Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+: 10 of the best new shows to watch in May

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

From May 5th, Netflix

With the Bridgerton brand stamped on this series, expect all of polite (and not-so-polite) society to gather in front of the box to watch this prequel of sorts to the main series. The story centres on the rise to power of Queen Charlotte, whose arranged marriage to King George kick-starts the social world of the Ton. Golda Rosheuvel revives her role as Queen Charlotte, with Adjoa Andoh and Ruth Gemmell back as Lady Agatha Danbury and Lady Violet Bridgerton and India Amarteifio as the young Charlotte.

Silo

May 5th, Apple TV+

Rebecca Ferguson and Common star in this dystopian sci-fi thriller series – based on the novels by Hugh Howey – that reads like somewhere between The Matrix and The Island. The world has gone through Armageddon, and a handful of surviving humans are sheltering in a vast underground silo, wherde they must make the most of their new subterranean reality. Life in the silo is strictly regulated and regimented, and anyone who goes out into the toxic air will die a horrible death. But one woman, Juliette, wants to know what’s really going on, and whether the air outside is really as toxic as they say it is.

The Muppets Mayhem

May 10th, Disney+

Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem have been the Muppets’ house band for yonks, and incredibly, they’ve never got around to recording an album: “We got sidetracked by the 80s”. Now, however, the Mayhem are getting the chance to finally lay down their funky tracks on vinyl, but the music world has changed, with autotune, drum machines, TikTok and streaming music. Can the Mayhem find their tribe in this new reality? The new Muppets series features a musical guest list as long as your arm to worship at the altar of Dr Teeth, Zoot, Floyd, Janice and of course, the legendary Animal.

High Desert

May 17th, Apple TV+

Patricia Arquette puts in a showstopping turn as messed-up kiddult Peggy, whose life reaches rock bottom when the mom she has been over-reliant on dies. She decides it’s time to start a new life – as a private investigator. Peggy is hard-boiled enough, but she couldn’t detect a bank robbery right in front of her as she’d be too busy doing her make-up or rolling joint to notice. Still, she presses ahead with her new career – and soon finds herself in over her fuzzy head with some very very bad people.

‘I wouldn’t wish it on anyone’: What to know and do about shingles

---

The rationale for moving from Dublin to commuter counties has never been stronger

---

Michael Palin on the loss of his wife of 57 years: ‘you feel you’ll never have a friend as close as that’

---

Selling Sunset

May 19th, Netflix

The Kardashians are back (see below), but if you want some serious bling, back-stabbing and diva behaviour, the women of the Oppenheim Group real estate company will give Kim & co a run for their (big) money. Selling Sunset is back for a new round of real-life real-estate drama, but what’s that clacking sound? That’s a new crew of agents strutting into the office in their Jimmy Choos, and they’re determined to throw some serious shade and outsell their rivals in Los Angeles’s ultra-luxury home market.

White Men Can’t Jump

May 19th, Disney+

Why remake a classic comedy film when you can spin it out into an entire TV series? This new series is based on the 1992 movie starring Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes as a pair of street basketball hustlers who team up with hilarious results. This “remix” stars rap superstar Jack Harlow as Jeremy and Sinqua Walls as Kamal, two promising basketball players whose careers were derailed, but find common ground in LA’s street ball hustling culture. Will this be a slam dunk with viewers?

Prehistoric Planet

From May 22nd, Apple TV+

David Attenborough proves he’s no dinosaur by travelling back in time once again in season two of the spectacular nature series directed by Jon Favreau and produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit. Attenborough again displays his vast knowledge of wildlife both existing and extinct, as he explores the lives and habitats of some of the deadliest predators from a very safe distance. The series which combines the latest breakthroughs in palaeontology and amazing visual effects courtesy of the people behind The Lion King and The Book of Boba Fett.

The Clearing

May 24th, Disney+

Meet the family – but not the wholesome family that Disney traditionally targets. This family is a sinister cult run by a woman named Adrienne (Miranda Otto), who has set herself up as a messiah figure. They have a novel way of recruiting new members: kidnapping children, forcing them to dye their hair blonde and carry our Adrienne’s evil bidding. When another schoolgirl mysteriously disappears, former cult member Freya (Teresa Palmer) is drawn back into her dark past. Guy Pearce also stars in this eight-part series based on the true crime novel by JP Pomare.

The Kardashians

May 25th, Disney+

There’s just no getting away from America’s most famous family, and they’re back for a third season of bling, body positivity and extreme shopping. In the trailer, Kim Kardashian warns us not to expect a calm, relaxing, serene season – don’t worry, we’re not. What we are expecting is more uber-diva showboating as Kim, Kris, Kourtney, Khloé, Kendall and Kylie navigate all the perils of social media superstardom.

Fubar

May 25th, Netflix

He warned us he’d be back, and now Arnold Schwarzenegger has made good on his threat, starring in his first-ever action thriller TV series. Arnie plays retired CIA operative Luke, who, you guessed it, is called back for one last mission. But Luke makes a shocking discovery: his daughter Emma (Monica Barbaro), has joined the CIA, but before he can ground her for sneakily working for the spy agency behind his back, the pair are forced to team up to fight a deadly foe. Naturally, Luke still has his baddie-bashing mojo working, but what’s with the Chuck Norris beard?