Wondering when your favorite series are coming back and what new series you can look forward to?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. It’s that time in the month when we tell you what shows you can’t miss on streaming platforms and TV networks, to let you know about the most outstanding upcoming series.
One of the most anticipated premieres in the coming weeks is Max’s action drama Duster, co-created by J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan. Also of note are Prime Video’s semi-autobiographical comedy Overcompensating, as well as the action comedy Murderbot, starring Alexander Skarsgård.
For its part, Netflix offers a pair of original series that are highly entertaining and unconventional: The Four Seasons and Serpientes y Escaleras (Snakes and Ladders). The former is a lighthearted comedy about lifelong friends, while the latter is a bit quirky and delves into the Mexican education system.
From The Four Seasons to Duster, these are the TV series we can’t wait to see debut or return this May.
The Four Seasons
Netflix | Season Premiere | Release date: Thursday, May 1
The Four Seasons is an upcoming Netflix original series and television adaptation of the 1981 Alan Alda film of the same name. Tina Fey, Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield are the co-creators and screenwriters of the series.
The original 1981 film starred Carol Burnett, Alan Alda, Len Cariou, Sandy Dennis, Jack Weston and Rita Moreno. It was one of the highest grossing productions of that year and received four Golden Globe nominations. Tina Fey’s version actually constitutes the second adaptation of Alda’s script, given that in 1984 CBS aired its own series.
Netflix’s latest project in collaboration with Fey, has been described as a love letter to long marriages and old friendships. In it, six longtime friends head out for a relaxing weekend only to learn that one couple in the group is in a crisis situation and may be on the verge of splitting up. Over the course of a year, we follow the friends on four different vacations, and watch how this change profoundly affects everyone’s dynamic.
The cast of the TV series includes Fey, Steve Carell, Will Forte, Colman Domingo, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Marco Calvani and Erika Henningsen.
All episodes will land on Netflix on May 1, 2025.
Overcompensating
Prime Video | Season Premiere | Release date: Thursday, May 15
Benito Skinner, also known as Benny Drama, makes his television debut with the semi-autobiographical comedy series Overcompensating.
Prime Video’s new venture is set in college and tells the story of a group of angsty, insecure teenagers who go through a series of first experiences together. Benito Skinner writes, produces and stars in Overcompensating, and aims to reflect the modern experience of coming out as gay.
The official synopsis reads:
“Overcompensating is a college comedy about the crazy, chaotic journey of Benny (Skinner), a former soccer player and Idaho homecoming king, who befriends Carmen, a high school outcast on a mission to fit in at all costs. With the help of Benny’s older sister and her boyfriend, a campus legend, Benny and Carmen juggle horrible hookups, flavored vodka and fake IDs.”
Deeply funny and personal, the series explores the extent to which we all overcompensate when we’re on the road to discovering who we really are.
The comedy series Overcompensating has 8 episodes. These will all be released on Prime Video on May 15, 2025.
Serpientes y Escaleras (Snakes and Ladders)
Netflix | Season Premiere | Release date: Wednesday, May 14
Following their successful collaborations in La casa de las flores (2018) and Alguien tiene que morir (2020), acclaimed director Manolo Caro and talented actress Cecilia Suárez reunite once again in the irreverent comedy Serpientes y Escaleras (Snakes and Ladders).
Filmed in Guadalajara, the story follows a quirky teacher with aspirations to become the principal of a prestigious school.
According to Netflix’s official synopsis:
“Ambitious but underappreciated teacher Dora López (Cecilia Suárez) has one goal in mind: to become the principal of a prestigious school in Jalisco. Her dream is threatened when a playground brawl entangles two of the state’s most powerful families. To achieve her goal, Dora must maneuver the situation in her favor, even if it means bending her ethical principles.”
According to the producers, Serpientes y Escaleras constitutes a pertinent and contemporary reflection on ambition, betrayals, corruption, as well as the influence of power. “Serpientes y Escaleras is a project I’ve been working on for several years, it’s a dark, sexy and incorrect comedy,” explained Mexican director Manolo Caro.
The chameleonic actress Cecilia Suarez is joined by Benny Emmanuel, Loreto Peralta, German Bracco, Luis Felipe Tovar, Alfredo Gatica and Gerardo Trejoluna.
The Netflix series will premiere next Wednesday, May 14 with all its episodes.
Duster
Max | Season Premiere | Release date: Thursday, May 15
Josh Holloway, known for his starring role on Lost, reunites with J.J. Abrams to headline Max’s original series, Duster.
The action drama, co-created by J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan, tells the story of the FBI’s first African-American female agent (Rachel Hilson), who recruits a fearless getaway driver (Josh Holloway) to put an end to the activities of a criminal syndicate.
Here is the official synopsis for Duster:
“Set in the 1970s Southwest, Duster explores the life of a gutsy getaway driver for a growing crime syndicate that goes from dangerous to wildly, stupidly dangerous when a tenacious young agent comes into town hellbent on taking his crime family down.”
In 2023, Sarah Aubrey, the company’s director of original content, described the series as a “high-voltage crime caper,” noting that it features “propulsive storytelling, fantastic characters and some truly bad-ass car chases.”
In addition to Josh Holloway and Rachel Hilson, Max’s series also stars Keith David, Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg, Camille Guaty, Asivak Koostachin and Benjamin Charles Watson.
The first season of the crime series Duster, consists of eight episodes, aired one per week, which means that there will be new episodes from May 15 to July 3.
Murderbot
Apple TV+ | Season Premiere | Release date: Friday, May 16
Those interested in Martha Wells’ acclaimed book series, The Murderbot Diaries, will have the opportunity to delve back into this universe through Apple TV+’s new show, Murderbot.
The streamer’s upcoming comedy drama centers on the eponymous Murderbot (played by Alexander Skarsgård). This character is a SecUnit (security android) that has developed self-awareness and remains indifferent to its human creators.
According to Apple TV+’s official summary:
“Murderbot is a sci-fi thriller/comedy about a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients. Played by Alexander Skarsgård, Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.”
Apparently, the plot of the first season of Murderbot is based on All Systems Red (2017), the first book in The Murderbot Diaries, which won the renowned Hugo, Locus and Nebula awards.
Apple TV+ has confirmed that the 10-episode season will premiere on Friday, May 16, 2025. The first two episodes will debut on that initial date, with subsequent installments to be released every Friday.
Adults
FX – Hulu | Season Premiere | Release date: Wednesday, May 28
FX’s new series follows a group of young friends as they do their best to become responsible adults.
Created for television by Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw, the series Adults addresses the vicissitudes inherent in the process of integrating into the adult world, exploring the difficulties faced by young people in various aspects of their lives, such as finding job opportunities, managing the healthcare system, organizing social events and love life.
Very soon, the protagonists of this story discover that nothing in the world of contemporary adults is simple.
The series stars Malik Elassal, Lucy Freyer, Jack Innanen, Amita Rao and Owen Thiele.
Adults will have a first season of 8 episodes. The show will premiere on FX on May 28th with two episodes, with the full eight-episode season dropping on Hulu the following day, May 29th. FX will then air two new episodes each Wednesday.
Which May TV shows are you excited to see? Let us know!