‘A binge-worthy crime drama’: 9 best shows to watch this May on the BBC, Netflix and more

From the return of Amandaland and Rivals to the new Yellowstone spin-off, Dutton Ranch, these are the nine top picks to binge-watch this May

ith spring in full bloom and the chilly weather finally lifting (for now), it may be tempting to ditch the TV remote and soak up the early signs of summer. But if you’re craving a moment of downtime, broadcasters and streamers have lined up an exciting slate of shows should you slink back to the sofa.

From the much-anticipated return of romp-tastic Rivals to Tom Burke’s intriguing new crime thriller and a mystery drama from Call the Midwife star Jessica Raine, here are the nine best TV shows to binge-watch this May.

1/9

© BBC/Merman/Natalie Seery

Amandaland Season 2

Lucy Punch is back and better than ever as she steps once again into SoHa as Amanda in one of the BBC’s most successful comedy dramas. This season, Amanda is still living in her less-than-ideal corner of West London, juggling her children, her online brand and her “co-lab” role at Kitchen’s Bathrooms and Kitchens. But things start looking up when a trendy new coffee shop opens and a dream house hits the market. Turning to her mother Felicity (Joanna Lumley) for help, Amanda soon realises the true cost goes far beyond the asking price.

Amandaland Season 2 lands on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 9pm on Wednesday 6 May.

2/9

© Courtesy of Netflixr

Legends

Are you ready to go undercover? Legends follows a group of everyday British Customs officers tasked with infiltrating some of the country’s most notorious drug gangs. Inspired by a remarkable real-life investigation, the series explores how they work from the inside to bring criminals down. Created by Neil Forsyth (The Gold, Guilt), the six-parter features a stacked cast including Tom Burke and comedy legend Steve Coogan. A binge-worthy crime drama? Absolutely.

Legends lands on Netflix on Thursday 7 May. 

WATCH: The best TV in May

3/9

© Simon Ridgway

Believe Me

One of the UK’s most prolific sexual assault cases is brought to life in this four-part true crime drama. Focusing on the testimony of two survivors, Sarah (Aimée-Ffion Edwards) and Laila (Aasiya Shah), Believe Me charts the crimes of taxi driver John Worboys (Daniel Mays) and how the Metropolitan Police failed to properly investigate their allegations.

Believe Me lands on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm on Sunday 10 May.

4/9

© Emerson Miller/Paramount+

Dutton Ranch

Yellowstone fans far and wide can breathe a collective sigh of relief as some of their favourite Dutton family members return in this spin-off. Created by Chad Feehan, the nine-parter follows Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) and Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) as they gamble everything on a new life in South Texas. But the ghosts of their past quickly catch up with them as they face fresh challenges and a rival ranch.

Dutton Ranch lands on Paramount+ on Friday 15 May.

5/9

© Disney+

Rivals Season 2

For those counting down the days to this bonkbuster, the time has almost come to return to Rutshire for another racy adaptation of the late Dame Jilly Cooper’s legendary novels. Delivered in two six-episode batches, Rivals picks up with the vengeful return of Lord Tony Baddingham, who is determined to destroy Rupert Campbell-Black and Declan O’Hara’s rival television company, Venturer. Meanwhile, the lives and loves of the Rutshire set spiral into chaos as affairs threaten to tear everything apart.

Rivals Season 2 lands on Disney+ on Friday 15 May. 

6/9

© Getty Images

Ponies

Another one for espionage lovers, Ponies is set in 1977 Moscow and stars Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson as newly widowed Bea and Twila. After their husbands are killed under mysterious circumstances, the pair swap their American embassy desk jobs to become CIA operatives. As the so-called Ponies (Persons of No Interest) investigate what happened, they uncover a far-reaching conspiracy within the USSR.

Ponies lands on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Friday 22 May. 

7/9

© CREDIT LINE:BBC/Moonage Pictures/Sally Mais

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Season 2

Picking up after season one, which saw the case of Andie Bell solved, young sleuth Pip (Emma Myers) is determined to fix the fallout and stay out of trouble. But as Max Hastings’ (Henry Ashton) trial approaches, she can’t resist investigating when key witness Jamie Reynolds (Eden H. Davies) suddenly disappears. Racing against the clock, Pip is pulled into unexpected places as she grapples with justice – and how far she’s strayed from the “good girl” she once was.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Season 2 lands on Netflix on 27 May. 

8/9

© Apple TV

Star City

If you loved For All Mankind, this eight-part spin-off should be right up your street. Dubbed a “propulsive and paranoid” thriller starring Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland) and Rhys Ifans (House of the Dragon), Star City revisits the space race from the other side of the Iron Curtain. The series explores the lives of cosmonauts, engineers and intelligence officers within the Soviet space programme – and the risks they took to push humanity forward.

Star City lands on Apple TV on Friday 29 May.

9/9

© Robert Viglasky / BBC

Two Weeks in August

Just when you think there couldn’t be any more mystery dramas, along comes Two Weeks in August. Set in Greece, Two Weeks in August tells the story of  Zoe (Jessica Raine), a woman who goes on holiday with her family and friends to rediscover joy in her life. But when she gives in to her deepest desires and embarks on an illicit affair, her dream vacation turns into a nightmare as her actions become a reckoning for the group who refuse to grow up.

Two Weeks in August lands on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this May.