Reba and all the network and cable TV shows coming to Netflix in May 2024

May is upon us, which means once more a great slate of shows and movies is coming to Netflix! Of course, there are scores of originals coming to the streamer, but it’s more interesting how some great network and cable shows of the past also make their way to the streamer.

Some shows are returning to Netflix, while others are adding new seasons. Here’s a quick rundown of the best network and cable shows about to hit Netflix in May for additional TV pleasure!

TV shows coming to Netflix in May

Reba

Probably the most popular sitcom of the old WB network was also a wonderful showcase for country music star Reba McEntire. The first minutes set the tone as Reba learns that her soon-to-be ex-husband is having a baby with his mistress and her high school daughter is pregnant, too. Now, she has to handle this strange new family dynamic with some sassy humor. 

The six season series is packed with wonderful laughs with Reba herself a stellar performer. She’s backed by a great supporting cast, especially Melissa Peterman stealing every scene as Barbara Jean, the mistress who thinks she’s Reba’s best friend. All 127 episodes should make for some terrific new laughs for Netflix viewers. 

Outlander season 6

After far too long a wait, Netflix viewers finally get Season 6 of the Starz smash hit. Still recovering from her attack in season 5, Claire (Caitríona Balfe) is adjusting to life with her husband Jamie (Sam Heughan) as America is about to explode with the Revolutionary War. 

The arrival of a new family on the Ridge brings more tensions as Claire and Jamie’s daughter consider taking a daring trip back to the 20th century. With its usual mix of powerful drama, some steamy romance and historical fact, this is another great season for the show’s legions of fans. 

Archer

Get ready to reenter the Danger Zone! The first 13 seasons of FX’s hysterical animated spy comedy are coming to Netflix, so enjoy the insane adventures of Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin), the world’s greatest spy, and his bumbling pack of helpers. 

It’s hard to figure out what’s the best part of the show: The one-liners, the insane action, the fantastic voice cast (including the late great Jessica Walters), or the way it goes off the rails with seasons set in the 1930s or the far future. If you haven’t experienced this crazy show, this is the best way to do it and get ready to howl with laughter. 

Wildfire

In terms of history, this 2005-08 show is important as the first original series from ABC Family (now known as Freeform). Genevieve Cortese plays Kris, a juvenile delinquent who tries to get a fresh start at a horse ranch and soon enters into a career as a rider. 

Of course, we get soap opera antics as Kris gets involved in a love triangle amid struggles to keep the ranch going. The supporting cast is good, and the original Pink Power Ranger, Amy Jo Johnson, is a blast as a selfish jockey. The four season run still stands up as setting the bar for the rest of the ABC Family shows that followed and it's good for Netflix to let viewers see this breakout drama. 

Blue Mountain State

This Spike TV comedy is probably best known now for an early role for Reacher star Alan Ritchson. Set at the titular college, it focuses on the football team, which breaks pretty much every rule of sports, school, and society itself in some hilarious ways. The series never takes itself seriously for a wonderful romp.

A good addition is Denise Richards, as the show pushes the limits of comedy and ramps up the wild and crazy antics with each season. There’s also the spin-off movie The Rise of Thadland to enjoy for a show that puts a whole new spin on “scoring” with laughs. 

Act Your Age

This short-lived Bounce comedy is a throwback to the sitcoms of the 1990s. Kym Whitley, Tisha Campbell and Yvette Nicole Brown are a trio of friends sharing a penthouse and balancing their lives. It’s not a bad show, with the trio showing how playful they can still be in their 50s, and it's a nice series that may have deserved to last more than one year. Maybe its Netflix premiere can give it some new life. 

Patrick Melrose

This 2018 Showtime series is a terrific star turn for Benedict Cumberbatch. He plays the title character, a wealthy Englishman who tries to overcome his addictions. The show plays around with time, each of the five episodes bounce around the timeline to show Patrick’s past and what drove him to his messy problems. 

Cumberbatch is marvelous as ever showing Patrick’s massive issues, how self-destructive and yet he's still a guy to root for. At only five episodes, it’s a short binge and a wonderful star turn for an already captivating actor. 

Married at First Sight

It’s another season of the wild reality show where couples skip the entire dating process to jump right into marriage. Season 15, which aired in 2022, takes couples from San Diego on a whirlwind courtship to see who can last or not. It may not be the most romantic of reality shows, but it’s certainly one of the most fascinating to watch.