This month, there's a diverse crop of returning shows from reality to scripted, as well as a new HBO documentary about the life and music of disco icon Donna Summer.
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and two of the buzziest new shows -- American Born Chinese and Black Knights -- premiere this month. Here are 10 TV premieres in May.
'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story' -- Netflix
The Bridgerton prequel has arrived to tell the origin story of Queen Charlotte and how her marriage to King George changed the British royal court. There was a real Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz who ruled for 60 years in the 18th century and was rumored to be biracial, but the Bridgerton queen and the Bridgerton universe are fictional.
The series introduces 21-year-old British actress India Ria Amarteifio, who made Variety's 2023 list of 10 Brits to Watch. Although there are a host of fresh faces in the six-episode series, Bridgerton's older Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gammell) also make an appearance. Queen Charlotte premieres on Netflix on Thursday.'2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards' -- MTV
MTV is well known for the unpredictability of its annual Video Music Awards show, but the Movie & TV Awards have also had their fair share of viral moments. There was the time when Pineapple Express co-stars Seth Rogen and James Franco walked onto the MTV stage and lit what appeared to be a giant joint, when the cast of The Brady Brunch recreated the interrogation scene from Basic Instinct and when then real-life couple at the time Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams acted out their big kiss scene in The Notebook.
'City on Fire' -- Apple TV+
The Apple TV+ adaptation of Garth Risk Hallberg's 2015 novel, City On Fire moves New York City's club and arts scene from the 1970s to 2003. The fatal shooting of Samantha Yeung in Central Park connects a series of unsolved arsons, a wealthy family's secrets and the fates of a group of former club kids. Chase Sui Wonders of HBO Max's Generation plays the lead role in an eight-episode series also starring Younger's Nico Tortorella. City on Fire premieres on May 12.
'The Mother' - Netflix
After a series of rom-coms, including her latest, Shotgun Wedding, with Josh Duhamel and Lenny Kravitz, Lopez returns to her action-drama past with The Mother. In the Netflix movie, she plays a former assassin who is forced out of hiding when her daughter is kidnapped. Now she has to protect the 12-year-old from those who want her mother dead while teaching her to also protect herself. Lopez is joined by Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick, Joseph Fiennes, Paul Raci and Gael Garcia Bernal. The Mother comes out on May 12, Mother's Day.
'Black Knight' -- Netflix
'Love to Love You Donna Summer' -- HBO, HBO Max
Donna Summer was the undisputed queen of disco who dominated the '70s and '80s with songs like "Love to Love You Baby" "Last Dance" and "McArthur Park." Despite being a five-time Grammy winner and one of the top-selling female artists of the era, after her 2012 death, her legacy has somewhat faded. Love to Love You Donna Summer attempts to change that by providing some context to her life and contributions to music history. The doc was directed by Oscar-winning director Roger Ross Williams, along with Summer's daughter, actress/singer Brooklyn Sudano. Love to Love You Donna Summer premieres on May 20.
'American Born Chinese' -- Disney+
American Born Chinese reunites actors Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu, who worked on the series right after completing Everything Everywhere All At Once, but before it became an award-winning sensation. Yeoh and Huy Quan both won Oscars for their roles. In this Disney+ series, based on the 2006 graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, Jin Wang (Ben Wang) is a Chinese American teenager paired with exchange student Wei-Chen (Jim Liu) to make them both feel included in a predominantly white school. As it turns out, Wei-Chen is on a mission to save the world and Jin has unknowingly been chosen as his partner. No pressure! The eight-episode series makes its debut on May 24.
'Mayans MC'-- FX, Hulu
The fifth and last season of the Sons of Anarchy spinoff promises to be intense as brothers Ezekiel "EZ" Reyes (J.D. Pardo) and Angel Reyes (Clayton Cardenas) vie for control of the motorcycle club. "He's envisioning a life for himself outside of it, and he's envisioning a life for his family outside of it, and I think the potential is enticing for him," Cardenas says of his character. They also have to do battle with the Sons, who, true to their reputation, are just as bloodthirsty and hardcore as their Mexican counterparts. The Mayans were there at the beginning of the Sons of Anarchy series and it looks like they'll be closing out the world of the California biker club as well. The Mayans M.C. airs on FX, then the next day on Hulu, starting on May 24.
'The Kardashians' -- Hulu
In this third season on the Hulu series, the family is in turmoil, as Kourtney is pitted against Kim, Kim is reeling over her divorce from Kanye West, Khloe has a skin melanoma and Kylie questions if the family's focus on superficial beauty will negatively impact her children. Something to ponder, as Kim, Kylie, Khloe, Kourtney and Kendall begin to recognize their societal impact while still contending with their life issues. The Kardashians returns on May 24.
'Run the World' -- Starz
In Season 2, Run The World adjusts to the loss of one of its main characters, as actress Andrea Bordeaux, who played Ella, left the show after refusing to follow vaccine mandates. Producers added Tika Sumpter, Cree Summer, Comedian CP and Isha Blaaker to the cast, who navigate similar ground that Prime Video's Harlem does, in the same New York City neighborhood. This season, Whitney (Amber Stevens West) must choose whether or not to marry her doctor fiance after confessing to cheating. Renee (Bresha Webb) is getting back on track both personally and socially amid her divorce proceedings and Sondi (Corbin Reid) is still figuring out her relationship with Matthew (Stephen Bishop). Run the World returns with at least 10 episodes on May 26.