May just ended, and with it came a score of great shows. We had the endings for Good Omens, Euphoria, and others, along with the premieres of new shows such as The Boroughs, Dutton Ranch, and Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.
Yet, there were still a few streaming shows that probably slipped under the radar for viewers. From new seasons of wonderful gems to some terrific new series, I shared seven shows from May that are more than worth catching up on right now.
MIA
M.IA., the Peacock sleeper of the month, deserves far more attention. In a role that should make her a star, Shannon Gisela plays Etta, a young woman whose family gets on the wrong side of a drug cartel and is wiped out. Barely surviving, Etta joins with two new friends and her distant aunt on a quest first for survival and then for revenge. The series expertly shows Etta’s quest for justice while the cartel bosses face their own challenges.
The show flows well with its terrific drive, a fun vibe and Gisela's standout performance. It gets better as it goes, amping up the tension with a few surprise twists as well. The final scene is a huge game-changer and hopefully, there are enough viewers to keep it going as MIA deserves to be found as a streaming TV crime gem.
Nemesis
There are few things more thrilling than a good, old-fashioned, cop vs. crook, cat and mouse tale. Coming from the creators of Power, Netflix's new series, Nemesis, is just the thriller genre fans love. Matthew Law is the LAPD detective obsessed with capturing a businessman (Y’lan Noel) he’s convinced is a master thief. The pair is engaged in a battle with Noel planning his biggest score while Love tries to bust him.
The two leads are sensational when they face off, and it’s smart how the show makes you root for both sides to come out on top. A great touch is that while the two men are enemies, their wives (Gabrielle Dennis and Cleopatra Coleman) maintain an odd friendship. There’s also the genius in how the cop acts like a criminal in his mannerisms, while the crook is more controlled. Its finale is a wild action piece that leaves both men on new paths and is worth watching for crime fans.
Nemesis streaming on Netflix
Deli Boys season 2
Hulu’s wildly underrated crime comedy, Deli Boys, got even better in its sophomore season. Now fully embracing the drug-dealing life, hardworking Mir (Asif Ali) and party boy Raj (Saagar Shaikh) are trying to make their way amid various hijinks and no understanding how the crime world works. Once more, the best reason to watch is Poorna Jagannathan turning in an Emmy-worthy performance as their conniving aunt, Lucky, helping them amid their conflicts.
Fred Armisen delivers a surprisingly scary performance as a “frenemy” crime boss whose affable nature hides his ruthlessness. It’s only six half-hour episodes, yet they flow well, packing in plenty of laughs amid the violence. If you haven't caught the show before, it’s time for a fast and funny binge of TV’s best current crime comedy that shines with a stellar cast.
Lord of the Flies
There have been many adaptations of William Golding’s classic novel. Yet, this Netflix limited series manages to find a fresh approach. It’s the same story of a group of youths who crash on a desert island and how their attempts to create a society lead to major class warfare. The turn here is that each of the four episodes is told from the viewpoint of one of the four main characters: Piggy, Ralph, Jack and Simon.
Despite being set on an island, the show feels claustrophobic and tight, enhancing the terror the teens all secretly feel. Each episode shifts the focus to match how the story gets darker and wilder. No matter how many times you’ve read the novel, this feels even more terrifying for a timeless, powerful story.
Lord of the Flies is streaming on Netflix
Legends
The British have a special way of making a crime drama stand out. Legends is a six-episode Netflix show fits that bill.
The series is based on true events, as a small band of British customs agents in the 1990s are sent undercover to stop smugglers. Veteran actors Steve Coogan and Tom Burke headline the ensemble, offering a fun throwback to that decade in its style and investigation (this was all before the internet and modern cell phones).
A British take on a war on drugs is unique for us Americans, as it mixes the politics of the time along with a vastly different culture. The thrills of the agents trying to keep their covers amid these ruthless criminals provide plenty of tension, while seeing them interfered with by politics and the media adds drama. It’s the closest British TV comes to The Wire, making it a must-watch.
Legends is streaming on Netflix
Unconditional
Unconditional is an Israeli series airing on Apple TV+, and it isn’t striving for realism. Yet it’s still a fun romp that goes in directions you don’t expect. After a long layover in Moscow, Orna (Liraz Chamami) and her daughter Gali (Ronn Talia Lynne) are detained, with Gali arrested for drug smuggling. Obviously, Orna believes her daughter is wrongly arrested and battles the complex legal system to free her. The deeper she digs into things, the more Orna realizes Gali may not be so innocent.
The show bounces around timelines, with much of it set in India and doesn’t shy away from the brutal politics and cultures clashing around the case. What makes it work are the leads with Chamami showing Orna’s quest challenged by the truth, while Lynne shows her hidden secrets coming to the fore. It’s a strong family drama mixed with a thriller to be a sleeper success for the streamer.
Unconditional is streaming on Apple TV+
Sky Med season 4
Sky Med is an overlooked Canadian drama is basically Grey’s Anatomy set not in a hospital but the Alaska wilderness, where doctors and nurses fly to emergencies.
The fourth season is notable for introducing several new characters with their own dramas and secrets that become very steamy hookups. We’ve got a mystery around a hit-and-run, a stolen kidney, and more than a few of the doctors in trouble. That’s matched by romantic entanglements and love triangles in a gorgeous setting. For those who need a sexy medical drama to dive into, this hits the spot.
Sky Med is streaming on Paramount+.
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