14 Of The Best New And Returning Shows Coming In May
1.Stranger Things Season 4 Part 1
Once again, it's time to return to the land of the Upside Down. In Season 3, we left off with the gang destroying the Mind Flayer, Hopper getting obliterated...or so we thought, and the Byers family leaving Hawkins once and for all. As everyone tries to come back to some sort of normalcy, they quickly realize that the chaos has only just begun, and there are so many more questions left unanswered. This season, we'll see Eleven struggle with losing her powers, Hopper fighting the Other Side all the way from Russia, and battle a creepy new villain we haven't seen before. Plus Jamie Campbell Bower, Amybeth McNulty, Myles Truitt, Regina Ting Chen, and Grace Van Dien are just a few of the new faces we'll get to meet this season. Season 4 will also be split up into two parts, with the second installment premiering in July.
When it returns: May 27 on Netflix
Watch the new season trailer here:
2.Obi-Wan Kenobi
The miniseries begins 10 years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith with Obi-Wan Kenobi living on Tatooine and watching after a young Luke Skywalker. Obi-Wan will once again come face-to-face with his former best friend-turned-Sith-Lord Anakin Skywalker as the series bridges the gap between the original Star Wars trilogy and its prequels. Hayden Christensen will reprise his role as Anakin, and Grant Feely has been cast to play young Luke.
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Moses Ingram, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, Sung Kang, Kumail Nanjiani, Maya Erskine, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Benny Safdie, and more
When it premieres: May 27 on Disney+
Watch the teaser trailer here:
3.Conversations with Friends
Based on the best-selling novel by Sally Rooney, Conversations with Friends follows Frances, a 21-year-old college student as she navigates the complexities of her relationships with friends, family, and significant others. When Frances and Bobbi (her ex-girlfriend turned best friend) meet an artsy older couple, Melissa and Nick, their lives become messily intertwined. While Bobbi and Melissa openly flirt with each other, Frances finds herself in an intense affair with Nick, that ends up causing a rift in her friendship with Bobbi. Frances is forced to reconsider her own sense of self and the relationships with those she loves. If you fell in love with Normal People, then you're bound to love this series, too.
Starring: Sasha Lane, Alison Oliver, Joe Alwyn, Jemima Kirke, and more
When it premieres: May 15 on Hulu
Watch the trailer here:
4.The Staircase
Inspired by a true story, The Staircase follows the suspicious death of Kathleen Peterson and the way her husband — and number one suspect — Michael, deals with the loss. Throughout the entire case, Michael claims that his wife's death was an accident, but her injuries just don't match those belonging to a fall. As the case causes a rift in the family and secrets are uncovered, Michael and Kathleen's children begin to choose sides as well. This limited series offers a look into how this tragic event tore a family apart and changed their lives forever. Also, if you're not already intrigued, just look at this show's all-star cast. It can't get any better than this.
Starring: Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Rosemarie DeWitt, Juliette Binoche, Parker Posey, Sophie Turner, Odessa Young, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Dane DeHaan, Olivia DeJonge, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tim Guinee, Vincent Vermignon
When it premieres: May 5 on HBO Max
Watch the trailer here:
5.The Wilds Season 2
After the most stressfully chaotic first season, The Wilds finally returns. We left off last season with Leah realizing that the girls were part of a social experiment while they were stranded on the island and that there was, in fact, another group of boys struggling to stay alive after their own plane crash. Now that we know all the girls' backstories, Season 2 will delve even more into the fight for their lives and how they were eventually "rescued." We'll also learn a little about the boys' lives and just how they got wrapped up in this mess. Zack Calderon, Aidan Laprete, Nicholas Coombe, Charles Alexander, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Reed Shannon, Tanner Ray Rook, and Alex Fitzalan are all set to join the cast this season.
When it returns: May 6 on Prime Video
Watch the new season trailer here:
6.Candy
Candy is a 1980s church-going housewife who did everything right and seemed to have it all. But when the pressure of conformity hits its boiling point, she struggles to break free and finds herself having an affair with her friend's husband. Before she ends up losing everything, Candy takes matters into her own hands and murders said friend with an ax. The series follows Candy before, during, and after the horrific crime that changed her life and is based on the grisly true story of Candy Montgomery.
Starring: Jessica Biel, Melanie Lynskey, Pablo Schreiber, Timothy Simons, Raúl Esparza, and more
When it premieres: May 9 on Hulu
Watch the trailer here:
7.Hacks Season 2
Fresh off her not-so-great new comedy set, Deborah Vance is hitting the road and going back to the basics. As her star power continues to falter with negative reviews, Deborah wants to prove to everyone that she's still a force to be reckoned with. The bread and butter of this show is the sweet BFF moments between Deborah and Ava, and luckily, this season will have no shortage of those. Plus Laurie Metcalf, Ming-Na Wen, Margaret Cho, and Martha Kelly will also be joining the cast this season.
When it returns: May 12 on HBO Max
Watch the new season trailer here:
8.Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of the starship USS Enterprise as they explore new worlds throughout the galaxy. The series also takes place during the decade before Star Trek: The Original Series begins. Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, and Ethan Peck are all confirmed to return in their respective roles (Pike, Number One, and Spock) from Star Trek: Discovery as well. And without giving away too many spoilers about the show, it's already been renewed for a second season before Season 1 has even debuted.
Starring: Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Babs Olusanmokun, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, Melissa Navia, Bruce Horak, and more
When it premieres: May 5 on Paramount+
Watch the trailer here:
9.I Love That for You
After years of being defined by her leukemia diagnosis, Joanna is ready to leave her sickness behind and lands her dream job at a home shopping network. When her first broadcast goes horribly awry and she gets fired, Joanna blurts out that her cancer has returned in hopes of saving her brand new career. Vanessa Bayer created and stars in this series that was inspired by her own life and childhood diagnosis, and it's so well-deserved. I Love That for You has a perfect storm of comedy cast, and it's bound to leave you laughing out loud.
Starring: Vanessa Bayer, Molly Shannon, Jenifer Lewis, Matt Rogers, Paul James, Matt Malloy, Bess Armstrong, Punam Patel, Ayden Mayeri, Jason Schwartzman, and more
When it premieres: Streaming Apr. 29 and on-air May 1 on Showtime
Watch the trailer here:
10.Girls5eva Season 2
The gals are back to record their brand new album, and they're finally doing it on their own terms. In an effort to become a "two-hit wonder," Dawn, Wickie, Summer, and Gloria are putting everything they have into making the best album ever. Like Season 1, this season is full of "don't blink or you'll miss it" jokes, and the cast's comedic timing is impeccable. Girls5eva will no doubt leave you in the best mood...eva!
When it returns: May 5 on Peacock
Watch the new season trailer here:
11.Workin' Moms Season 6
Hot off its debut on Canada's CBC, Season 6 of Workin' Moms is finally coming to the rest of the world via Netflix. As Sloane continues to make Kate's life a living hell, Kate lets the rivalry fuel her work life. Plus, Anne and the Carlsons have officially moved back, reuniting the entire gang once again. Jenny will also finally face some consequences after sleeping with her boss. There's literally never a dull moment with these moms, and I can promise that Season 6 will be no different.
When it returns: May 10 on Netflix
Watch the new season trailer here:
12.Angelyne
Emmy Rossum stars as Angelyne, the '80s superstar who took LA by storm after appearing on a series of sexy billboards. As her mysterious popularity grew, Angelyne became a hot commodity for the film and TV industry, changing influencer culture forever. Loosely based on the 2017 Hollywood Reporter article that revealed Angelyne's secret past, the series delves into the nature of what it means to be a celebrity and how everything in the media isn't always what it seems.
Starring: Emmy Rossum, Alex Karpovsky, Lukas Gage, Martin Freeman, Hamish Linklater, David Krumholtz, Michael Angarano, and more
When it premieres: May 19 on Peacock
Watch the trailer here:
13.The Essex Serpent
Based on the novel by Sarah Perry, The Essex Serpent follows a widow named Cora Seaborne, as she moves to Essex to investigate reports of a mythical serpent. While she's there, she becomes quite close with the local pastor Will Ransome. After tragedy strikes, Cora is suddenly accused of bringing the serpent to Essex.
Starring: Claire Danes, Tom Hiddleston, Frank Dillane, Hayley Squires, Clémence Poésy, Jamael Westman, and more
When it premieres: May 13 on Apple TV+
Watch the trailer here:
14.The Time Traveler's Wife
Based on the best-selling novel, Theo James and Rose Leslie star in this series about a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and his wife, an artist who has to cope with his absence. This heartbreaking love story captures the nuances of true love, loss, and what it means to exist in this world. Rose and Theo give the performances of a lifetime; I promise, you'll be sobbing by the end of each episode.
Starring: Rose Leslie, Theo James, Desmin Borges, Natasha Lopez, Michael Park, Jaime Ray Newman, Kate Siegel, Will Brill, and more
When it premieres: May 15 on HBO and HBO Max
