What to Watch: May

by Julian Spivey

Photos: Peacock, Max, HBO & Netflix

Four Seasons (Netflix) – Thursday, May 1
Tina Fey’s latest foray into television is “Four Seasons,” an eight-episode limited series based on Alan Alda’s 1981 film that saw three middle-class married couples who vacationed with each other through the different seasons of the year. Despite being well reviewed, I didn’t care too much for the film, even though I’m an Alda stan. But I’m willing to give Fey the benefit of the doubt, especially with a supporting cast that includes Steve Carell, Will Forte, and Colman Domingo. The entire limited series drops on Netflix on Thursday, May 1. 

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A Double Dose of Conan O’Brien: 2025 Mark Twain Prize (Netflix) – Sunday, May 4 & Conan O’Brien Must Go (Max) – Thursday, May 8
May will be a big month for fans of the supremely hilarious Conan O’Brien. In late March, O’Brien was honored with the 2025 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. That evening, which featured some of O’Brien’s biggest friends and fans in comedy paying homage to Irish funny man, was recorded and will debut on Netflix on Sunday, May 4. O’Brien’s humorous travel series, “Conan O’Brien Must Go,” which debuted last year, returns for its second season on Max on Thursday, May 8. Unfortunately, that season only includes three episodes, with O’Brien visiting and making a mockery of himself in New Zealand (May 8), Spain (May 15) and Austria (May 22).

Poker Face: Season 2 (Peacock) – Thursday, May 8
When it debuted on Peacock in early 2023, “Poker Face,” which sees the wonderful Natasha Lyonne getting her best Columbo on with a new mystery each episode, was one of the year’s best shows. After a more than two-year wait, the show, which was created by Rian Johnson, the genius behind the “Knives Out” films, returns on Thursday, May 8, with 12 new episodes, debuting once a week through mid-July. Between Lyonne’s quirky performance, Johnson’s steady hand as a leader (though it appears he didn’t write any of the season two episodes), and the show's excellent guest of the week aspect, it should continue as one of TV’s best outings. Season two guest stars include Cynthia Erivo, Carol Kane, John Mulaney, and Kumail Nanjiani.  

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Sirens (Netflix) – Thursday, May 22
Before writing this piece, I only knew about Netflix’s limited series “Sirens” was that it featured Julianne Moore as a lead and could draw some Emmy love when nominations are announced this summer. That was enough to pique my interest. Looking further into it, it’s a black comedy about an explosive weekend at a lavish beach estate and is described as an “incisive, sexy, and darkly funny exploration of women, power, and class,” which immediately draws comparisons to HBO’s “The White Lotus.” The limited series, created by Molly Smith Metzler based on her own 2011 play “Elemeno Pea,” features a supporting cast of Meghann Fahy, Kevin Bacon, Milly Alcock and Glenn Howerton. The series drops on Netflix on Thursday, May 22.   

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Adults (FX) – Wednesday, May 28
One of the breaths of fresh air TV comedies of 2024 was FX’s “English Teacher,” created and starring Brian Jordan Alvarez (though some of that fresh air turned sour by reports of his past behavior). FX is probably hoping for some of the hype from that series, without the controversy, of course, with its latest comedy, “Adults.” The show, created by Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw, is about a group of friends doing their best to survive young adulthood with its many challenges and stars a cast of potential up-and-coming actors, none of whom I’ve ever heard of. The show premieres on FX on Wednesday, May 28, and episodes will be streaming on Hulu the next day.

​Mountainhead (HBO/Max) – Saturday, May 31
Fans of the much-lauded and award-winning HBO series “Succession” have been waiting with bated breath to see what creator Jesse Armstrong’s next project will be. That project, an original HBO movie called “Mountainhead,” premieres on HBO and Max on Saturday, May 31, which happens to be the final day of Emmy Award eligibility. Being an Armstrong project, it will likely be the instant front-runner for Outstanding TV Movie. “Mountainhead” is a satirical comedy about a group of friends who meet up amid an ongoing financial crisis. That group of friends is portrayed by the incredible cast of Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith and Ramy Youssef.