Comedy icon Carol Burnett and controversial comic Michelle Wolf launch their new Netflix series, headlining the May 2018 TV premieres (and finales) calendar.
Fresh off her unflinching performance at the White House Correspondents Dinner, Wolf kicks off her weekly variety series May 27. The half-hour show promises jokes, sketches, celebrities and maybe even politicians—if they’ve recovered from her scathing assault on Washington.
Wolf, a former correspondent on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” pulled no punches as she skewered President Trump, his press secretary Sarah Sanders, other Republicans, Democrats, the media and many others.
Burnett, probably best known for her 11-season run of “The Carol Burnett Show,” comes back to TV on May 4 with “A Little Help with Carol Burnett.” The half-hour show, taped in front of a live audience, features Burnett and a group of precocious children offering advice to audience members and celebrity guests.
The celebrity guests include DJ Khaled, Candace Cameron Bure, Taraji P. Henson, Derek Hough, Russell Peters, Julie Bowen, Lisa Kudrow, Brittany Snow, Mark Cuban, Finn Wolfhard, Wanda Sykes, and Billy Eichner. Comedian Russell Peters serves as Burnett’s co-host.
May also marks the end of the 2017-18 network TV season, so you’ll see quite of few season finales on the list, as well as some series finales. (Goodbye “The Middle and “Once Upon a Time.”)
Switching from comedy royalty to the British variety, the wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markle takes place May 19. Many networks will have specials leading up to the happy day, as well as live coverage of the event. That should make royal watchers happy.
I’m happy to finally be getting two major Starz premieres, “Sweetbitter” and “Vida.” Read my Emmy Magazine story for more about those shows.
PBS premieres two fascinating documentaries: “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story” will air May 18 as part of the “American Masters” series. “The Chinese Exclusion Act” debuts May 29 as part of the latest “American Experience” season. Read more about both in the calendar.
They’re a many more shows, movies or specials worthy of your attention. So as always, peruse the calendar. And if you see that I’m missing something, drop a note in the comments and I’ll add it. Happy watching.
May 2018 TV premieres calendar
All times are Central
Tuesday, May 1
Streaming
- “Sometimes,” Netflix (movie; 7 strangers awaiting HIV test results bribe clinic receptionist to get them early, learning one is positive)
- “John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous Live at Radio City,” Netflix (stand-up special)
9 p.m.
- “Nazi Treasure Hunters,” AHC (doc series premiere; experts explore historic sites for artwork and treasures stolen during Nazi era)
- “Social Fabric,” Fuse (season 2)
10 p.m.
- “Blackout in Puerto Rico,” PBS (“Frontline” premiere; humanitarian and economic crisis in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria)
Wednesday, May 2
8 p.m.
- “Misfit Garage,” Discovery (season 6)
9 p.m.
- “Colony,” USA (season 3)
- “Code Black,” CBS (season 3)
- “Sticker Shock,” Discovery (series premiere; host Dennis Pittsenbarger and expert appraisers uncover value of viewers’ cars)
Friday, May 4
Streaming
- “The Rain,” Netflix (season 1; after brutal virus wipes out most of population, two Scandinavian siblings search for safety)
- “America Divided,” EPIX (season 2)
- “Dear White People,” Netflix (season 2)
- “A Little Help with Carol Burnett,” Netflix (season 1; Burnett and kids dish out advice to celebrities and everyday people in front of live audience)
- “Busted!” Netflix (season 1; Korean whodunit variety shown which contestants act as detectives to solve mysteries based on vignettes presented by famous Korean actors and comedians)
- “End Game” Netflix (doc; follows visionary medical practitioners who working on the cutting edge of life and death)
- “Anon,” Netflix (movie; in future where technology has rendered privacy obsolete, detective investigates serial assassin deleted from all visual records)
- “Forgive Us Our Debts,” Netflix (movie; unemployed man who agrees to work for debt collector discovers his deal with devil has unexpected costs)
- “Manhunt,” Netflix (movie; Chinese pharmaceutical lawyer framed for vile crime teams up with Japanese detective to stop corporate plot)
- “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman: Tina Fey,” Netflix (new episode; Fey and blues icon Buddy Guy)
- “Kong: King of the Apes,” Netflix (season 2)
7 p.m.
- “MacGyver,” CBS (season 2 finale)
9 p.m.
- “Warren Buffett: Investor, Teacher, Icon,” CNBC (doc; inside story of Warren Buffett’s extraordinary success)
10 p.m.
- “Comedy Knockout,” TruTV (season 3)
Saturday, May 5
Streaming
- “Diablo Guardian,” Amazon Prime (season 1; teen steals $100,000 from parents and leaves Mexico for New York only to fall in with shady villain)
7 p.m.
- “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 2018,” HBO (special; inductees include Bon Jovi, The Cars, Dire Straits, The Moody Blues, Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe)
Sunday, May 6
6 p.m.
- “Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder,” Hallmark M&M (movie; attorney defends sister of her District Attorney beau in murder case)
7 p.m.
- “Sweetbitter,” Starz (series premiere; 22-year-old Tess moves to New York City and gets job at one of city’s best restaurants)
7:30 p.m.
- “Vida,” Starz (series premiere; 2 estranged Mexican-American sisters return to their old neighborhood in the East Side of Los Angeles)
9 p.m.
- “I’m Dying Up Here,” Showtime (season 2)
- “Naked and Afraid XL All-Stars,” Discovery (season 4)
Monday, May 7
Streaming
- “Keeping Faith,” Acorn TV (series premiere; Faith Howells’ search for her missing husband leads her to criminal underbelly of her town; more Acorn TV in May)
- “SuperMansion,” Crackle (season 3; new episodes each Monday)
- “Red Table Talk,” Facebook Watch (series premiere; Jada Pinkett Smith, daughter Willow Smith and mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris talk)
7 p.m.
- “Kevin Can Wait,” CBS (season 2 finale)
- “Best Baker in America,” Food (season premiere)
- “A Dangerous Son,” PBS (doc premiere; explores challenges in treating children with serious emotional disturbances)
8 p.m.
- “The Real Princess Diaries: From Diana to Meghan,” E! (special; experts discuss lifestyle, history, fashion, weddings of Princesses Diana, Kate and Meghan Markle)
- “Love It or List It,” HGTV (season premiere)
9 p.m.
- “X Company,” Ovation (season 2; Warren Brown interview)
- “Running Wild with Bear Grylls,” NBC (season 4)
- “No Man’s Land,” PBS (“Independent Lens” premiere; detailed account of January 2016 occupation of Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Refuge by armed protestors)
Tuesday, May 8
Streaming
- “Hari Kondabolu: Warn Your Relatives” Netflix (stand-up special)
8 p.m.
- “Bull,” CBS (season 2 finale)
9 p.m.
- “Chrisley Knows Best,” USA (season 6)
9:30 p.m.
- “The Cromarties,” USA (season 1.5)
10 p.m.
- “Myanmar’s Killing Fields,” PBS (“Frontline” premiere; secret footage going back years shows Myanmar security forces’ efforts to kill and expel Rohingya Muslims)
- “The Housleys,” HGTV (special; Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband, Adam, renovate a home in Napa Valley)
Wednesday, May 9
9 p.m.
- “Wood Work,” DIY (series premiere; craftsman Clint Harp creates personalized spaces)
Thursday, May 10
Streaming
- “Motherland,” Sundance Now (U.S. premiere; when working mom Julia’s own mom decides to stop taking care of the grandkids, Julia jumps into unfamiliar territory)
7 p.m.
- “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS (season 11 finale)
7:30 p.m.
- “Young Sheldon,” CBS (season 1 finale)
8 p.m.
- “Mom,” CBS (season 5 finale, 1 hour)
Friday, May 11
Streaming
- “Rocky & Bullwinkle,” Amazon Prime (season 1A; talking moose and flying squirrel have new adventures)
- “Bill Nye Saves the World,” Netflix (season 3)
- “Evil Genius: True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist,” Netflix (docuseries; true story of pizza delivery man who robbed bank, then was killed by bomb around his neck)
- “The Kissing Booth,” Netflix (movie; teen’s first kiss leads to romance with hottest boy in high school, risking her relationship with her best friend)
- “The Who Was? Show,” Netflix (season 1; live-action sketch comedy show for kids)
- “Spirit Riding Free,” Netflix (season 5)
7 p.m.
- “Meghan Markle: An American Princess,” Fox (special; actress’s life and potential legacy as first American to marry into British royal family since 1937)
- “Undercover Boss: Celebrity Edition,” ABC (season premiere; celebrity “bosses” find undiscovered stars in their fields)
- “BattleBots,” Discovery (season premiere; airs 8 p.m. May 16 on Science Channel)
- “Once Upon a Time,” ABC (series finale, part 1)
8 p.m.
- “Kevin Smith: Silent But Deadly,” Showtime (stand-up special)
9 p.m.
- “Blue Bloods,” CBS (season 8 finale)
Saturday, May 12
Streaming
- “The BritBox Wedding Watchers Guide,” BritBox (special; see more BritBox premieres)
6 p.m.
- “Abuse of Power,” Oxygen (doc series; true stories in which pillars of community took advantage of authority to commit crimes)
7 p.m.
- “Lawn & Order,” DIY (series premiere; experts create beautiful designs for lackluster front yards)
8 p.m.
- “Patrick Melrose,” Showtime (series premiere; traumatic childhood haunts man as an adult)
Sunday, May 13
Streaming
- “Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife,” Netflix (stand-up special)
- “Mum,” BritBox (season 2, exclusive U.S. premiere)
7 p.m.
- “Little Women,” PBS (“Masterpiece” premiere, finale May 20; based on Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel)
8 p.m.
- “Million Dollar American Princesses: Meghan Markle,” Smithsonian (special; latest royal couple follows long tradition of exceptional American women marrying into European nobility)
Monday, May 14
7 p.m.
- “Superior Donuts,” CBS (season 2 finale)
8 p.m.
- “Basketball Wives,” VH1 (season 7)
9 p.m.
- “ACORN and the Firestorm,” PBS (“Independent Lens” premiere; 2008 controversy involving community-organizing group cut to heart of political divide)
- “Royal Wedding Watch,” PBS (5-night event through Friday, May 18)
Tuesday, May 15
8 p.m.
- “Unearthed,” Science (season premiere; look at how and why iconic structures were built; this season Viking fortresses, Statue of Liberty, Forbidden City of China, Easter Island, Titanic, Palace of Knossos, Pompeii)
- “Below Deck Mediterranean,” Bravo (season 3)
- “blackish,” ABC (season finale)
- “NCIS: New Orleans,” CBS (season 4 finale, 2 hours)
- “Shadowhunters,” Freeform (mid-season finale)
9 p.m.
- “Harry and Meghan: A Very Modern Romance,” BBC America (special; look at lives of couple)
- “Hidden Potential,” HGTV (series premiere; builder/designer Jasmine Roth renovates generic suburban homes)
10 p.m.
- “Au service de la France (In the Service of France),” TV5Monde USA (season 1, U.S. premiere; comic take on French secret services in 1960s)
Wednesday, May 16
7 p.m.
- “The Goldbergs,” ABC (season finale)
7:30 p.m.
- “Alex, Inc.,” ABC (season finale)
8 p.m.
- “SEAL Team,” CBS (season 1 finale)
- “Modern Family,” ABC (season finale)
8:30 p.m.
- “American Housewife,” ABC (season finale)
9 p.m.
- “Inside the Royal Wedding: Harry and Meghan,” NBC (special)
- “Scijinks,” Science (series premiere; Johnny Galecki orchestrates science pranks)
- “Designated Survivor,” ABC (season finale)
Thursday, May 17
7 p.m.
- “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC (season finale)
8 p.m.
- “Station 19,” ABC (season finale)
- “Life in Pieces,” CBS (season 3 finale, 1 hour)
9 p.m.
- “Impossible Engineering: Extreme Railroads,” Science (series premiere; world’s most extraordinary rail systems)
- “The Carbonaro Effect,” TruTV (season 4)
- “S.W.A.T.,” CBS (season 1 finale)
Friday, May 18
Streaming
- “You Are Wanted,” Amazon Prime (season 2)
- “Cargo,” Netflix (movie; stranded in rural Australia in aftermath of violent pandemic, infected father desperately seeks home for his infant child and way to protect her from his own changing nature)
- “Catching Feelings,” Netflix (movie; Johannesburg professor and his journalist wife find their relationship tested when famous writer enters their lives)
- “13 Reasons Why,” Netflix (season 2)
- “Inspector Gadget,” Netflix (season 4)
7 p.m.
- “Once Upon a Time,” ABC (series finale, part 2)
- “Prince Harry: Wild No More,” TLC (special; royal highs and some embarrassing lows in Harry’s history)
8 p.m.
- “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story,” PBS (“American Masters” premiere; Hollywood star Hedy Lamarr also was a trailblazing inventor whose work was basis for secure WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth technologies)
- “Meghan Markle: A Royal Love Story,” TLC (special; interviews with Markle’s friends, stylists and royal experts on her rigorous royal training)
- “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” ABC (season finale)
- “Hawaii Five-0,” CBS (season 8 finale)
9 p.m.
- “Secrets of the Royal Wedding,” TLC (special; behind-the-scenes of how the couple made their wedding their own)
Saturday, May 19
Streaming
- “Harry & Meghan—The Royal Wedding,” BritBox (special; live feed from London wedding)
- “The Wedding Day Highlights,” BritBox (recap show)
4 a.m.
- Royal Wedding live coverage, BBC America (special; live simulcast of BBC One’s coverage)
- “E! Live from the Royal Carpet,” E! (special; royal wedding)
- “Good Morning America” wedding edition, ABC & Freeform (special; Robin Roberts and David Muir lead live coverage)
- “TLC’S Royal Wedding Live,” TLC (4-hour feed of royal wedding)
6:30 a.m.
- “The Royal Wedding Live with Cord and Tish!” HBO (special; Rose Parade broadcasters Cord Hosenbeck and Tish Cattigan—Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon—host royal wedding coverage)
6 p.m.
- “E! Royal Wedding Rundown,” E! (recap show)
7 p.m.
- “Fahrenheit 451,” HBO (movie; based on Ray Bradbury’s classic novel, depicting a future where media is an opiate, history is rewritten and “firemen” burn books)
- “Royal Romance: The Marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle,” CBS (special; review of the big wedding day)
- “Royally Ever After,” Hallmark (movie; European prince falls in love but royal family has to approve his marriage)
- “The Case of: Caylee Anthony,” Oxygen (3-night limited series; retired FBI profiler and former New Scotland Yard criminal behavioral analyst delve into disappearance and death of toddler Caylee Anthony 10 years ago)
9 p.m.
- “TLC’s Royal Wedding Revealed,” TLC (special: host Shaun Robinson welcomes TLC wedding/style experts Randy Fenoli, Lori Allen, Monte Durham, George Kotsiopoulos and Hayley Paige)
Sunday, May 20
6 p.m .
- “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” ABC (season finale)
7 p.m.
- “Billboard Music Awards,” NBC (special)
- “NCIS: Los Angeles,” CBS (season 9 finale, 2 hours)
- “90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?” TLC (season 3)
9 p.m.
- “Madam Secretary,” CBS (season 4 finale)
- “Iron Chef America,” Food (season premiere)
- “Lost in Translation,” TLC (docu-series premiere; 4 couples deal with fallout when husbands say they’re grappling with gender identity)
11:15 p.m.
- “Joe Pera Talks with You,” Adult Swim (series premiere; teacher in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula explores subject matters such as pancakes, blueberries, wedding dancing, more)
Monday, May 21
Streaming
- “Sando,” Acorn TV (season 1; new Australian comedy loose cannon CEO of discount furniture empire as she tries to reconnect with her estranged family)
7 p.m.
- “The Final Year,” HBO (doc; look inside President Obama’s final year in office)
- “2018 Miss USA,” Fox (special)
- “Dancing with the Stars: Athletes,” ABC (season finale)
7:30 p.m.
- “Man with a Plan,” CBS (season 2 finale)
8 p.m.
- “Who Do You Think You Are?” TLC (season premiere)
- “American Idol,” ABC (season finale)
9 p.m.
- “True Conviction,” PBS (“Independent Lens” premiere; wrongly convicted and exonerated men start detective agency in Dallas)
Tuesday, May 22
Streaming
- “Dino Dana,” Amazon Prime (season 2)
- “Mob Psycho 100,” Netflix (season 1; nefarious organization desires the powers of young psychic Mob)
- “Terrace House: Opening New Doors: Part 2,” (season 2)
- “Tig Notaro: Happy To Be Here” Netflix (stand-up special)
7 p.m.
- “Roseanne,” ABC (season finale)
- “NCIS,” CBS (season 15 finale)
7:30 p.m.
- “The Middle,” ABC (1-hour series finale)
8:30 p.m.
- “Splitting Up Together,” ABC (season finale)
9 p.m.
- “For The People,” ABC (season finale)
Wednesday, May 23
Streaming
- “Explained,” Netflix (series premiere; spotlights topical issues that impact our lives—from gender wage gap to geopolitical politics; new episode each Wednesday)
7 p.m.
- “Survivor,” CBS (season 36 finale)
8 p.m.
- “Brother vs. Brother: Jonathan vs. Drew,” HGTV (season 2)
9 p.m.
- “The Split,” SundanceTV (mini-series premiere; family of female divorce attorneys share personal joys and professional rivalries)
- “Survivor Live Reunion Show,” CBS (season 36)
Thursday, May 24
Streaming
- “Fauda,” Netflix (season 2)
7 p.m.
- “Terrence Howard’s Fright Club,” Fox (special; Howard pranks his super fans)
- “Sirens,” Freeform (season 1 finale)
8 p.m.
- “Hollywood Game Night,” NBC (“Red Nose Day” special edition; Kelly Clarkson, Sean Hayes, Jack Black, Chelsea Handler, Isla Fisher, Sarah Silverman, Sasheer Zamata and Cedric the Entertainer compete)
- “Growing Up Hip Hop,” WEtv (season 4)
9 p.m.
- “Red Nose Day,” NBC (special; annual fundraiser to help end child poverty)
Friday, May 25
Streaming
- “Picnic at Hanging Rock,” Amazon Prime (limited series; disappearance of three Aussie schoolgirls and governess on Valentine’s Day 1900 has far-reaching impact)
- “Ibiza,” Netflix (movie; Harper falls for hot DJ in Ibiza when she is supposed to be on work trip in Barcelona)
- “Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life,” Netflix (stand-up special)
- “The Toys That Made Us,” Netflix (season 2)
- “Trollhunters,” Netflix (season 3)
8 p.m.
- “The Opera House,” PBS (“Great Performances” premiere; chronicles creation of Metropolitan Opera’s storied Lincoln Center home)
- “Bipolar Rock ’n Roller,” Showtime (doc; sportscaster Mauro Ranallo and his lifelong battle with mental illness)
Saturday, May 26
Streaming
- “Sara’s Notebook,” Netflix (movie; search for missing sister lands woman in war-torn Congolese jungle)
7 p.m.
- “The Tale,” HBO (movie; woman faces life-altering questions when short story she wrote for school at age 13 forces her to re-examine her first sexual relationship)
Sunday, May 27
Streaming
- “The Break with Michelle Wolf,” Netflix (series premiere; Michelle Wolf pokes fun at everything and everyone on her weekly show)
6:30 p.m.
- “The Fourth Estate,” Showtime (4-part doc series; inner workings of The New York Times during President Trump’s first year in office)
8 p.m.
- “Deception,” ABC (season finale)
- “Phil Hartman: Behind Closed Doors,” Reelz (special; look at the comic actor)
- “Food Network Star: Comeback Kitchen,” Food (season premiere)
Monday, May 28
7 p.m.
- “The Bachelorette,” ABC (season 14)
- “Street Outlaws,” Discovery (season premiere)
8 p.m.
- “Dead North,” ID (2-night special; a look at case of convicted murderer Kelly Cochran & Laura Frizzo’s belief she may be a serial killer; concludes May 29)
- “Going to War,” PBS (doc; veteran experience across multiple generations)
- “Man v. Food,” Travel (season premiere)
9 p.m.
- “Served Like a Girl,” PBS (“Independent Lens” premiere; candid look at several American military women as they transition from active duty to civilian life)
- “Six,” History (season 2)
- “American Chopper,” Discovery (season 11)
Tuesday, May 29
7 p.m.
- “The Chinese Exclusion Act,” PBS (“American Experience” premiere; act singled out by name and race a single nationality for special treatment)
- “America’s Got Talent,” NBC (season 12)
- “Beat Shazam,” Fox (season 2)
8 p.m.
- “Animal Kingdom,” TNT (season 3)
- “Love Connection,” Fox (season 2)
9 p.m.
- “World of Dance,” NBC (season 2)
10 p.m.
- “UN Sex Abuse Scandal,” PBS (“Frontline” premiere; sex abuse in world’s conflict zones, from Bosnia to Congo to the Central African Republic)
Wednesday, May 30
Streaming
- “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” Netflix (season 4)
7 p.m.
- “American Ninja Warrior,” NBC (season 7)
- “Masterchef,” Fox (season 9)
- “Famous in Love,” Freeform (season 2 finale)
8 p.m.
- “Man Fire Food,” Food (season premiere)
9 p.m.
- “Reverie,” NBC (series premiere; former hostage negotiator saves people lost in immersive virtual-reality program)
Thursday, May 31
Streaming
- “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman: Howard Stern,” Netflix (episode premiere)
8 p.m.
- “Flip or Flop,” HGTV (season premiere; exes Christina and Tarek El Moussa tackle house flips and their new relationship)
10:30 p.m.
- “Rachel Dratch’s Late Night Snack,” TruTV (season 2)