6 top new shows this week on Netflix, Hulu and more (May 26-June 1)
Summer has (unofficially) started, bringing a heatwave of new shows premiering on Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services, as well as on broadcast and cable TV.
Two finales lead the top of our TV watchlist: the series conclusion of award-winning dystopian drama “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the season 4 capper to showbiz comedy “Hacks.”
But it’s not just endings around here. “And Just Like That …” returns for a third season of more sex and city hijinks. And new TV shows “Dept. Q” and “The Better Sister” bring crime thrills to your screen. Here are our top picks for new TV shows to watch this week.
‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ series finale (Hulu)
After six seasons of red cloaks, rebellion and revenge, “The Handmaid’s Tale” ends with a finale that promises to be anything but quiet. June’s journey — from handmaid to fugitive to freedom fighter — has been brutal and now it’s time to see how the series closes the story begun in Margaret Atwood’s iconic book.
Will June finally reunite with Hannah and find peace, or is Gilead still too powerful to dismantle? Expect emotional fireworks, long-awaited reckonings and a few shocks along the way. For the last time: Praise be.
Episode 10 premieres Tuesday, May 27 at 12 a.m. ET on Hulu
‘Adults’ (FX on Hulu)
This comedy centers on five twenty-somethings stumbling their way through adulthood in New York City. Samir (Malik Elassal), Billie (Lucy Freyer), Paul Baker (Jack Innanen), Issa (Amita Rao), and Anton (Owen Thiele) all crash at Samir’s childhood home, where they tackle the messiness of careers, relationships, doctor visits and dinner parties with the grace of tipsy raccoons.
Adulting is hard. Figuring it out together? Kind of a disaster. But if they’re going to fall apart, they might as well enjoy the ride.
All 8 episodes premiere Thursday, May 29 at 12 a.m. ET on Hulu
‘The Better Sister’ (Prime Video)
Two sisters, one dead husband and a whole lot of baggage. Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks go head-to-head in this twisty murder-mystery miniseries. Biel plays Chloe, the successful Manhattanite whose picture-perfect life implodes when her husband, Adam (Corey Stoll), turns up murdered.
The shocking event brings her estranged sister Nicky (Banks), who just so happens to be Adam’s ex-wife and biological mom of Chloe’s teen son, crashing back into the picture. As the past resurfaces and tension boils over, the question is: How far would you go to protect your version of the truth?
All 8 episodes premiere Thursday, May 29 at 3 a.m. ET on Prime Video
‘Dept. Q’ (Netflix)
This gripping British police thriller hails from Scott Frank, the creative force behind Netflix hits like “The Queen’s Gambit” and “Godless.” Matthew Goode stars as DCI Carl Morck, a brilliant detective sidelined after a career-shaking tragedy lands him in the basement of the Edinburgh police department.
Expected to quietly disappear, Morck does the opposite: He reopens long-forgotten cases and makes waves. With a crew of unconventional allies, he dives into unsolved mysteries, ruffles feathers and proves he’s still a force to be reckoned with.
All 9 episodes premiere Thursday, May 29 at 3 a.m. ET on Netflix
‘And Just Like That’ season 3 (HBO Max)
Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is back, juggling city life, property problems, and a long-distance relationship with Aidan — all while attempting her first novel. The tentative title? “Sex and the Cauldron.” Maybe a joke, maybe not.
Elsewhere, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) finds herself intrigued by a new flame, Charlotte (Kristin Davis) battles the messiness of parenting teens, Lisa (Nicole Ari Parker) navigates a workplace crush and Seema (Sarita Choudhury) hesitantly dips back into the dating pool. They may be in their 50s, but they’re as fabulous as ever.
Episode 1 premieres Thursday, May 29 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max
‘Hacks’ season 4 finale (HBO Max)
Deborah Vance’s late-night dream job goes up in flames in the explosive finale of “Hacks” season 4. After a scandal rocks her show, Deborah (Jean Smart) faces impossible choices: stay cozy with corporate bigwigs or fight for what really matters.
With Ava (Hannah Einbinder) caught in the crossfire, their friendship and partnership is once again tested. Will Deborah’s scorched-earth exit mark the end, or the start of a new, brighter chapter? “Hacks” flips the script one more time, proving it’s still the sharpest, smartest comedy on TV.
Episode 10 premieres Thursday, May 29 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max
