With new properties and returning shows alike, there are several highly anticipated series coming to Netflix in May 2026.
Some of the upcoming Netflix shows are among the most anticipated titles arriving on Netflix this year. While not every title herein is likely to ring a bell, Netflix fans can rest assured that there's quality in store.
We shared the list of the best Netflix shows coming in May 2026, starting with Legends, which just premiered in early May.
7. Legends
Release date: Thursday, May 7
Created by Neil Forsyth, the recently released Legends tells the true-to-life tale of undercover customs agents as they traverse the British drug world. It's set in the 1990s, and it features a group of very talented performers, including Steve Coogan, Tom Burke, and Hayley Squires.
Comprised of six episodes, Legends is defined by consistently thrilling overtones, and on top of the intrigue that's elicited from its plot, it also flourishes through the wonderful efforts of the aforementioned performers. There's nothing not to like about the recent series Legends.
6. Nemesis
Release date: Thursday, May 14
The newest show from the mind of Courtney A. Kemp, the upcoming series Nemesis will star
Matthew Law and Y’lan Noel in a rousing, heist thriller. Nemesis marks the first show in a new deal between Netflix and the lauded showrunner Kemp, who previously garnered acclaim by making the Power franchise.
Directing the first two episodes of Nemesis is lauded filmmaker and actor Mario Van Peebles, who's also attached to the series as an executive producer, while other names among the creative team include Millicent Shelton and Rob Hardy. Their efforts will bear fruit on May 14, when all eight episodes of Nemesis release exclusive to Netflix.
5. Devil May Cry season 2
Release date: Tuesday, May 12
Known for both stellar animation pieces and passionate video game adaptations, Netflix is set to release Devil May Cry season 2 on Tuesday, May 12. The Netflix original series features Johnny Young Bosch in the lead role as Dante, and fans are excited to hear the voice of Robbie Daymond as his older twin brother, the antagonist Vergil.
While he isn't the main antagonist of Devil May Cry season 2, that fan-favorite character will nonetheless have a larger role as Dante combats such villains as Mundus and Arius. It's all very exciting, and if the quality of season 1 is anything to go by, Devil May Cry will once again impress when season 2 comes out on Netflix.
4. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder season 2
Release date: Wednesday, May 27
Though rather underrated, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder resonated with critics when season 1 came out in 2024. It's based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Holly Jackson, who's also attached as a co-creator alongside Poppy Cogan for this thrilling Netflix exclusive.
The novel by Jackson spawned a couple of sequels, the first of which, Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020). It serves as basis for the show's second season, which once again follows teenager Pippa Fitz-Amobi—played by Emma Meyers—as she investigates a local mystery. Look forward to another thrilling plot once May 27 rolls around.
3. The Four Seasons season 2
Release date: Thursday, May 28
One of the biggest surprises from last year was The Four Seasons, adapted from the 1981 film of the same name, written and directed by the famous Alan Alda. That same luminary has a minor part in the Netflix adaptation, which was created by Lang Fisher, Tracey Wigfield, and Tina Fey.
Both the film and this wonderful adaptation revolve around a trio of married couples who partake in quarterly vacations: One in the spring, another in the summer, again in the fall, and finally in the winter. It's a fun ritual for each of the couples, but everything's turned on its head when one of them gets divorced.
Overall, the series is excellent. It features brilliant performances from its primary cast of actors: Tina Fey, Will Forte, Steve Carell, and Colman Domingo, along with Kerri Kenney-Silver, Marco Calvani, and Erika Henningsen. It's quite the collection of talent, and they each provide hilarious and heartfelt performances in this Netflix adaptation.
Don't miss season 2 on May 27!
2. Lord of the Flies
Release date: Monday, May 4
Video game and movie adaptations aside, the best Netflix show from May reinterpreted from another medium has to be Lord of the Flies, based on William Golding's novel of the same name that was published in 1954. It's a beloved book, and this Netflix adaptation does tremendous justice thereto in each of its four, well-made episodes.
With an intriguing visual style and hardcore elements of sound design that render Lord of the Flies a consistently thrilling affair, this Netflix series mostly shines by virtue of its performances. Viewers will be in awe of this largely amateur cast, each of these child performers portraying their respective characters with passion, power, and poise.
1. The Boroughs
Release date: Thursday, May 21
With large-scale production value and an endlessly intriguing plot, The Boroughs looks to be among the year's most exciting shows. It revolves around Alfred Molina's protagonist Sam as he enters a retirement community and makes a startling discovery that pushes tangible sci-fi elements to the forefront of the plot.
Brought to Netflix by The Duffer Brothers, this highly anticipated series features a wonderful supporting cast, from names like Alfre Woodard and Geena Davis to others such as Bill Pullman and Clarke Peters. It should be a fun time once The Boroughs arrives on May 21 exclusively via Netflix.
That's the list of the best Netflix shows to watch this month! Overall, we're in for a lot of good TV to come, and we'll be covering on Show Snob. Stay tuned!
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