TAGGED AS: aapi, streaming, television, TV
To commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, streaming services have updated their hubs in May to showcase Asian stories and talent in front of and behind the scenes. Big movies like Crazy Rich Asians and The Joy Luck Club are streaming, as well as indies like Drive My Car, Blue Bayou, and martial arts hits like Ip Man and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
Also count on PBS and other linear channels to broadcast historical documentaries. Some of previous years’ docs will get encores, including reports on hate crime directed at the Asian community and Japanese internment and profiles of author Amy Tan, falsely imprisoned immigrant Choi Soo Lee, and other figures.
On the lighter side, Netflix series XO, Kitty, a spinoff in the To All the Boys franchise, debuts this month, as well as comedy stand-up performances from Jimmy O. Yang and Zarna Garg.
Check back with Rotten Tomatoes in May as we update this list of Asian American and Pacific Islander programming.
AMC+ – AAPI Heritage: The Asian Cinematic Influence
Includes The Karate Kid, Bad Axe, Train to Busan, The Ring and more
Disney+ – Asian and Pacific Islander Stories
Includes Chang Can Dunk, Turning Red, Shang-Chi, Moana and more
Freevee – Spotlight on Asian Stories
Includes Kim’s Convenience, Young Rock, Ip Man, Love Accidentally, and America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation
HBO Max – AAPI Voices
Includes Crazy Rich Asians, Drive My Car, Blue Bayou, Spirited Away, and more
Hulu
Includes Fire Island, Fresh Off the Boat, PEN15, Killing Eve, and more
Journy
Streaming travel channel powered by Ovation offers Welcome to Railworld Japan hosted by Henry Golding, Lee Chan’s World Food Tour, and This Weekend showcasing travel weekends in Asia
Joysauce Network
All Asian programming, including talk show JoySauce Late Night
Netflix – Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Stories
Includes Always Be My Maybe, To All the Boys I Loved Before, Wu Assassins, Master of None, and more
Paramount+ – Watch Us Rise
Includes NCIS: Hawaii, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Star Trek: Discovery, Face/Off, Star Trek Beyond and more
PBS – Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Included Asian themed episodes of American Masters, Great Performances, Independent Lens, POV, Relish, and more
Peacock – Our Culture Our Stories
Includes Young Rock, The Joys Luck Club, Chu & Blossom, and more
Prime Video – Asian and Pacific Islander Voices
Includes Citadel, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Humans, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Life of Pi and more
Showtime – Celebrating AAPI Talent
Includes Everything Everywhere All At Once, Columbus, Driveways, Broadcast Signal Intrusion and more
Starz – AAPI Heritage Month
Includes Better Luck Tomorrow, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, The Grudge, Journey to the West The Demons Strike Back, Rapid Fire and more
Monday, May 1
96% Bad Axe (2022) AMC+
Tuesday, May 2
- - Jimmy O. Yang: Guess How Much? (2023) Prime Video
Friday, May 5
62% God's Time (2022) AMC+
- - Taste the Nation With Padma Lakshmi: Season 2 (2023) Hulu
Saturday, May 6
100% Free Chol Soo Lee (2022) Encore, 8 p.m., PBS
Wednesday, May 10
We Need to Talk About America – 10 p.m., Fuse, Fuse+
Friday, May 12
- - Queer Eye: Season 7 (2023) Netflix
Saturday, May 13
91% Hidden Letters (2022) Encore – 8 p.m., PBS
Tuesday, May 16
90% Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV (2023) 9 p.m. PBS
- - Zarna Garg: One in a Billion (2023) Prime Video
Thursday, May 18
81% XO, Kitty: Season 1 (2023) Netflix
- - Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune: Season 1 (2023) Netflix
Friday, May 19
- - Stillwater: Season 3 (2023) Apple TV+
Saturday, May 20
100% Waterman (2021) Encore – 8 p.m., PBS
Monday, May 22
100% Fanny: The Right to Rock (2021) 10 p.m. PBS
Tuesday, May 23
100% Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai: Secrets of the Mogwai (2023) Max
Wednesday, May 24
94% American Born Chinese: Season 1 (2023) Disney+
Saturday, May 27
93% Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir (2021) Encore, 8 p.m. – PBS
Monday, May 29
97% The Donut King (2020) Encore – 10 p.m, PBS