6 new and returning shows on Paramount+ in May

While we won’t see the slew of new content we’re used to seeing every month on Paramount+, we’re getting a highly anticipated new original show so monumental that it deserves all the standalone attention it can get. Additionally, we’ll also see new seasons of several fan-favorite TV shows, including a psychology-focused documentary series centered around couples, a long-running crime drama full of new cases to solve, and the 2026 American Music Awards.

Keep your eyes peeled, because these are the 6 new and returning shows coming to Paramount+ in May 2026, and my top pick is a guaranteed must-see.

6

Couples therapy season 5

The doctor will follow other real therapy sessions

Showtime’s prestigious docuseries Couples therapy returns for its fifth season to follow real couples in real therapy sessions with a very renowned psychoanalyst. Filmed in an observational documentary style, the series is the perfect show for viewers interested in real psychology.

Season five focuses on Dr. Orna Guralnik as she continues to work with a new set of couples in an extended therapeutic process. Viewers will see each couple arrive in New York and participate in a session with Dr. Guralnik to address a critical point in their relationship. These structured sessions will take place over several weeks, with new and old couples introduced over the course of several episodes.

Couples therapy Season 5 premieres Friday, May 15.

5

SkyMed season 4

Air emergency response fueled by adrenaline

An original medical drama series from Paramount+, SkyMed is back with even more tension in the air as the lives of Canadians on the remote northern borders hang in the balance. Unlike traditional hospital shows, this one takes place on the move, inside airplane cabins, isolated communities and remote wilderness outposts.

Season four will continue to explore the high-risk world of remote emergency medicine, with a team disrupted like never before. The arrival of new pilots and junior doctors creates a disturbing dynamic as leaders lose control, newbies push the limits and emotions take precedence over protocol.

SkyMed Season 4 premieres Thursday, May 21.

4

Chi season 8

The last chapter

Back for its eighth and final season, Chi finds residents of Chicago’s South Side facing their coldest winter ever, with life-or-death choices that must be made on the front lines.

Season 8 picks up after that shocking Season 7 finale, which saw a stunned Rashaad (Jason Weaver) and Victor (Luke James) discover Alicia’s (Lynn Whitfield) bullet-filled body. When the police arrive, Rashaad and Victor quickly leave the scene, their blood-stained hands in the air.

How will the family rebuild itself after the death of the matriarch? Can Bakari (Ahmad Nicholas Ferguson) and Nuck (Cortez Smith) find a way to keep the peace now that Reg (Barton Fitzpatrick) is back on the scene? And who will rule over the dangerous confrontations of the criminal world? Expect answers very soon.

Chi Season 8 premieres Friday, May 22.

Chi

Release date

2018 – 2026-00-00

Network

Showtime, Paramount+ with Showtime

Directors

Gandja Monteiro, Darren Grant, Malakai, Quincy LeNear Gossfield, Deondray Gossfield, David Rodriguez, Rick Famuyiwa, Roxann Dawson, Samir Rehem, Sam Bailey, Kimi Howl Lee, Stacy Pascal Gaspard

3

The 52nd American Music Awards

Celebrating the best music and artists of the year

Credit: Keeley Brooks/How-To Geek | American Music Awards

Returning to Las Vegas for the second year in a row, the 52nd American Music Awards stream live this Memorial Day. Academy Award nominee and Grammy winner Queen Latifah, who co-hosted the show in 1995, returns once again to announce the year’s winners.

The nominees for 2026 are numerous, including Teyana Taylor for best female R&B artist; Taylor Swift for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Song of the Summer, Best Female Pop Artist, Best Pop Song and Best Pop Album; and stars Olivia Dean and SOMBR compete for New Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Breakthrough Album of the Year. Other first-time nominees include Alex Warren, BigXthaPlug, KATSEYE, Leon Thomas, PinkPantheress, RAYE, Role Model, SIENNA SPIRO, Tate McRae, and more.

Moving from the big screen, The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X – EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami – were nominated for Song of the Year, Best Vocal Performance and Best Pop Song for their ubiquitous hit “Golden” from the film. Demon Hunters KPop.

THE 52nd American Music Awards premieres live on Monday, May 25 at 8 p.m. EST.

2

Criminal Minds: Evolution season 19

The oldest police procedural returns

Criminal minds its first run started in 2005 and ended in 2020; then it expands in 2022 with the continuation of the relaunch Criminal Minds: Evolution. The crime drama series is one of the longest-running procedural franchises that is still actively producing episodes, which is pretty cool.

CBS’ crime franchise turned Paramount+ follows the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) as it responds to new federal cases. Led by Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), the team includes poll workers David Ross, JJ Jareau, Penelope Garcia, Luke Alvez and Dr. Tara Lewis working alongside reformed profiler Elias Voit (Friday Night Lights‘ Zach Gilford) in an evolving role as part of the investigation.

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 begins Thursday, May 28.

Criminal minds

Release date

September 22, 2005

Network

CBS, Paramount+

Showrunner

Erica Messer

1

Dutton Ranch (series premiere)

Yellow stone‘s favorite couple is back for more action

Serving as both a spin-off and sequel to the epic Yellow stone saga, Dutton Ranch is one of eight Taylor Sheridan shows on the 2026 slate. The new series is an evolution of Sheridan’s original hit that comes out of Montana and buries its roots deep in South Texas. Although it follows Dutton matriarch Beth (Kelly Reilly) as she and her husband Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) build a new life on their 7,000-acre ranch, the main focus won’t be the ranch but will instead shift to the Texas ranching culture. While owning such a vast and beautiful landscape brings many peaceful settings, it also attracts the attention of a ruthless rival ranch who will stop at nothing to protect their empire. As such, Beth and Rip’s relationship will be tested in new ways.

The nine-part series picks up where its predecessor left off, with the ranch having been sold back to Chief Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and the Broken Rock Reservation. Following the death of her brother Jamie (Wes Bentley), Beth buys land far from home. Finn Little will reprise his role as Carter, the troubled and orphaned teenager the Wheelers took in during the fourth season of the mothership series. New cast members include Oscar nominees Ed Harris and Annette Bening, Suicide SquadIt’s Jai Courtney, Deliriumit’s Juan Pablo Raba, Black Scorpionby JR Villarreal, pretty Little Liars“Jessica Belkin, and more.

Keep your eyes peeled, because while nothing is confirmed yet, there’s a good chance that familiar faces from Yellow stone will appear. We can’t forget that Jimmy (Jefferson White) is employed at the Four Sixes Ranch, which is in South Texas, and while it’s probably less likely, we can’t rule out that Beth’s brother Kayce (Luke Grimes) could show up at some point, either to check on his family or because of work-related issues. Time will tell, so you’ll definitely want to tune in.

Dutton Ranch premieres Friday, May 15.

Dutton Ranch

Release date

May 15, 2026

Network

Paramount+

Showrunner

Chad Feehan

Furthermore, the four seasons of Battlestar Galactica the franchise, the 2003 miniseries, and the 2009 TV movie became available on May 1. Find out what’s in store this month with the full Paramount+ May lineup.

Subscription with advertisements

Yes, $8/month

Concurrent streams

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