10 TV & streaming shows for May: Bridgerton, Young Offenders, new Benedict Cumberbatch
Bridgerton, Bodkin, and Eric feature among the TV and streaming highlights for May.
Four-part drama adapted from the CJ Sansom novels. Set in 16th century England, the titular lawyer is instructed by Thomas Cromwell to investigate a murder of one of his commissioners at a monastery. Familiar faces in the cast include Sean Bean in the role of Cromwell (nothing to do with the infamous Oliver), a real-life character also about to be revived by Mark Rylance in the Wolf Hall sequel. It's unfortunate that Sansom never got to see the adaptation, as the 71-year-old author died last week.
Six-part adaptation of Heather Morris’s best-selling novel from 2018. The book got criticism for some factual inaccuracies in its account of the Nazi death camp, but the core story is based on a real-life Jewish couple. Harvey Keitel is the biggest star in the cast, playing the elder tattooist, Lali.
, RTÉ One, May 2: Taking its name from Bruce Chatwin’s classic account of Aboriginal songlines, this series has singer Thomas McCarthy meeting with other Travellers who have been keeping their traditional songs alive. From 84-year-old Kitty Cassidy in Waterford, to 16-year-old Rosie McCarthy in Macroom, we get an insight into the incredible contribution Travellers have made to the Irish song canon.
, Disney+, May 8: A restored version of the 1970 film that captured The Beatles in the studio at a time when they were still brilliant, but the cracks that would soon lead to the band’s breakup were really beginning to show. They had split by the time the film was ready for release, and Let It Be has been largely unavailable for decades. Let It Be draws from the same well of footage that Peter Jackson used in the incredible 2021 series The Beatles: Get Back, albeit with scenes not seen in the newer documentary. Disney+ also has Queen Rock Montreal (May 15), a concert from 1981 by Freddie Mercury and co.
, May 9, Netflix: Filmed in West Cork and other Irish locations, this seven-part comedy thriller was made by the Obamas’ Higher Ground production stable. Chris Walley of The Young Offenders features in the tale of three podcasters investigating strange disappearances.
, BBC One, May 10: We haven’t seen a series of the Cork show since 2020, so the fourth season is a very welcome addition to the schedules. The Beeb gets first bite at the latest adventures of Conor and Jock, with RTÉ possibly not showing the new series until next year.
, Netflix, May 16: Season 3 of the lighthearted period drama will have a lot of focus on Penelope Featherington – played by Irish actress Nicola Coughlan (Derry Girls) – and her romance with Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton).
, Amazon Prime Video, May 17: It’s probably wise that Amazon aren’t still hanging around to capture Manchester United in a glorious season, and have instead opted to for a three-part series on the club’s magnificent triumph before the turn of the century. That 1998-99 season saw them win the treble of Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League. Contributors to the documentary include Alex Ferguson and David Beckham, but club captain Roy Keane isn’t listed in the credits for the show.
, TG4, May 19: A rich month for music documentaries continues with w Iarla Ó Lionáird exploring the early 1900s collection ‘Songs from Ballyvourney’, delving into the social and musical significance of the songs. The collection itself also has a fascinating history, having been assembled by a far-sighted English scholar, Alexander Martin Freeman, around 1913.
, Netflix, May 30: A New York-set miniseries starring Benedict Cumberbatch as a grieving father attempting to use one of his puppets to find his missing son.
