What’s blooming this May, you ask? Well, if by “blooming,” you mean “premiering new episodes of television,” you’ve come to the right place. May, of course, marks the debut of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, which I wrote about in more detail over on our kickoff to 2023 post. Aside from that royal intrigue, there is a whole host of new and returning series making their way to your screens this month. Let’s take a closer look at nine of them, including a cast reunion of a certain Oscar-winning film, a thrilling limited series juggling multiple timelines, and another dysfunctional couple of the royal variety.
The Other Two
May 4 on HBO Max
The Dubeks are back, and honestly, it’s about time. Nobody does showbiz like that family. Season three of The Other Two, the underrated comedy gem about siblings Brooke (Heléne Yorke) and Cary (Drew Tarver) living in the shadow of their pop singer phenom little brother ChaseDreams (Case Walker) and momager-turned-talk show host mother Pat (Molly Shannon), jumps three years ahead of where season two left off. You may recall that season two ended with Cary finally getting his big acting break by booking a role in a major film set to begin production on March 13, 2020 — or the day the world shut down. A devastating, and devastatingly funny, twist for Cary. We’ll find out how that all turned out, how Brooke’s faring in both her professional (she became her mom’s manager) and personal life, and how ChaseDreams is doing now that he’s aging out of the young pop star bracket.
Class of ’09
May 10 on FX on Hulu
This limited thriller series follows an unlikely class of FBI agents through three different time periods, weaving in and out of their stories over decades as the justice system and the way they act within it changes. Created by Tom Rob Smith, it’s got a killer cast led by Academy and Emmy Award nominee Brian Tyree Henry, who plays Tayo Michaels, a former insurance executive, and Kate Mara as Ashley Poet, who was a psychiatric nurse before being recruited by the Bureau without any law enforcement experience. The cast also features Sepideh Moafi, Jake McDorman, Rosalind Eleazar, Jon Jon Briones, and Brooke Smith.
The Great
May 12 on Hulu
Season three of the most raucous look at Catherine the Great’s story arrives on Hulu this month. Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult return as Empress Catherine II and Emperor Peter III, the rulers of Russia who are more than willing to kill the other (or sleep with the other’s mother and then kill her — I’m looking at you, Peter) for power. At the end of season two, Catherine was once again ready to murder her husband but did admittedly still love him and also give birth to their son. It’s complicated, to say the absolute least. All 10 episodes of the new season drop on May 12. Huzzah!
Primo
May 19 on Amazon Freevee
Based on creator and New York Times best-selling author Shea Serrano’s childhood in San Antonio, Primo follows 16-year-old Rafa (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio) as he tries to survive high school and figure out whatever comes next while being raised by his single mother and his five chaotic uncles. The series is executive produced by a whole slew of sitcom heavy-hitters including Mike Schur (Parks and Recreation, The Good Place), David Miner (30 Rock, Parks and Recreation), Morgan Sackett (Hacks, Veep), Peter Murrieta (Wizards of Waverly Place, Cristela), and Lisa Muse Bryant (Black-ish, Kenan) — if you’re going to launch a successful new comedy, that seems like the team to have in your corner, no?
Selling Sunset
May 19 on Netflix
Selling Sunset — Netflix’s real estate/Real Housewives hybrid, which is launching its sixth season this month — really has a hold on me. Whenever I grow tired of the women of the Oppenheim Group luxury real estate team creating drama, it provides me with ridiculous Los Angeles mansions to ogle. Maybe both elements are staged, but I do not care — it’s a perfect formula, no notes.
American Born Chinese
May 24 on Disney+
Have you already been wondering when we’ll get some sort of Everything Everywhere All at Once reunion? If so, you’re going to love this. Based on Gene Luen Yang’s award-winning graphic novel, American Born Chinese tells the story of teenager Jin Wang (Ben Wang), who gets stuck with a new student for a lab partner, only to learn that Wei-Chen (Jim Liu) is the son of a mythological Chinese goddess (played by none other than Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh), and Jin gets thrown into a war between the gods. The series explores adolescence and identity with a little magic tossed in for good measure. And yes, Yeoh is joined by EEAAO pals Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu, who are both part of the cast, along with Yeo Yann Yann, Chin Han, and Daniel Wu.
Platonic
May 24 on Apple TV+
Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen were a delight as a married couple warring with college kids in Neighbors and its sequel. And now they’re putting that on-screen chemistry to good use once again in this new series from Apple TV+. In Platonic, Byrne and Rogen play former best friends who had a falling-out but have reconnected. This time around, they let their friendship take over their lives. Honestly, this series could be about paint drying, and I’d probably watch it because these two are so fun together. Thankfully, it’s not, but still, I’m very serious about the paint-drying thing.
Run the World
May 26 on Starz
Your favorite friends — with the most enviable closets — from Harlem will be back on your screen this May. Amber Stevens West, Bresha Webb, and Corbin Reid return as Whitney, Renee, and Sondi, less their fourth, Ella (Andrea Bordeaux exited the series earlier this year), all successful Black women navigating the ups and downs of their 30s together. Erika Alexander, Stephen Bishop, Tosin Morohunfola, and Tika Sumpter all round out the cast.
I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson
May 30 on Netflix
Will anything top Coffin Flop? Do we want it to? I guess we’ll find out when Tim Robinson’s absurdist and award-winning sketch series returns for its six-episode third season. Prepare your sloppy steaks accordingly.
Maggie Fremont is a freelance pop culture writer with a focus on television. You can find more of her writing on Vulture, Entertainment Weekly's EW.com, and TV Guide.
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