/
1x
Advertisement

True North Strong Free. Subscribe today.

A scene from The Irregulars (Netflix)
A scene from The Irregulars (Netflix) Matt Squire

Netflix Canada in March 2021: What’s new this month

Jaime Weinman’s rundown of all the new shows and movies worth checking out in March on Netflix in Canada
Add as preferred on Google(opens in a new tab)

What you should watch

Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell (March 1): Christopher George Latore Wallace, or The Notorious B.I.G., lived up to his stage name by becoming arguably the most legendary rapper: he was shot to death in March 1997 at the age of 24, meaning that when Emmett Malloy’s new documentary drops, he’ll have been dead almost as long as he was alive. While the story of Wallace’s career and death has been told many times, Malloy was given access to footage that hasn’t been used in previous documentaries, including home videos captured on a camcorder by Wallace’s associate, Damien "D-Roc" Butler.

City of Ghosts (March 5): Elizabeth Ito (Adventure Time) created this unusual animated children’s series, which blends typical family animation with realistic documentary style. Set in Ito’s native Los Angeles, the show focuses on the “Ghost Club,” an enterprising group of children whose mission it is to meet and talk to ghosts. In addition to the voice actors, the show’s soundtrack includes interviews with real-life L.A. residents who talk about the city and its history. The show isn’t just about L.A., though; it aims to teach children about the way a city’s past intersects with its present and how neighbourhoods develop their character over many generations. While also, of course, letting them watch a cartoon about kids who talk to ghosts and solve mysteries.

Waffles & Mochi (March 16): Netflix’s contract with Michelle and Barack Obama continues with this 10-episode food series. The title characters are two puppets who want to become chefs, even though they don’t know anything about cooking. Fortunately, they have a magic shopping cart that sends them flying around the world to learn more about how to grow, choose and prepare good food. The show is a personal project for Michelle Obama, who has been strongly associated with the cause of improving children’s dietary habits; in addition to producing, she plays an onscreen role as owner of the supermarket where the title characters work. The series was created by Erika Thormahlen and Drunk History creator Jeremy Konner, and was originally announced under the title “Listen to Your Vegetables and Eat Your Parents.”

The Irregulars (March 26): The popularity of alternate takes on Sherlock Holmes will never end, because there’s always a slightly different way to do it. We already had a story where Holmes is incompetent and Watson does all the work (the 1980s comedy Without a Clue), but in this series, created by Tom Bidwell, Holmes is a hopeless drug addict and it’s a bunch of teenagers who do all the work: the Baker Street Irregulars, the loveable street urchins who helped Holmes get information, are actually doing all the mystery-solving themselves, with Watson as their boss, who writes the stories that give Holmes all the credit. Unlike Conan Doyle’s all-male Irregulars, this team is gender-balanced, led by Bea (Thaddea Graham), and they investigate mysteries that involve the supernatural. Producer Rebecca Hodgson told the London Times that the show is a Baker Street adventure aimed at Marvel-addicted kids who “are used to seeing massive special effects, massive action.”

Advertisement

Date TBA

Abla Fahita: Drama QueenNETFLIX ORIGINAL

Disney may have the Muppets, but Netflix has this original series starring the Egyptian answer to Miss Piggy, the self-absorbed Abla Fahita, who finds herself accused of a crime she didn’t commit.

ARASHI’s Diary Voyage ep24NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

The very last episode of perhaps the most protracted release in Netflix history: 24 episodes about the Japanese boy band, released mostly monthly since 2019, when things were very different for a touring band.

Advertisement

The Yin Yang MasterNETFLIX FILM

An adaptation of the mobile game “Onmyōji,” where Chen Kun plays the title character, who finds himself learning more about himself as he prepares to fight a demon.

Coming to Netflix on March 1

Biggie: I Got a Story to TellNETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

See introduction for details

Advertisement

Licensed content:

  • Blanche Gardin: Bonne Nuit Blanche
  • Happy Feet Two
  • How to Be a Latin Lover
  • Just One of the Guys
  • Power Rangers Beast Morphers: S2
  • Rush Hour
  • S.W.A.T.
  • Shazam!
  • 10 Years
  • Diana
  • Hit & Run
  • Jonah Hex
  • Mary, Queen of Scots
  • RocknRolla
  • Rush Hour 2
  • Serendipity
  • The American
    • The Coroner: Season 1
    • The Karate Kid Part II
    • The Mask of Zorro
    • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
    • Thomas & Friends: Marvelous Machinery: World of Tomorrow
    • U.S. Marshals
    • When Calls the Heart: Season 5
  • The Bucket List
  • The Coroner: Season 2
  • The Karate Kid Part III
  • The Pianist
  • Thomas & Friends: Marvelous Machinery: A New Arrival
  • Trickster: Season 1
  • Welcome to Marwen
  • You Don’t Mess with the Zohan
  • Leaving Netflix on March 1

    • Jaws
    • Jaws 2
    • Jaws 3
    • Jaws: The Revenge
    • The Bourne Identity
    • The Bourne Legacy
    • The Bourne Supremacy
    • The Bourne Ultimatum

    Coming to Netflix on March 2

    Word Party: Season 5NETFLIX FAMILY

    In this edu-tainment animated children’s series from the Jim Henson Company, five cute animals learn about the meanings and pronunciations of English and Mandarin words.

    Coming to Netflix on March 3

    MoxieNETFLIX FILM

    Advertisement

    Amy Poehler directed and co-produced this film adaptation of the book by Jennifer Mathieu, about a teenaged girl (Hadley Robinson) who starts an anonymous publication that encourages a grassroots revolution against institutional sexism at her school. Poehler co-stars as Robinson’s mother.

    Murder Among the Mormons NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

    A three-episode documentary produced by BBC Studios, taking an in-depth look at a series of pipe bombings in Salt Lake City in 1985, and how they unlocked an investigation into forged documents that purported to show the secret history of the Church of Latter-Day Saints.

    Licensed content:

    • Blue Crush
    • Friday Night Lights
  • Being John Malkovich
  • Fletch
  • How To Build A Girl
    • Pitch Perfect
    • Scarface
    • The Tale of Despereaux
  • Oblivion
  • Pitch Perfect 2
  • Take Me Home Tonight
  • Advertisement

    Coming to Netflix on March 4

    Pacific Rim: The Black— NETFLIX ANIME

    Animated spinoff of the popular franchise: while looking for their missing parents in a post-apocalyptic Australia, two characters must learn how to pilot one of the big robots from the movies.

    Coming to Netflix on March 5

    City of GhostsNETFLIX FAMILY

    See introduction for details

    Advertisement

    DogwashersNETFLIX FILM

    Colombian film about a gardener who finds a secret trove of drug money.

    Nevenka: Breaking the SilenceNETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

    In 2001, Nevenka Fernández sued Ismael Álvarez, mayor of the Spanish town of Ponferrada, for sexual harassment. In a country with a reputation for being lax on the issue, her lawsuit became a landmark, and this documentary series looks at the trial and its aftermath.

    Advertisement

    SentinelleNETFLIX FILM

    Olga Kurylenko stars in this action/revenge film as a soldier who takes it upon herself to hunt down the man who raped her sister.

    Licensed content:

    Vice

    Yes, God, Yes

    Advertisement

    Coming to Netflix on March 8

    Bombay BegumsNETFLIX ORIGINAL

    Drama series about modern urban life in India, told through the intersecting stories of five different women of different ages and social backgrounds. Alankrita Shrivastava (Made in Heaven) created the series and directed three of the six episodes.

    Bombay RoseNETFLIX FILM

    Gitanjali Rao wrote and directed this animated film which uses painted animation to tell stories of star-crossed love. Originally premiering at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival, it now makes its Netflix debut after being delayed from its originally-planned December release date.

    Advertisement

    Coming to Netflix on March 9

    The HouseboatNETFLIX ORIGINAL

    After the death of German singing star Gunter Gabriel, two of his friends, Fynn Kliemann and Olli Schulz, took it upon themselves to restore his dilapidated houseboat and make it usable again. They documented their elaborate fix-up project with this series.

    StarBeam: Season 3NETFLIX FAMILY

    A new season of family-friendly adventures for Zoey (Nahanni Mitchell) and her superhero alter ego Starbeam.

    Advertisement

    Coming to Netflix on March 10

    DealerNETFLIX ORIGINAL

    “Found footage” drama series from France, in which a camera crew ventures into a dangerous neighbourhood to shoot a music video, and their cameras capture some real violence that they weren’t counting on.

    Last Chance U: BasketballNETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

    Netflix’s “Last Chance U,” a documentary series about community-college football teams, lasted five seasons. Well, as we know, Netflix can’t let a show run much longer than that, so they’ve rebooted it as a series about community college basketball. This first season follows the team at East Los Angeles College as they try to get to the state championship.

    Advertisement

    Marriage or MortgageNETFLIX ORIGINAL

    In what has already been described as perhaps the most depressing premise for a reality show, young couples are offered a choice: do they spend their savings on a wedding, or a down payment on a house? Because if they made a show where millennial couples can afford both, it wouldn’t be a reality show.

    Coming to Netflix on March 11

    Coven of SistersNETFLIX FILM

    Set in Spain in the early 17th century, this film focuses on accused witches who somehow decide that they can help their case by getting their accuser to witness a witchcraft ritual.

    Advertisement

    Coming to Netflix on March 12

    Love Alarm: Season 2NETFLIX ORIGINAL

    The second season of Netflix’s first original Korean series, about a mobile app that can tell people if someone nearby is in love with them.

    The One— NETFLIX ORIGINAL

    Continuing the theme of science and technology intersecting with romance, this adaptation of John Marrs’ novel is about a not-so-distant future where DNA testing can determine who your soulmate is. The novel is a suspense thriller, so don’t expect this to go too well.

    Advertisement

    Paper LivesNETFLIX FILM

    Çağatay Ulusoy stars as Mehmet, a waste-paper collector in Istanbul, who makes it his mission to return an eight-year-old boy to his parents, and in the process is forced to confront his own bad childhood memories.

    Paradise PD: Part 3NETFLIX ORIGINAL

    Six more episodes of the animated sitcom about an inept small-town police force. This season they fumble their investigations into such subjects as sperm-donor clinics and, inevitably, doughnut shops.

    Advertisement

    Yes DayNETFLIX FILM

    Jennifer Lawrence and Edgar Ramirez play parents who promise to follow any rules their children make for 24 hours, and are somehow surprised when this leads to wacky adventures.

    Coming to Netflix on March 14

    The Curse of La Llorona

    Coming to Netflix on March 15

    The Lost Pirate KingdomNETFLIX ORIGINAL

    Advertisement

    This series uses documentary footage and re-enactments to tell the stories of the “real-life pirates of the Caribbean,” such as Blackbeard, and possibly other pirates who haven’t already been used by Disney.

    Zero ChillNETFLIX FAMILY

    Kayla (Grace Beedie), an aspiring figure skater, is forced to rebuild her life and career when her family moves from Canada to England so that her brother Mac (Dakota Taylor) can go to a famous hockey academy.

    Licensed content:

    • A Call to Spy
    • Bakugan: Armored Alliance
    • The Last Blockbuster (2020)
    • Shithouse

    Coming to Netflix on March 16

    RebellComedy: Straight Outta the ZooNETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL

    Advertisement

    Netflix’s first stand-up comedy special of the month features an entire troupe of German stand-up comics, who take to the stage to talk about their lives and prove to the world that Germans can, in fact, be funny.

    Michelle Obama in Waffles & Mochi (Netflix)
    Michelle Obama in Waffles & Mochi (Netflix)

    Waffles + Mochi— NETFLIX FAMILY 

    See Introduction for details

    Coming to Netflix on March 17

    Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions ScandalNETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

    Advertisement

    Another combination of documentary and reenactments, this time about the college-admissions scandal of 2019, where a scam artist took money from rich parents (including Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman) to get their kids into high-profile colleges by any means necessary.

    Under Suspicion: Uncovering the Wesphael CaseNETFLIX ORIGINAL

    Documentary about Bernard Wesphael, a Belgian politician who was accused of killing his wife.

    The Wedding Guest

    Advertisement

    Coming to Netflix on March 18

    B: The Beginning Succession NETFLIX ANIME

    Second season of Kazuto Nakazawa’s series about the exploits of a mysterious serial killer known as “Killer B.”

    Cabras da PesteNETFLIX FILM

    Edmilson Filho and Matheus Nachtergaele star in this odd-couple action comedy about two cops from different parts of Brazil who are forced to work together to crack a case.

    Advertisement

    Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average AmericanNETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL

    The second Netflix special for the comedian and host of “The Nateland Podcast,” directed by the prolific comedy-special director Troy Miller.

    • Skylines (2020)

    Coming to Netflix on March 19

    Alien TV: Season 2NETFLIX FAMILY

    Second season of the edu-tainment series where two aliens visit Earth to learn about human customs, a different one in each episode.

    Advertisement

    Country ComfortNETFLIX FAMILY

    Katharine McPhee stars in this sitcom as a young would-be singer who takes a job as nanny to the children of a handsome widower (Eddie Cibrian). And yes, the creator of the show used to write for “The Nanny.”

    Formula 1: Drive to Survive: Season 3NETFLIX ORIGINAL

    The new season of the documentary series about Formula One racing, this time focusing on the 2020 championship and how it was affected by the COVID pandemic.

    Advertisement

    One Small ProblemNETFLIX ORIGINAL

    In this Mexican comedy, a man is afraid that his new girlfriend hates children, so his daughter pretends to be his sister, and wacky complications ensue.

    Sky RojoNETFLIX ORIGINAL

    From the creators of Netflix’s hit "Money Heist" comes this new series, which has already been picked up for a second season; it focuses on the cross-country adventures of three prostitutes as they race across Spain to escape their former pimp and his hired goons.

    Advertisement

    Coming to Netflix on March 22

    NavilleraNETFLIX ORIGINAL

    South Korean drama, based on a web cartoon, about an unlikely friendship between a 23 year-old aspiring ballet dancer (Song Kang) and a 70-year-old man who once dreamed of being a dancer.

    Coming to Netflix on March 23

    Loyiso Gola: UnlearningNETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL

    Stand-up special for the South African comedian, known in his home country as the creator and host of "Late Night News with Loyiso Gola," the country’s answer to "The Daily Show."

    Advertisement

    Pokémon Detective Pikachu

    Coming to Netflix on March 24

    SeaspiracyNETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

    The creators of the 2014 documentary film Cowspiracy, which attacked the agriculture industry for its impact on the environment, are back to do the same for the fishing industry.

    Who Killed Sara?NETFLIX ORIGINAL

    Advertisement

    In this drama series from Mexico, Álex (Manolo Cardona) is released from prison after being framed for the murder of his sister, and sets out to get revenge on her real killers.

    Coming to Netflix on March 25

    Caught by a WaveNETFLIX FILM

    Two Italian teenagers (Elvira Camarrone and Roberto Christian) bond and fall in love over their mutual love of sailing, but she’s suffering from the kind of illness that at least one character is required to have in every romantic tearjerker.

    DOTA: Dragon’s BloodNETFLIX ANIME

    Advertisement

    Based on the video game, this series follows the adventures of a "Dragon Knight," which, as it turns out, means a knight who fights dragons.

    Secret Magic Control Agency— NETFLIX FAMILY

    After their famous encounter with the witch, fairy-tale stars Hänsel and Gretel go into business as secret agents investigating magical problems. Their first assignment: to find the king, who has mysteriously disappeared.

    Coming to Netflix on March 26

    A Week AwayNETFLIX FILM (Trailer)

    Advertisement

    Netflix moves into the genre of faith-based movies, with this musical drama about a moody teenager whose life is turned around when he is sent to a Christian summer camp.

    Bad TripNETFLIX FILM 

    Eric André and Lil Rel Howery star in this Borat-style hidden-camera film about two guys on a road trip across America.

    The Irregulars — NETFLIX ORIGINAL

    Advertisement

    See introduction for details

    Magic for Humans by Mago Pop-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

    Illusionist  Antonio Díaz, better known by his stage name Mago Pop, demonstrates magic tricks to admiring observers in his hometown of Barcelona.

    Nailed It!: Double TroubleNETFLIX ORIGINAL

    Advertisement

    A spinoff of the popular baking-show franchise about amateurs being forced to bake things they have no idea how to bake. The format is the same, except everything is now done by teams of two amateurs, hence the title.

    Licensed content:

    Croupier (1998)

    Honest Thief

    Coming to Netflix on March 28

    Bill & Ted Face The Music

    Advertisement

    Coming to Netflix on March 29

    Gods of Egypt

    Rainbow High: Season 1

    Coming to Netflix on March 30

    Octonauts & the Ring of Fire — NETFLIX FAMILY

    Film version of the popular animated children’s series about a group of animals who do for the sea what the animals of Paw Patrol do for the surface world.

    Advertisement

    Leaving Netflix on March 30

    Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

    Madagascar

    Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted

    Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

    Advertisement

    Spy Kids

    Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams

    Spy Kids 3: Game Over

    Spy Kids: All the Time in the World

    Advertisement

    Coming to Netflix on March 31

    Haunted: Latin AmericaNETFLIX ORIGINAL

    Yet another show with a mix of documentary footage and reenactments, about real-life stories of mysterious or paranormal encounters.

    Get the Best of Maclean’s straight to your inbox.

    Sign up for news, commentary, analysis and promotions. Join 80,000+ Canadian readers.