The post Best Movies and TV Shows to Stream: May 2024 appeared first on Consequence.
Another month, another rich collection of new streaming recommendations drawn from Consequence’s Stream On newsletter. (Subscribe here!) May 2024 was a quieter one than most on the TV side of things, considering that in past years, many networks and streamers have been working overtime to push out their most buzzy entries towards the end of the Emmys eligibility period (shows looking to get nominated this year needed to premiere the majority of their season by May 31st).
This time, there were only a few such releases — but there was still a rich assortment of new and returning series and movies to enjoy, featuring the full range of the human experience: grand dames, punk rock, spy action, animated culinary adventures, and sexy Regency times. Check out the best of May below, including a new Pick of the Month selection! (All other entries are sorted alphabetically.)
Pick of the Month: We Are Lady Parts Season 2 (TV)
We Are Lady Parts (Peacock)
Created by: Nida Mansoor
Cast: Anjana Vasan, Sarah Kameela Impey , Juliette Motamed, Faith Omole, Lucie Shorthouse, Aiysha Hart, Zaqi Ismail
Streaming on: Peacock
Despite winning an impressive collection of awards when Season 1 premiered in 2021 (including a freaking Peabody), this wonderfully smart, funny, and hard-rocking comedy has floated under the radar since its debut. Hopefully, Season 2 will be able to make some more noise, because once you start watching, you don’t want to stop. Season 1 of the show followed an aspiring all-Muslim women punk band as it found its sound — Season 2 goes deeper with its characters and themes, while continuing to deliver great original songs as well as Britney Spears, Nina Simone, and Hoobastank covers. Oh, and they got Malala! On a horse!
Bodkin (TV)
Bodkin (Netflix)
Created by: Jez Scharf
Cast: Will Forte, Siobhán Cullen, Robyn Cara, David Wilmot, Chris Walley, Seán Óg Cairns, Peter Bankole, Kerri McLean
Streaming on: Netflix
I dig Bodkin’s not-quite-a-drama/not-quite-a-comedy/not-quite-a-thriller vibe. Plus, the series proves to be a compelling exploration of not just a (fictional) true crime story, but the true crime genre itself — all those niggling ethical concerns that come with exploring real tragedy for the sake of entertainment. (For more on that, give this short interview with the cast a click, if you’d be so kind.)
Bridgerton Season 3, Part 1 (TV)
Bridgerton (Netflix)
Created by: Chris Van Dusen
Cast: Adjoa Andoh, Jonathan Bailey, Harriet Cains, Bessie Carter, Nicola Coughlan, Ruth Gemmell, Florence Hunt, Claudia Jessie, Luke Newton, Golda Rosheuvel, Luke Thompson, Will Tilston, Polly Walker, Julie Andrews, Simone Ashley, Jessica Madsen
Streaming on: Netflix
So this is only the first half of the full season, alas — Bridgerton is such a tasty binge that knowing we have to wait until June for the remainder of the season is more than a little frustrating. However, we’ve still got four new hours of epic romance and incredible costume design to look forward to; Queen Charlotte’s wigs are just on their own worth the cost of your Netflix subscription. This season turns its eyes towards Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) as a couple, and there are plenty of steamy twists involved — though I’m sorry, I cannot get on board with the #Polin portmanteau. I don’t care how it’s spelled, that’s what comes before a sneeze.
Delicious in Dungeon (TV)
Delicious in Dungeon (Netflix)
Directed by: Yoshihiro Miyajima
Written by: Kimiko Ueno
Streaming on: Netflix
A hilarious blend of Dungeons & Dragons and Julia Child, this anime series spotlights a crew of adventurers who have fallen on hard times as they attempt to rescue their lost party member from a fearsome dungeon. The solution: Eat the monsters they kill on their quest, tastily prepared by the newest member of their team. Not only is it wild, it might also make you hungry. (For food in general, that is. Not specifically for monsters.)
Doctor Who (TV)
Doctor Who (Disney+)
Developed by: Russell T Davies
Cast: Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson
Streaming on: Disney+
Showrunner Russell T Davies has not lost his touch for telling stories about time and space; between space babies and The Beatles, the show’s off to a great start already. It doesn’t help that Ncuti Gatwa has really thrown himself into the role; he and co-star Millie Gibson are just a delight to watch together.
Elsbeth (TV)
Elsbeth (CBS)
Created by: Robert King, Michelle King
Cast: Carrie Preston, Carra Patterson, Wendell Pierce
Streaming on: Paramount+
Some procedurals seem to take themselves awfully seriously, something the 10-episode first season of Elsbeth (now streaming in its entirety) successfully manages to avoid doing. While technically a spinoff of The Good Wife/The Good Fight, neither show is required viewing for the Columbo-style whodunnit, starring the perky af Carrie Preston as a lawyer who proves to be quite the unconventional, but charming, detective. Also, like other shows created by the Kings, the guest-star roster is remarkable: Ever wanted to see Jane Krakowski, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Retta, Gina Gershon, or Keegan-Michael Key commit murder? You’re in luck!
Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told (Film)
Freaknik (Hulu)
Directed by: P. Frank Williams
Streaming on: Hulu
This documentary about an Atlanta street party became a cultural force in the 1990s is very much worth watching. Name-dropped in A Different World, and instrumental in launching a few major hip-hop artists, Freaknik sounds like it was a fun time… until, that is, things got toxic, especially for women. There’s a blunt honesty to this film that I really appreciated, and the vintage footage used makes it a real time capsule of the decade as a whole.
Hacks Season 3 (TV)
Hacks (Max)
Created by: Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky
Cast: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Megan Stalter, Paul W. Downs, Rose Abdoo, Mark Indelicato
Streaming on: Max
Max has one of the year’s strongest comedy contenders here, as Hacks really evolved into a show that could last for many more seasons in this new batch of episodes. The season finale set up so much rich potential for Season 4, with a few wild twists in particular leaving me very relieved that Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder will be back for a fourth season of hilarious jabs and psychological warfare. In the meantime, I might just rewatch Season 3. (Again.)
The Idea of You (Film)
The Idea of You (Prime Video)
Directed by: Michael Showalter
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Reid Scott, Annie Mumolo
Streaming on: Prime Video
Whether you look at it as Harry Styles fanfic, the latest battleground in the age gap discourse wars, or just a nice little romantic dramedy from the director of The Big Sick, The Idea of You definitely stands to grab a lot of attention this weekend, and it’s honestly an enjoyable experience if you just approach it from the “nice little romantic dramedy” side of things. It helps that Michael Showalter knows what he’s doing with stories like this.
Jim Henson Idea Man (Film)
Jim Henson Idea Man (Disney+)
Directed by: Ron Howard
Streaming on: Disney+
I started getting excited about Jim Henson Idea Man as soon as I saw that the first interview subject was Frank Oz; it’s a real love letter to the creator of Kermit and so much more, featuring some great archival footage and inventive visual touches.
Mary & George (TV)
Mary & George (Starz)
Created by: D. C. Moore
Cast: Julianne Moore, Nicholas Galitzine, Tony Curran, Laurie Davidson, Trine Dyrholm, Nicola Walker
Streaming on: Starz
Starz can be relied upon for a few things, and one of those things is sumptuous costume dramas that are also mad horny — such as Mary & George, in which Julianne Moore uses Nicholas Galitzine (The Idea of You, Red, White & Royal Blue) as a honey trap for the King of England. Based on the real history of King James IV and his affair with George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, it’s the first time I’ve watched a show where, amongst other things, the strong implication is that every single character is into butt stuff.
Sugar (TV)
Sugar (Apple TV+)
Created by: Mark Protosevich
Cast: Colin Farrell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Amy Ryan, Dennis Boutsikaris, Nate Corddry, Alex Hernandez, James Cromwell
Streaming on: Apple TV+
I waited to recommend this unconventional L.A. noir detective tale starring Colin Farrell until Episode 6 was available for streaming, because that’s the one which reveals there’s a big secret or two lurking in John Sugar’s background. Thanks to most episodes clocking in around the 30-minute mark, it’s a relatively quick binge — and the ride to get there is an engaging and fresh one. Who knows what the future holds for this show, but I’m rooting for a Season 2, just to find out where it could possibly go next.
The Sympathizer (TV)
The Sympathizer (HBO)
Created by: Park Chan-wook, Don McKellar
Cast: Hoa Xuande, Robert Downey Jr., Toan Le, Fred Nguyen Khan, Duy Nguyễn, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Phanxinê, Kieu Chinh, Alan Trong, Sandra Oh
Streaming on: Max
I really dug this limited series from the legendary Park Chan-wook, featuring a fantastic lead performance from Hoa Xuande and multiple Roberts Downey Jr. (or at least, the Oscar-winning actor playing multiple characters). Drama, comedy, action, horror, Sandra Oh — this show’s got it all and more so, telling the dark but compelling story of a Vietnamese double agent doing his best to survive in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.
Turtles All the Way Down (Film)
Turtles All the Way Down (Max)
Directed by: Hannah Marks
Cast: Isabela Merced, Cree Cicchino, Felix Mallard, Judy Reyes, Maliq Johnson, J. Smith-Cameron, Poorna Jagannathan, Hannah Marks
Streaming on: Max
John Green’s novels have been the basis for many a young adult dramedy, but I always like them because the premises are usually pretty unique and mystery-driven, and also there’s a real emphasis on the inner lives of the characters, something a lot of teen-focused entertainment sometimes struggles with. Turtles All the Way Down stars Madame Web survivor Isabela Merced as a young woman struggling with intense anxiety who gets caught up in the search for a missing billionaire — whose son happens to be her longtime crush.
The Veil (TV)
The Veil (FX)
Created by: Steven Knight
Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Yumna Marwan, Dali Benssalah, Josh Charles, Thibault de Montalembert
Streaming on: Hulu
Heads up, spy thriller fans: This one’s for you. Elisabeth Moss stars as a highly skilled undercover agent out to stop a nuclear attack on the United States — to do so, she’ll not only have to transport a suspected terrorist (Yumna Marwan) from Turkey to London, but win her trust. If nothing else, you gotta watch this show for Josh Charles as “the most American American America has ever produced.” (Even Elisabeth Moss is obsessed with his character.)For more recommendations like the above, subscribe to Stream On to receive new updates every Friday.
Welcome to Wrexham Season 3 (TV)
Welcome to Wrexham (FX)
Featuring: Rob McElhenney, Ryan Reynolds, Humphrey Ker, Fleur Robinson, Shaun Harvey, Phil Parkinson, Paul Mullin, Jordan Davies, Aaron Hayden, Ollie Palmer
Streaming on: Hulu
The Emmy-winning series returns to continue the odyssey of an underdog Welsh football team that captured the world’s heart (with some help from Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds). Soccer brings the world together, as Consequence’s own Paolo Ragusa would approve of me saying — be sure to read his great piece on how Wrexham Season 3, along with other factors, may be signaling a bright future for soccer in America.
For more recommendations like the above, subscribe to Stream On to receive new updates every Friday.
Best Movies and TV Shows to Stream: May 2024
Liz Shannon Miller
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Laura Davis is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Broadway, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
