7 Must-Watch Shows Coming to Netflix in May

1 week ago 10

Emma Myers as Pip in 'A Good Girl's Guide to Murder'

Published Apr 27, 2026, 2:22 PM EDT

Laura is a born-and-raised Dominican creative with a deep passion for animation and an unhealthy obsession with Studio Ghibli. She has worked as Collider’s Social Media Coordinator since January 2021, where she oversees everything from day-to-day audience engagement to long-term growth strategies across all major social platforms.
Working closely within the entertainment industry has allowed Laura to develop a more critical and informed perspective on the media she consumes, which led to her training as a Features Writer in 2023. Since then, she has been avidly writing whatever she is allowed to put her hands on.

One of the highlights of Laura’s career has been the opportunity to interview several notable creatives behind the shows and films she loves. These include Dandadan Season 1 producer Hiroshi Kamei, voice actors Abby Trott, AJ Beckles, and Aleks Le, as well as Arcane showrunner Christian Linke, co-director Barthélemy Maunoury, and co-executive producer Amanda Overton.

New month, new vibes, and a refreshed Netflix lineup. May is here, and with it comes a wave of new shows ready to take over your watchlist. As the days get longer and summer starts creeping in, it might be tempting to spend more time outside, but let's be real, there's always room for one more episode. Or five. Who's counting?

This month's slate is packed with everything from buzzy new adaptations to returning fan favorites, offering something for every kind of TV fan. Whether you're in the mood for gripping drama, laugh-out-loud comedy, or a twisty thriller you can't stop thinking about, this list surely has something for you. And with so many options dropping at once, it can be hard to know where to start, so we've rounded up the most exciting shows arriving on Netflix this month, so you can plan your next binge without endlessly scrolling.

'Lord of the Flies' (2026)

Available May 5

Piggy and Ralph going head to head in the woods in Netflix's Lord of the Flies

If you've ever taken a literature class, chances are you've come across Lord of the Flies, William Golding's dystopian classic about a group of boys stranded on a deserted island. Left to their own devices, the children initially try to maintain order and civility, but as fear takes hold, factions begin to form, leading to a brutal struggle for power.

While the story has been adapted for the screen before, Netflix is bringing the first-ever television adaptation to audiences this month. The series is adapted by Jack Thorne, known for his work on His Dark Materials and Enola Holmes, reimagining this timeless tale as a four-episode event. Many of the young actors in the series are making their on-screen debuts, following an open casting call led by acclaimed casting director Nina Gold, whose past work includes Game of Thrones, The Power of the Dog, and Baby Reindeer.

'Devil May Cry' Season 2 (2025–Present)

Available May 12

Vergil with lightning flowing from his eyes in Devil May Cry Season 2

Based on the beloved Devil May Cry game series by Capcom, Netflix's adaptation brought demon-hunting action to the small screen with style to spare in Season 1, following Dante (Johnny Yong Bosch), a mercenary with a mysterious past who makes a living taking down supernatural threats. Set in a world where demons lurk just beneath the surface, the show leans into the franchise's signature blend of over-the-top action, gothic aesthetics, and dark humor, while also expanding on Dante's story for a new audience. As secrets about his past begin to surface, the stakes grow higher, pulling him into a conflict that's far bigger than a routine job.

With slick animation, high-energy fight sequences, and a tone that balances chaos with character-driven moments, Devil May Cry Season 1 delivered an adaptation that both longtime fans and newcomers could enjoy. Now in Season 2, a war between worlds will begin as Dante battles his own demons and confronts his estranged twin brother, Vergil (Robbie Daymond).

'The Boroughs' (2026)

Available May 21

Dennis O'Hare, Alfred Molina, and Alfre Woodard peeking through a hatch in The Boroughs

As the creators of Stranger Things, one of Netflix's biggest hits ever, the Duffer Brothers have become synonymous with the series' success. But with that chapter (mostly) behind them, they're already moving on to their next project: The Boroughs.

Based on the official synopsis, their latest sci-fi series takes place in a retirement community in New Mexico. This picturesque setting is in for a terrifying awakening when an otherworldly threat begins to stalk the community at night. Although the newest member, Sam (Alfred Molina), is initially written off, he bands together a group of misfits to uncover the truth behind this dark threat. The series also stars Geena Davis, Bill Pullman, and Alfre Woodard.

'Mating Season' (2026)

Available May 22

Josh the bear and an amorous horse in Mating Season.

Looking for a chaotic summer fling? Nick Kroll is back with another animated comedy that dives headfirst into sex, dating, and love, this time through a wildly literal, animalistic lens. In Mating Season, hibernation has officially ended for Josh (Zach Woods), a shy and awkward bear who's just waking up from months of sleep. Waiting for him is his best friend Ray (Kroll), a hyperactive raccoon with one very specific goal: to get Josh out there and into the dating scene. Ray introduces him to the best "dating sites," which, in this world, are literal outdoor spots where animals meet to mate.

But Ray may not be the most reliable guide, as his own personal life is anything but stable, and unfortunately, the rest of their friend group isn't much more helpful. Fawn (June Diane Raphael), a deer, has her own messy romantic history, while Penelope (Sabrina Jalees), a fox, turns to a tarot-reading mouse for guidance. Blending human insecurities with pure animal instinct, Mating Season promises an outrageous, offbeat take on modern relationships.

Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars

Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you'd actually make it out of alive.

💊The Matrix

🔥Mad Max

🌧️Blade Runner

🏜️Dune

🚀Star Wars

TEST YOUR SURVIVAL →

You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.

APull on every thread until I understand the system — then figure out how to break it. BStop asking questions and start stockpiling — food, fuel, weapons. Questions don't keep you alive. CKeep my head down, observe carefully, and trust no one until I know who's pulling the strings. DStudy the patterns. Every system has a rhythm — learn it, and you learn how to survive it. EFind the people fighting back and join them. You can't fix a broken galaxy alone.

NEXT QUESTION →

In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.

AKnowledge. If you understand the system, you don't need resources — you can generate them. BFuel. Everything else — movement, power, escape — runs on it. CTrust. In a world of fakes and informants, a truly reliable ally is rarer than any commodity. DWater. And after water, information — the two things empires are truly built on. EShips and credits. The galaxy is big — you survive it by being able to move through it freely.

NEXT QUESTION →

What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of.

AThat reality itself is a lie — that everything I experience has been constructed to keep me compliant. BA raid. No warning, no mercy — just the roar of engines and then nothing left. CBeing identified. Once someone with power decides you're a problem, you're already out of time. DBeing outmanoeuvred — losing a political game I didn't even know I was playing. EThe Empire tightening its grip until there's nowhere left to run.

NEXT QUESTION →

How do you deal with authority you don't trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.

ASubvert it from the inside — learn its rules well enough to weaponise them against it. BIgnore it and stay out of its reach. The further from any power structure, the better. CAppear to comply while doing exactly what I need to do. Visibility is the enemy. DManoeuvre within it carefully. You can't beat a system you refuse to understand. EResist openly when I have to. Some things are worth the risk of being seen.

NEXT QUESTION →

Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn't just tactical — it's physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.

AUnderground bunkers and server rooms — cramped, artificial, but with access to everything that matters. BOpen wasteland — brutal sun, no shelter, constant movement. At least the threat is honest. CA dense, rain-soaked city where you can disappear into the crowd and nobody asks questions. DMerciless desert — extreme heat, no water, and something enormous living beneath the sand. EThe fringe — backwater planets and busy spaceports where the Empire's attention rarely reaches.

NEXT QUESTION →

Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.

AA tight crew of believers who've seen behind the curtain and have nothing left to lose. BOne or two people I'd trust with my life. Any more than that and someone talks. CNobody, ideally. Alliances are liabilities. I work alone unless I have no choice. DA community bound by shared hardship and mutual survival — people who need each other to last. EA ragtag team with wildly different skills and total commitment when it counts.

NEXT QUESTION →

Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they're actually made of.

AI won't harm the innocent — even the ones who'd report me without hesitation. BI do what I have to to protect the people I've chosen. Everything else is negotiable. CThe line shifts depending on who's asking and what's at stake. DI draw a long-term line — nothing that compromises my people's future, even if it'd help now. ESome lines, once crossed, can't be uncrossed. I know which ones they are.

NEXT QUESTION →

What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.

AWaking others up — dismantling the illusion so no one else has to live inside it. BFinding somewhere — or someone — worth protecting. A reason to keep moving. CAnswers. Understanding what I am, what any of this means, before time runs out. DLegacy — shaping the future in a way that outlasts me by generations. EFreedom — for myself, for others, for every world still living under someone else's boot.

REVEAL MY WORLD →

Your Fate Has Been Calculated You'd Survive In…

Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.

The Matrix

You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You're a systems thinker who can't help but notice the seams in things.

You're drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You'd find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines' worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You'd be the one probing the walls for the door.

Mad Max

The wasteland doesn't reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That's you.

You don't need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you're good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.

Blade Runner

You'd survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.

You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You're not a hero. But you're not lost, either.
In Blade Runner's world, that distinction is everything.

Dune

Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.

Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they're survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You'd learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn't just survive Arrakis — you'd begin to reshape it.

Star Wars

The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn't have it any other way.

You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You'd gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire's grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn't something you're capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

'Worst Ex Ever' Season 2 (2024–Present)

Available May 6

Amanda Canales and Kevin Lewis in happier times, from Netflix's 'Worst Ex Ever'

If you're looking for a jaw-dropping, bingeworthy series to satisfy your true crime cravings, look no further than Season 2 of Worst Ex Ever. The docuseries dives into relationships that go far beyond messy breakups, exploring real-life stories where love turns toxic—and sometimes even deadly.

Each episode unpacks a different case, introducing couples whose relationships spiral into manipulation, obsession, and, in some cases, outright violence. Through interviews, reenactments, and firsthand accounts, the series pieces together how things went so wrong, and why it can be so difficult to walk away when emotions, fear, and control become deeply entangled. What makes Worst Ex Ever especially compelling is its focus on the warning signs people often miss or choose to ignore. It's not just about shocking moments, but about the slow unraveling of relationships that once seemed normal, even loving, before revealing something far more sinister underneath. Season 2 will bring new stories of murderous vendettas, violent kidnappings, and twists that feel almost too wild to be real.

'Nemesis' (2026)

Available May 14

From Courtney A. Kemp, creator of Power, and Tani Marole comes your next heist drama obsession: Nemesis. Starring Matthew Law and Y'lan Noel, Nemesis follows two men on opposite sides of the law, setting the stage for a classic clash between an unstoppable force and an immovable object. On one side is a highly skilled and calculating criminal, and on the other, a brilliant and relentless detective determined to bring him down. What begins as a high-stakes crime series packed with explosive action and life-or-death tension quickly evolves into something deeper.

As the story unfolds, Nemesis digs into the personal lives of its central characters, exploring themes of family, marriage, and identity. It examines the forces that drive us, sustain us, and ultimately push us to our limits. Blending pulse-pounding thrills with character-driven storytelling, Nemesis aims to deliver more than just a cat-and-mouse game, but a gripping look at the cost of obsession on both sides of the law.

'A Good Girl's Guide to Murder' Season 2 (2024–Present)

Available May 27

Emma Myers looks down a school hallway while standing by lockers in A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.

Based on the bestselling novel by Holly Jackson, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder brings a twisty, bingeworthy mystery to the screen. The series follows Pip Fitz-Amobi (Emma Myers), a determined and endlessly curious high school student who reopens a closed murder case for a school project, only to uncover secrets that were never meant to resurface.

Set in a seemingly quiet town where everyone thinks they know what happened, Pip begins to question the official story behind a local girl's death and the boy who was blamed for it. As she digs deeper, what starts as a simple investigation quickly spirals into something far more dangerous, pulling her into a web of lies, hidden motives, and long-buried truths. In Season 2, fresh off cracking a cold case, Pip finds herself waiting for the trial to unfold. But when a friend suddenly goes missing, she's pulled back into detective mode, setting out to solve yet another mystery.