 2 (ABC)
The 97th annual Academy Awards, hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, will be at 6 p.m. (CST) on ABC Sunday, March 2. It’s a must-watch for lovers of film, but frankly, O’Brien’s monologue is really the only thing I’m excited about, with most of the major award winners being obvious – except for the biggest prize of the night, Best Picture – at this point. “Emilia Perez” leads all nominees with 13 nominations but is probably only the favorite in Supporting Actress and Original Song.  

Dark Winds: Season 3 – Sunday, March 9 (AMC/AMC+)
AMC’s crime drama “Dark Winds” has been one of television’s most underrated shows over its first two seasons, but its addition to Netflix in 2024 has hopefully boosted its fan base. The series' third season, which follows a group of Navajo tribal police officers in the ‘70s American Southwest, premieres on AMC on Sunday, March 9, and can be streamed by AMC+ users. Zahn McClarnon has given one of TV’s best performances over the last few years with his Joe Leaphorn character, which hopefully will begin gaining recognition by TV award shows.  
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Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party – Tuesday, March 11 (Paramount+)
In 1983, filmmaker Cameron Crowe followed rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as they did a film intended for MTV. The film, which MTV yanked after only one airing, was pretty much lost to time until Crowe pulled it out of his archives, restored it, added 20 minutes of never-before-seen footage, and released it as a one-weekend-only exclusive theatrical event last October. Crowe told Variety: “’Heartbreakers Beach Party’ occupies a special place in my heart. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers leaned into the making of the film with a kind of hilarious music-filled honesty that still feels fresh 40 years later. It was also my first experience as a director.” “Tom Petty: Heartbreaks Beach Party” makes its streaming debut on Paramount+ on Tuesday, March 11. 
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Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney – Wednesday, March 12 (Netflix)
Last year, one of the freshest things on television – well, streaming – was comedian John Mulaney’s one-week live talk show extravaganza during Netflix’s annual comedy showcase in Los Angeles. The show received such an enthusiastic response from viewers and critics alike that Netflix and Mulaney decided to turn it into a weekly variety series for 12 weeks, beginning Wednesday, March 12. It’ll be like last year’s show but on more of a “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” programming schedule. Look for it to be a potential Emmy Awards threat.

Dope Thief – Friday, March 14 (AppleTV+)
I’ll watch anything with Brian Tyree Henry in it, and his latest performance comes in creator Peter Craig’s AppleTV+ limited series “Dope Thief,” premiering Friday, March 14. The series, based on Dennis Tafoya’s 2009 novel, sees two Philadelphia friends posing as DEA agents to rob a house and the consequences when it turns out to have been a large narcotics operation. The supporting cast features Wagner Moura, Marin Ireland, Kate Mulgrew, Amir Arison and Ving Rhames. 
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Opry 100: A Live Celebration – Wednesday, March 19 (NBC)
Country music’s oldest and most legendary home, the Grand Ole Opry, is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025 and will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 19th, with a three-hour live celebration starring current and past country music superstars on NBC. The special, hosted by former “The Voice” coach Blake Shelton, will feature performances from Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Luke Combs, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill and more stars of the genre.  

The Residence – Thursday, March 20 (Netflix)
“The Residence” is a mystery drama created by Paul William Davies and produced by Shonda Rhimes. It premieres on Netflix on Thursday, March 20. “The Residence” stars Emmy-winning actress Uzo Aduba as an eccentric detective tasked with solving a murder at a White House staff party. The supporting cast also includes Giancarlo Esposito, Susan Kelechi Watson, Jason Lee, and Ken Marino.  
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The Studio – Wednesday, March 26 (AppleTV+)
“The Studio,” a comedy from the minds of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, premieres on AppleTV+ on Wednesday, March 26. The series focuses on the struggles of a fictional studio head, played by Rogen, attempting to keep it from going under in an industry undergoing many changes. The supporting cast includes the hilarious Catherine O’Hara, Kathryn Hahn and Ike Barinholtz. 
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The Conners: Final Season – Wednesday, March 26 (ABC)
“The Conners,” which began as a reboot of the classic ‘80s/’90s ABC sitcom “Roseanne,” before that actress couldn’t control her mind and mouth, has been one of network TV’s best comedies of the last decade. Its six-episode seventh season is its swan song, which will reveal how the story of one of television’s greatest families wraps up. It’ll be emotional seeing these performances we’ve loved over many decades, from John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert and Lecy Goranson, come to an end.