By Ishani Nath

Every month, Ishani Nath, pop culture expert, journalist and the most avid tv-watcher I have ever met, is sharing her top picks for new shows, movies and documentaries to stream on Amazon Prime Video, CBC Gem, Crave, Disney+ and Netflix Canada, plus the one older release she thinks you should check out. Here’s what she’s recommending this month.

It has been a rough month. That sentence has taken on a disturbing evergreen quality but April oh boy, April really put us through it.

In many parts of Canada, including the absolute mess that is Ontario, COVID-19 restrictions have tightened even further as cases surge and the new variants of the virus overwhelm hospital ICUs. The race for getting vaccine appointments is being compared to The Hunger Games and for too many, the odds are not in their favour. And all the while, the news continues to be horrifying.

In response to the killings of Adam Toledo (13), Peyton Ham (16), Iremamber Sykap (16), Travon Chadwell (18), Daunte Wright (20) and Anthony Alvarez (22), Friday Things founder Stacy Lee Kong wrote a thorough account of why it is beyond time to abolish the police. Since that piece was published, even more people have died at the hands of police. In fact, in the 24 hours after Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd, the world lost Ma’Khia Bryant (16) and at least five others in instances of police brutality.

It feels like an odd time to be talking about entertainment, but TV and movies can help us engage with issues, communities and important conversations. So, with that in mind…

The show I can’t shut up about: Watching Chauvin’s trial and feeling the dread that he would not be held accountable (which was statistically far, far more likely than the outcome we got) was a reminder that all too often the justice system does not deliver justice at all.

Lawyer Bryan Stevenson exposes the system’s faults through the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization aimed at ending mass incarceration, excessive punishment and challenging racial and economic injustice. Stevenson’s story, and the trial of one of his first clients, Walter McMillian, who was put on death row for a crime he did not commit, is recounted in the New York Times bestseller Just Mercy. The book was adapted into a 2019 movie by the same title, starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx, which is now streaming on Crave. Just Mercy is deeply moving reminder that the system was not built to serve all its citizens equally—but also that change is possible, and long overdue. Plus, it’s the perfect watch if you need a good cry.  

Since many of us are back in lockdown, here are a few other titles to get you through the next few weeks. Stay safe friends!

Amazon Prime Video

The Underground Railroad (Premieres May 14)

From Academy Award® winner Barry Jenkins and based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad chronicles Cora Randall’s (newcomer Thuso Mbedu) desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. After escaping a Georgia plantation for the rumored Underground Railroad, Cora discovers it is no mere metaphor, but an actual railroad full of engineers and conductors, and a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil.

CBC Gem

In My Skin (Premieres May 7) 

In My Skin is a coming-of-age story of 16-year-old Bethan (Gabrielle Creevy, 15 Days), as she deals with the comical but painfully real anxieties and insecurities of teenage life, along with the stark reality of a home life that is far removed from what she projects to her friends. Set in Cardiff, it shows Bethan dealing with a troubled life at home that sees her bipolar mother Katrina sectioned by the crisis team at a psychiatric hospital. Her alcoholic father displays a lack of compassion to the situation, and Bethan fights hard to hide the truth of the life she really leads from her best friends, Travis (James Wilbraham, Ordinary Lies) and Lydia (Poppy Lee Friar, My Cousin Rachel), and her teachers.

The Dog House, Season 2 (Premieres May 7) 

British smash-hit The Dog House is back at Wood Green, The Animals Charity. With the demand for dogs in the UK sharply rising by 650% over the last year, the team are match-making abandoned dogs with even more hopeful new owners. For some, it’s love at first sight. For others, love can take a little longer to bloom.

Call the Midwife, Season 6 (Premieres May 21) 

It is now 1962, and the Nonnatus House team is as committed to caring for the people of Poplar as always. However, the social revolution in the outside world is mirrored by change and challenge much closer to home.  As they strive to help mothers and families cope with the demands of childbearing, disability, disease and social prejudice, the medics must fight battles of their own.   

Twenties (Premieres May 21) 

From creator Lena Waithe, Twenties follows the adventures of Hattie (Jonica T. Gibbs, Good Trouble), a queer and aspiring screenwriter and her two straight best friends Marie (Christina Elmore, Insecure) and Nia (Gabrielle Graham, The Expanse) as they pursue their dreams in LA. While they live separate lives, they lean on each other for guidance as they navigate their twenties. Nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series at the 2021 GLAAD Media Awards.

Blackstone, Season 3 (Premieres May 14) 

Season 3 of Blackstone continues the raw, uncompromising look at the lives and relationships of the community of Blackstone First Nation.  Consumed by his demons, Andy (Eric Schweig, The Last of the Mohicans) drifts from his family and duties as Chief. Leona (Carmen Moore, Rustic Oracle) and Gail (Michelle Thrush, Pathfinder) work hard at creating a nurturing environment for Wendy (Miika Bryce Whiskeyjack, Monkey Beach) but their resolve is put to the test when Wendy’s aunt Sarah (Cheri Maracle, Tkaronto) returns. Victor (Nathaniel Arcand, Pathfinder) pushes forward a housing manufacturing deal with a neighboring reserve, while vying for leadership of Blackstone. The series tackles universal themes of domestic violence, criminal justice, child and family welfare, the devastating consequences of addiction, and the long process of healing and reconciliation that comes from the human desire to love, persevere and find hope. 

Crave Canada

Legendary, Season 2 (Premieres May 6)

Hailed by Indiewire as “a mind-boggling fantasia of ingenuity,” MC Dashaun Wesley along with judges Leiomy Maldonado, Jameela Jamil, Law Roach and Grammy® winner Megan Thee Stallion, are set to crown the last house standing with the help of guest judges Tiffany Haddish, Taraji P. Henson, Amiyah Scott, Nicco Annan, Adam Lambert, and Demi Lovato. Season 2 features 10 new houses igniting the catwalk to battle for the legendary trophy and the $100,000 cash prize. Each episode is a themed extravaganza to see who will be named the superior house, and move one step closer to becoming “Legendary.”

Shrill, Season 3 (Premieres May 7)

The new season finds Annie (Bryant) energized by her breakup with dud boyfriend Ryan (Luka Jones) and her newfound momentum at work. Annie feels like everything is finally falling into place for her, but does she actually know how to get what she wants?

Ziwe (Premieres May 9)

From Desus & Mero writer, comedian, performer, and internet sensation Ziwe, whose comedy is described as “iconic” by Vulture, and who has “perfected the art of putting people on the spot” according to Vanity Fair, this riotously funny variety series is a no-holds-barred mix of musical numbers, interviews, guest stars and sketches that challenge America’s discomfort with race, politics, and other cultural issues.

The Crime of the Century (Premieres May 10)

Directed by Emmy® and Academy Award® winner Alex Gibney and presented in association with The Washington Post, The Crime of the Century is a searing indictment of Big Pharma, and the political operatives and government regulations that enabled over-production, reckless distribution, and abuse of synthetic opiates. The documentary explores the origins, extent, and fallout of one of the most devastating public health tragedies of our time, with half a million deaths from overdoses this century alone, revealing that America’s opioid epidemic is not a public health crisis that came out of nowhere.

Sound of Metal (Premieres May 14)

Nominated for six Academy Awards in 2021, including Best Motion Picture and Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, Sound of Metal follows Ruben (Riz Ahmed) and Lou (Olivia Cooke), two nomad metal musicians traveling gig to gig, on an endless American tour. Their music is loud, frenzied, and passionate, until one day, Ruben is overwhelmed by a severe ringing in his ears, which quickly gives way to deafness and forces Ruben to face his past.

Run the World (Premieres May 16)

Run the World follows a group of smart, funny, and vibrant thirty-something Black women—fiercely loyal best friends—who live, work, and play in Harlem. As they strive for world domination, they each navigate career highs and lows, hookups and heartbreaks that cause them to re-evaluate who they are, and where they are going. At its core, it’s an authentic and unapologetic show about enviable friendship and not only surviving—but thriving together.

In Treatment (Premieres May 23)

10 years after the Season 3 finale, HBO’s Emmy-winning drama series In Treatment returns for its fourth season. Emmy winner Uzo Aduba (Mrs. America, Orange is the New Black) plays the observant, empathetic Dr. Brooke Taylor, the therapist at the center of the season. The reimagining of the series is set in present-day Los Angeles, and brings a diverse trio of patients in session with Brooke to help navigate a variety of modern concerns. Issues such as the global pandemic and recent major social and cultural shifts are a backdrop to the work Brooke will undertake—all while she deals with complications in her own personal life.

Disney+

Launchpad (Premieres May 28)

Disney’s Launchpad is a collection of live-action shorts from a new generation of dynamic storytellers. Six filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds were selected and provided with the opportunity to share their perspectives and creative visions that will show audiences what it means to be seen. Inspired by life’s journey, these first six shorts for Disney+ are based on the theme “Discover.”

American EID

Ameena, a Muslim Pakistani immigrant, wakes up on Eid to find out that she has to go to school. Homesick and heartbroken, she goes on a mission to make Eid a public-school holiday, and in the process, reconnects with her older sister, and embraces her new home, while her new home embraces her.

Dinner is Served

A Chinese student at an elite U.S. boarding school realizes excellence is not enough when he tries out for a leadership position no international student has ever applied for.

Growing Fangs

Val Garcia, a Mexican-American teen who is half human/half vampire, has had to keep her identity a secret from both worlds. But when her human best friend shows up at her monster-infested school, she has to confront her truth, her identity, and herself.

The Last of the Chupacabras

In a world where culture has nearly ceased to exist, one lone Mexican-American struggling to carry on her traditions unknowingly summons a dark and ancient creature to protect her.

Let’s Be Tigers

Avalon’s not ready to process the loss of her mother, but when she’s put in charge of a 4-year-old for one night, she finds more comfort than she ever could have expected.

The Little Prince(ss)

When Gabriel, a 7-year-old Chinese kid who loves ballet, becomes friends with Rob, another Chinese kid from school, Rob’s dad gets suspicious about Gabriel's feminine behavior and decides to intervene.

Netflix Canada

Master of None, Season 3 (Release date TBD) 

Actor Dev, his childhood pal Denise and their eclectic group of friends navigate love, careers, social issues and more in this acclaimed series.

Selena: The Series, Part 2 (Premieres May 5)

As Selena's career gains momentum, the singer fights to remain true to herself, spend quality time with her family and expand her businesses.

Monster (Premieres May 7)

A talented teen implicated in a robbery-turned-murder fights for his innocence and integrity against a criminal justice system that’s already judged him.

Money, Explained (Premieres May 11)

We spend it, borrow it and save it. Now let's talk about money and its many minefields, from credit cards to casinos, scammers to student loans.

Dance of the Forty One (Premieres May 12)

A gay congressman marries the Mexican president's daughter but cavorts with a young man at a secret club. And then scandal hits. Based on a true story.

Oxygen (Premieres May 12)

A woman wakes up in a cryogenic unit with no memory. Quickly running out of oxygen, she must find a way to remember who she is in order to survive. 

I Am All Girls (Premieres May 14)

A relentless detective finds common ground with a killer systematically targeting the perpetrators running a powerful child-trafficking ring.

Move to Heaven (Premieres May 14)

Finding life in all that's left behind, a trauma cleaner with Asperger's and his ex-con uncle deliver the untold stories of the departed to loved ones.

The Woman in the Window (Premieres May 14)

Confined to her home by agoraphobia, a psychologist becomes obsessed with her new neighbors — and solving a brutal crime she witnesses from her window.

Special, Season 2 (Premieres May 20)

Now semi-estranged from his mother, Ryan continues exploring the world on his own, with all the complex ups and downs life and love have to offer.

High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America (Premieres May 26)  

Food writer Stephen Satterfield embarks on a vibrant and powerful culinary journey that celebrates the courage, artistry, and resourcefulness of the African American people.

Blue Miracle (Premieres May 27)

The incredible true story of Casa Hogar, the Mexican boys home that entered the world's biggest fishing tournament to save their orphanage.