7 new shows and movies to watch this weekend on Netflix, HBO Max and Peacock (May 5-7)

May is flowering with a crop of new shows and movies to watch this weekend on Netflix, HBO Max, Peacock and other streaming services.

This weekend’s lineup has something for everybody, starting with a swoony prequel to Bridgerton. Queen Charlotte chronicles how everybody’s favorite sharp-tongued royal began her reign over London high society. Also making its debut is Pete Davidson’s Bupkis, a television take on his rollercoaster of a life, one of our picks for what to watch in May 2023

The Other Two season 3 brings back one of the funniest comedies that you probably haven’t see. For a historical satire, check out the Nixon-era White House Plumbers. And the four-part documentary Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All delves deep into the life of one of the biggest stars in music.

And outside of the new shows and movies to watch, this weekend also features King Charles III’s coronation ceremony.

Here’s our guide on what to watch this weekend.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (Netflix)

The Bridgerton Cinematic Universe expands with this prequel centered on one of the standout characters in the flagship series: the domineering, gossip-craving Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel). 

The spinoff follows teen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) on her journey from minor German noble to the queen of Great Britain. Willful and stubborn, she doesn’t initially want to marry  King George III (Corey Mylchreest), but duty calls. And it helps that he’s handsome, charming and very sexy. 

Once wed, Charlotte not only has to contend with a meddling mother-in-law (Michelle Fairley) but help smooth the way for other people of color to ascend into high society. All in all, the show is a triumph, as I explain in my Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story review.

Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)

The Other Two season 3 (HBO Max)

I got into this showbiz satire after it moved from Comedy Central to HBO Max during the pandemic, and I’ve been on a personal crusade to get more people to watch it ever since. It’s hilarious. I’m actually jealous if you haven’t seen it yet; a very good time is ahead of you. 

The show follows two siblings trying to escape the shadow of their famous younger brother. In season 3, aspiring actor Cary Dubek (Drew Tarver) has finally made it, but success is as fleeting as ever. Brooke (Heléne Yorke) is wavering between her career as a manager and worthier pursuits. The show treats their rises — and falls — with a mix of incisive wit, genuine sympathy and sidesplitting humor. 

Streaming now on HBO Max (opens in new tab)

Bupkis (Peacock)

Pete Davidson already made a semi-autobiographical film about his life with The King of Staten Island. Now, he’s doing the same thing for television. Davison plays a somewhat fictionalized, heightened version of himself. This Pete bears a number of resemblances to the real one, including living with his mom, smoking pot and being infamous. Reality and absurdity collide on Staten Island. 

A number of his friends and colleagues make appearances, either as versions of themselves or playing characters. Edie Falco plays his mom, and Joe Pesci’s his grandfather. Also expect to see John Mulaney, Kenan Thompson, Jon Stewart, Bobby Cannavale, Steve Buscemi, Ray Romano and Machine Gun Kelly. 

Streaming now on Peacock (opens in new tab)

White House Plumbers (HBO)

The Watergate scandal has been thoroughly explored in a variety of films, television series and stage productions, but typically in a dramatic way. Now, it gets a more satirical, farcical treatment by Veep writers Peter Huyck and Alex Gregory. 

E. Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson) and G. Gordon Liddy (Justin Theroux) are political operatives for President Nixon and the masterminds behind the Watergate break-ins. Well, “mastermind” is giving them a lot of credit. While investigating the Pentagon Papers leak, they plot a covert mission to bug the Democratic National Committee offices. But in trying to protect Nixon, they inadvertently set his downfall into motion. 

Streaming now on HBO Max (opens in new tab)

Silo (Apple TV Plus)

In this post-apocalyptic drama based on the short story “Wool” and novels by Hugh Howey, the eponymous structure houses the last 10,000 people on Earth a mile deep into the ground and protects them from the toxic and deadly world outside. 

Nobody knows when or why the silo was built, and any investigation into it comes with fatal consequences. After the murder of a loved one, engineer Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) goes looking for answers and ends up embroiled in a mystery that stretches deeper than she imagined. As she soon learns, if the lies don’t kill you, the truth will.

Streaming now on Apple TV Plus (opens in new tab)

Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All (Disney Plus)

Sheeran’s millions of fans can breathe a sigh of relief that the superstar singer won his copyright lawsuit and won’t have to give up making music. Ahead of his upcoming album  – (pronounced Subtract) and world tour, they can also gain some insight into Sheeran’s personal life through this docuseries. 

Part-concert documentary, part origin story, The Sum of It All features unseen footage, performances and interviews about his music, career and relationships. Sheeran opens up and talks candidly about the challenges he’s faced in his life, including recent health issues suffered by wife Cherry Seaborn. 

Streaming now on Disney Plus (opens in new tab)

Taste the Nation With Padma Lakshmi season 2 (Hulu)

Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi is back with her other food-related show, which sends her across the country to dig into different cuisines and cultures. This time, her culinary adventure across America goes from Appalachia to New York City to Texas. 

Lakshmi samples pasteles and discusses independence in Puerto Rico, shares a feast with Afghan refugees in Washington, D.C., and enjoys ube dishes with Filipino Americans in the Bay Area. She also celebrates Ramadan in Dearborn, Michigan and convenes with Cambodian immigrants in New England. 

Streaming now on Hulu (opens in new tab)

What else to watch this weekend

Jimmy O. Yang: Guess How Much? (Prime Video)
The comedian talks about love, friends and bargaining with his Asian parents.
Streaming now on Prime Video (opens in new tab)

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