Spring into action with some fun content from HBO. Continue with some great series, add a movie or two, seek out something from one of the Max Hubs and enjoy the merry month of May.
A few quick points:
- The intensity continues on THE LAST OF US
- Josh Holloway Can be Found in DUSTER
- Pee-Wee Herman Gets the Documentary Treatment
- We Climb to the MOUNTAINHEAD
- Plus, we have a three-time Academy Award-winning film
- And, Carmichael and Conan Return, but one MUST GO
HBO Original Series: In May, HBO is wrapping up three big series, with one of them going for good. Continuing on SUNDAY, MAY 04 at 9:00 pm with Episode 4 is THE LAST OF US. As you’ve probably guessed, this show leaks out very little about episode plots or even episode titles in advance. That is good & bad, some like a heads up on what is forthcoming, but no hint helps make the impact of watching even better. Take this season’s Episode 2 as a case in point. So, this is what we got –
–Episode 4 – Directed by Kate Herron (Loki); Written by Craig Mazin; SUNDAY, May 04 (9:00-10:00 pm ET/PT)
–Episode 5 – Directed by Stephen Miller (WATCHMEN); Written by Craig Mazin; SUNDAY MAY 11 (9:00-10:00 pm ET/PT
–Episode 6 – Directed by Neil Druckmann; Written by Neil Druckmann, Halley Gross (co-writer of the 2020 videogame The Last Of Us Part II) & Craig Mazin; SUNDAY, MAY 18 (9:00-10:00 pm ET/PT)
–Episode 7 – Directed by Nina Lopez-Corrado; Written by Neil Druckmann, Halley Gross & Craig Mazin; SUNDAY, MAY 25 (9:00-10:00 pm ET/PT)
If you need a reminder of what is ahead, even into Season Three, let’s end it with the following:
Moving on, we have got to say goodbye to the Gemstones this month. After four hilarious seasons, the final episode of THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES debuts SUNDAY, MAY 04 at 10:00 pm. How is it going to conclude? We don’t quite know, but remember that Rev. Vance Simkins (Stephen Dorff) has been antagonizing the Gemstones and has continued opening church branches in Gemstone territory. Surely that feud has to come to an end, right? Also, romance is in bloom for Eli (John Goodman) as the widower strikes up a relationship with Lori Milsap (Megan Mullally). The siblings investigate Lori, discovering that her exes have disappeared or died under suspicious circumstances. We’ve got to wonder how that will end up. Plus, we can’t forget about the mystery of the stolen family heirloom – Eli’s golden Bible! If, none of this makes sense, then you are missing out on another fine Danny McBride series. THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES – raising Hell one last time.
–Episode 9 (the 39th in total) – “That Man of God May Be Complete” Written by John Carcieri, Jeff Fradley & Danny McBride; SUNDAY, MAY 04 (10:00-10:30 pm ET/PT) SUNDAY, MAY 04 (10:00 – 10:55 pm ET/PT)
Next in the ongoing series is one that has been called a comedy and a documentary, but I like HBO.com’s categorization by adding that it is ‘Offbeat’, because it certainly is that. It is THE REHEARSAL. In the first season, Nathan Fielder was busy using his high-scale analytics & algorithms to help people with their issues, but this season he is out to help all of humanity. Fielder has studied airliner black box transcripts in which the first officer feels too intimidated to challenge the captain, leading to fatal crashes due to pilot error. He can, and does, document it case after case. Thus, this season, in an attempt to cut down on pilot error, he has created a whole airline terminal and an airplane cockpit full of actors to play through all the crucial scenarios he needs to make his goal happen. It continues on SUNDAY, MAY 04 (10:30-11:00 pm ET/PT) and runs until its conclusion in May. It is so offbeat! Last month was just a teaser; here is the full trailer –
–Episode 3 – “Pilot’s Code” Directed by Nathan Fielder; Written by Nathan Fielder, Carrie Kemper, Adam Locke-Norton, and Eric Notarnicola; SUNDAY, MAY 04 (10:30-11:00 pm ET/PT)
–Episode 4 – “KissMe” Directed by Nathan Fielder; Written by Nathan Fielder, Carrie Kemper, Adam Locke-Norton, and Eric Notarnicola; SUNDAY, MAY 11 (10:30-11:00 pm ET/PT)
–Episode 5 “Washington” Directed by Nathan Fielder; Written by Nathan Fielder, Carrie Kempe, Adam Locke-Norton, and Eric Notarnicola; SUNDAY, MAY 18 (10:30-11:00 pm ET/PT)
–Episode 6 ‘My Controls” Directed by Nathan Fielder; Written by Nathan Fielder, Carrie Kemper, Adam Locke-Norton, and Eric Notarnicola; SUNDAY, MAY 25 (10:30-11:00 pm ET/PT)
LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER continues on SUNDAY, MAY 04 from 11:30 pm-12:11 am ET/PT, then back to its regular time the rest of the month. He has been talking up a storm over such hot topics as the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, the continued firing of federal workers, Trump & tariffs, and the validity of trans athletes. Plus, he has done his usual schooling on topics we didn’t know we needed to be told about, like sports betting and tasers. You never know what he is going to rag on next. REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER does its thing through May as well. Tune in starting FRIDAY, MAY 02 (10:00-11:00 pm ET/PT). Oliver adds in a dose of societal concerns, but Maher sticks to the political agenda every week. Recent guests he has had to debate the topics with include PA Governor Josh Shapiro, CA Governor Gavin Newsom, Steve Bannon, Piers Morgan, Minnesota Senator Tina Smith, and Former Vice President Al Gore. Here is a snippet from his moments with the former VP.
Original Series Exclusive to Max: Max has some big titles of its own to announce for May. It offers a new action series, two returning series, and the continuation of a hit comedy. The Max Original drama series DUSTER, from Emmy-winner J.J. Abrams and showrunner LaToya Morgan, debuts THURSDAY, MAY 15 at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT on Max. Produced in association with Warner Bros. Television, the eight-episode season will debut new episodes weekly through the finale on July 3. Set in the 1970s Southwest, this show explores the life of a gutsy getaway driver for a growing crime syndicate that goes from dangerous to wildly, stupidly dangerous when a tenacious young agent comes into town hellbent on taking his crime family down.
Josh Holloway plays the man behind the wheel, named Jim. Could his last name be Duster? Rachel Hilson plays Nina, described as the FBI’s first Black woman agent and Keith David plays Ezra, the kingpin they have their sights on. I guess, for now, those characters are on a first-name basis. Additional cast members include Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg, Camille Guaty, Asivak Koostachin, Adriana Aluna Martinez, and Benjamin Charles Watson. Plus, you’ll recognize some of the actors in recurring roles like Corbin Bernsen, Gail O’Grady and Donal Logue. If you want a bit more background, check out this previous post.
And just like that…AND JUST LIKE THAT… returns with a third season. It does so with a big order of twelve episodes beginning on THURSDAY, MAY 29. There is no word at this time whether the streamer will upload multiple installments or drop an episode a week, which would take the run through July 31. Everyone you expect will be there, well, except…you know who. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) take center stage in NYC alongside Seema (Sarita Choudhury), Lisa (Nicole Ari Parker), Lily (Cathy Ang), Joy (Dolly Wells), Anthony (Mario Cantone), Steve (David Eigenberg) and Harry (Evan Handler). Also, John Corbett as Aidan Shaw (reprising his role from S2 and SEX AND THE CITY). Plus, Rosie O’Donnell is said to make an appearance.
I’m sorry, but the next show we look at shouldn’t even be stating it is presenting its second season because it is only three, yeah, 3 episodes long! It is the award-winning CONAN O’BRIEN MUST GO. It begins on THURSDAY, MAY 08, and in the blink of an eye, it will be done. I realize that the host of this show has to be able to travel around the globe to pull this all off, and apparently, he could only get three destinations in before WBD was breathing down his neck to get them something. I know, I know, I shouldn’t grumble, it is only one episode less than its premiere season. I guess I’m just had enough of shows making fewer & fewer episodes and calling them a full season. It used to be twenty-three on broadcast shows. At least THE PITT went on for fifteen, but the norm has dropped to ten, but then we see shows only doing eight or six, and now it’s heading towards three? Sheesh, do I sound like Conan going on a rant? Anyway, I guess we’ll have to settle for O’Brien’s comedic take on New Zealand, Austria, and Spain and like it.
Now here is a show with ten full episodes. HACKS continues its run beginning THURSDAY, MAY 03 and wants to wrap up on May 29th. To do so, it needs to double up a couple of episodes, so on May 15 episodes 7 & 8 will group together with the 9th on the 22nd and the finale on the 29th. Rotten Tomatoes has declared that “pitting Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder’s dynamic duo against each other on the mountaintop of success, Hacks finds fresh ways to mine comedic gold from one of television’s most compelling relationships.” We’ve got to agree. In this fourth season, it is make or break on this late-night gig. Here is a quick reminder of their chemistry –
HBO International Titles: The two new international titles we have hail from France and Poland, respectively. First is MALDITOS (Cursed), created jointly by two production companies, one each from Spain and Italy, but the story was filmed in the south of France. Created by Jean Charles Hue (Eat Your Bones) and Olivier Prieur (The Accident), it s an action-packed crime thriller revolving around the leader of a Gypsy community and her two sons who struggle to save their clan threatened with eviction by rising waters in Southern France. To avoid this tragedy and save their family, Sara (Céline Sallette) and her two sons, Jo (Pablo Cobo) and Tony (Darren Muselet), will do anything, even the most unlawful maneuvers. Not to mention a terrible family secret weighing on the community, the revelation of which could have dramatic consequences. It arrives on Max on FRIDAY, MAY 02, and runs for seven episodes. The other title we have is BLOODY TROPHY (Krwawe Trofeum). It arrives on FRIDAY, MAY 09, but I have no idea, nor does anyone else, whether it is a series or a movie, nor what it is about. All I can guess at this point is that the language is Polish. Hey, mystery content, for some unknown reason, do surface from time to time. Max is two episodes away from finishing its through its Holy Week crime caper from Spain called WHEN NO ONE SEES US. It has the episodes “Holy Saturday” and “Easter Sunday” to go, beginning on FRIDAY, MAY 02. Here is a quick tease for MADITOS –
HBO & Max Theatrical Movies: As of now, two new titles are on the schedule and one is a 3-hour & 23-minute Academy pleaser. We have ADULT BEST FRIENDS and THE BRUTALIST.
Debuting on SATURDAY, MAY 03 (8:00-9:45 pm ET/PT), and on Max the day prior, is ADULT BEST FRIENDS. Seems like a simple enough of a premise. Inseparable since childhood, Katie takes her codependent best friend Delaney on a girls’ trip to break the news that she is getting married. Things do not go as planned. Starring Delaney Buffett, Katie Corwin. Directed by Delaney Buffett; written by Katie Corwin and Delaney Buffett. Jeesh, let me guess, these two are adult best friends?
The movie also stars Mason Gooding (BALLERS) and Zachary Quinto (GIRLS, Brilliant Minds). It comes from Before The Door Pictures. I’ve never heard of that production house, but perhaps, they have a distribution deal like A24 does with HBO. We’ll see.A24’s
THE BRUTALIST is presented on SATURDAY, MAY 17 (8:00-11:23 pm ET/PT) on HBO and on Max the day prior. Escaping post-war Europe, visionary architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) arrives in America to rebuild his life, his work, and his marriage to his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), after being forced apart during wartime by shifting borders and regimes. On his own in a strange new country, László settles in Pennsylvania, where the wealthy and prominent industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce) recognizes his talent for building. But power and legacy come at a heavy cost…
The epic period drama was directed and produced by Brady Corbet (who directed Vox Lux and acted in OLIVE KITTRIDGE), who co-wrote the screenplay with Mona Fastvold (Norwegian filmmaker & screenwriter). This large movie also stars Joe Alwyn, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Emma Laird, Isaach de Bankolé, and Alessandro Nivola. The film received critical acclaim and accolades for its direction, screenplay, performances, cinematography, and score. The film earned ten nominations at the 97th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, winning for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Actor for Brody. Obviously, it is a movie worth watching if you can do a 3-hour + movie.
HBO Films: We haven’t had anything under this banner since THE GREAT LILLIAN HALL last May. This year, we get SUCCESSION creator Jesse Armstrong’s contribution with MOUNTAINHEAD. Steve Carell as Randall, Jason Schwartzman as Souper (Hugo Van Yalk), Cory Michael Smith as Venis, and Ramy Youssef as Jeff head the cast. But our exact plot is rather vague – A group of billionaire friends get together against the backdrop of a rolling international crisis. Also, at this point, we only have a Teaser that mostly says these guys like to rag on each other and get silly. It isn’t till we see a video clip on someone’s phone that the world is going to Hell in a handbasket. Then, the POTUS calls!
Additional supporting cast includes Hadley Robinson as Hester, Andy Daly as Casper, Ali Kinkade as Berry, Daniel Oreskes as Dr. Phipps, David Thompson as Leo, Amie MacKenzie as Janine, and Ava Kostia as Paula. The HBO Original film is written and directed by Jesse Armstrong; executive produced by Jesse Armstrong, Frank Rich, Lucy Prebble, Jon Brown, Tony Roche, Will Tracy, Mark Mylod, and Jill Footlick. What is the exact crisis at hand? Is it a reflection of real-life situations? And are these billionaires the cause of the crisis or just tasked to solve it? The tail end of the clip seems to indicate they are too blame? Are they really on the mountain top to relax or to hide? Find out in this HBO Films release debuts on SATURDAY, MAY 28 (8:00-10:00 pm ET/PT).
HBO Documentary Films: We get slammed in May with a powerful sports series and a celebrity fave! We start with noting the third season of the HBO Documentary Series 100 FOOT WAVE. The series returns for a third season to chronicle the globe-trotting adventures of big wave surfer Garrett McNamara, his wife Nicole and their young family, as well as those of fellow surfers Andrew “Cotty” Cotton, CJ Macias, Justine DuPont, Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca, Nic von Rupp, Kai Lenny, Pedro “Scooby” Vianna, Tony Laureano, Ian Cosenza, Michelle des Bouillons, and others. 100 FOOT WAVE expands from the cliff tops of Nazaré, Portugal, where McNamara first set a big wave world record in 2011, to exciting new locales such as Cortes Bank in the far reaches of the Pacific Ocean, Safi, Morocco, Montaldo, Italy, and O’ahu, Hawaii for the rarely held Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational. The adrenaline-filled series closely follows these extreme athletes’ drive and passion, with cameras by their side for the highs and lows of their lives – the doubts and tragedies, the euphoria and triumphs, the life-changing decisions, the fears that haunt them and the challenges that fuel them. It begins THURSDAY, MAY 01 at 9:00 pm. That is five episodes over five Thursday nights.
–Episode 01 – “Chapter I – Risk”
Debut Date: THURSDAY, MAY 01 (9:00-09:53 PM ET/PT)
After a startling realization about his health, Garrett returns to Nazaré eager to get back to his peak performance, while Tony and Justine join forces following transformative times away from Portugal. But when big wave hopefuls flood Nazaré for the first big swell of the season, nothing goes as planned.
–Episode 02 – “Chapter II – Undertow”
Debut Date: THURSDAY, MAY 08 (9:00-10:00 pm ET/PT)
While Garrett’s wipeout leaves his neurological health at risk, his brother-in-law CJ gets back on a board after recovering from his own significant accident. Meanwhile, Chumbo reflects on his surfing priorities now that he’s a father, and Justine and Tony make a difficult decision about their partnership. Then, a tragedy of the highest magnitude strikes Nazaré.
–Episode 3 – “Chapter III – “Cortes Bank”
Debut Date: THURSDAY, MAY 15 (9:00 – 9:55 pm ET/PT)
The surfers set out on an overnight boat to Cortes Bank, a legendary surf spot 100 miles off the coast of San Diego. When a rare swell appears, the opportunity represents a chance to catch the waves of their lives, while Garrett contends with painful memories from his previous trip to the mythic – and dangerous – destination.
The fourth and fifth installments are on May 22 and May 29. Get Wet!
And then get all silly & giggly for PEEWEE HERMAN AS HIMSELF. Driven by a soul-baring interview with Paul Reubens, the man behind the iconic character Pee-wee Herman, this two-part documentary is the definitive portrait of the comedic performer and a window into his never-before-discussed personal life. Determined to correct the record and tell the factual story of his life, Reubens excavates his kaleidoscopic influences, origins in the circus and avant-garde performance theater, and career choices, while reflecting on the reasoning behind, and the consequences of, severing his beloved alter ego from his authentic self.
Director/producer Matt Wolf spent over 40 hours interviewing Reubens and was given access to the actor’s large collection of photographs and video footage. The film includes a final message from Reubens, recorded the day before his death. I’m not a fan of celebrity bios myself, but hey, I’d think many would want to get the true story of this zany man-child. Seek it out when both installments air back-to-back (no actual time length given) on FRIDAY, MAY 23 on HBO.
HBO Original Specials: Another stand-up special is on the boards, which reminds me I need to catch up on a few of them. Anyway, Jerrod Carmichael offers his fourth special for HBO. It is entitled DON’T BE GAY and it debuts on SATURDAY, MAY 24 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on 
Max. Jerrod Carmichael is an Emmy-winning comedian from Winston-Salem, N.C. His series JERROD CARMICHAEL REALITY SHOW, as well as his most recent special ROTHANIEL (2022), are available to stream on Max, among some earlier work. Nina Rosenstein, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Late Night and Specials, said regarding, “We’ve worked with Jerrod since his first special in 2014, and it’s truly been inspiring to see him grow and push boundaries at every turn. His last special, Rothaniel, was raw, intimate, and sparked a conversation about what a comedy special could be. He pushed that even further with Reality Series, a groundbreaking blend of verité and performance in which he delivered some of his most emotionally honest work yet. This new special continues to build on that impact with the same vulnerability and sharp wit that makes Jerrod’s voice so singular.”
Max Kids & Family: Plenty of imported content from CN, that’s Cartoon Network, makes it onto Max this month. TEEN TITANS GO! Season 9A arrives on FRIDAY, MAY 02; BUGS BUNNY BUILDERS on SATURDAY, MAY 17 and SILLY SUNDAYS, Season 1B show up on FRIDAY, MAY 23. The back half of season one of DYLAN’S PLAYTIME ADVENTURES appears on THURSDAY, MAY 01, and a new season of the hybrid mermaid/unicorn show, called MERMICORNO: STARFALL, debuts on THURSDAY, MAY 15. On THURSDAY, MAY 08, Big Bird is meeting Snuffy at Hooper’s for lunch, and everyone decides to surprise him with a Snuffy-sized sandwich named after him: the Snuffwich! Also, on THURSDAY, MAY 29, the 20th episode of the season, Rudy prepares a day camp right on the street. What street, you ask? Why, it is SESAME STREET still on Max every THURSDAY into September.
HBO Sports: Just throwing out there that perhaps they will NOT be a season of HARD KNOCKS: OFFSEASON. There has been no official word as of yet.
Other Shows On HBO or Max: This month, we will draw attention to some movies arriving on the channel and on the streamer. There are plenty of older titles to be found, many of them in the TCM Hub on 
Max. How about Badman’s Country (1958), Rancho Notorious (1952), Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend (1957), The Kissing Bandit (1948), They Died with Their Boots On (1941), or Vivacious Lady (1938)? We know, titles you likely never heard of, which is a good damn reason to seek them out. Do younger generations even appreciate the oldies? Other more recent titles noted are Ready Player One (2018), The Whale (2022), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Inception (2010), and Lost River (2015). Oh, and the month would not be complete without Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985). On the channels, HBO Signature is running THE SYMPATHIZER on May 01, HBO Comedy is reshowing VICE PRINCIPALS and VEEP, and HBO Family has a run of THE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY. There is, of course, plenty more. Go, discover, and enjoy.
Next Month’s Tease: Which bygone Hollywood grand dame was mother to Mariska Hargitay of the Law & Order franchise?
Last Month’s Tease: We asked – He voiced Al Simmons/Spawn in the HBO series TODD MCFARLANE’S SPAWN, and next will play a ’70s crime thug. Who is he, and what is the show? Answer – He is Keith David, who will play the main criminal named Ezra in DUSTER.
Final Clip: Can you ride the waves?
Enjoy HBO & HBOWatch!
