Last month’s chaotic TV vibes came in with a Walton Goggins/Timothy Olyphant reunion photo and out with Goggins minus a nose as The Ghoul on Amazon’s Fallout. He’s come a long way since The Shield, but while Goggins (who is seemingly everywhere on TV these days) ducks down in Thailand to film The White Lotus, a smattering of other series will arrive to distract us.
Now, get ready for something completely different. A neo-Western sci-fi series, some Star Wars action, lust-filled vampires, and too many corsets will take us through the month.
Here are the must-see shows for May in order of appearance.
Hacks: Season 3 (Netflix series streaming 5/1)
Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder’s push-pull dynamic takes on new shades this season, and they’ve never been better together as Deborah and Ava. The power struggle isn’t quite over, but that’s part of the appeal, as is the sexier aura of this season. The show also dives deeper into the soul of The Comedian, which isn’t always pretty but is consistently entertaining and breezy as hell. Oh, and Vegas also returns as a character while the show’s supporting actors continue to charm the hell out of the audience. Win win win win.
Tales of the Empire: Season 1 (Disney+ series streaming 5/4)
The Mandalorian and Ahsoka crowd will want to pencil in this series that follows antagonist Morgan Elsbeth, who will be pushing forth with a plan for vengeance. Additionally, ex-Jedi Barriss Offee will be adjusting to change, and General Grevious will let his freak flag fly (in as chaste a way as possible).
Dark Matter: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series streaming 5/8)
Jennifer Connelly and Joel Egerton star in this trippy series (and Apple TV+ is currently the master at these stories) about a man who is kidnapped and somehow ends up in an alternate reality. Not only is this development (adapted from a Black Crouch novel) an inconvenient pain in the butt, but he’s apparently got to fight the villainous form of himself who wishes to destroy his family. Not ideal.
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School (Max series streaming 5/9)
The cast of the Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin series returns for this new season, which puts them into an even deeper hell: being required to wake up every weekday morning on summer break for school. The Archie-Verse series is also (of course) tied to the original Pretty Little Liars, and as these characters are once again terrorized, we can expect more easter eggs and official connections to make themselves known.
The Chi: Season 6 Part 2 (Showtime series streaming on Paramount+ 5/10)
The Showtime series plans to test every character with nobody immune from becoming collateral damage. Thus far this season, risks and rewards are juxtaposed with relationships and loyalties tested. Business ventures and partnerships will likewise bleed into other parts of life, and in the end, all-out war will break out on the South Side of Chicago.
Interview With the Vampire: Season 2 (AMC+ series streaming 5/12)
Get ready for this show to dive away from the movie’s origin story of Armand in a WTF way, but we shouldn’t expect strict continuity in a series where Louis the vampire lives in sunny Dubai. Additionally, both Louis and Claudia must reckon with what has been done to ultimate toxic undead-guy Lestat de Lioncourt, but hopefully, the campy aspect of this series will keep itself alive even if Lestat is looking like hell (and Louis will likely still be unable to resist him). Also, let’s hear some Guns ‘n’ Roses sometime soon?
Bridgerton: Season 3 Part 1 (Netflix series streaming 5/16)
Colin Bridgerton will now take his turn in the spotlight after breaking Penelope Featherington’s heart and now offering to help her choose a suitable suitor. This series has thus far remained largely faithful to Julia Quinn’s novel series, so you probably know how this will turn out for the long-term friends. The Lady Whistledown moonlighting escapades might lend enough spice to keep things slightly unpredictable, however. Also, newlyweds Kate and Anthony can still get it (with each other).
Outer Range: Season 2 (Amazon Prime series streaming 5/16)
Now that Josh Brolin’s Royal Abbott has put his true “time traveler” identity out there, get ready for this neo-Western series to lean even harder into its sci-fi trappings. As viewers recall, the reappearance of “the void” coincided with the arrival of the mysterious Autumn (Imogen Poots), and the chess (and poker) game that followed kept everyone on their toes. Before that season ended, another family member dove into the hole, and Autumn’s true identity is now under the microscope. Will Cecilia really put up with all this BS? Who knows, but she might push Royal right back where he came from.