Want to Stay in the Loop? The 8 Shows You Need to Stream in May

Netflix is constantly releasing new shows for fans of several genres, including limited series, Original shows, and new installments for ongoing shows. While you’re always spoiled for choice, it can be a little overwhelming trying to decide what to watch.

These eight shows are an essential addition to your Netflix watch list for May, and can be a great start to your nightly and weekend Netflix binge-watch sessions. Here is all you need to know.

8

You: Season 5

An Ending for the Books?

The final installment of the much-anticipated psychological crime thriller, You, is here! Previously planned for a 2024 release and delayed because of the 2023 Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the story of Joe Goldberg and his dark secret as an obsessive stalker and serial killer wraps up. In this final season, he returns to New York, looking to settle down peacefully, when a new woman, Bronte, sparks his obsessive and dangerous tendencies, but this time with higher stakes.

You is one of Netflix’s most popular shows, with Season 1 garnering more than 40 million views within the first month of its release. It was the fifth most-watched Netflix show in the US for 2019, and the budding anticipation from fans helped the second season of the show garner over 54 million views within a month of its release. Whether you love it or crave a better ending, You: Season 5 is a must-watch in May for fans of the series.

If you like You, you might like:

• The Sinner
• The Gardener
• The Watcher

7

Toxic Town

Based on a True Story

Looking for a fast-paced limited series for your next weekend watch? Toxic Town is a British miniseries based on the true, tragic story of the Corby toxic waste case. The story follows a town’s mothers who embark on a journey to find the truth behind the strange case of a dozen babies being born with mysterious disabilities, despite no family history of limb defects. Built on the grounds of a steel-making center, the incorrect excavation process by the Corby Borough Council eventually led to a disproportionate number of defects in Corby’s newborns, with the truth being buried from residents. The legal battle that follows the tragedy, fought by the distressed mothers, makes up the crux of this series.

Toxic Town has been praised for its heart-clenching storytelling and its ensemble, which includes Jodie Whittaker, Aimee Lou Wood, and Robert Carlyle.

If you like Toxic Town, you might like:

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• The Days
• Meltdown: Three Mile Island

6

Moonrise

For a dose of action animation this May, try Moonrise. This Japanese original net animation, based on the novel by Tow Ubukata, is a Netflix Original series that will have you hyped up in no time. Produced by Wit Studio (Attack on Titan, Spy x Family), Moonrise follows the protagonist, Jack, who lost his parents in a terrorist attack, as he enlists as a scout for Earth’s army. While participating in a cosmic battle between the Earth and the Moon, Jack is faced with a shocking discovery as he uncovers who the true enemy is, while finding the perpetrators behind his family’s deaths. He also has to grapple with the poverty created on the Moon by Earth’s policies.

Moonrise, beyond its shonen-typical action and fight sequences, also brings to the table some stunning battle visuals and character design. At the same time, the animation series places importance on emotional depth and storytelling for its main characters.

If you like Moonrise, you might like:

5

Weak Hero Class 2

High Stakes for a High Schooler

The second installment of the K-drama Weak Hero is here, this time with higher stakes. This gripping high school action drama follows Yeon Si-eun, a smart and quiet high schooler who wants to concentrate on his studies, but is forced to fight back against the insistent bullies in his class, whose violence keeps escalating every day. He becomes friends with two other classmates: the strongest fighter and the son of an assemblyman, and the three survive high school together.

In the second season, Si-eun has to face a far more violent group called the Union, and make friends in the new high school that he has transferred to. Weak Hero features a heavy dose of action and talks about high school bullying, so proceed with caution if you’re squeamish with graphic violence. Weak Hero has won four Asian acting awards, and the actor playing Si-eun, Park Ji-hoon, has received high praise for his acting in the series. Netflix is yet to reveal any plans for a third season.

If you like Weak Hero, you might like:

• The Glory
• Friendly Rivalry
• Juvenile Justice

4

Heavenly Ever After

An Eccentric Love Story Set in Another World

2025 has been a great year for K-drama fans who want to watch new shows on Netflix, with the release of popular K-dramas like When Life Gives You Tangerines. Heavenly Ever After is a feel-good, romantic fantasy K-drama with a fresh plot. After her death at 80, an elderly woman, Hae-sook, goes to heaven, and is given two choices: she can either look her current age, or revert to her younger self. She makes the eccentric choice of staying the way she is, but is shocked to see that her deceased husband, Nak-Joon, looks like his younger self. While they navigate their new place of residence and differences in age and appearance, Nak-Joon works as a postman in Heaven.

Heavenly Ever After has been praised for its emotional storytelling. It’s a binge-worthy watch, so if you want to finish this drama in one sitting, you might want to hold on until all 12 episodes are released weekly by May 25.

If you like Heavenly Ever After, you might like:

• The Potato Lab
• When the Stars Gossip
• My Mister

3

Special Ops: Lioness

A Fierce Team of Operatives on a Crucial Mission

Looking for an action-heavy spy thriller with a star-studded cast? Special Ops: Lioness is finally available to stream on Netflix. This is a Paramount+ show released in 2023, which depicts the story of Joe, a senior CIA operative and leader of the CIA’s Lioness program, a program where female operatives infiltrate high-priority targets by befriending close female contacts. She has to grapple with personal demons and juggle motherhood while playing a part in the highly sensitive War on Terror, keeping her cover intact, and dealing with the high-stakes problems that arise while her team is undercover.

On Paramount+, Special Ops: Lioness became the most-watched series premiere on launch day. While the second season of the show is not yet streaming on Netflix, you can catch up on the first season through the streaming platform. The action thriller features performances from Zoe Saldaña, Morgan Freeman, and Nicole Kidman.

If you like Special Ops: Lioness, you might like:

• Bodyguard
• The Recruit
• The Night Agent

2

Karma

A Highly Intertwined Spider Web of Mysteries

Korean crime thrillers are not hard to come by, especially on Netflix, which boasts a large library of show-stopping psychological and action K-dramas. One recent addition to this library is Karma, a crime mini-series with six characters whose lives become deeply intertwined. The story has you instantly hooked with its characters and motivations, including a man who hires a hitman to kill his father, a doctor with a lifelong trauma, a debt-ridden man who makes some bad decisions, and a man who loses his job in a streak of bad luck.

Karma has received an 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics. With a complex yet interesting plot, Karma has a satisfying payoff and is riddled with surprising plot twists. With only 6 episodes, this mini-series is a must-watch this May for crime and K-drama fans alike.

If you like Karma, you might like:

• Mask Girl
• A Killer Paradox
• The Good Detective

1

The Four Seasons

A Friendship That Lasts, Come Hail or Shine

For a relaxed Netflix watch this May, The Four Seasons is a perfect addition to your watch list. This comedy miniseries, featuring Tina Fey, Steve Carell, and Colman Domingo, is a fun yet heart-warming story about three long-time friends. Their quarterly family gateway trips for every season are in jeopardy when one of the friends goes through a divorce, and instead brings a younger, new partner for their next trip.

The Four Seasons is based on a 1981 film of the same name, and has a guest appearance from the original movie’s director. Critics have praised the show for its witty and wise dialogue and characters.

If you like The Four Seasons, you might like:

• Crashing
• The Let Down
• Friends From College

If you want to stay updated with Netflix’s most recent releases, make sure to keep an eye out for the “New and Popular” category on your Netflix app. You can also enable Netflix’s mobile notifications to stay in touch about upcoming releases and popular shows and movies.