1. "Conbody vs Everybody"
A formerly incarcerated gym founder is the center of this multi-part documentary series. Coss Marte is trying to build his company, fighting the stigma of incarceration by hiring other formerly incarcerated people. It’s inspiring as his business succeeds but also demoralizing as society waits for the ex-cons to slip up so they can be punished again.
May 1, Criterion Channel
2. "Twenty Twenty Six"
In 2012, a British mockumentary series called “Twenty Twelve” aired, following those behind the scenes at the Olympics. This sequel, also starring Hugh Bonneville, digs into the logistics of the World Cup “The Office”-style.
May 1, BritBox/Tubi
3. "Lord of the Flies"
Highly rated in the UK, this series is an adaptation of the
classic novel about a group of boys trying to survive while stranded on an
island. The boys quickly turn on one another, creating cliques, scapegoats and mayhem. Jack Thorne (“Adolescence”) is the creator of this version.
May 4, Netflix
4. "The Other Bennet Sister"
This series shifts the point of view of “Pride and Prejudice”
to Mary, the bookish middle sister of the Bennet family. As she travels to
London and the Lake District, she finds a lot of eligible suitors and maybe love.
The series is based on a novel by Janice Hadlow.
May 6, Britbox
5. "Legends"
Based on a true story, this limited crime series follows a
group of British customs officials recruited to go undercover with drug
smuggling gangs in the 1990s. Tonally, the show is a mix of both dark themes
and lighter moments. Tom Burke and Steve Coogan star.
May 7, Netflix
6. "M.I.A."
A woman is out for revenge in the streets of Miami in this crime thriller. Etta needs to track down the dozen men responsible for the deaths of her family members and become the new drug queenpin of the city, but danger lurks in every alley.
May 7, Peacock
7. "The Terror: Devil in Silver"
The third installment in “The Terror” series, this show features Dan Stevens as a wrongly accused man imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital.
As he tried to escape, he loses grip with reality more and more. CCH Pounder,
Judith Light, Stephen Root, Aasif Mandvi, Marin Ireland and John Benjamin
Hickey also star, while Karyn Kusama ("Yellowjackets”) directs.
May 7, AMC/ Shudder
8. "Amadeus"
Will Sharpe plays Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to Paul
Bettany’s Salieri in this serial adaption of the stage play (which also spawned the 1984 film). In it, Salieri seethes when he sees his young rival Mozart ascend into
fame and fortune while the spotlight alludes him after decades in
the composer biz.
May 8, Starz
9. "Remarkably Bright Creatures"
Just in times for Mother’s Day, Sally Field and Lewis
Pullman star in this film about a widow, a young man and an octopus form a bond
at an aquarium. The film is an adaptation of Shelby Van Pelt’s novel of the
same name.
May 8, Netflix
10. "Tucci in Italy"
The Tooch is back for season 2 in this delightful travel
series, where he eats and drinks his way through Italy. This season brings him
to five new regions: Le Marche, Campania, Veneto, Sardinia and Sicily.
May 11, Nat Geo/Hulu/ Disney+
11. "Marty, Life Is Short"
Martin Short gets this profile film, made by one of his best
friends, director Lawrence Kasdan (“The Empire Strikes Back”). Through
interviews with other famous friends like Steve Martin and the late Catherine O’Hara and home movies, Short’s joy of life is intercut with the horrible tragedies he
has endured with grace.
May 12, Netflix
12. "The Punisher: One Last Kill"
Jon Bernthal becomes the Punisher for one last Marvel
special, though we will see him in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” this
summer.
May 12, Disney+
13. "Off Campus"
This steamy series is a different romance with hockey players based
on a book, not “Heated Rivalry.” In our favorite rom-com trope, music major Hannah
and hockey center Garrett need to pretend they’re dating, but accidentally fall
in love.
May 13, Prime Video
14. "You're Killing Me"
A crime author (Brooke Shields) and a podcaster team up to
solve a local murder while one flirts with the new police detective in town (Tom
Cavanaugh) in this fun mystery series.
May 18, Acorn TV
15. "Jack Ryan: Ghost War"
John Krasinski returns as Jack Ryan for more espionage in a streaming movie, this
time joining a rogue black-ops unit in a high-stakes mission.
May 20, Prime Video
16. "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed"
Tatiana Maslany ("Orphan Black") plays a newly divorced mom who, through her
entanglements with a camboy, witnesses a murder that may or may not be a scam.
Not sure who she can trust, she launches herself into investigating the murder,
all while juggling custody with her ex, her job as a magazine fact checker and
her safety. The comedy-drama series also stars Jake Johnson, Murray Bartlett and Brandon Flynn.
May 20, Apple TV
17. "The Boroughs"
Is this “Stranger Things” for retirees? The Duffer brothers
produce this new sci-fi series about a group of older neighbors who have to
battle an evil force, citing “Cocoon” as a big influence. The A-list cast
includes Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters, Bill
Pullman, Denis O'Hare, Ed Begley Jr., Jena Malone, Karan Soni, Rafael Casal,
Dee Wallace and Jane Kaczmarek.
May 21, Netflix
18. "Ladies First"
Sacha Baron Cohen (“Borat”) stars in this comedy movie as a
male chauvinist who bonks his head and wakes up in a female-dominated world.
Supporting him are Rosamund Pike, Emily Mortimer, Charles Dance, Richard E.
Grant and Fiona Shaw.
May 22, Netflix
19. "Spider-Noir"
You can choose to watch this comic-adapted noir series,
starring Nicholas Cage as a spider-detective, in color or in black and white.
The show is set in 1930s New York where Ben Reilly (Cage) is a detective and
superhero, using all of his skills to solve crimes.
May 25, MGM+
May 27, Prime Video
20. "The Four Seasons"
In season 1, a group of middle-aged friends, including Tina
Fey, Will Forte, Colman Domingo and Steve Carell, went through different phases
of life in one year, framed by their group vacations. In season 2, the group is
still reeling from a tragedy, so they go to Italy, the Jersey Shore and upstate
New York, experiencing more milestones, both bitter and sweet, together.
May 28, Netflix
21. "Miss You, Love You"
A grieving widow (Allison Janney) bonds with her estranged
son’s assistant (Andrew Rannells) as the two plan a funeral in this tender
movie, written and directed by Jim Rash (“Community”).
May 29, HBO Max
22. "Star City"
Flipping the script on “For All Mankind,” this prequel series
take the Soviet point-of-view as they race to put a man on the moon.
May 29, Apple TV