Best new movies and TV series on BINGE: May 2023

Each month, new films and TV shows are added to BINGE’s library. Eliza Janssen presents her picks for titles worth watching. For the full list of everything arriving on the platform, scroll down.

Top Picks: TV

White House Plumbers (May 2)

We’re getting a strong Mad Men vibe from this political period piece, starring Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux as two of Nixon’s operatives responsible for one of the biggest presidential “whoops!” moments in history. While trying to plug up press leaks, these real characters accidentally exposed the very secrets and authority they’d been tasked to protect, putting Nixon, the FBI, and CIA all at risk. Lena Headey and Judy Greer play the guys’ beleaguered wives and the rest of the supporting cast is pretty fab too, including Kathleen Turner and F. Murray Abraham in its retro reputation drama.

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai: Season 1 (May 25)

Have you ever thrown on Christmas classic Gremlins for your kids, and then regretted ever having children because the movie was allegedly “too scary” for them? Pfft, losers. Luckily this cute-looking animated prequel to Joe Dante’s ever-lovable horror franchise can set them on the right path, with a more family-friendly tone and a 1920s Shanghai setting that expands the mysterious lore of the Mogwai. The voice cast is a bit of a Mulan reunion, with James Hong, Ming-Na Wen and BD Wong, and while the animation doesn’t particularly stun me, they’ve totally nailed Gizmo’s oh-so-huggable proportions.

Succession and Barry series finales (May 29)

May 29 is going to be one of my most bittersweet days as a BINGE subscriber: two tremendous HBO series closing out their fourth and final seasons on the same night. I feel a tad sorry for Barry, Bill Hader’s excellent dramedy of a hitman failing to redeem himself through a career change to acting, as it’s not as widely seen as Succession. But whichever show you back, both seem to be hinting at soul-crushing, tragic ends: with Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) once again power-mad and in self-destruct mode and Barry having burned every bridge he’s shoddily constructed, these last episodes will leave me feeling wonderfully hollow, wondering what the hell I’m meant to do on Mondays now. #TeamShiv/Gerri and #TeamNoHoHank, respectively.

Top Picks: Movies

Confess, Fletch (May 2)

Betcha didn’t know that the 1980s Fletch films were based on novels—nor that this breezy little crime caper based on the same source material came out last year. It stars Jon Hamm as the roguish journalist, taking over from Chevy Chase in a twisty tale of murder and stolen art, bedecked with plenty of flamboyant character actors like Marcia Gay Harden, Roger Slattery, and Kyle Maclachlan as his friends and prime suspects. The movie was a sleeper hit with critics not expecting much from a studio comedy adapting 1970s mystery novels: it looks like a funny, cosy, and pretty slick view to make your mid-week a bit more fab.

The Woman King (May 20)

Angela Bassett may have did the thing and earned an Oscar nom this year—but Viola Davis is my Woman King, as a wise woman once said. This historical biopic with awesome action at its heart was wrongly shut out of many Academy categories, and if you missed it in cinemas now’s the time to join the Agojie army. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood boldly dramatises an unbelievably cool and inspiring period in 19th century African history, with Davis, Lashanna Lynch and John Boyega leading a cast of the industry’s rising Black talent. Sure, it’s a little glossed-up and over-scripted for our modern eyes—but when the film hits its rousing setpieces, it’s nothing short of majestic.

Carnifex (May 25)

Nothing beats a good old-fashioned Aussie creature feature! Although this one looks to be more in the vein of classy, contemporary enviro-thrillers rather than the splashy ridiculousness of classic Ozploitation horror. It follows a documentary filmmaker teaming up with conservationists, heading into the dark outback to chronicle bushfire devastation. But when an ancient and very hungry mammal species awakens, they’ll be the ones getting devastated. A good one to show gullible tourists or friends overseas to scare them off.

All titles arriving on BINGE in May

May 1

Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef: Season 2 Premiere
The Drought: Season 1
Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce: Seasons 1-3
Fletch
Fletch Lives
Balto
Whina
Maneater

May 2

White House Plumbers: Season 1 Premiere
Satisfaction: Seasons 1-2
History Uncovered: Season 2
Police Ten 7: Season 14
Jay Blades: Learning To Read At 51
The Kensington Strangler
Murdaugh Murders: Deadly Dynasty: Season 1
Confess, Fletch
Frenzy
Hellfighters
Play Misty For Me
Sweet Charity
Punch

May 3

A Town Called Malice: Season 1 Premiere
After Braveheart: Season 1
Hoarders: Seasons 1-5, 8-10

May 4

Bupkis: Season 1 Premiere
Slip: Season 1 Premiere
The Other Two: Season 3 Premiere
The Other Two: Seasons 1 -2
Rugrats: Season 2
Secrets Of The Lost Liners: Season 1
New Nurses: Season 1
Slammy Awards 2020 & 2022
Kokoda…The Spirit Lives
1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed
Armageddon Time
Maixabel

May 5

Celebrity Gogglebox UK: Season 4 Premiere
Gogglebox UK: Season 20 Premiere
8 Out Of 10 Cats: Seasons 19-22
FBI: Most Wanted: Season 2
Catfish UK: Season 3
History Uncovered: Season 3
Trail Towns: Season 2
Bring It To The Table: Season 1
The Pretend One

May 6

The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla
Live At The Metro Theatre: Angus And Julia Stone

May 8

The Real Housewives of Atlanta: Season 15 Premiere
Cheeky Business: Seasons 1-2
Close Calls On Camera: Season 7
Beyond The Summit
The Emigrants
The Kids Are Alright

May 9

Dubai Hustle: Season 1 Premiere
Paradise: Season 1
The Supervet: Season 5
Paws Of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Nothing To Laugh About
Ordinary Happiness

May 10

Icons Unearthed: Fast And Furious: Season 1 Premiere
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2023
Walking Britain’s Lost Railways: Season 3
Bloodline Detectives: Season 2
Dom Hemingway
Pure Hearts
Paris Manhattan

May 11

Battle Of Alcatraz: Season 1
Farmhouse Fixer: Season 1
MTV Family Legacy: Season 1
Macbeth
Halloween Ends
The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*Ck

May 12

I Met My Murderer Online: Season 1
Landscape Artist Of The Year: Season 8
Justine Schofield Macao Gourmet: Season 1
Ainsley’s Market Menu: Season 1
Beat Shazam: Season 4
Cities Of The Underworld: Season 4
Shame
Red Joan
Father Of My Children

May 13

Live At The Enmore Theatre: Blondie
Smile

May 14

Unforgotten: Season 5 Premiere

May 15

Fear the Walking Dead: Season 8A Premiere
Bondi Rescue: Seasons 9-10

May 16

Plebs: Seasons 1-5
Bondi Rescue: Season 11
Big Easy Motors: Season 1
Dirty Cash: Season 1
Tom & Jerry: Snowman’s Land

May 17

Bondi Rescue: Season 12
Churchill: Season 1
Would I Lie To You?: Season 15

May 18

Catching A Predator
Legends With JBL: Season 1
Live With Chris Jericho: Season 1
The Chocolate Queen: Season 3

May 20

The Woman King
A Royal Night Out

May 21

Adnan Syed: Overturned
SpongeBob SquarePants Presents The Tidal Zone

May 22

Inside The Factory: Season 3

May 23

The Mae Young Classic: Seasons 1-2
Skin A&E: Season 3
Inside The Factory: Season 2
River Hunters: Season 3
Too Hot For TV Presented By Jerry Springer: Season 1
Orphan: First Kill
The Infernal Machine

May 24

Clean It, Fix It: Season 1
Inside Beverly Hills: The Land Of The Rich And Famous: Season 1
War Gamers: Season 1
Celebrity Family Feud: Season 8

May 25

Mayans M.C.: Season 5 Premiere
Gremlins: Secret of the Mogwai: Season 1 Premiere
Miss Scarlet & The Duke: Season 1
Teen Wolf: Season 5
Cars That Rock With Brian Johnson: Season 3
The Exhibit: Season 1
Embrace: Kids
Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris
Bros
Carnifex

May 26

Porn King: The Rise & Fall Of Ron Jeremy
Bondi Rescue: Season 13
Love Your Garden: Season 12
Huge Homes With Hugh Dennis: Season 1
Mud Mountain Haulers: Season 1
Seeking Brother Husband: Season 1
The Railway Children Return

May 27

Hell’s Highway: AC/DC

May 28

The Real Housewives Of Cheshire: Season 16 Premiere
Love To Love You: Donna Summer

May 29

FBoy Island: Season 1 Premiere
The Bold Type: Seasons 1 -5
The Honeymoon

May 30

Law & Order: SVU: Season 6
Something Else to Wrestle With Bruce Prichard: Season 1
Treasures With Bettany Hughes: Season 1
Hospital Diaries: Season 1
Triangle of Sadness