One of Prime Video’s most popular shows is forgoing a new season in favor of a movie. Instead of season 5, Prime Video has opted to continue John Krasinski’s run as Jack Ryan in a movie, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War. While many fans, including myself, would have preferred another season of television, having Jack Ryan in a movie is better than not having the character at all.
As for the new U.S. streaming shows this week, the No. 1 new show of the week hails from the Stranger Things creators, who serve as producers on this sci-fi project. Other shows ranked toward the top of this list include a dark comedy starring an Emmy-winning actress and the final season of the show that pays homage to the Windy City.
5
Bad Thoughts season 2
Tom Segura’s sketch comedy show returns
Tom Segura wants to make you uncomfortable in his sketch comedy show, Bad Thoughts. Segura is a talented comedian, but I wouldn’t describe his stand-up specials and podcasts as “dark comedy.” Clearly, Segura wanted to show a more twisted side of his humor in his Netflix show, which premiered in May 2025 and returns for a second season this month.
In Bad Thoughts, Segura enters dicey situations, and the audience watches them unfold in hilarious and cringeworthy fashion. For example, there is an episode centered around communication, and in one of the sketches, Segura must pretend to be a pilot and pull off an emergency landing. You couldn’t even guess what happens next in the cockpit. That unexpected surprise happens in all of the sketches, so prepare to experience Segura’s humor in brand-new ways.
Bad Thoughts season 2 premieres on May 24 on Netflix.
4
Mating Season
The creators of Big Mouth are back with a new comedy
Big Mouth was an adult-animated comedy about middle schoolers experiencing the trials and tribulations of puberty. These kids would then be visited by the hormone monsters, who would offer advice on questions about sexuality and the human body. For a comedy, Big Mouth expressed a sincere amount of empathy and captured the chaotic nature of growing up.
The Big Mouth creators have reunited on a new adult-animated comedy, Mating Season. The romantic comedy covers everything about mating, from love and sex to relationships and significant others. Here’s the twist: The main characters are animals. For Mating Season, I’m expecting a similar response to Big Mouth, which injected much-needed humor into somewhat serious topics.
Mating Season heads to Netflix on May 22.
3
The Chi season 8
Lena Waithe’s drama comes to a close
I can’t believe The Chi has been on the air since 2018. That’s almost unprecedented for a television show, especially in the streaming era. There were several times when The Chi felt like it could be canceled, including harassment allegations against original star Jason Mitchell and the COVID-19 pandemic. In the end, Lena Waithe’s coming-of-age drama gets to say goodbye on its own terms with this upcoming eighth and final season.
The Chi is an ode to the South Side of Chicago, where the characters at the center of this story reside. The cast includes Jacob Latimore, Birgundi Baker, Michael V. Epps, and Jason Weaver. Throughout the series, many of the characters are searching for purpose in a place where the smallest decisions can have grave consequences.
The Chi season 8 premieres on May 22 on Paramount+.
The Chi
Release Date
2018 – 2026-00-00
Network
Showtime, Paramount+ with Showtime
Showrunner
Jewel Coronel, Justin Hillian, Elwood Reid, Ayanna Davis
2
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
Tatiana Maslany spirals out of control
After watching the teaser trailer for Apple TV’s Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, I’m struggling to describe the chaos I just witnessed. One tagline for the dark comedy includes these three words: blackmail, murder, and youth soccer. Even if I didn’t watch the footage, I’m still very intrigued.
Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) plays Paula, a newly divorced mom who works as a fact-checker. Paula is seen conversing with a webcam model, who dances shirtless for her. The story then spirals out of control once Paula believes she witnessed a crime. Try balancing that burden with the weight of a custody battle. Again, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed looks like a wild show that feels straight out of a game of Mad Libs. For now, I’m digging that off-the-wall energy.
The first two episodes of Maximum Please Guaranteed are now streaming on Apple TV.
1
The Boroughs
The Duffer Brothers might be working on a new movie at Paramount, but some of their completed projects remain under the Netflix umbrella. The Stranger Things duo is executive producing The Boroughs, a sci-fi series set in the New Mexico desert. The vibes I’m getting after watching the trailer is a Stranger Things adventure with the cast of Cocoon.
After the death of his wife, retired engineer Sam Cooper moves into the retirement community known as the Boroughs. Like previous Duffer Brothers projects, something strange is happening within the walls of the Boroughs. After Sam makes a shocking discovery, he rallies several of the residents — played by Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Bill Pullman, Clarke Peters, and Denis O’Hare — to investigate and thwart whatever plans this supernatural force (or creature) has for The Boroughs.
The Boroughs is now streaming on Netflix.
The Boroughs
Release Date
May 21, 2026
Network
Netflix
Showrunner
Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews
More shows to stream this weekend
Taylor Sheridan fans should be happy that Dutton Ranch is finally streaming on Paramount+. The first two episodes of the Yellowstone spin-off with Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler are live, with a third coming on Friday. If you’re looking for some laughs, check out the replay of The Roast of Kevin Hart on Netflix.
