4 best Netflix shows to watch (and 2 to skip) in May 2024

After a rather light month for new Netflix shows, spring has officially sprung in May with a handful of some of the most intriguing releases of the year so far. April might have fizzled a bit, though it had its bright spots with Baby Reindeer, The Upshaws, and Dead Boy Detectives. But nothing can top the excitement of a new Bridgerton season's imminent arrival.

Forget the "diamond of the season. Bridgerton just might as well be Netflix's diamond of the year. We have all been waiting over two years for a new season, and it's finally time for Colin and Penelope's story to be told in two parts, beginning in May. But what else should you check out or not check out on Netflix in May? Here are six biggest releases and whether they should be on your watch list.

Bridgerton season 3 part 1

Watch! If you're not a Bridgerton fan, then you won't be tuning in for the first four episodes of season 3 on May 16. But I can't imagine there are many non-Bridgerton viewers out there. It's one of the most popular Netflix original series of all time! The excitement for a new season has reached an all-time high, and while it's a bummer that the season has been split into two halves, preventing fans from devouring the full season in one sitting, the prospect of a double serving is thrilling. There's no doubt about it, season 3 part 1 is THE must-watch show of the month!

A Man in Full

Watch! Coming soon to the weekly top 10: A Man in Full. The limited series comes from creator David E. Kelley (yes, that David E. Kelley) and stars Emmy Award-winning actor Jeff Daniels. For many viewers, those two names are enough to sell them on adding the show to their watch list when it premieres on May 2. But it's also based on the book of the same name by Tom Wolfe and boasts a thrilling premise about the collision of business and politics as it pertains to a real estate empire. You already know it's going to be an addictive six-episode binge-watch!

Selling the OC season 3

Skip! If you're in the market to cash in on some luxury drama, then feel free to add the third season of Selling the OC to your watch list when it premieres on May 3. Ahead of the new season's drop, there's plenty of drama to explore in the new season, including the departure of Tyler Stanaland following his divorce from actress Brittany Snow. However, if you're not already invested in the real estate reality series, you don't need to rush to put a down payment on season 3. (Translation for the metaphor: Skip season 3 if you're not a fan.)

Bodkin

Watch! If you love dark comedies about true crime podcasters solving mysteries, a la Only Murders in the Building and Based on a True Story, then Bodkin should be at the top of your list on Netflix in May. The seven-episode series takes place in a coastal Irish town where three people have disappeared. A group of podcasters take it upon themselves to poke at the case and uncover shocking revelations. You'll be on the edge of your seat from start to finish when the series drops on May 9.

Eric

Watch! With an unimposing and rather generic title like Eric, Netflix's new limited series starring Benedict Cumberbatch gives nothing away from its four-letter title. But the psychological thriller packs a bigger punch than it lets on. Cumberbatch stars as a puppeteer and father who turns his seven-foot-tall puppet Eric, a figment of his imagination, to help track down his missing son. It's a captivating premise that's sure be both thought-provoking and emotional. Don't miss a second when the series arrives on May 30.

Mulligan part 2

Skip! Did you forget about Netflix's adult animated comedy series Mulligan? If you did, don't worry. It's not as if the streaming service really did much to remind us that it was still active. The first part of the series released last May, and its second part of 10 episodes drops on May 24. The series features the voices of Nat Faxon, Tina Fey, Chrissy Teigen, Sam Richardson, and others and earned middling reviews. The apocalyptic spoof if worth watching is you appreciate these kinds of comedies, but 13 series of Archer arrive on Netflix on May 13 and might be a worthier watch.

What Netflix shows will you be watching and skipping in May?