What to Watch in May
Lisa Tipton
May 1, 2025
There's a huge amount of worthwhile TV out there nowadays, so it can be hard to choose what to watch. But who better to recommend shows than the person who programs them? Lisa Tipton, WTTW’s Head of Programming and Pledge, constructs the WTTW schedule by searching through offerings from many different sources which include the national PBS network, the BBC, and independent filmmakers to put together a varied and engaging broadcast schedule. Each month, she recommends a few shows that she thinks you should watch.
Find all the ways to watch WTTW here. Many of the below shows are available to stream or will be once they premiere, especially by WTTW Passport members.
Miss Austen
Sundays at 8:00 pm beginning May 4
This new four-part drama is a fictional look at the life of Jane Austen via her sister Cassandra, who burned all of Jane's letters after her death. The show, adapted from a novel by Gill Hornby, stars Masterpiece mainstay Keeley Hawes and injects some romance into it all.
If you need help keeping track of everything, we'll have recaps, and you can keep up with any updates by signing up for our free drama and mystery newsletter, Dramalogue.
Tiny Creatures of the Natural World
Turn an eye to easy-to-miss, small but necessary creatures in Nature: Hummingbirds of Hollywood (Wednesday, May 7 at 7:00 pm), about a woman helping hummingbirds recuperate in Los Angeles and the multi-part series Bugs that Rule the World (Wednesdays at 9:00 pm beginning May 7).
Great Performances “Yellow Face”
Tony winner David Henry Hwang draws on his own experiences as a playwright in the Pulitzer Prize finalist Yellow Face, which follows a playwright who protests the casting of white actors in Miss Saigon, only to mistakenly cast a white actor as an Asian lead in his own play. Daniel Dae Kim stars in the production.
American Experience “Mr. Polaroid”
Meet the man who helped usher in the image culture we exist in today: Edwin Land, the inventor of the easy-to-use, quick-to-develop Polaroid camera, and track the rise and fall of the company.
Mel Brooks: The Genius Entertainer
Celebrate the life of the 98-year-old EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner who has made people laugh over nine decades with films like Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and The Producers. The full show is already available to stream by WTTW Passport members.
National Memorial Day Concert 2025
Sunday, May 25 at 7:00 pm with a repeat at 8:30 pm
It's one of our most popular traditions: a concert saluting veterans live from the National Mall in Washington, D.C., featuring celebrities of all sorts.
