Amidst the illustrious line-up of on-screen entertainment that the month of May brings, dystopian science fiction adaptations and period comedies take centre stage. First on our list is Silo, an adaptation of Hugh Howey’s best-selling book trilogy. A highly-regulated subterranean city provides the backdrop for the series, protecting its residents from a deadly post-apocalyptic Earth. Nobody knows when or how it was built, but anyone who looks for answers risks fatal repercussions. When Juliette begins investigating a loved one’s murder, she will find a mystery that runs deeper than anything she could have imagined, and a reality that could be worse than the lies they have been told.
Next up is the latest addition to the Bridgerton universe, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. A prequel to the widely beloved Netflix series, the show centres a young Queen Charlotte’s rise to power and prominence. Spotlighting her marriage to King George, this compelling tale sparks a societal shift that would go on to form the world inherited by the familiar characters of present-day Bridgerton.
For other options, look to the third season of The Great. Starring Elle Fanning in “An Almost Entirely Untrue Story” of Catherine the Great, the comedy-drama returns with even more hilarious hijinks following Season 2’s matricide-tinged finale. On the K-drama front, there’s office-based social drama Race, as well as dystopian series Black Knight, based on Lee Yoon-gyun’s webtoon Delivery Knight.
Below, find our full curation of shows to watch this May—all available on popular streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV+.
1 / 7
American Born Chinese
The cast of Everything Everywhere All At Once reunites in Disney+’s action-comedy series American Born Chinese. Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, the series follows average high schooler Jin Wang (Ben Wang) as he unknowingly gets embroiled in a battle between Chinese mythological gods after meeting a new foreign student on the first day of the school year. A modern-day tale driven by traditional Chinese folklore, the series stars Michelle Yeoh as Guanyin, Stephanie Hsu as Shiji Niangniang and Ke Huy Quan as actor Freddy Wong.
Watch American Born Chinese on Disney+ from 24 May 2023.
2 / 7
Black Knight
Based on Lee Yoon-gyun’s webtoon Delivery Knight, Black Knight is set in the year 2071, in a dystopian future where extreme air pollution has devastated the world and wiped out the majority of its population. The survivors are forced to depend on elite delivery drivers—the Knights—to provide them with the supplies and fresh oxygen they need to stay alive. By day, legendary Knight 5-8 (Kim Woo-bin) is a lifeline for mankind. When night falls, however, he plots to overturn the strict order imposed by the Cheonmyeong Group, the de facto leaders of the ruined Earth.
Watch Black Knight on Netflix from 12 May 2023.
3 / 7
City on Fire
City on Fire begins with enigmatic college student Samantha (Chase Sui Wonders) getting shot in Central Park on the Fourth of July. There are no witnesses, and minimal evidence to reveal what might have happened. As investigations unfold, she is revealed to be the missing connection that ties together a series of mysterious citywide fires, the grungy downtown music scene and a wealthy family falling apart under the weight of their heavy secrets.
Watch City on Fire on Apple TV+ from 12 May 2023.
4 / 7
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
In Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, the young queen’s marriage to King George (Corey Mylchreest) takes centre stage—setting into motion a love story for the ages and a societal shift that will build the world inherited by the characters of Bridgerton. A prequel centreing Queen Charlotte’s (India Amarteifio) rise to prominence and power, the mini-series shifts between the past where the queen first meets King George, and the present where she persuades her children to marry and produce another royal heir. Perhaps most intriguing is the fact that the tale of the two monarchs comes inspired by a historical royal couple: King George III, who ruled the United Kingdom from 1760 to 1820, and his wife, Queen Charlotte.
Watch Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story on Netflix now.
5 / 7
Race
Intricate office politics set the backdrop for Race, which follows Park Yoon-jo, a PR professional who makes up for her lack of experience and qualifications with passion and sheer hard work. When an unexpected recruitment scandal reveals that she was only employed as a diversity hire, she has to prove herself to her coworkers and superiors, overcoming the odds to gain their approval. Written by acclaimed screenwriter Kim Roo-ri, the series stars Lee Yeon-hee as Park Yoon-jo, Hong Jong-hyun as her best friend and colleague, and TVXQ’s Yunho as their agency’s CEO.
Watch Race on Disney+ from 10 May 2023.
6 / 7
Silo
Silo tells the story of the last ten thousand people on Earth. Known as the Silo, a highly-regulated subterranean city they call home protects them from the deadly post-apocalyptic world outside—but nobody knows when, why or how it was built. Anyone who tries to find out risks fatal consequences. Based on Hugh Howey’s best-selling trilogy, the series stars Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette, an engineer looking for answers about a loved one’s murder. What she will find, instead, is a mystery that goes far deeper than she could have ever imagined.
Watch Silo on Apple TV+ now.
7 / 7
The Great Season 3
The third season of Hulu’s hilarious historical dramedy—first taglined “An Occasionally True Story” and later “An Almost Entirely Untrue Story” of Catherine the Great—picks up after Season 2’s chaotic ending. Having finally had enough of Peter (Nicholas Hoult) undermining her rule, Catherine (Elle Fanning) stabbed her husband in the back multiple times. Yet, in the aftermath of the mayhem, it becomes clear that the victim of her unexpected violence was not her husband, but rather his body double. Both men live to see another day, but a perplexing question now looms over Catherine and Peter’s marriage: how do you live with someone who tried to kill you?
Watch The Great Season 3 on Hulu from 12 May 2023.
