15 of the Best Shows on Every Streaming Service in May 2022

I’m not the first to point out that the current state of streaming is essentially a cable bundle. The task at hand is for a streamer to convince me it consistently puts out enough high-quality shows to make their service worth more than a free trial. And as I rounded up the most highly anticipated shows premiering this month, I felt that every major platform has at least one show worth watching these days. This is exciting as someone who loves TV. And it’s frustrating as someone who loves not spending money.

Here are the best of all the new series and new seasons of returning favorites that will be available to stream in May.

If there’s one way to battle true-crime fatigue, it’s with Toni Collette. If there’s two ways to battle true-crime fatigue, it’s with Toni Collette and Colin Firth. The Staircase takes on a suspicious death that’s been debated for nearly two decades. On October 9, 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her staircase in a pool of her own blood. After a three-month long trial in 2003, Michael Peterson was found guilty of murdering his wife.

Even if you’ve already seen the 2018 Netflix docu-series of the same name, HBO’s eight-episode miniseries seems to promise more than another reenactment or relitigation. With three different timelines at play, this dramatization will surely tackle how touchy the subject of “truth” really is. If nothing else, I have decent hopes that this series will be self-aware when it comes to the larger culture of true crime.

Stream it: HBO Max, May 5

Look. If you’re tired of every single show being yanked from real headlines? I feel you. Unfortunately, there seems to be no end in sight for the “inspired by true events” title card. So I’m strapping in.

This is true story of how Eric C. Conn (so that’s why it’s spelled like that) pulled off one of the largest government frauds in U.S. history. The trailer for The Big Conn sold me when a townie at a bar tells the camera, “The only thing the government hates more than a rapist or a child molester is a tax evader.” I’m wary of the continued glorification of scammers, but I’ll probably tune in to see how this docu-series treats its titular Conn man.

Stream it: Apple TV+, May 6

The Wilds answers the question at the forefront of all our minds: What if Yellowjackets met The Maze Runner?

Now, if those references do more to confuse than to clarify, I can put it like this: What if Lost had more teens?

The trailer for season two of The Wilds begins with a somewhat large spoiler from the season one twist, so press play with caution. I don’t like to deprive my media diet of plane-crash-based shows for too long, and luckily, I never have too long to wait.

Stream it: Amazon Prime, May 6

Like I hinted at before, I’m skeptical and frankly freaked out by the never-ending amount of true-crime shows coming out at all times. Still, I’m a weak man. Sure, I roll my eyes and grit my teeth while I press play on the trailer. But by the time it finishes playing, I’m usually hooked. And when the Candy trailer closes with an ostensibly murderous Jessica Biel calmly checking her manicure, I found myself hooked.

Candy sees Biel play the real-life Candy Montgomery, who was accused of brutally murdering her best friend, Betty Gore in 1980s Texas. While the true-crime drama isn’t groundbreaking for its subject matter, Candy might stand out for its release schedule: five episodes over five consecutive days. If it works out for Hulu, perhaps other streamers will take note. If nothing else, give Candy a shot so you can be a part of the Yellowjackets-fueled Melanie Lynskey renaissance.

Stream it: Hulu, May 9

Let’s go back to Vegas, baby. Hacks has it all: Generational conflict. Cancel culture. Female mentorship. And it’s hilarious.

The show follows two comics at critical moments in their careers. There’s Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), a Joan Rivers-esque standup whose icon status is slipping into irrelevance. Then there’s Ava (Hannah Einbinder), a Gen Z writer from L.A. whose prospects are stifled after getting semi-canceled on Twitter. Their manager forces them to work together. Antics ensue.

I’m biased in my love for Hacks. Without revealing too much, I’m quick to identify with a 25-year-old redheaded writer/comedian. It looks like season two has our comics hitting the road, and I’m along for the ride.

Stream it: HBO Max, May 12

Speaking of comedians adapting to stay relevant...it’s time to thaw out a Canadian sketch comedy troupe has been dug up and resurfaced from the 1980s.

Here’s the thing: The Kids in the Hall are somewhat niche, even for big fans of sketch comedy. Maybe it’s the Canada thing, or the 1980s thing, or a combination of the two. Whatever the reason, these five white men aren’t all household names, and I think its cult-classic-status is a promising thing for the return of the The Kids. Loyal fans will stream it no matter what, and viewers with no expectations will find themselves delighted with a new sketch show.

Lifehacker deputy editor Joel Cunningham captures the mix of hope and hesitancy around The Kids’ return:

“It’s not that I think old episodes of the series are no longer funny; the sketches are as bizarre and off-putting (in a good way) as ever. But a lot of its signature gags—gags that play on gay stereotypes and lots of putting members of the all-male cast in drag for a laugh—are bound to hit different nearly three decades later. That said, the trailer seems to indicate the now sixty-something cast is at least aware of the fact that time has passed them by, even if Amazon hasn’t.”

And hey, even if you’re not familiar with their earlier work, at least Superstore fans will be delighted to see more Mark McKinney.

Stream it: Amazon Prime, May 13

The occasional perk of Netflix’s subscriber model is the exposure to new kinds of international content (just take the massive success of Squid Game). Now, we’re heading to South Africa.

Savage Beauty follows a mysterious model who embeds herself in the powerful family of a cosmetics empire. It’s like Revenge meets Succession. In other words, it’s sure to have dark secrets, sinister schemes, and high-stakes family drama.

Stream it: Netflix, May 12

In 2020, the adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People hit at just the right time. It was a perfectly moody show where not a lot “happens” but so much is felt. Rooney is adept at making it feel like the smallest of glances means the whole world to her characters.

Conversations with Friends follows a set of intermingling couples, centered around a 21-year-old English major falling into an affair with a married man. Rooney wrote Conversations with Friends before Normal People, and frankly, it reads like an author’s earlier work. The romantic missteps don’t always punch you in the gut as they should, or the messiness doesn’t feel quite as earned. That being said, I still enjoyed the book and will give the show a fair shot.

Stream it: Hulu, May 15

Based on the star of more than 20 novels, Joe Pickett follows a dedicated game warden in a small town full of big conspiracies. All the gorgeous shots of Wyoming are a huge sell. Another strong sign for the show is that the streamer has already renewed it for a second season. If your life has been lacking in the sheriff department, Pickett is for you.

Stream it: Paramount+, May 15

Finally, Rachel McAdams is getting a well-deserved rest from time travel.

Many fans feel that the film adaptation of The Time Traveler’s Wife didn’t do Audrey Niffenegger’s 2003 novel justice. Now, HBO’s six-episode series is an exciting promise for fans of the story who want to be able to sit with these characters in a deeper way. Plus, a script from Doctor Who’s Steven Moffat is sure to deliver on the “timey-wimey” front.

Stream it: HBO Max, May 15

Don’t be fooled by the footage of The Crown and The Queen’s Gambit at the beginning of this trailer. Love, Death & Robots wants you to know that it’s not like those other Netflix hits. This anthology series from Tim Miller (Deadpool) and David Fincher (Fight Club) is all about putting the “adult” in adult animation.

In the pilot season, they may have done this to a gratuitous extent. Season two, however, demonstrated significant grow. “Adult” doesn’t have to mean boobs and gore; sometimes it means poignant storytelling. Poignant storytelling, I’ll add, that doesn’t get as associated with the animated world as it should. If the trailer doesn’t intrigue you, nothing more that I can write will get the job done.

Stream it: Netflix, May 20

I’m going to get high and let David Attenborough narrate dinosaurs for me until I pass out. Join me.

Stream it: Apple TV+, May 23

I’m going to get high and watch Phil Rosenthal try international cuisine until I pass out. Join me.

Stream it: Netflix, May 25

After more than 15 years since last playing Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ewan McGregor returns in Disney+’s upcoming limited series. Anakin actor Hayden Christensen also returns. Plot-wise, little has been revealed about what’s in store for the latest Star Wars property, but we do know that story is set 10 years after Star Wars: Episode III. We also know that, like with The Mandalorian, Disney+ is sure to try and please their diehard fans while also luring in Star Wars newbies.

Stream it: Disney+, May 25

We round out this list with a goodbye to Stranger Things. This is the beginning of the end of our time with the Hawkins gang, and now more than ever, the world needs the help of Eleven and her friends. Back in February, the show creators announced: “With nine scripts, over eight-hundred pages, almost two years of filming, thousands of visual effects shots, and a runtime nearly twice the length of any previous season, Stranger Things 4 was the most challenging season yet, but also the most rewarding one.”

The trailer certainly suggests that we can expect more action and horror than in previous seasons (a benefit of your child stars growing up). See you on the other side.

Stream it: Netflix, May 27