New month, new TV shows. Well, truthfully not all of these are new. Some are hidden gems I think everyone should watch. May is often a month where I get kind of nostalgic for things I’ve seen before and know are solid watches. In fact, every year I do two things: replay Bioshock and re-watch the middle show on this list.
You may have noticed on my prior lists, but I try to include a genre mix including at least one animated show and one documentary/non-fiction. If you have suggestions for different types of shows though, let me know in the comments and I will read them and possibly feature them on a future list!
Max: The Last Of Us (2023 – present)
This one I knew was going to make this list the second I saw the trailer. For the uninitiated, The Last of Us follows Joel, a bitter man hardened by the loss of his family, as he transports a girl named Ellie across the post-apocalyptic United States. Based on the video game of the same name, the first season follows the events of the first game with the current season set to cover its sequel The Last of Us Part II. I know this game was divisive for a bunch of reasons, but I overall really enjoyed it when I played it. In the second season of the show, they’ve made some interesting changes from the games and are doing a much better job at setting up the story’s themes and major reveals ahead of time. Also, very happy to see Kaitlyn Dever get to really flex in a complex role like Abby. I genuinely think she’s the next Anya Taylor-Joy or Florence Pugh, and seeing her opposite a powerhouse actor like Bella Ramsey is a fantastic combo. We’re only a few weeks into the newest season, so check it out if it sounds like something you’d enjoy.
FOR FANS OF: Fallout; The Walking Dead
Max: The Pitt (2025 – present)
This one came out of nowhere and had me in an absolute chokehold for most of last month. Starring ER’s Noah Wyle, The Pitt follows a single day hour-by-hour in Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital as the staff deals with patients, each other and any other frightening unknowns that walk through their door. To say this show is good undersells it massively. With the hour-by-hour format, the show moves at a fast pace but it’s still balanced enough to feel the emotional hits and the moments of joy or levity. It also avoids the pitfalls of other medical-based dramas, avoiding love triangles and sex almost completely and instead choosing to ground the show and display how medical staff would actually interact with each other on a day-to-day basis. The whole cast showed up for this one, but Noah Lyle is especially believable as Doctor Robby. Just go watch it, it’s an instant classic.
FOR FANS OF: The Resident; House MD
Netflix: Midnight Mass (2021)
Maybe it’s a little sacrilegious, but I think Lent and Easter season is the perfect time to re-watch Midnight Mass. Set in the fictional Crockett Island, Midnight Mass follows Riley, an alcoholic on probation for killing a woman in a drunk driving accident. He turns around the same as his priest, Monsignor Pruitt, is set to return from a trip overseas. Instead though, a man named Paul Hill has returned in his stead, and something is very off about him. Slowly, under his leadership, things on Crockett Island start to change, for the better and maybe for the worse.
This show is a horror, but not in a way that’s going to jive with all horror fans. It’s light on gore for the first half (save for one very gruesome animal death) and focuses heavily on the relationships and spiritualism of its cast. I read another review calling this show “too Christian” but I think frankly they missed the point. This show is pro-faith and anti-organized religion. That being said, it’s a lot of yapping and moving at a slow pace. If you vibe with this though, you will love it and it will stick with you for years to come. Creator Mike Flanagan has said in interviews that Midnight Mass is a deeply personal story that holds a special place in his heart, and I know it holds a special place in mine too. Worth checking out if you’re looking to be immersed in a really deep story, and maybe cry a little (or a lot).
FOR FANS OF: The Haunting of Bly Manor; The Midnight Club
Hulu: Erased (2016)
Erased may be one of the most well-constructed stories on television, simply because it knew exactly how to start and when to end. Consisting of only twelve 20-minute episodes, Erased follows Satoru, a boy forever changed by being the last one to see his classmate Yuki before she was brutally murdered. Now 29 years old, he discovers horribly that the murderer was never caught and through an unknown ability is thrust back in time, back to before he saw Yuki for the last time. This time, knowing what he knows, he’s determined to save her from being killed. This show does not go in the direction you think it will, and it has no time to be bogged down with romance or goofy subplots. Every moment is spent setting up the story, foreshadowing the murders and developing its small cast. I’ve watched a lot of anime since I saw this for the first time, but I still remember its pivotal scenes vividly. It’s just incredible storytelling and a really well-crafted murder mystery.
FOR FANS OF: Steins Gate; Another
Hulu: Scamanda (2025)
I’m not normally a true crime buff, but this story was so unbelievable that it drew me in from the first episode. Based on a true story and a podcast of the same name, Scamanda details the story of Amanda Riley, a seemingly normal woman diagnosed with cancer at a very young age. To keep her community updated, she starts running a blog that goes viral, where she shares her story and even encourages others on their own recoveries. Except, it’s all fake. None of it, not even her diagnosis is real. Watching how this story unfolds does make you lose faith in humanity a little, but it has so many twists and turns that it will keep you on the edge of your seat. Worth checking out if you’re looking for true crime vibes without the grisly details.
FOR FANS OF: Anatomy of Lies; The Way Down