Attention, TV fans! May 2026 is here with a line-up of must-see shows that will dominate every platform.
Netflix kicks off the month with diverse programming ranging from horror to sports drama. The streaming giant is diving into the supernatural with The Boroughs, a series that bears the executive production and distinctive stamp of the Duffer brothers (Stranger Things).
Meanwhile, we can enjoy some South Korean charm with The WONDERfools, a comedy about misfit superheroes doing their best to save the world. Finally, joining the Netflix pack is Brazil 70: A Saga do Tricampeonato (Brazil ’70: The Third Star), an ambitious sports drama that revisits the legendary campaign of Pelé and the “Scratch do Ouro.”
Prime Video will light up our screens with the college romance Off Campus, based on the best-selling novels by Elle Kennedy. Meanwhile, historical action comes to HBO Max with Song of the Samurai, a samurai epic set in 19th-century Kyoto featuring top-notch fight choreography. Last but not least, Hulu brings back high-society drama with Rivals, where the glamour of the 1980s serves as the perfect backdrop for scandals and betrayals.
From idyllic mysteries and hockey rinks to katana duels and the glory of soccer, this month has something for everyone. The competition to become your next favorite series is fiercer than ever.
Song of the Samurai (Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem)
HBO Max | Premiere Season | Release date: Saturday, May 9
Genre: Jidaigeki (Japanese period drama), Action, and Samurai
Song of the Samurai (Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem) premieres on Saturday, May 9, on HBO Max, marking an ambitious venture into the live-action jidaigeki genre. Directed by Shinsuke Sato (Alice in Borderland) and produced by The Seven, this adaptation of the manga by Shinya Umemura and Eiji Hashimoto promises to raise the bar for samurai combat choreography for an international audience.
The official synopsis reads:
“The drama is set in Kyoto during the late Edo period and follows the Shinsengumi, the legendary corps of samurai who served as the shogunate’s last line of defense during one of Japan’s most turbulent political transitions. At the center is Hijikata Toshizo—a former street fighter played by Yamada Yuki—whose unlikely brotherhood with Kondo Isami and Okita Soji shapes the emotional core of the series. Loyalty, betrayal, illness, and war weigh heavily on the group as the old order crumbles around them.”
With eight episodes set to premiere weekly following its launch, Song of the Samurai is a must-watch for lovers of historical drama. The series stands out for its powerful narrative, where violence is justified by the weight of history and honor.
Off Campus
Prime Video | Premiere Season | Release date: Wednesday, May 13
Genre: College Romantic Drama, Romantic Comedy, Sports
Created by Louisa Levy, Off Campus, the college romantic drama series from Amazon MGM Studios, premieres on May 13 amid high expectations.
Based on the popular books by Elle Kennedy, the series follows an elite ice hockey team and the women who transform their lives as they navigate love, heartbreak, and self-discovery during their transition into adulthood.
This first season adapts The Deal, focusing on the chemistry between the reserved songwriter Hannah (Ella Bright) and the captain of the Briar University Hawks, Garrett (Belmont Cameli). What begins as a fake relationship to achieve their own goals will soon show them that real love doesn’t follow a script.
With a second season already confirmed, all episodes will be released simultaneously in more than 240 countries.
The WONDERfools (원더풀스)
Netflix | Premiere Season | Release date: Friday, May 15
Genre: Action Comedy (Retro), Science Fiction, Superheroes / Fantasy
The WONDERfools (원더풀스) arrive on Netflix on May 15, but they aren’t exactly the heroes the world might be expecting.
Continuing the streaming service’s streak of Korean content and directed by Yoo In-sik (Extraordinary Attorney Woo), this subversive superhero comedy takes us back to 1999. In it, a group of ordinary citizens suddenly gains extraordinary powers, though they aren’t necessarily prepared for the responsibility that comes with them.
The story is led by Park Eun-bin in the role of Eun Chae-ni, the city’s “biggest disaster,” who now has the power to teleport. Alongside her, Cha Eun-woo plays Lee Woon-jung, a civil servant who hides his telekinetic abilities. The team is rounded out by such peculiar characters as Son Kyung-hoon (Choi Dae-hoon), whose body becomes sticky, and Kang Ro-bin (Im Seong-jae), who possesses unpredictable destructive strength.
As panic over the end of the world grows with the turn of the century, this group of misfits must learn to work together to stop a growing evil that threatens the peace of the city of Haeseong.
Rivals
Hulu / Disney+ | Season 2 | Release date: Friday, May 15
Genre: Comedy-Drama, Social Satire, Period Drama, Bonkbuster
The acclaimed adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s novel returns with a second season that promises to amp up the drama, sharp wit, and unapologetic excess.
After turning a British “bonkbuster” into a global phenomenon, the new episodes revisit that blend of aristocratic intrigue and ruthless betrayals in the English countryside of the 1980s.
According to the official synopsis:
“In the second season, the battle for the Central South West television franchise reaches fever pitch as the war between Corinium and Venturer enters a dangerous new phase. More ruthless than ever, Tony Baddingham is determined to dismantle his rivals piece by piece, weaponizing scandal and manipulating those closest to him to maintain his grip on power. Amidst the hedonistic glamour of 1980s excess, the personal lives of our Rutshire heroes spiral into chaos. Marriages fracture under the weight of ambition, illicit affairs threaten to shatter families, and long-buried secrets ignite with explosive consequences. As rivalries push everyone to the brink, loyalties are tested and hearts are broken in the pursuit of victory. But what is the true cost of war?”
As you can see, the plot reignites the power struggle between old rivalries and new alliances in a setting of glamour and high stakes.
The Boroughs
Netflix | Premiere Season | Release date: Thursday, May 21
Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery, Supernatural Drama, Thriller, Horror
Created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) and executive produced by the Duffer brothers (Stranger Things), this horror and science fiction series proves that danger lurks not only in Hawkins.
Set in a seemingly idyllic retirement community in the New Mexico desert, the story follows a group of misfit residents who must band together to face a supernatural threat seeking to rob them of their final years.
Over the course of eight episodes, this first season centers on Sam Cooper (Alfred Molina), a newcomer who, after a terrifying nighttime encounter, discovers that his picturesque home hides a dark and monstrous secret. The stellar cast is rounded out by the likes of Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, and Bill Pullman
Brasil 70: A Saga do Tricampeonato (Brazil ’70: The Third Star)
Netflix | Premiere Season | Release date: Friday, May 29
Genre: Sports, Historical Fiction, Docudrama
On May 29, Netflix premieres Brasil 70: A Saga do Tricampeonato (Brazil ’70: The Third Star), an ambitious Brazilian miniseries created by Naná Xavier and Rafael Dornellas that revisits the legendary campaign of Pelé and the “Scratch du Oro.”
This production, starring Lucas Agrícola (as Pelé), alongside the renowned Rodrigo Santoro and Bruno Mazzeo, offers a fresh and in-depth look at a team that not only won its third World Cup title but also helped redefine forever the way soccer is played and understood. The story is set against a fascinating and complex backdrop: a Brazil under military dictatorship, a World Cup broadcast in color for the first time, and a national team carrying the weight of its own legend following the 1958 and 1962 titles.
According to the streaming platform’s synopsis, the miniseries “will immersively recreate the classic plays and behind-the-scenes moments that built the legacy of one of the greatest teams in history. It will take viewers on a journey through the challenges, emotions, and fears of preparing for Mexico ’70, amidst the darkest era of the military regime and under the enormous pressure of representing an entire nation.”
Brasil 70: A Saga do Tricampeonato is not just a celebration of goals and titles. It is an invitation to revisit one of the historic moments when soccer became the global spectacle it is today.