Screw you, sunlight! Next-level Netflix shows to bingewatch this May

May has always been the month when the weather tempts people outside, but plenty of us still prefer to stay indoors with a remote in hand. Netflix dropped a strong lineup in May 2018 that rewarded those who chose the couch over the sun, and those titles still hold up for a solid bingewatch session today.

13 Reasons Why: S2

Season 2 arrived on May 18, 2018 with thirteen episodes. The story picked up after the events of the first season and kept its focus on grief, accountability, and the fallout inside a high school community. The season leaned more heavily on visual storytelling than the cassette tapes that defined the earlier run, and the series eventually concluded after four seasons with no additional installments as of 2026.

Dear White People: S2

Available: NOW! Yes, the entire second season of Dear White People hit Netflix May 4, so be sure to check it out if you haven’t already. Based on the indie film of the same name, Justin Simien’s Netflix comedy centers on a group of students of color at Winchester University – a predominantly white Ivy League college – as they are faced with a torrent of cultural bias, social injustice, and slippery politics. The show has a lot to say in S2, bringing the team back with a brand new set of college challenges. Full Season 2 released May 4, 2018. The series ended with Season 4 in September 2021.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: S4

Available: May 30 Tina Fey & Robert Carlock’s (30 Rock) screwball comedy about a woman who is rescued from a doomsday cult and starts life over again in NYC will return with the first half of the fourth season later this month. Ellie Kemper (Bridesmaids), Tituss Burgess, Carol Kane (The Princess Bride), and Jane Krakowski (30 Rock) will show their faces in the six episode installment, which co-showrunner Robert Carlock said will tackle the MeToo movement. First half of Season 4 released May 30, 2018; second half January 2019. The series concluded after Season 4.

The Rain: S1

Available: NOW! The first ever Danish Netflix Originals series dropped on May 4 (get in there now, folks). Iben Hjejle (High Fidelity), Alba August (Below the Surface), and Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen (Department Q: The Keeper of Lost Causes) star in this taut thriller about two young siblings who embark on a perilous search for safety after a devastating biological catastrophe wipes out most of the nation. As the summary would suggest, there’s more to this story than meets the eye, in that “even in a post-apocalyptic world there’s still love, jealousy, and many of the coming-of-age dilemmas they thought they’d left behind.” It’s a Scandi-noir but with a unique edge and is definitely your next favorite dystopian bingewatch. Season 1 premiered May 4, 2018. The series ran three seasons and ended August 2020.

Riverdale: S2

Available: NOW! What are you waiting for, folks? S2 of the addictive comic book adaptation Riverdale is currently airing with a new episode each week, so if you haven’t already, head over to Netflix and get caught up with Archie and the gang before the next episode hits on May 16. There’s so much sex, violence, and OMG twists, you’ll be sure to bingewatch the whole lot in one evening or less. You can find the full list of TV shows hitting Netflix in May below: Bill Nye Saves the World, S3 (available May 11) Spirit Riding Free, S5 (available May 11) The Who Was? Show, S1 (available May 11) Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, S4 (available May 15) Grand Designs, S13&14 (available May 15) The Game 365, S15&16 (available May 15) Inspector Gadget, S4 (available May 18) Scandal, S7 (available May 19) Senora Acero, S4 (available May 21) Mob Psycho 100, S1 (available May 22) Shooter, S2 (available May 22) Fauda, S2 (available May 24) My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman: Howard Shore (available May 31). Season 2 episodes added weekly starting 2018. Complete series is now available on Netflix.

Legacy and Cultural Impact of the May 2018 Slate

13 Reasons Why sparked widespread discussions on mental health and suicide portrayal. Dear White People addressed race and campus politics in a post-2016 context. The Rain marked Netflix's early investment in non-English European originals. Together the slate showed the platform testing how far it could push serialized drama and identity-driven comedy while expanding its global footprint.

What Happened to These Shows After May 2018

Dear White People ended after four volumes in 2021. The Rain concluded with Season 3 in 2020. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt wrapped its fourth and final season in 2019. Each series closed its run on its own terms rather than stretching into additional seasons that might have diluted the original premise.

Netflix's May 2018 Strategy in Context

The Rain was promoted as the first Danish Netflix Original. Multiple seasons of established titles like Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why dropped in the same month. The month reflected a deliberate mix of international debuts and continuation of popular English-language series to keep subscribers engaged across different viewing habits.

Viewer Reception and Awards for These Titles

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt maintained strong critical reception across its run. The Rain received nominations in international categories. The combination of comedy and drama in the slate performed steadily with both critics and audiences, helping cement several of the shows as signature Netflix titles from that period.

Those May 2018 releases gave viewers plenty to devour in one sitting, and the shows still deliver the same mix of drama, dark humor, and binge-friendly plotting that made them stand out in the first place. Draw the curtains, queue up the episodes, and enjoy the marathon without worrying about missing anything new.