May’s arrival signals the premiere of highly anticipated new content and new seasons of returning series. Here are 14 new shows to stream in May 2026.
May’s streaming lineup is proof that this year is shaping up to be one of the most exciting for streaming television. We’re seeing bigger risks, broader storytelling, and an emphasis on event-style releases. While we won’t be seeing the same number of high-profile shows that April brought, we are being presented with several noteworthy standouts, such as Apple TV’s long-awaited For All Mankind spin-off, Star City, Netflix’s new Lord of the Flies series, Prime Video’s Spider-Noir, and Paramount+’s highly anticipated Yellowstone sequel, Dutton Ranch.
Additionally, several popular series are returning this month with new episodes, so be on the lookout for new seasons of The Four Seasons and A Girl’s Guide to Murder on Netflix; Deli Boys, Rivals, and Welcome to Wrexham on Hulu; and Good Omens and Citadel on Prime Video.
Here is a full look at 14 new shows to stream in May 2026, listed in order of release date.
1. Lord of the Flies
Premiere Date: May 4, 2026
Where to Watch: Netflix
Out of everything premiering this month, I am most excited about Lord of the Flies. Adapted from William Golding’s 1954 novel about a group of young schoolboys stranded on a remote island who turn to savagery to survive, the four-episode mini-series is developed by Jack Thorne, of Adolescence, and offers a darker, more modern take on the story. What begins as a quest for order rapidly spirals into a brutal power struggle. Expect a heavy focus on character dynamics, a psychological descent into total anarchy, and a righteous score by legendary composer Hans Zimmer.
2. Legends
Premiere Date: May 7, 2026
Where to Watch: Netflix
Created by Neil Forsyth, of The Gold, the six-part British crime drama Legends is inspired by a remarkable, previously unknown true story from the 1990s about a team of customs officers thrust into the world of deep-cover espionage. The series follows them as they forge new identities, a.k.a. “legends”, in the criminal underworld. Untrained but determined, the officers infiltrate Britain’s most dangerous drug gangs and dismantle an empire from the inside out. Steve Coogan, of Saipan, stars alongside Tom Burke (Strike) and Tom Hughes (Victoria).
3. The Terror: Devil in Silver
Premiere Date: May 7, 2026
Where to Watch: AMC+ and Shudder
The newest installment in the acclaimed horror anthology The Terror, Devil in Silver follows Pepper (Dan Stevens, of Legion) a working-class moving man who, through a combination of bad luck and an even worse temper, finds himself wrongfully committed to New Hyde Psychiatric Hospital. In an institution filled with those society would rather forget, he must contend with patients working against him, doctors harboring grim secrets, and perhaps even the Devil himself. As Pepper navigates a hellscape where nothing is as it seems, he finds that the only path to freedom is to face the entity that thrives on the suffering created within New Hyde’s walls. Judith Light, CCH Pounder, Aasif Mandvi, and Stephen Root also star.
4. M.I.A.
Premiere Date: May 7, 2026
Where to Watch: Peacock
A Peacock Original, M.I.A. is a new crime thriller created by Bill Dubuque (Ozark). Set in South Florida, the nine-episode series follows Etta Tiger Jonze (Shannon Gisela, of Echoes) as she transforms from a grieving orphan into a ruthless figure in the Miami drug scene. After her family’s drug-running business shatters in tragedy, Etta embarks on a dangerous journey in search of those responsible for her family’s murder that will define who she is and what she’s capable of doing. Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride) also stars.
5. Unconditional
Premiere Date: May 8, 2026
Where to Watch: Apple TV
An Israeli thriller series from the producers of Homeland, Unconditional follows a mother and her daughter as their vacation together turns into a full-blown nightmare. When 25-year-old Gali, played by newcomer Talia Lynne Ronn, is arrested for smuggling drugs into Moscow, her mother Orna (Liraz Chamami, of Bad Boy) refuses to accept the charges. As she pulls up her bootstraps to fight for her daughter’s freedom, she’s unexpectedly pulled into a deadly web of crime and corruption.
6. Off Campus
Premiere Date: May 13, 2026
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Based on the bestselling New Adult romance book series of the same name by Elle Kennedy, Off Campus is a college soap following an elite ice hockey team and the women in their lives. As they grapple with love, heartbreak, and self-discovery, they forge deep friendships and long-lasting bonds while also navigating the complexities that come with transitioning into adulthood. Season 1 focuses on the sexy, fun “opposites attract” romance between quiet songwriter Hannah (Ella Bright, of Malory Towers) and Briar University’s all-star athlete Garrett (Belmont Cameli, of Saved by the Bell reboot).
7. Nemesis
Premiere Date: May 14, 2026
Where to Watch: Netflix
A brand-spanking-new crime thriller doubling as a psychological drama, Nemesis hails from the acclaimed creator of the Power universe, Courtney A. Kemp. The eight-episode heist series explores what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. Y’lan Noel (Insecure) stars as elite criminal Coltrane Wilder, whose ambitions set him on a collision course with a brilliant but unyielding detective named Isaiah Stile (Matthew Law, of Abbott Elementary). Expect both men’s morals to be tested to the max in what turns out to be an explosive, high-stakes rivalry.
8. Dutton Ranch
Premiere Date: May 15, 2026
Where to Watch: Paramount+
Finally, the new Yellowstone spin-off that also acts as a direct sequel arrives. Dutton Ranch will say goodbye to Montana and follow fan-favorite married couple Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) as they set out on their own to face a whole new chapter down in the Deep South. The nine-part season is set in South Texas, where Beth and Rip collide with the brutal new realities that come along with owning and caring for a 7,000-acre ranch, like ruthless rival ranches who will stop at nothing to protect their empire. Additionally, Beth and Rip’s relationship will be tested in new ways.
Expect quite the departure from the whole family vibe of the mothership series for grittier, more intimate, character-driven arcs compelled by lots of tension and explosive violence. Finn Little will reprise his role as Carter, and Oscar nominees Ed Harris (Westworld) and Annette Bening (American Beauty) will star in key roles.
9. It’s Not Like That
Premiere Date: May 15, 2026
Where to Watch: Prime Video
In It’s Not Like That, Scott Foley (Scandal) stars as Malcolm, a pastor who’s also a recently widowed father of three. Lori (Erinn Hayes, of Childrens Hospital) is a newly divorced mother of two teenagers. Though their families once did everything together, in the wake of their grief, Malcolm and Lori must navigate single parenthood while questioning whether their longstanding bond hints at a romantic future. Is it the beginning of a new love story? No, it’s not like that… or is it?
10. Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
Premiere Date: May 20, 2026
Where to Watch: Apple TV
From creator David J. Rosen (Sugar) comes the darkly comedic thriller Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed. The half-hour, 10-episode series follows newly divorced mom Paula (Tatiana Maslany, of Orphan Black) as she falls down a dangerous rabbit hole of blackmail, murder, and youth soccer. While simultaneously struggling through a custody battle and navigating an identity crisis, Paula becomes convinced she witnessed a crime and subsequently begins her own investigation. What she doesn’t realize is that, in addition to its potential to unravel a greater conspiracy, her investigation could also hold the keys to saving her family and rebuilding her sense of self.
11. The Boroughs
Premiere Date: May 21, 2026
Where to Watch: Netflix
The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things) are back with The Boroughs, an eight-episode sci-fi horror series reminding us that danger is present everywhere, not just in Hawkins. Set in a sunny, picturesque retirement community in New Mexico, the story follows a group of retired misfits as they band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing their time. Expect to see big names in this one: Geena Davis (Beetlejuice), Alfre Woodard (See), Bill Pullman (The Sinner), Alfred Molina (Three Pines), and Dee Wallace (Cujo) star.
12. Mating Season
Premiere Date: May 22, 2026
Where to Watch: Netflix
If you love animated series, you’ll definitely want to tune in for Mating Season, which comes to us from the creators of Big Mouth. The off-the-wall animated comedy features the same twisted humor as its predecessor, and as it relates to the animal kingdom. Expect explorations of love and relationships through the eyes of bears, foxes, and raccoons from a voice cast led by Nick Kroll (The League), June Diane Raphael (Grace and Frankie), and Zach Woods (Silicon Valley).
13. Spider-Noir
Premiere Date: May 27, 2026
Where to Watch: Prime Video
A live-action Marvel series, Spider-Noir is based on the comic Spider-Man Noir and tells the story of Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage, of Longlegs), a hard-boiled, down-on-his-luck 1930s private investigator. It’s set in New York City, where Ben is forced to grapple with his past life after a deeply personal tragedy, and as the city’s one and only superhero. What’s exciting about this series is that it’s being offered with two ways to watch: “Authentic Black & White” and a color version that the studio calls “True-Hue Full Color. In case you’re wondering, the primary “intended” experience lies in the black-and-white version.
14. Star City
Premiere Date: May 29, 2026
Where to Watch: Apple TV
With the premiere of Star City, Apple TV is officially launching its first sci-fi franchise. An official spin-off of the critically acclaimed space drama For All Mankind, the new series is a propulsive, paranoid thriller taking us back to the key moment in the reimagined space race when the Soviet Union became the first nation to put someone on the Moon. Here, we’ll explore the Soviet space program during the Cold War from behind the Iron Curtain and witness the lives of the cosmonauts, engineers, and intelligence officers involved, as well as the risks they all took to propel humankind forward. Rhys Ifans (House of the Dragon) leads the cast.