Like the poet once wrote, it’s gonna be May — and not just that, it’s gonna be a great TV May. There are a lot of really fun star-studded shows and TV events happening this month, and some terrifying one too, including a new critically-acclaimed Israeli show, a standup special by the best Jewish comic in town and the last season of one of the funniest and most Jewish shows around. And of course, there’s the return of Harry Goldenblatt. So without further ado, let’s get into all the Jewish TV coming in May 2025.
May 2: “Bad Boy” (Netflix)
We’re starting off so strong with an excellent Israeli drama that got a Netflix deal before it even finished airing in Israel. Helmed by Ron Leshem, the creator of the original “Euphoria,” this series follows a troubled teen who gets locked up in a teen penitentiary and the friends and enemies he makes. It’s based on the real life story of comedian Daniel Chen, who also stars in the show as the adult version of its protagonist, played by Guy Manster.
Judaism rating: 4/4 couch potato latkes
May 8: “Forever” (Netflix)
Our queen Judy Blume is finally getting the teen TV show treatment, and one directed by Regina King, no less. I’m so excited for “Forever” to get a TV adaptation, and while there doesn’t seem to be anything explicitly Jewish about the show, I have to pay tribute to the Jewish queen of adolescent fiction whenever I can.
Judaism rating: 0.5/4 potato latkes, for Judy
May 13 (first semi-final), May 15 (second semi-final) and May 17 (finals): “Eurovision” (Peacock)
Welp, it is unfortunately time for another Eurovision. For those of you who don’t know, it’s Europe’s biggest song contest and televised event, and since last year, it is, in my humble opinion, a truly hot mess. This year it takes place in Basel, Switzerland, after the country’s Nemo won last year’s competition with his excellent and infectious “The Code.” Last year Israel’s participation, in light of the Israel-Hamas war, led not only to protests, but to serious high school dynamics behind the scenes. Israeli contestant Eden Golan was constantly boo-ed on stage despite chiding from the event’s organizers. This year, Israel is sending Yuval Raphael, a Nova massacre survivor, with a song called “New Day Will Rise.” The song is written by Keren Peles, the same co-writer of “Hurricane,” Golan’s song from last year, which won third place. I used to be the biggest Eurovision fanatic, but this year I’m genuinely dreading it. I doubt that even the setting in historically “neutral” (sigh) Switzerland will help steer away the drama.
Judaism rating: N/A because I don’t even want to deal with thinking about it
May 13: “Joan Rivers Tribute: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute” (NBC, streaming on Peacock)
All I need to deal with my depresh about the Eurovision drama is some Joan Rivers. A bunch of really funny stars participated in the ode to the legendary comedian at the Appollo theater; the event raised money for Rivers’ favorite charity, God’s Love We Deliver, which provides meals to those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, ALS, Parkinson’s disease and other life-altering illnesses in New York and New Jersey. Sandra Bernhard, Rachel Brosnahan, Michelle Buteau, Nikki Glaser, Matteo Lane, Patton Oswalt, Randy Rainbow and Jeff Ross are just some of the comedians who participated, and we all know Rivers was a big inspiration for Brosnahan’s character in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” At the event, Randy Rainbow talked about how Rivers reminded him of his grandmother with her “Jewish, New York energy.”
Judaism rating: 4/4 Jewish couch potatoes, the automatic rating for any Joan Rivers project
May 20: “Sarah Silverman: Postmortem” (Netflix)
Legendary Jewish comedian Sarah Silverman is premiering her second Netflix comedy special this month. The logline reads: “Following the recent death of both of her parents, comedian Sarah Silverman finds comedy in the darkest corners of life. She hilariously navigates the absurdities of death with her signature wit, from unexpectedly finding the ‘deal of a lifetime’ while planning their funerals to cherishing the bittersweet experience of hearing her mother’s last words.” It sound funny and touching and subversive and excellent, just like Silverman’s comedy always is.
Judaism rating: 3/4 couch potato latkes because it is about Jewish parents
May 23: “Couples Therapy,” season 4B (Showtime)
Every season of “Couples Therapy” ups the ante and makes me wonder how a show that is so revealing about its subjects also feels so ethical and caring. The answer I keep coming back to is the Jewish therapist at its heart, Dr. Orna Guralnik, who is both vulnerable with her patients (and with the audience and her fellow professionals) but also knows how to call them out on their destructive patterns and make them listen to what’s important. This season we’ve had a polyamorous relationship, a queer couple dealing with the aftermath of abuse and disassociation, all handled with Guralnik’s mighty and capable hands. I can’t wait to binge the second half of the season.
Judaism rating: 3/4 couch potato latkes, for Orna and the concept of therapy
May 23: “Pee-Wee as Himself” (Max)
Paul Rubens, the Jewish comedian behind Pee-Wee Herman and Pee-Wee’s Playhouse is finally telling his story in his own voice, two years after his death. Rubens, who was raised Jewish in New York, came out as a gay man explicitly for the first time while being filmed for this documentary series, created by Matt Wolf, with the Jewish Safdie brothers as executive producers. Rubens shared his boundless humor, creativity and big-heartedness with generations of children, and I’m so thrilled to be able to spend time with him and his story in this upcoming show.
Judaism rating: 1/4 couch potato latke
May 23: “Big Mouth” season 8 (Netflix)
I can’t believe we’re saying goodbye to “Big Mouth” after all these years. The show, created by Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett, about a group of teens dealing with the changes in their bodies and lives, was not only one of the funniest and most subversive animated shows on Netflix, but it was one of the most authentically Jewish ones, with Kroll’s Andrew Glouberman and Jessi Klein’s Jessi Glaser both being overtly Jewish. We had bat mitzvahs, affairs with cantors, Jewish holidays and Jewish parents and a whole slew of excellent Jewish jokes — which I’m sure this final season will offer some of, as well.
Judaism rating: 4/4 couch potato latkes
May 29: “And Just Like That…” season 3 (Max)
The “Sex and the City” sequel, which many find perplexing and many more just can’t stop binging, is back for another season this month. Our favorite (?) Jewish dad, Harry Goldenblatt, played by Jewish actor Evan Handler, makes two appearances in the new trailer of season three of “And Just Like That…” and in one of them he tells us, in some would say very un-Jewish fashion, that “everything is going to be OK.” Thank you Harry, that is the message we needed right now.
Judaism rating: 1.5/4 couch potato latkes
