‘Chaotic and heartbreaking’: 5 essential shows for you to stream this May

May is an extremely exciting month for TV. 

In a few days, we have the Bafta TV Awards, which will see acclaimed dramas including Adolescence, A Thousand Blows and Andor honoured at the glitzy London ceremony.

Soon, Eurovision 2026 will take place in Vienna, with Graham Norton providing his annual cracking commentary as Look Mum No Computer tries to achieve glory for the UK.

But that doesn’t even cover the thrilling and addictive shows coming to streaming, such as the chilling sci-fi The Boroughs on Netflix and the raunchy second season of Rivals on Disney Plus.

Here are five essential shows coming this month to add to your to-watch list.

Your next sci-fi fix after Stranger Things

It’s only been five months since the final episode of Stranger Things was released on Netflix, but the Duffer Brothers are already dipping their toes back into the warm waters of sci-fi. 

Some fans might not be ready to forgive them for how Stranger Things ended, but it’s time to move on – especially when The Boroughs looks like a brilliant watch.

The premise might sound somewhat familiar. A suburban town in America. Weird phenomena start happening. Secrets are being kept up sleeves. A group of heroes team up to fight the darkness that threatens their neighbourhood. 

However, the trailer, set to an eerie rendition of Golden Years, proves this isn’t just a copy of Stranger Things. Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard and Denis O’Hare are among the stars leading this eerie thriller, set in a retirement community that seems anything but peaceful.

The Boroughs premieres on Thursday May 21 on Netflix.

Revenge has never tasted so sweet

Jon Bernthal as the vigilante, the Punisher, is undoubtedly one of the best comic book castings ever. 

He made his debut in the original Netflix Daredevil series, and proved so popular that his performance spawned his eponymous show, The Punisher.

Since then, he’s reprised the role in Daredevil: Born Again – and now, he’s getting his very own TV special, The Punisher: One Last Kill, which sees his character Frank Castle take an unexpected route in life, namely trying to find peace instead of violence.

What makes Jon’s portrayal of Frank so impactful isn’t just the grit and brute strength that he brings to the screen. It’s also the raw emotion in the quiet moments, when he’s remembering all of the loved ones he’s lost. This is as much a Marvel show as it is a poignant character study, and I think we’re in for something special.

The Punisher: One Last Kill premieres on Wednesday May 13 on Disney Plus.

A bittersweet farewell

The time has finally come to bid farewell to Good Omens. 

It’s been seven years since the fantasy series premiered, and three years since season two came out. Now, the final season – which is just one episode – is going to bring the beloved show to a close.

While many can’t wait to see how the story between angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tennant) comes to an end, the series is undeniably tainted by allegations that were made against creator Neil Gaiman, which he denies.

There was a time when fans feared there wouldn’t be a final season at all, and so many are grateful that there’s at least one last instalment being released. As a fan of the series since the start, this feels like a bittersweet goodbye, one that’s loaded with conflicting feelings. 

Good Omens season 3 premieres on Wednesday May 13 on Amazon Prime Video.

TV’s most bonktastic show is back

Oh, how we’ve all been waiting for the glorious chaos of Rivals to come back for round two. 

The most bonk-tastic series on TV has returned, packed with garish 80s outfits (the bolder, the better), saucy encounters, non-stop flirting and jaw-dropping scandals. 

Following the cliffhanger of the season one finale, Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) is back from near-death and on the warpath. Rupert (Alex Hassell) and Taggie (Bella Maclean) continue to dance around each other, neither knowing how best to act on their feelings while yearning like mad. 

The late great Dame Jilly Cooper built a salacious world of pure escapism, and we avid TV-watchers are ready and willing to dive back in, headfirst. Season two looks as though it’s going to get even messier than the first, so let’s pop the champagne and dig in.

Rivals season 2 premieres on Friday May 15 on Disney Plus.

Prepare to laugh and cry in equal measure

I have a confession to make – I’m yet to watch the first season of The Four Seasons, but every time I mention it to someone who has, they sing its praises to the high heavens.

That’s why season two is already on my to-watch list for May, which will see stars Tina Fey, Colman Domingo and Will Forte return to the highly-popular comedy drama.

For the uninitiated (like myself), The Four Seasons follows a group of six friends who go on a trip together. But four of the friends are left staggered when they learn that one of the couples is on the verge of splitting up. 

Inspired by the 1981 film of the same name, fans hailed the first season of the show as tear-jerking, hilarious, heartbreaking and beautiful – so I have very high hopes.

The Four Seasons season 2 premieres on Thursday May 28 on Netflix.

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