New on Netflix: 5 movies and shows to watch this week (May 20-26)

Jennifer Lopez as Atlas Shepherd in Atlas
(Image credit: Netflix)

Memorial Day weekend is here! What are your plans for your extra day off? If you're not heading out for a vacation, why not stay in and soak up the newest drops on Netflix this week? There's another heaping helping of goodies to enjoy, including the sci-fi thriller "Atlas".

"Atlas" finds Jennifer Lopez suiting up to play Atlas Shepherd, a government analyst who's sent into space to defeat the robot who changed her life. Things don't always go as planned, but that's why Shepherd has to learn how to trust. 

There's also "Tires", which stars Steven Gerben as Will, who's tasked with turning his dad's auto repair shop around. It sounds pretty simple, until he has to deal with his irritating cousin Shane (Shane Gillis) daily at work. For more, see the complete day-by-day rundown below of what's new on Netflix below, and check out the 5 best Netflix miniseries with 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes.

New on Netflix this week: Top picks

'Tires'

Shane Gillis stars in this six-episode comedy, which follows a man named Steven (Steven Gerben) as he works to revitalize his father's failing auto repair shop. That's easier said than done as he deals with incompetent employees and particularly annoying ones, like his cousin Shane (Gillis). Each day is another grueling attempt at bringing the shop back into the green while Shane and the other employees continue to bungle Steven's attempts. 

Watch on Netflix starting May 23

'Atlas'

Jennifer Lopez returns to Netflix with this sci-fi thriller about a government analyst who's sent into outer space on a quest to capture a robot that she has a sordid past with. It's all in a bid to save the future, so when things don't exactly go as planned, she has to learn to adapt and trust if she wants to save humanity from what AI has become. So, you know, you might want to watch what you say to ChatGPT. 

Watch on Netflix starting May 24

'Butterfly in the Sky: The Story of Reading Rainbow'

Explore the legacy of this legendary PBS children's show that opened so many kids' minds to the power of reading in this documentary. The show's story is told through interviews with host LeVar Burton, staff, filmmakers, and clips from some of the show's most memorable episodes to paint a picture of what made it such a beloved addition to so many childhoods across the country. 

Watch on Netflix starting May 24

'Jurassic World: Chaos Theory'

This new animated series is a direct sequel to "Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous," which will be set six years after the events of that series. The Nublar Six are trying to find their way off of the island as they try to figure out how to navigate a space completely filled with dinosaurs and those who would eliminated them. The group, on the run, is forced into a worldwide adventure that's a lot deeper than they could have imagined. 

Watch on Netflix starting May 24

'Mulligan: Part 2'

The apocalypse is here, but that doesn't seem to bother Matty Mulligan (Nat Faxon) in the second season of this outrageous comedy. The Earth has been destroyed by aliens, and these new 10 episodes find more of the same, with silly musical numbers, a cruise ship filled with new characters, and a meat substitute that no one is quite sure what to think of. Humanity is still very much in danger, as Mulligan and company do their best to figure out how to navigate the world after the loss of normal society...electricity and all.

Watch on Netflix starting May 24

Everything new on Netflix: May 20-26

MAY 20

"The Parisian Agency: Exclusive Properties" Season 4 (FR) (Netflix Series)
In a globe-trotting season spanning four continents, the international success of the family business gives the Kretzes a taste for travel and adventure.

MAY 21

"Rachel Feinstein: Big Guy" (Netflix Comedy)
From her firefighter husband's unflattering pet name to her mom's aggressive accessorizing, Rachel Feinstein lets loose in this stand-up comedy special.

"Wildfire: Seasons 1-4"

MAY 22

"Act Your Age" season 1

"Toughest Forces on Earth" (GB) (Netflix Series)
This docu-series surveys military combat forces across the world to see how they train for dangerous missions using specialized equipment.

MAY 23

"El vendedor de ilusiones: El caso Generación Zoe" (AR) (Netflix Documentary)
This documentary follows the rise and fall of Generation Zoe, a spiritual coaching network hiding the most unusual scam in Argentina's history.

"Franco Escamilla: Ladies' Man" (MX) (Netflix Comedy)
Franco Escamilla takes the stage with tales of teenage romance gone wrong, featuring painfully long kisses and rockstar cameos with surprising outcomes.

"Garouden: The Way of the Lone Wolf" (JP) (Netflix Anime)
On the run from a past crime, Juzo Fujimaki is blackmailed into joining an illicit tournament and has to face top martial artists in deadly match-ups.

"In Good Hands 2" (TR) (Netflix Film)
A newly reunited father and son grapple with new beginnings after tragedy, but can they manage to fill the void left by a beloved mother and wife?

Tires (Netflix Series)
At his father's auto shop, a hapless manager strives to improve customer service and drive profits while keeping his troublemaking cousin in line.

MAY 24

"Atlas" (Netflix Film)
A brilliant but misanthropic data analyst (Jennifer Lopez) with a deep distrust of AI finds it may be her only hope when a mission to capture a renegade robot goes awry.

"Butterfly in the Sky: The Story of Reading Rainbow"

"Jurassic World: Chaos Theory" (Netflix Family)
The Camp Cretaceous gang comes together to unravel a mystery when they discover a global conspiracy that brings danger to dinosaurs — and to themselves.

"Mulligan: Part 2" (Netflix Series)
Mulligan and his cabinet work together to keep what's left of America afloat while battling cruise ships, power outages and their own incompetence.

"My Oni Girl" (JP) (Netflix Film)
A shy teenage boy's inability to say no is tested when a headstrong girl drags him on a mystical journey amid summer snow to find her missing mom.

Leaving Netflix This Week

Leaving 5/22/24
"The Boxtrolls"

Leaving 5/26/24
"Mako Mermaids: An H2O Adventure: Seasons 3-4"

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Brittany Vincent

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over 13 years for publications including Tom's Guide, MTV, Rolling Stone, CNN, Popular Science, Playboy, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, and more. She's also appeared as a panelist at video game conventions like PAX East and PAX West and has coordinated social media for companies like CNET. When she's not writing or gaming, she's looking for the next great visual novel in the vein of Saya no Uta. You can follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake.