David Farnor | On 06, Jul 2020

Netflix. Amazon Prime Video. BBC iPlayer. NOW. Walter Presents. Apple TV+. There’s so much TV to watch these days in so many places that it can be hard to keep up. Every month, we boil down what’s on the box to the essentials you need in your streaming queue.

Summer is normally a time when TV shows die down as people venture outside, but July’s got a shower of big hitters on the way, from The Umbrella Academy’s second season and Good Girls’ third run to two series starring Cate Blanchett, new shows from Sara Bareilles, Matthew Heineman and David Simon, plus the arrival of The Muppets on Disney+.

We’ve sorted through All The TV to bring you your May watchlist – what’s worth watching and where you can find it online in the UK:

Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 1

The producers of Stranger Things (21 Laps) are behind this reboot of the classic docuseries, which will focus on one mystery each episode and look to viewers to help aid investigators in closing the book on long outstanding cases.

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels: Season 1

1938 Los Angeles. A time and place deeply infused with social and political tension. When a grisly murder shocks the city, Detective Tiago Vega (Daniel Zovatto) and his partner Lewis Michener (Nathan Lane) become embroiled in an epic story that reflects the rich history of Los Angeles: from the building of the city’s first freeways and its deep traditions of Mexican-American folklore, to dangerous espionage and the rise of radio evangelism. And as Tiago and Lewis navigate this city that sits on the precipice of chaos, the dark goddess Magda (Natalie Dormer) makes herself known – but is she an invaluable ally or a dangerous enemy? All episodes released at once as a box set.

Warrior Nun: Season 1

This thriller revolves around a 19 year-old woman who wakes up in a morgue with a new lease on life and a divine artefact embedded in her back. She discovers she is now part of The Order of the Cruciform Sword, a secret society of warrior nuns sworn to protect the world from evil, and powerful forces representing both heaven and hell want to find and control her.

Hanna: Season 2

Based on Joe Wright’s acclaimed 2011 film – and written by David Farr (The Night Manager), who co-wrote the original feature – it stars Esmé Creed-Miles as the 15-year-old, who was raised in total seclusion in the remote woods of Eastern Europe. She spent her entire young life training to fight those who hunt her and her mercenary father, Erik Heller (Joel Kinnaman). Her survivalist skills are finally tested when she and Erik are separated upon their discovery by a rogue CIA operative, Marissa Wiegler (Mireille Enos), and her team of agents. Season 2 comprises eight episodes and follows her journey as she evades the relentless pursuit of a sinister government agency and tries to unearth the truth behind who she is.

The Baby-Sitters Club: Season 1

Based on Ann M. Martin’s best-selling book series, The Baby-Sitters Club is a contemporary series that will follow the friendship and babysitting adventures of five best friends – Kristy Thomas, Mary Anne Spier, Claudia Kishi, Stacey McGill, and Dawn Schafer – in Stoneybrook, Connecticut.

Ju-On: Origins

Netflix is bringing The Grudge into the box set age with a new series based on the classic Japanese horror film.

Canada’s Drag Race: Season 1

From the makers of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Canada’s Drag Race sees 12 of the best drag artistes from Canada’s vibrant Drag scene compete for the title of Canada’s First Drag Superstar. The 10-part series combines elements of both the iconic RuPaul’s Drag Race and the hugely successful Drag Race UK. Three permanent judges reside on the panel who include Drag Race Season 11 alumni Brooke Lynn Hytes, model and LGBQT+ activist Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, and supermodel and TV personality Stacey McKenzie and each week they will be joined by a celebrity guest host. Viewers can also expect a cameo appearance from RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage, who will appear as a guest judge.

The Secrets She Keeps

Meghan Shaughnessy (Jessic De Gouw) is happily pregnant with her third child. Her husband Jack, experiencing money issues and and stressed by work, is less so. Agatha Fyfle (Laura Carmichael) is also pregnant, but their two lives couldn’t be more different. Both women have secrets and their worlds are about to collide in this Australian psychological thriller, which is inspired by a real-life hospital incident from the 1990s.

Mrs America

Cate Blanchett stars in this drama from creator Dahvi Waller (Mad Men), which tells the true story of the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and the unexpected backlash led by a conservative woman named Phyllis Schlafly. Through the eyes of the women of that era – both Schlafly and second wave feminists Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm, Bella Abzug and Jill Ruckelshaus – the series explores how one of the toughest battlegrounds in the culture wars of the 70s helped give rise to the Moral Majority and forever shifted our political landscape. The nine-episode drama is produced by FX Productions with Waller serving as showrunner and Rose Byrne, Uzo Aduba, Elizabeth Banks, Margo Martindale, John Slattery, Tracey Ullman, and Sarah Paulson co-starring.

Stateless: Season 1

Cate Blanchett stars in and has co-created this drama, which follows four strangers whose lives collide at an immigration detention centre in the middle of the Australian desert: an airline hostess on the run from a dangerous cult, an Afghan refugee and his family fleeing persecution, a young father escaping a dead-end job and a bureaucrat running out of time to contain a national scandal. Yvonne Strahovski and Dominic West co-star.

The Trade

Oscar-nominated director Matthew Heineman offers a visceral look at illicit industries and tells the stories of those most affected by them. From the opioid epidemic, where from cartel-controlled Mexico to heartland America addicts and law enforcement combat the cycles of drug abuse, to human trafficking and smuggling, where Central Americans pursue a perilous odyssey to the US, navigating through the shadow industries that prey on them and law enforcement agents who try to stop them. Episodes 1 and 2 of the five-part series debut together in a double-bill, with episodes then airing in pairs weekly. The whole box set will be available at once.

FBI: Season 2

The explosive New York crime procedural returns for its second season, as agents OA and Maggie take on a fresh batch of anti-terror cases. After a bomb detonates at a restaurant in Queens, the case becomes personal for OA, who grew up eating there. But what initially seems like a terrorist attack reveals itself to be more complex, and OA goes undercover to prevent another incident

Get Shorty: Season 3

Chris O’Dowd and Ray Romano return in the third series of the darkly comic gangster-turned-movie producer drama. We pick up the story two years after the events of the season two finale, with Miles now having served his sentence in prison after having his production credits for Wylderness taken away from him. He’s heading into his new, fresh life in the open with a clean slate and all the joys of revenge in his heart. Meanwhile, Rick’s unique love story with Amara continues as they relocate to Guatemala. All episodes arrive at once as a box set.

Little Voice

This half-hour coming-of-age musical drama is fresh, intensely romantic tale starring Brittany O’Grady as Bess King, a talented performer struggling to fulfil her dreams while navigating rejection, love and complicated family issues in New York. Featuring original music by Sara Bareilles, this is a story about finding your authentic voice — and the courage to use it.

Miracle Workers: Season 2

Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi return in the second season of the divine comedy, which sees a pretty significant change of scenery. Leaving Heaven Inc. behind, this season is set in medieval times, as a group of villagers attempt to stay upbeat in the face of extreme inequality, widespread ignorance and the possibility of catching the plague. How times have changed…

The Plot Against America: Season 1

Zoe Kazan, Winona Ryder and John Turturro star in this timely alternate-history drama from The Wire creator David Simon and based on the Philip Roth novel of the same name. Told from the perspective of the Levins, a workingclass Jewish family based in New Jersey, they watch as aviator-hero Charles Lindbergh ascends to the Presidency of the United States. However, while heralded for his aviation career, Lindbergh is also a xenophobic populist, and when taking office, he turns the nation towards fascism and anti-Semitism. All episodes arrive at once as a box set.

Doom Patrol: Season 2

DC’s strangest group of heroes are back to save the world: Robotman aka Cliff Steele (Brendan Fraser), Negative Man aka Larry Trainor (Matt Bomer), Elasti-Woman aka Rita Farr (April Bowlby) and Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero), led by modern-day mad scientist Niles Caulder aka The Chief (Timothy Dalton).

Cursed: Season 1

Cursed, Netflix’s reimagining of Arthurian legend, co-created by Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler, retells the familiar legend through the eyes of the young woman with a mysterious gift who is destined to become the powerful (and tragic) Lady of the Lake.

Absentia: Season 3

After the dramatic events of season two, Emily Byrne (Stana Katic) is serving out the final days of her FBI suspension while working hard to be the best possible mother to Flynn. Everything is upended when an international criminal case hits too close to home, threatening the family she is so desperately trying to hold together.

In the Long Run: Season 3

Based on his own experiences of growing up on a London estate, global superstar Idris Elba’s comic and very personal story In the Long Run returns for a third season.

Good Girls: Season 3

Christina Hendricks, Retta and Mae Whitman return for this comedy about mums turned criminals. Beth, Ruby and Annie are back in business, and this time, cash is queen.

A Suitable Boy

Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy is adapted by Mira Nair and Andrew Davies into a six-part coming-of-age drama. The drama tells the story of spirited university student Lata (Tanya Maniktala) in North India in 1951 – at the same time as the country is carving out its own identity as an independent nation, about to go to the polls for its first democratic general election. Lata’s mother is determined to find her a husband – a suitable boy – but Lata, torn between family duty and the excitement of romance, embarks on her own, epic journey of love and self-discovery. Connected to Lata through their siblings’ marriage, the wayward Maan (Ishaan Khatter) is determined to enjoy life to the full whatever the consequences, much to the concern of his politician father. But could his infatuation with beautiful courtesan Saaeda Bai (Tabu) be one step too far?

Last Chance U: Season 5

Netflix’s award-winning documentary, which follows players on a quest for redemption in the game, in the classroom and in life, returns for one last season, catching up with the junior college football programme at Laney College in the heart of Oakland, California.

Fear the Walking Dead: Season 5

AMC’s zombie spin-off returns for its fifth season – here’s a chance for those who don’t have AMC on BT TV to catch it.

Muppets Now! Season 1

Muppets Now is The Muppets Studio’s first original series for Disney+. In the six-episode season, Scooter rushes to make his delivery deadlines and upload the brand-new Muppet series for streaming. They are due now, and he’ll need to navigate whatever obstacles, distractions, and complications the rest of the Muppet gang throws at him. Overflowing with spontaneous lunacy, surprising guest stars and more frogs, pigs, bears (and whatevers) than legally allowed, the Muppets cut loose in Muppets Now with the kind of startling silliness and heartfelt fun that first made them famous.

The Umbrella Academy: Season 2

Based on the comic book series created and written by Gerard Way, illustrated by Gabriel Bá, and published by Dark Horse Comics, Netflix’s darkly funny superhero thriller follows seven children who were adopted by a billionaire who created The Umbrella Academy and prepared them to save the world. Now the Umbrella Academy must find a way to reunite, figure out what caused doomsday, put a stop to it, and return to the present timeline to stop that other apocalypse. All while being hunted by a trio of ruthless Swedish assassins.

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