The 29 Best New Shows to Watch in 2026: The Ultimate Premiere Guide

New shows to watch in 2026

Welcome, fellow couch creatures, to 2026! This is the year your social life transfers semi-permanently to your living room sofa. You see, the streaming services aren’t just competing for your attention, they’re staging an all-out blitzkrieg on your free time. From neon-splattered dystopian sequels to medieval spin-offs that actually have a sense of humor, the sheer volume of content could make any remote-control jockey dizzy.

Navigating this mountain of content to find the absolute best new shows to watch shouldn’t require an algorithm whisperer. That’s why our staff rifled through upcoming show lists, watched tons of trailers, and debated whether we really need another trip to Westeros (the argument remains unsettled). The upshot of our research is this curated guide to 29 series that can help you live your best couch life.

The 2026 slate shows a year where established franchises are getting weird, experimental, and surprisingly “prestige.” We’re seeing massive world-building shifts in sci-fi (Blade Runner 2099), a refreshing, grounded take on a George R.R. Martin novella series (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms), and the MCU finally poking fun at its own obnoxiously ubiquitous existence (Wonder Man).

Even the final frontier (space, man!) is getting a Gen-Z makeover (Star Trek: Starfleet Academy), while Ryan Murphy is here to make sure we never see syringes the same way again with The Beauty (because, we suppose, The Substance didn’t properly make the point).

Whether you’re hankerin’ for a gritty survivalist reboot of a prairie classic or a meta-comedy about an actor-turned-superhero, your must-watch list is about to get very crowded. So put on your TV-watchin’ PJs, grab some snacks, and tell your friends and loved ones you’ll see them in 2027—’cause you’re gonna be busy screening the best new shows to watch in 2026.

His & Hers | Netflix | Jan. 8

I’m just going to quote the logline of this series: “Two estranged spouses—one a detective, the other a news reporter—vie to solve a murder in which each believes the other is a prime suspect.” I’m actually angry at how good that sounds. Jon Bernthal can do basically anything. Tessa Thompson is insanely talented. And I’ve said for years that the skill sets of detectives and journalists are eerily similar. Just take my money, Netflix. —Alex Vejar, Jr. Staff Writer

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy | Paramount+ | Jan. 15

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy boldly goes where no teen drama has gone before (aka San Francisco in the 32nd Century). The series follows a green crew of cadets aboard the USS Athena as they navigate academic pressure and a formidable new enemy. The ensemble blends TV freshmen (Sandro Rosta, Kerrice Brooks) with serious veteran star power, including Tig Notaro, Paul Giamatti, and Stephen Colbert. In particular, Giamatti’s character steals the trailers (just sayin’), and has this casual Trekkie excited to binge the series. —Mike Strayer, Managing Editor

A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms | HBO, HBO Max | Jan. 18

If you’re into medieval fantasy but want something a mite more grounded than House of the Dragon and lighter than Game of Thrones, give this new Thrones prequel a try. It’s not about incestual royals, dragon eggs, or dark prophecies. Just a single knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, trying to do good in a world controlled by the rich and titled. —Olivia Bono, Staff Writer

The Beauty | FX, Hulu | Jan. 21

Coralie Fargeat’s body-horror sensation The Substance came out in 2024 and already there are two more productions concerning our obsession with beauty: 2024’s Shell (starring Elizabeth Moss and Kate Hudson) and this Ryan Murphy TV series. The Beauty, based on the comic book series by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, stars Ashton Kutcher (ex-hubby of The Substance star Demi Moore) as a sketchy tech billionaire called “The Corporation,” whose miracle pharmaceutical (“The Beauty”) that promises aesthetic perfection but delivers ugly death—and becomes transmissible via sexual contact. What does this say about society? Maybe it’s time to put down the scalpels and syringes and (sigh) love ourselves for our personalities. —Randy Harward, Senior Staff Writer

Wonder Man | Disney+ | Jan. 27

If your first reaction to a Wonder Man series is, “Who the heck is Wonder Man?”—don’t worry, you’re not alone. I won’t blame you for being unfamiliar with the superpowered actor. But with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in the lead role, I’m already sold. He’s more than proven his comic book acting chops as Cal Abar in HBO’s fantastic Watchmen series, let alone also appearing as Black Manta in Aquaman.

After recent Hollywood satires like The Franchise and The Studio spent entire seasons ripping on the MCU, Wonder Man is Marvel’s chance to finally get in on the joke. And you know the tone will be perfectly unhinged with Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery back on the call sheet. —Taylor Kujawa, Sports Editor

The Fall And Rise Of Reggie Dinkins | NBC/Peacock | Jan. 18

Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan were two people who made 30 Rock one of the elite comedy series of the 2000s. Now they’re teaming up again for a new show about Reggie Dinkins (Morgan), a former football player who hires a documentarian (Daniel Radcliffe) to rehab his image. Fey is the show’s executive producer, so you know this is in good hands. Plus, watching Radcliffe, who we all know from Harry Potter, will be fascinating. The series premiere is Jan. 18, moved up from Feb. 23. —Alex Vejar, Jr. Staff Writer

Rooster | HBO Max | March

From co-creators Bill Lawrence (who also has the Scrubs revival, Ted Lasso’s fourth season, and Shrinking’s third season premiering this year) and Matt Tarses comes this college-set comedy where an author (Steve Carell) navigates a difficult relationship with his college professor daughter (Charly Clive). It sounds like Carell will get a chance to flex his comedic and dramatic chops in this show, which I’m here for. Look for Lawrence-show alumni John C. McGinley (Scrubs) and Jamie Tartt (Ted Lasso) in supporting roles. —Randy Harward, Senior Staff Writer

Y: Marshals | Paramount+ | March 1

The Dutton story continues as we follow former Navy-Seal Kayce in his new role as a U.S. Marshall. Luke Grimes reprises his role as a husband, father, and lawman. The Dutton drama did not end with Yellowstone, it just moved. —Craig Stirland, Digital PR Specialist

Vladimir | Netflix | March 5

First and foremost: LOVE Rachel Weisz. Dead Ringers (Prime Video, 2023) was one of my top three binges from the past two years. Although not drawing from a surreal body-horror masterpiece like DR (the Cronenberg film is disgustingly amazing, too), Vladimir promises to go places where prestige television rarely goes, and Weisz is just the lead to take it there. I’m there for the sexy moral ambiguity wrapped in dark humor. —Mike Strayer, Managing Editor

Scarpetta | Prime Video | March 11

At this point in her career, Nicole Kidman may be known just as much for her TV roles as her movie characters. True to form, her new show, Scarpetta, sees her as Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner who investigates a murder. Jamie Lee Curtis, fresh off Freakier Friday, plays Kidman’s sister. I think Kidman elevates almost everything she’s in, and she’s a really good TV actress (see Big Little Lies and The Undoing). Put this on your watch list this year. —Alex Vejar, Jr. Staff Writer

Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair | Hulu, Disney+ | April 10

Reboot fever comes for the under-appreciated 2006 FOX dysfunctional family sitcom. In this four-episode revival—which’ll feature returning cast members like Bryan Cranston, Frankie Muniz, and Jane Kaczmarek—Malcolm has to come back home after a ten-year absence for Hal and Lois’s 40th anniversary party.

The reboot is also penned by original creator Linwood Boomer, and we’re especially pumped to see Cranston doing straight-up comedy again. We wouldn’t trade Breaking Bad for anything, but as his recent turn in The Studio reminded us, he’s one of the best around at dumb physical comedy. —Eric Chiu, Internet Editor

Margo’s Got Money Troubles | Apple TV | April 15

Based on the best-selling book by Rufi Thorpe, this Apple TV miniseries stars Elle Fanning as a struggling young mother after an affair with her married English professor leaves her pregnant.

Left to raise her baby alone and with the bills piling up, Margo turns to OnlyFans to support herself, since her quasi-deadbeat mom Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer) is of no help. To stand out in the crowded digital market, she recruits her estranged father, Jinx (Nick Offerman), a former professional wrestler, to help her apply old-school “pro-wrestling” entertainment tactics to boost her online persona and help keep her and her baby afloat. —Logan Jones, Staff Writer

Elle | Prime Video | Summer 2026

Legally Blonde is one of the most iconic comedy films ever produced. It gave us so many iconic moments—the pink resume, her yelling “ME!” when she got the internship, and of course, the line read that lives on: “What, like it’s hard?” The film’s sequel is widely considered a failure, but the character of Elle Woods has enough cache to warrant a prequel series. Lexi Minetree, who will play Elle Woods in the show, really looks like a younger Reese Witherspoon, which has me excited about the prospect of this TV show.  —Alex Vejar, Jr. Staff Writer

Blade Runner 2099 | Prime Video | TBD 2026

After Alien: Earth landed successfully last year, I’m readier than ever to dive back into Ridley Scott’s other sci-fi playground. Arriving on Prime Video this year, Blade Runner 2099 is a limited series set 80 years after Scott’s original Blade Runner and 50 years after Denis Villeneuve’s epic Blade Runner 2049. The show stars the legendary Michelle Yeoh and Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer, a pairing that already has me sold.

While I’m always wary of building franchises out of perfectly standalone films, Blade Runner 2099‘s “miniseries” label gives me hope. This could be a tight, visually stunning mystery that actually respects the neo-noir mythology rather than just milking it for content. —Taylor Kujawa, Sports Editor

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale | Hulu | TBD 2026

We don’t know much about this Buffy sequel series, other than the fact that it’s not a sequel series, or a reboot. Sarah Michelle Gellar has been adamant in describing it as a “continuation”—but I dunno, that sounds like a sequel to me. Set in the present day, New Sunnydale is meant to follow Buffy Summers (still played by Gellar) as she trains a new generation of slayers.

We also don’t know for sure when New Sunnydale will premiere—I don’t trust that 2026 date for a second—but that just gives you ample time to catch up on the OG series, since this one won’t make much sense if you haven’t. —Olivia Bono, Staff Writer

Carrie | Prime Video | TBD 2026

“They’re all gonna laugh at you!” Mike Flanagan again adapts Stephen King—this time, it’s one of the classics, the tale of a telekinetic high-school outcast (Summer H. Howell) who finally acts out after years of her classmates’ bullying and her religiously inspired mother’s (Samantha Sloyan) abuse. With Flanagan’s track record, which includes non-King tales like the visceral Hush and super-spooky Midnight Mass, this stretched-out version of Carrie just has to be a banger. —Randy Harward, Senior Staff Writer

Crystal Lake | Peacock | TBD 2026

“They’re all gonna laugh at you!” Mike Flanagan again adapts Stephen King—this time, it’s one of the classics, the tale of a telekinetic high-school outcast (Summer H. Howell) who finally acts out after years of her classmates’ bullying and her religiously inspired mother’s (Samantha Sloyan) abuse. With Flanagan’s track record, which includes non-King tales like the visceral Hush and super-spooky Midnight Mass, this stretched-out version of Carrie just has to be a banger. —Randy Harward, Senior Staff Writer

DTF St. Louis | HBO Max | TBD 2026

Even though production dropped the OG story idea snatched from a salacious New Yorker article (and Pedro Pascal in the process), DTF St. Louis is still a miniseries I’m excited to binge. Sure, Pascal is no longer attached, but Jason Bateman and Linda Cardellini are no slouches when it comes to comedic timing and oddball sensibilities—two qualities I love to watch. Throw in a murder mystery, and now you’ve got my attention. —Mike Strayer, Managing Editor

East Of Eden | Netflix | TBD 2026

John Steinbeck’s magnum opus is getting the prestige limited series treatment with Netflix’s upcoming seven-episode adaptation. Written by Zoe Kazan—the granddaughter of Elia Kazan, who directed the classic 1955 film adaptation starring James Dean—this version promises a more comprehensive look at the sprawling Trask family saga than the big screen could provide. Florence Pugh has the starring role as the chillingly manipulative Cathy Ames, alongside Mike Faist, Ciaran Hinds, and Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes’ son Joe Anders.

As a writer with an English degree, it’s a crime that I haven’t read this book, but with a release date sometime later in 2026, I’ve still got some time to log the 700-page behemoth on my Goodreads. —Logan Jones, Staff Writer

Half Man | HBO Max | TBD 2026

Did you catch Baby Reindeer fever in 2024? OMG, same. Netflix’s black comedy-thriller was insane. But it kinda made me wonder if the autobiographical show’s creator and star, Richard Gadd, had more madness up his sleeve. Well, we’re about to find out, as Gadd’s created another show (yeah, this one!). In the joint BBC/HBO Max production Half Man, Gadd plays one of two seriously estranged brothers who reconnect—and insanity ensues. —Randy Harward, Senior Staff Writer

How To Get To Heaven From Belfast | Netflix | TBD 2026

Lisa McGee, the mind behind the fecking hilarious show Derry Girls, returns to Northern Ireland with a sharp pivot into the “comedy-thriller” genre. This upcoming series follows three old friends in their late thirties who are pulled back together when the estranged fourth member of their childhood gang mysteriously dies. Of course, since it’s Lisa McGee, things take a scarily hilarious turn as they begin investigate deeper into the real circumstances surrounding their friend’s apparent death. Subtitles will be on for this one (sorry, Irish folks), but I will be sat on February 12. —Logan Jones, Staff Writer

Lanterns | HBO, HBO Max | TBD 2026

There’s nothing a James Gunn-era DC Universe (DCU) production loves more than throwing a curveball at comic book fans. The DCU’s second live-action TV show follows suit by keeping things (relatively) grounded.

Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre star as two Green Lanterns tasked with investigating a murder in rural Nebraska—expect the miniseries to take cues from crime dramas like True Detective and Ozark. —Eric Chiu, Internet Editor

Little House On The Prairie | Netflix | TBD 2026

As a Midwest native who grew up on reruns of Michael Landon’s Little House on the Prairie, I’m naturally skeptical of this reboot. The original remains a massive draw for modern audiences—clocking over 13.3 billion streaming minutes in 2024 alone—so filling Landon’s boots is a tall order. But Netflix might be onto something by shifting away from the 1970s episodic “lesson of the week” format.

Starring Luke Bracey as Pa and newcomer Alice Halsey as Laura, this iteration promises to be a grittier, serialized survival epic more faithful to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. If they can capture that harsh pioneer struggle while maintaining the heart that made the franchise so endearing, this might just be a worthy update. —Taylor Kujawa, Sports Editor

The Madison | Paramount+ | TBD 2026

You have seen Yellowstone from the perspective of generations of Duttons. But what does it look like from the eyes of a wealthy family distancing themselves from New York? Trading the Big Apple for the Madison River could be the reset they desperately need. Kurt Russel and Michelle Pfeiffer lead their family through a time filled with sorrow and change. —Craig Stirland, Digital PR Specialist

The Other Bennet Sister | BritBox | TBD 2026

This is the Pride and Prejudice sequel Jane Austen never gave us. A retelling of the original story from Mary Bennet’s perspective, this BBC series will finally give Jane’s awkward bookish sister a romance of her own. Even if it means we have to spend a whole season looking at a girl who—shudder—wears glasses. —Olivia Bono, Staff Writer

Spider-Noir | MGM+ | TBD 2026

Nicolas Cage stars in a 1930s, Great Depression detective. This detective? He’s also Spider-Man. This Spider-Verse spinoff may be the best Spider-Man show of 2026. Want to add more to this viewing experience? You can stream Spider-Noir in black-and-white or color! —Craig Stirland, Digital PR Specialist

VisionQuest | Disney+ | TBD 2026

WandaVision kicked off Marvel’s run of in-house TV shows with a bang back in 2021. While the MCU’s had some turbulence since then, VisionQuest has the pedigree to land in the MCU’s upper tier of TV shows.

Specific plot details are being kept under wraps, but the series will focus on White Vision’s (Paul Bettany) quest to rebuild his memories after returning from the dead in WandaVision. The series will wrap the WandaVision trilogy after 2024’s Agatha All Along—it’ll also feature the return of James Spader as Ultron and, in the MCU’s latest bit of “huh!” casting, Diane Morgan. —Eric Chiu, Internet Editor

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