Twelve months. Hundreds of episodes. Zero chance of getting anything done.
2026 isn’t just another year of television. It’s the year every streaming service, every network, and every premium cable channel decided to drop their absolute best content simultaneously. Stranger Things ends. The Boys wraps up. Game of Thrones returns. Marvel goes all in. Star Wars delivers peak content.
This is the television event horizon. The point where the sheer volume of must watch TV becomes physically impossible to keep up with. Where choosing what to binge becomes a full time job. Where spoiler avoidance requires deleting every social media app.
36 shows are about to dominate conversations, break the internet, and make 2026 the year everyone remembers where they were when certain episodes dropped. From long awaited returns to franchise launches to final seasons that will destroy fans emotionally, this lineup is stacked beyond belief.
Ready to plan your entire year around premiere dates and finale countdowns? Here are the 36 most anticipated TV shows of 2026, ranked by when they’re dropping so you can schedule your life accordingly.
1. The Pitt (January 9, Max)
Medical dramas are back and Noah Wyle is leading the charge.
The Pitt premiered January 9 on Max as a spiritual successor to ER. Wyle plays Dr. Michael “Robby” Rabinavitch, head of a Pittsburgh hospital emergency department navigating one chaotic 15 hour shift per episode.
The show films in real time style, making each episode feel immediate and intense. Think 24 but in a trauma center. Every decision has life or death consequences. Every minute counts.
Wyle spent 11 seasons on ER as Dr. John Carter. Returning to medical drama feels full circle. He’s older, wiser, playing authority now instead of resident. The weight of experience shows in every scene.
The Pitt also tackles healthcare’s current challenges: staffing shortages, insurance nightmares, opioid crisis aftermath. It’s not escapist television. It’s reflecting modern medical realities through gripping drama.
Early reception has been strong. Critics praise the ensemble cast and relentless pacing. Audiences craving competent medical drama are binging immediately.
Share this with anyone who still rewatches ER on streaming.
2. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (January 18, HBO/Max)
Game of Thrones returns to Westeros. Again. And this time it’s based on George R.R. Martin stories that actually exist in completed form.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms adapts Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas, set about 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones. The story follows Ser Duncan the Tall, a naive hedge knight, and his squire Egg, who’s secretly a Targaryen prince.
The series stars Peter Claffey as Dunk and Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg. Supporting cast includes Finn Bennett, Bertie Carvel, and Tanzyn Crawford.
What makes this exciting is the smaller scale. No dragons. No massive armies. Just two people traveling through Westeros having adventures. Character driven storytelling instead of spectacle for spectacle’s sake.
The novellas are beloved by fans for their warmth, humor, and heart. They’re intimate tales in Martin’s expansive universe. Translating that tone to screen while maintaining production value will be the challenge.
HBO needs this. House of the Dragon proved the Game of Thrones brand still works. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms tests whether audiences want different kinds of stories in this world beyond dragons and throne wars.
January 18 premiere positions it perfectly. Winter prestige television when everyone’s inside looking for quality content.
Tag every Game of Thrones fan who claims they’re done with the franchise but absolutely will watch this.
3. Severance Season 2 (January 17, Apple TV+)
The wait is over. After three agonizing years, Severance returned January 17, 2026.
Season 1 ended on the most brutal cliffhanger in recent television history. Mark, Helly, Irving, and Dylan briefly experienced their “outie” lives, revealing shocking truths. Then the episode ended. For three years.
Season 2 picks up immediately in the aftermath. The innies deal with consequences of their rebellion. The outies process revelations about their severed selves. Lumon Industries fights back hard.
Adam Scott, Britt Lower, John Turturro, and Christopher Walken return alongside Patricia Arquette and Tramell Tillman. New cast additions include Gwendoline Christie and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson.
Creator Dan Erickson and director Ben Stiller maintain the eerie atmosphere and meticulous world building that made Season 1 appointment television. Every frame is intentional. Every detail matters.
The show already secured Season 3 renewal with filming starting April 2026. That means potentially shorter wait this time. Potentially being key word with Apple TV+ scheduling.
Severance represents prestige television at its finest. High concept premise executed flawlessly. Career best performances. Visual storytelling that rewards attention. It’s everything TV should be.
Don’t miss the return of the most unsettling workplace drama ever made.
4. Queer Eye Season 10 (January 21, Netflix)
The Fab Five are saying goodbye.
Queer Eye’s tenth and final season premiered January 21, taking the crew to Washington D.C. for their last round of transformations.
Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, and Jonathan Van Ness have spent a decade changing lives. The format never got old because the emotional core stayed genuine. People needed help. The Fab Five helped. Tears flowed. Growth happened.
Season 10 promises the biggest tear jerker moments yet. Knowing it’s the end adds weight to every makeover. These aren’t just transformations. They’re the final chapter of something culturally significant.
Queer Eye redefined reality TV. It proved makeover shows could have heart and social commentary. That representation matters. That kindness is entertaining.
The show’s legacy extends beyond television. It launched conversations about masculinity, self care, design, and acceptance. It made being yourself radically cool.
This final season will wreck viewers emotionally. Prepare accordingly.
Share with everyone who’s cried watching this show, which is everyone.
5. Invincible Season 3 (February 6, Prime Video)
The animated superhero show that makes The Boys look tame returns.
Invincible Season 3 drops February 6 on Prime Video. Mark Grayson continues navigating being half Viltrumite while Earth faces existential threats.
Season 2 ended with massive revelations about Viltrumite society and Mark’s place in it. Season 3 escalates everything. The comic source material gets progressively more brutal and emotionally devastating. The show will follow suit.
Steven Yeun voices Mark alongside Sandra Oh as his mother and J.K. Simmons as Omni-Man. Supporting cast includes incredible talent doing voices for characters who will definitely die horribly.
What sets Invincible apart is commitment to consequences. Deaths matter. Trauma accumulates. The superhero fantasy crashes against realistic emotional responses to violence and loss.
The animation allows depictions of violence that live action couldn’t achieve. The show uses that freedom liberally. It’s beautiful and horrifying simultaneously.
Robert Kirkman’s source comics ran 144 issues. The show has years of material to adapt. Season 3 is just beginning the story’s most intense arcs.
Tag someone who still hasn’t recovered from “Think, Mark!”
6. Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 (March 4, Disney+)
Marvel’s best Netflix show returns under the MCU banner.
Daredevil: Born Again premieres March 4 on Disney+. Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio reprise their roles as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk in a continuation of the Netflix series.
The show underwent massive creative overhaul during production. Original showrunners were replaced. Scripts were rewritten. The direction shifted toward the grittier tone that made the Netflix show work.
Season 1 delivers nine episodes establishing Daredevil in MCU continuity while maintaining the street level crime focus. Fisk is running for mayor. Matt is struggling with his dual identity. Hell’s Kitchen is suffering.
The creative team includes writers from The Punisher and directors from the original Daredevil. They understand what made that show special: complex characters, brutal fight choreography, moral ambiguity.
Disney+ rating will be TV-MA, matching the Netflix series’ mature content. This isn’t sanitized Marvel. This is Daredevil done right.
Season 2 is already confirmed for later in 2026, making this essentially an 18 episode season split into two parts.
After years of wondering if the Netflix Marvel shows counted as MCU canon, Born Again confirms they do. Everything that happened before still matters.
Share with everyone who’s been demanding this since Netflix canceled the original.
7. Young Sherlock (March 4, Prime Video)
Guy Ritchie does Sherlock Holmes. Again. But younger.
Young Sherlock premieres March 4 on Prime Video, adapting Andrew Lane’s book series. Hero Fiennes Tiffin stars as teenage Sherlock at Oxford University solving his first murder mystery.
Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films with Robert Downey Jr. revitalized the character for modern audiences. His kinetic visual style and sharp dialogue made Victorian detective work feel urgent and exciting.
Applying that approach to Sherlock’s origin story has massive potential. How did the world’s greatest detective develop his methods? What early cases shaped him? Young Sherlock explores that formation.
Eight episodes tell a complete mystery while establishing characters and world building for potential future seasons. The books span multiple volumes, providing runway for franchise building.
Fiennes Tiffin, best known from the After franchise, steps into prestigious territory. Playing Sherlock means comparisons to Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr., and every iconic interpretation. No pressure.
Prime Video is betting on this becoming their procedural franchise. Sherlock Holmes is public domain, meaning they can develop it without licensing restrictions. Smart play if it works.
March 4 is packed with Daredevil and Young Sherlock both dropping. Choose your binge accordingly.
Tag your Sherlock Holmes obsessed friend who’s read every adaptation.
8. Euphoria Season 3 (March 2026, HBO/Max)
After four years, the teen drama that defined Gen Z angst returns.
Euphoria Season 3 finally premieres in March 2026. The show picks up five years after Season 2’s events, with characters in their early twenties navigating post high school reality.
Zendaya returns as Rue alongside Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, and the rest of the ensemble. This is reportedly the final season, giving creator Sam Levinson space to conclude storylines.
The four year gap between seasons wasn’t planned. COVID delayed production. The writers’ strike further complicated scheduling. Cast members aged beyond their characters. But time jump solves that elegantly.
Euphoria’s cultural impact is undeniable. The aesthetic influenced fashion, makeup, music. The storytelling sparked conversations about addiction, sexuality, trauma. Love it or hate it, the show mattered.
Season 3 faces massive expectations. Fans want satisfying conclusions. Critics want the show to evolve beyond shock value. HBO wants ratings justifying the expensive production.
Early reports suggest darker, more mature tone reflecting characters’ growth. Less high school drama, more adult consequences. The glitter remains but the stakes are life and death now.
March premiere means spring will be dominated by Euphoria discourse. Social media will dissect every episode frame by frame.
Don’t sleep on the final season of television’s most divisive show.
9. Andor Season 2 (April 22, Disney+)
The best Star Wars content returns to conclude Cassian Andor’s journey to Rogue One.
Andor Season 2 premieres April 22 on Disney+. The 12 episode season covers the final four years before Rogue One, showing how Cassian became the rebel spy who stole Death Star plans.
Season 1 was revelation. Mature storytelling. Political complexity. No Jedi, no lightsabers, just grounded resistance against fascism. It proved Star Wars could do serious drama.
Diego Luna returns as Cassian alongside Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma, Stellan Skarsgård as Luthen Rael, and returning cast members. New additions include recognizable Rogue One characters making their first Andor appearances.
Creator Tony Gilroy structured both seasons as novel chapters. Season 1’s 12 episodes formed four three episode arcs. Season 2 expands scope, showing rebellion coalescing from disparate resistance movements into unified force.
The show also explores Empire’s perspective without justifying it. Antagonists are competent, making their eventual defeat feel earned rather than inevitable.
Andor represents Star Wars for adults who grew up with the franchise. It respects audience intelligence. Trusts viewers to engage with complex themes. Delivers spectacle when earned but prioritizes character and story.
April premiere positions it perfectly for summer binging. This is the Star Wars content fans didn’t know they needed until Season 1 proved what the franchise could be.
Share with anyone who claims Disney ruined Star Wars.
10. Margo’s Got Money Troubles (April 15, Apple TV+)
Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nick Offerman. Sold.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles adapts Rufi Thorpe’s novel about a young mother with a new baby and crushing debt who finds creative solutions to financial problems.
The limited series examines millennial economic anxiety through darkly comic lens. Margo represents an entire generation graduating into recession, student debt, housing crisis, and gig economy precarity.
Fanning plays Margo with the vulnerability and determination that made her perfect for this role. Kidman and Pfeiffer provide supporting powerhouse performances. Offerman adds his signature deadpan humor.
Apple TV+ has become home to quality literary adaptations. From The Shrink Next Door to Lessons in Chemistry, they invest in prestigious source material and top tier talent.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles fits that model. The book earned critical acclaim for honesty about modern womanhood, motherhood, and financial survival. The adaptation reportedly captures that authenticity.
April premiere gives it space away from Marvel and Star Wars competition. Counter programming for audiences wanting character driven drama over franchise spectacle.
Tag someone drowning in student debt who needs to see their struggle dramatized.
11. The Boys Season 5 (Summer 2026, Prime Video)
The superhero satire that changed everything is ending.
The Boys Season 5 concludes the story of Hughie, Butcher, and their ragtag team fighting corrupt superheroes. Creator Eric Kripke always planned five seasons, and he’s sticking to that vision despite the show’s massive success.
Season 4 ended with Homelander effectively running America. Season 5 deals with superhero fascism fully realized. The stakes are global. The satire is sharper than ever.
Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, and the full cast return for the final chapter. Expect brutal deaths, shocking twists, and the series’ signature blend of ultra violence and cutting social commentary.
What made The Boys special is fearlessness. It went places other superhero content couldn’t or wouldn’t. It interrogated power, celebrity, corporate control, and American exceptionalism through blood soaked lens.
Ending at five seasons while still popular is rare and commendable. Too many shows overstay, diluting what made them work. The Boys is going out on its own terms.
Summer 2026 premiere means the finale will dominate conversation during peak TV season. This isn’t quiet send off. This is event television.
The spinoff Gen V continues, and other spinoffs are in development. The Boys universe expands even as the main show concludes.
Don’t miss the ending of the decade’s most important superhero show.
12. Bridgerton Season 4 (Summer 2026, Netflix)
The Regency romance phenomenon continues with Benedict’s story.
Bridgerton Season 4 finally gives Benedict Bridgerton his romantic leading role. After three seasons of supporting his siblings’ love stories, Luke Thompson takes center stage.
The season reportedly adapts “An Offer From a Gentleman,” Benedict’s book featuring Cinderella inspired plot. Expect balls, scandal, swooning, and Shondaland’s signature diversity and modern sensibility.
Bridgerton became Netflix’s most watched show, proving period romance could dominate streaming. The combination of Julia Quinn’s novels and Shonda Rhimes’ production savvy created cultural juggernaut.
Season 4 faces challenge of maintaining momentum. Some fans felt Season 3 dragged. The formula risks becoming repetitive. Each Bridgerton sibling gets similar story beats: meet, resist, fall in love, overcome obstacle, marry.
But the show’s strength is execution. The costumes. The music. The chemistry between leads. When Bridgerton works, it’s addictive comfort television.
Summer premiere gives viewers their annual dose of romance and escapism. It’s become summer tradition at this point.
Share with everyone on #BridgertonTok who’s been making Benedict edits for years.
13. Scrubs Reboot (TBA 2026, ABC)
Sacred Ground Hospital is getting new residents.
The Scrubs reboot filming for 2026 premiere brings back creator Bill Lawrence with a new generation of medical students and residents. Original cast members appear in supporting roles, passing the torch.
Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, and others return but aren’t leading. The focus is fresh characters navigating modern medical training.
Reboots are risky. Scrubs ended perfectly in Season 8 (we don’t discuss Season 9). Returning risks tarnishing legacy. But Lawrence understands these characters and this world better than anyone.
The reboot addresses how medicine changed since the original run. Healthcare costs. Mental health awareness. Pandemic aftermath. Technology. The same heart and humor applied to contemporary challenges.
Scrubs worked because it balanced comedy and genuine emotion. Episodes could make you laugh constantly then devastate you in the final scene. That tonal mastery is difficult to replicate.
If anyone can pull it off, it’s Lawrence. He’s proven with Ted Lasso and Shrinking that he still understands how to make heartfelt comedy work.
No confirmed premiere date yet but 2026 is the target. ABC is betting nostalgia plus quality equals success.
Tag someone who quotes “Where do you think we are?” and still gets emotional.
14. Stranger Things Season 5 (November 26, 2025 – December 31, 2025, Netflix)
The biggest show on Netflix is ending. And it’s happening right now.
Stranger Things Season 5 has been dropping throughout the holiday season. Volume 1 premiered November 26, 2025. Volume 2 dropped Christmas Day. The finale airs December 31, 2025, with theatrical screenings.
By the time 2026 starts, Stranger Things will have concluded. But the cultural conversation will dominate early 2026. Everyone will process the ending. Debate it. Celebrate or critique it.
Eight episodes conclude the Hawkins saga. Eleven faces Vecna. The Upside Down threatens total victory. Characters who started as kids finish as young adults.
The documentary about making Season 5 premiered January 12, 2026, giving fans behind the scenes access to how the Duffer Brothers ended their cultural phenomenon.
Stranger Things defined Netflix. It proved streaming could create monoculture moments. It launched careers. It made 80s nostalgia mainstream. It influenced fashion, music, Halloween costumes.
Ending it is bittersweet necessity. The kids aged beyond the characters. The story reached natural conclusion. Dragging it out would diminish what made it special.
The finale’s theatrical release shows how far television has come. A Netflix show playing in theaters is unprecedented. It recognizes Stranger Things transcended medium.
Share your theories about the ending before everyone knows what happened.
15. Paradise (January 28, Hulu)
Sterling K. Brown and James Marsden in a thriller about a presidential murder? Yes please.
Paradise premiered January 28 on Hulu. The limited series stars Brown as Secret Service agent protecting the president. When the president is murdered in the exclusive compound where they both live, Brown’s character becomes prime suspect.
Dan Fogelman (This Is Us) created the series, reuniting with Brown after their Emmy winning collaboration. The genre shift from family drama to political thriller shows Fogelman’s range.
The cast includes Marsden, Julianne Nicholson, and Sarah Shahi. Production value is cinematic. The story is layered mystery exploring power, loyalty, and truth in elite American circles.
Paradise dropped all eight episodes at once, perfect for binge watching. Hulu is betting on the This Is Us fanbase following Brown and Fogelman to completely different material.
Early reviews praise the performances and twisty plot. It’s described as prestige airport novel adapted with actual prestige. Entertaining without being dumb, smart without being pretentious.
January release means it already dominated the post holiday viewing period. By now everyone’s either binged it or added it to their list.
Tag someone who loves political thrillers and Sterling K. Brown’s face.
16. The White Lotus Season 3 (February 16, HBO/Max)
Mike White takes us to Thailand. Chaos ensues.
The White Lotus Season 3 premiered February 16, introducing another ensemble of wealthy Americans to another luxury resort. This time it’s a Four Seasons in Thailand.
Natasha Rothwell returns from Season 1, reprising her role as Belinda. New cast includes Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Parker Posey, Leslie Bibb, and Blackpink’s Lisa.
Each White Lotus season is self contained anthology with someone dying. Season 3 maintains that structure while pushing satire further. American entitlement meeting Thai culture creates friction and dark comedy.
Mike White’s writing skewers the rich with surgical precision. His characters are awful but compelling. You can’t look away even when they’re being their worst selves.
The show also looks incredible. Cinematography showcases locations gorgeously while underscoring moral ugliness of wealth tourism.
Season 3 already aired by now, and Season 4 is confirmed in development. White is scouting locations, possibly Mexico, Egypt, or Australia. The franchise continues as long as rich people exist to mock.
The White Lotus became Emmy darling and cultural talking point. Every season generates weeks of discourse about class, privilege, and human awfulness.
Don’t miss the anthology series that makes you hate vacation even more.
17. The Night Manager Season 2 (TBA 2026, Prime Video)
Tom Hiddleston returns to spy games.
The Night Manager Season 2 continues Jonathan Pine’s story years after Season 1’s events. Hiddleston reunites with director Susanne Bier for new mission in different location.
Season 1 adapted John le Carré’s novel perfectly. Hiddleston as undercover operative infiltrating arms dealer Richard Roper’s world was tense, stylish espionage drama.
Season 2 ventures beyond source material into original story. Pine is pulled back into intelligence work reluctantly, facing new threats and moral compromises.
The series maintains le Carré’s trademark ambiguity about heroes and villains. Spy work is messy. Good guys do bad things. Everyone is compromised.
Production hasn’t been smooth. The season faced delays. Cast availability issues complicated scheduling. But Prime Video remains committed to delivering quality sequel.
No confirmed premiere date yet but 2026 is target. When it arrives, expect the same sophisticated spy craft that made Season 1 must watch television.
Share with anyone who thinks Hiddleston deserves his own franchise.
18. Spider-Noir (TBA 2026, MGM+)
Nicolas Cage is playing Spider-Man. Live action. As a 1930s noir detective.
Spider-Noir brings Cage’s Into the Spider-Verse voice role to live action. The series is set in 1930s New York with Cage playing aging superhero dealing with noir detective storylines.
This is bonkers premise executed with straight face. Cage does his best work when directors embrace his eccentricity. Playing 1930s Spider-Man is peak Nicolas Cage territory.
The show reportedly balances period detective noir with superhero elements. Think L.A. Confidential meets Spider-Man. Fedoras and web shooters. Hard boiled dialogue and wall crawling.
Production details are scarce but Sony is treating this seriously. It’s not joke show. It’s legitimate attempt at something genuinely unique.
Cage’s relationship with superhero material is complicated. He almost played Superman in the 90s. He named his son Kal-El. He voiced Spider-Noir in the animated film. Now he gets live action superhero role at age 62.
The industry is ageist about superheroes. Everyone is young, jacked, CGI perfected. Cage playing older, worn down Spider-Man variant is refreshing counter programming.
No premiere date yet but 2026 is confirmed. When it drops, it’ll be wildest superhero show of the year.
Tag every Cage fan who’s been waiting for this moment.
19. Dexter: Resurrection (Summer 2026, Paramount+)
Dexter Morgan is back. Again. And this time he’s definitely actually alive.
Dexter: Resurrection brings back Michael C. Hall for another season after New Blood’s controversial ending. The show picks up after the events of that limited series.
New Blood attempted redeeming Dexter’s terrible original finale by killing the character properly. Except Paramount+ saw the ratings and said “actually, no.”
Resurrection reportedly explores whether Dexter actually died or if he’s been living under new identity. It’s convoluted justification for bringing back profitable IP but Hall’s performance makes it work.
Dexter at its best was dark character study about compartmentalization and performance of normalcy. Hall plays both the cold killer and the charming mask with equal conviction.
The challenge is making Dexter’s return feel necessary rather than cynical cash grab. New Blood had finality. Resurrection has to justify existence beyond profit motive.
Summer 2026 premiere suggests Paramount+ is betting on it being tentpole content during competitive season. They need Hall’s star power to compete with Disney+, Netflix, Max.
Fans are divided. Some want more Dexter regardless. Others feel the story reached natural conclusion. Resurrection will determine which group was right.
Share with anyone still processing that original series finale.
20. Blade Runner 2099 (TBA 2026, Prime Video)
Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created. In television form.
Blade Runner 2099 is limited series set in the same universe as the films, taking place 50 years after Blade Runner 2049. The future of future noir.
Details are closely guarded but production is complete. The series explores what happens when artificial humans outnumber real ones. Identity, memory, and what makes us human remain central themes.
Ridley Scott executive produces, ensuring visual continuity with his original vision. The show reportedly maintains the philosophical depth and stunning aesthetic that defines Blade Runner.
Casting hasn’t been widely announced, suggesting Prime Video is saving reveals for marketing push. When names drop, they’ll be major.
Blade Runner on television is ambitious. The films are dense, contemplative, visually overwhelming. Translating that to episodic format while maintaining quality is enormous challenge.
But streaming budgets allow cinematic scope. Limited series format means no filler. Six to eight episodes telling complete story could work perfectly.
2026 premiere is confirmed but no specific date. When it arrives, it’ll be event television for sci-fi fans and cinephiles.
Tag everyone who owns the Final Cut on 4K and quotes “tears in rain” regularly.
21. Lanterns (TBA 2026, Max/HBO)
DC’s latest attempt at franchise building rests on Green Lanterns.
Lanterns is prestige DCU series starring Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart. The show is described as True Detective with Green Lantern rings.
The series follows two Lanterns investigating murder in American heartland, uncovering conspiracy connected to DC’s larger universe. It’s Earth based detective story that happens to feature space cops.
DC’s television strategy under James Gunn focuses on quality over quantity. Lanterns received significant budget and creative support. It’s flagship series launching new DC continuity.
The True Detective comparison sets expectations. Grounded, character driven mystery with supernatural elements. The rings provide powers but the story is about the humans wielding them.
Chandler brings Friday Night Lights gravitas. Pierre is rising star. Their dynamic as veteran and rookie carries the show.
No confirmed 2026 premiere date yet but production wrapped. Post production is extensive due to effects work. Late 2026 or early 2027 seems likely.
This is crucial for DC. If Lanterns works, it validates their new approach. If it fails, the entire strategy faces questions.
Don’t sleep on DC’s most important TV project in years.
22. X-Men ’97 Season 2 (TBA 2026, Disney+)
The animated continuation that shocked everyone by being incredible returns.
X-Men ’97 Season 2 brings back the team for more adventures after Season 1’s Emmy nominated run. The show continues where the original 90s series ended, maintaining art style and tone while deepening storytelling.
Season 1 took risks. Major character deaths. Emotional devastation. Complex storytelling that honored the comics. It proved animated superhero shows could be sophisticated and satisfying.
Season 2 promises more of what worked. Classic X-Men stories adapted with care. Character development. Stakes that matter. The perfect blend of nostalgia and fresh perspective.
The voice cast returns along with showrunner Beau DeMayo’s vision. DeMayo understands X-Men on molecular level. His adaptation honors source material while making bold choices.
Marvel animation is having renaissance. What If, X-Men ’97, and upcoming projects prove animation allows storytelling freedom live action can’t match.
2026 premiere is confirmed but specific date unknown. When it drops, it’ll dominate conversation among comic fans and animation enthusiasts.
Share with everyone who grew up on Saturday morning X-Men cartoons.
23. One Piece Season 2 (TBA 2026, Netflix)
The anime adaptation that actually worked returns for more pirate adventures.
One Piece Season 2 continues the Straw Hat crew’s journey with the Alabasta arc. After Season 1’s shocking success, Netflix greenlit not just Season 2 but future seasons.
The show proved anime could translate to live action without being embarrassing. Respect for source material, significant budget, and perfect casting made it work.
Iñaki Godoy returns as Luffy alongside the full Straw Hat crew. New cast additions bring beloved characters from the Alabasta storyline to life.
One Piece fandom is massive and protective. They don’t tolerate bad adaptations. The live action series won them over through faithfulness and heart.
Season 2 faces higher expectations. The novelty is gone. Now it has to prove Season 1 wasn’t fluke. The Alabasta arc is complex, requiring significant production resources to execute properly.
Netflix is investing. They recognize One Piece as potential flagship franchise. If they can adapt the manga’s epic scope successfully, they have content for a decade.
2026 premiere is confirmed but date unknown. Production is lengthy due to scope. Late 2026 seems probable.
Tag every One Piece fan who thought live action was impossible.
24. Industry Season 4 (TBA 2026, HBO/Max)
The finance bro drama that’s actually good returns.
Industry Season 4 continues following young bankers navigating toxic workplace culture and personal dysfunction in London’s finance world.
The show is unflinching portrayal of ambition, sex, drugs, and capitalism. Characters are deeply flawed but compellingly watchable. It’s prestige television for people who think Succession was too subtle.
Season 3 ended with major status quo changes. Season 4 deals with fallout while introducing new conflicts. The show keeps evolving rather than repeating.
What makes Industry special is honesty. It doesn’t glorify finance culture but also doesn’t lecture. It shows the appeal and the cost simultaneously.
The cast including Myha’la Herrold, Marisa Abela, Harry Lawtey, and David Jonsson deliver career defining performances. They make awful people fascinating.
HBO has supported Industry despite modest viewership because it’s exactly the kind of quality programming they’re known for. It’s their investment in prestige over pure metrics.
2026 premiere is confirmed but scheduling unknown. Probably late in the year based on production timeline.
Share with anyone working in finance who sees themselves in this show and hates it.
25. The Beauty (TBA 2026, Netflix)
Body horror meets social satire in adaptation of acclaimed comic.
The Beauty adapts Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley’s Image Comics series about sexually transmitted disease that makes people beautiful. Then it kills them horribly.
The premise is brilliant satirical horror. In world obsessed with appearance, a disease offering perfect beauty spreads like wildfire. Until the deadly side effects emerge.
Evan Rachel Wood and Chloe Sevigny star in this limited series exploring vanity, desire, and the lengths people go for beauty.
The comic balanced gruesome body horror with sharp social commentary. The adaptation reportedly maintains both. It’s not just gross out horror. It’s using horror to examine cultural sickness around appearance.
This is Netflix betting on elevated horror. After Midnight Mass and other successes, they know audience exists for smart scary content.
No confirmed premiere date but 2026 is target. Could drop anytime depending on post production.
Don’t miss what could be the year’s most disturbing and thought provoking series.
26. Love Story (TBA 2026, Hulu)
Modern rom-com series exploring relationships across generations.
Love Story is anthology series with each episode or arc focusing on different couple at different life stage. From first love to late life romance, the show examines how love evolves.
The concept allows variety while maintaining thematic coherence. Different directors and writers contribute episodes, keeping fresh perspectives.
Hulu is building rom-com slate to compete with Netflix’s dominance in the genre. Quality romantic content is evergreen. People always want stories about love.
Cast details are emerging slowly. Expect recognizable names across age ranges to anchor different storylines.
Rom-coms get dismissed as frivolous but great ones capture universal experiences. Love, heartbreak, connection. Done well, they’re as meaningful as any prestige drama.
Love Story aims for that territory. Entertainment with emotional honesty. Escapism grounded in real feeling.
2026 premiere is confirmed without specifics. Valentine’s Day release would be perfect but also obvious.
Tag someone who needs romantic content that doesn’t talk down to them.
27. The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin Remake (TBA 2026, TBA)
British comedy classic gets modern update.
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin remake adapts the beloved 70s series about man having existential crisis and faking his death to escape suburban mundanity.
The original was quintessentially British: dry, absurd, darkly funny meditation on middle class despair. Remaking it risks losing what made it special.
But the themes are timeless. Feeling trapped by societal expectations. Wanting to burn it all down and start over. Mid-life crisis as philosophical crisis.
Casting hasn’t been announced but needs actor who can balance comedy and pathos. Perrin is sympathetic despite being selfish. That’s delicate tonal balance.
Modern remake presumably updates from 1970s Britain to contemporary setting. How does the story change when escape is theoretically easier but psychologically harder?
British television does remake differently than Americans. Less reverence for source material, more willingness to reinterpret radically.
2026 premiere is rumored but unconfirmed. British production schedules differ from American ones. Could arrive anytime.
Share with British comedy fans who’ve been quoting the original for decades.
28. Survivor Season 50 (TBA 2026, CBS)
The reality competition that refuses to die hits milestone season.
Survivor Season 50 is monumental achievement. 50 seasons. Over two decades. Still going strong.
CBS is planning special format for the anniversary season. All Stars competition. Big twists. Celebration of show’s history while pushing format forward.
Survivor endures because it’s deceptively complex. Seems like simple gameshow but actually psychological warfare, sociological experiment, and strategic chess match.
Jeff Probst remains perfect host. His evolution mirrors show’s evolution. He knows when to respect gravity of moments and when to enjoy absurdity.
Season 50 will attract former winners and iconic players. It’s event season for longtime fans and entry point for new viewers.
The show’s cultural impact is undeniable. It pioneered reality competition format. Launched careers. Created television vocabulary. “The tribe has spoken” is part of language.
Late 2026 premiere fits Survivor’s traditional schedule. Fall season leading into early 2027.
Tag someone who’s applied to Survivor multiple times and still hasn’t gotten cast.
29. Bob’s Burgers (Ongoing 2026, Fox)
The comfort food of animated sitcoms continues.
Bob’s Burgers Season 15 and potentially 16 air throughout 2026. The Belcher family provides reliable laughs and heart during uncertain times.
What makes Bob’s Burgers special is warmth. The family actually likes each other. They support each other. Conflicts resolve with love not cruelty.
That’s rare in comedy. Especially animated comedy. Most shows mine dysfunction. Bob’s Burgers mines connection.
The show also delivers consistently funny episodes. The musical numbers. The burger of the day puns. Tina’s everything. Louise’s schemes. Gene’s whatever Gene does.
15 seasons is impressive longevity. The show maintains quality while other long-running animated series decline. Fresh writers and genuine love for characters keeps it vibrant.
2026 will deliver 20+ episodes of comfort viewing. New episodes every week reminding us that families can actually be good.
Share with anyone who quotes burger names or Tina groaning.
30. Ghosts Season 5 (Ongoing 2026, CBS)
The American remake that actually works keeps going.
Ghosts Season 5 continues the story of Sam and Jay living with ghosts in their inherited mansion. The show found perfect balance of humor and heart.
What’s remarkable is how the American version honored British original while becoming its own thing. Different ghosts. Different dynamics. Same core concept executed with care.
The ensemble cast is incredible. Each ghost gets development. Each has distinct personality and backstory. Nobody is just comic relief.
The show also found unexpected emotional depth. Episodes about death, regret, unfinished business hit genuinely moving notes without sacrificing comedy.
CBS has hit with Ghosts. It’s family friendly without being toothless. Funny without being mean. Comfort television that’s also quality television.
Season 5 airing throughout 2026 means reliable weekly laughs. It’s the show you watch with family and everyone actually enjoys.
Tag someone who’s definitely haunting you when they die.
31. The Residence (TBA 2026, Netflix)
Murder mystery in the White House starring Uzo Aduba.
The Residence is limited series about murder in the White House and the staff investigating before Secret Service takes over.
Aduba plays head housekeeper who knows the residence better than anyone. She’s not detective but her knowledge of the space and people makes her invaluable.
The premise is Knives Out meets The West Wing. Enclosed murder mystery in America’s most famous house. Everyone’s a suspect. Political stakes complicate everything.
Shonda Rhimes produces, bringing her signature blend of drama and propulsive plotting. When Rhimes commits to genre, she delivers.
The cast includes recognizable faces playing politicians, staff, and suspects. Part of the fun will be figuring out who did it before the reveal.
Netflix loves murder mysteries. They know the audience. The Residence has built in hook that should drive viewership.
2026 premiere is confirmed but date unknown. Could drop anytime for maximum binge potential.
Don’t miss what could be the year’s most addictive whodunit.
32. Yellowstone Spinoff: 2024 (TBA 2026, Paramount+)
The Yellowstone universe expands into contemporary setting.
After Yellowstone’s conclusion, Taylor Sheridan is launching multiple spinoffs. The 2024 spinoff (working title) brings the Dutton ranch saga to present day.
Casting details are scarce but Sheridan’s track record suggests major names. He’s built entire universe on Paramount+ backed by studio commitment.
Yellowstone became surprise mega hit. Millions watched weekly. It proved that broadcast style drama could thrive on streaming. Middle America has massive appetite for this content.
The spinoff likely continues themes: land, legacy, family, power struggles. Sheridan’s writing is formulaic but effective. He knows his audience.
Whether spinoffs can match original’s success is question. Kevin Costner was huge draw. The new shows need to establish their own identity while honoring what worked.
2026 premiere is probable but Sheridan’s production schedule is packed. Could slip to 2027 depending on filming.
Share with anyone who’s watched every Sheridan show and wants more.
33. Suits LA (February 23, NBC)
The Suits franchise expands to Los Angeles.
Suits LA premiered February 23 on NBC. The spinoff follows new lawyers at LA firm, maintaining original’s blend of legal drama and character dynamics.
Stephen Amell stars as the lead, bringing his Arrow fanbase to new territory. The show aims for Suits’ slick professionalism and witty banter.
Original Suits became Netflix phenomenon years after ending. New generations discovered it during pandemic. The spinoff capitalizes on renewed interest.
Whether lightning strikes twice is uncertain. Suits worked because of Harvey and Mike’s specific chemistry. Replicating that is nearly impossible.
But NBC is betting the brand has value. Suits LA will either prove franchise potential or reveal original was lightning in a bottle.
The show already aired its first episodes by now. Reception will determine if this becomes ongoing series or limited experiment.
Tag anyone who binged all nine Suits seasons during lockdown.
34. The Americas (February 23, NBC)
Nature documentary narrated by Tom Hanks.
The Americas premiered February 23, five years after NBC first announced it. BBC Studios Natural History Unit created this epic series about North and South American ecosystems.
Hanks narrates with the gravitas and warmth he brings to everything. His voice makes even brutal nature footage feel hopeful somehow.
The series showcases incredible cinematography. Locations and animals rarely filmed. Stories about adaptation, survival, and biodiversity.
Nature documentaries are comfort viewing for millions. They’re beautiful, educational, and provide respite from human drama. The Americas delivers all three.
BBC Natural History Unit is gold standard. Planet Earth, Blue Planet, everything they touch becomes essential viewing. The Americas maintains that quality.
February premiere already happened. The series aired to strong reviews and solid ratings. It’s available for streaming on Peacock now.
Share with anyone who falls asleep to nature documentaries, meant lovingly.
35. The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6 (Spring 2026, Hulu)
The dystopian drama finally ends.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6 is the final season, concluding June Osborne’s journey. After years of trauma, resistance, and survival, her story reaches its end.
Elisabeth Moss returns alongside Yvonne Strahovski, Madeline Brewer, and remaining cast. Many characters died across five seasons. The survivors face ultimate reckoning.
The show expanded far beyond Margaret Atwood’s novel. What started as limited series became six season saga. The question is whether the expanded story maintained thematic coherence or diluted what made it powerful.
Season 6 promises resolution. What happens to Gilead? Does June get true justice? Can she heal from years of trauma?
Spring 2026 premiere means the show ends around the same time it started in 2017. Nine years of brutal, unflinching television about patriarchy, resistance, and survival.
The show’s relevance only increased as real world politics mirrored fictional dystopia. That uncomfortable parallel made it essential viewing and occasionally too painful to watch.
The finale will be event television. How do you end a show that became cultural touchstone? What resolution feels earned after everything June endured?
Don’t miss the conclusion of the decade’s most politically urgent drama.
36. IT Prequel: Welcome to Derry (TBA 2026, Max)
Pennywise returns to terrorize Derry decades before the Losers Club.
Welcome to Derry is prequel series exploring the history of Pennywise and the cursed town he haunts. Set in the 1960s, the show reveals how the evil entity established itself in Derry.
Andy Muschietti, who directed both IT films, returns as executive producer. The series maintains cinematic quality while expanding the mythology.
Bill Skarsgård may return as Pennywise in some capacity, though casting details remain mysterious. The show will likely introduce new victims and new horrors.
Stephen King’s IT is massive novel spanning decades. The films focused on specific time periods. The series can explore other cycles of terror that the book mentioned but didn’t fully develop.
Welcome to Derry has opportunity to be genuinely frightening prestige horror. HBO/Max supported The Last of Us with massive budget and creative freedom. IT could receive similar treatment.
No confirmed 2026 premiere date but production is underway. Late 2026 or early 2027 seems probable depending on effects work.
This is the 36th most anticipated show of 2026. Horror fans have been waiting for more IT content since the films concluded. The series delivers.
Share with anyone still traumatized by Skarsgård’s Pennywise performance.
Why 2026 Is Television’s Most Important Year
These 36 shows represent something bigger than annual content drops. They’re proof that television is cinema’s equal in ambition, craft, and cultural impact.
The medium has evolved beyond recognition from even a decade ago. Budgets rival blockbusters. Talent moves fluidly between film and TV. Audiences engage with shows as deeply as any movie franchise.
2026’s lineup includes final seasons of era defining shows. Stranger Things. The Boys. The Handmaid’s Tale. These aren’t just endings. They’re cultural moments that will dominate conversation for months.
It also includes franchise expansions testing whether universes can sustain beyond original stories. Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Game of Thrones. All betting big on television as primary franchise vehicle.
Prestige continues thriving. Severance, The White Lotus, Andor. These shows prove audiences want challenging, sophisticated storytelling. They’ll engage with slow burns and complex themes when execution is excellent.
Horror is having a renaissance. Welcome to Derry, The Beauty, various genre offerings. Television lets horror breathe, building dread over episodes instead of cramming scares into two hours.
Comedy remains vibrant. Bob’s Burgers, Ghosts, various half hour offerings. People need to laugh. Quality comedy is always in demand.
The streaming wars continue reshaping the landscape. Every service needs tentpole content. That competition drives investment in quality. It also risks oversaturation, but 2026’s lineup suggests the best content rises above noise.
International shows are breaking through. One Piece proved anime adaptations can work globally. Young Sherlock and other international productions find worldwide audiences.
2026 isn’t just another year of TV. It’s inflection point showing where the medium is heading.
How To Actually Watch Everything Without Losing Your Mind
Here’s the honest truth: nobody can watch all 36 shows.
There aren’t enough hours. Even if you did nothing but watch television, keeping up with everything is physically impossible when you factor in sleep and basic human needs.
So prioritize ruthlessly.
Identify your must watch shows. The ones where spoilers would ruin your life. For many, that’s Stranger Things (already aired/airing), The Boys, Severance, Andor. Shows where cultural conversation is immediate and unavoidable.
Those get priority viewing. Watch live or same week to stay current.
Next tier: shows you care about but can wait. Bridgerton, One Piece, various franchise content. These can simmer on your list for weeks or months. The conversation continues long after premiere.
Third tier: shows you’re curious about but not committed to. Sample them when time allows. If they hook you, great. If not, no guilt about abandoning.
Use watch parties strategically. Shared viewing makes shows feel like events while also being efficient social time. You’re seeing friends AND keeping up with TV.
Embrace recaps for shows you can’t commit to but want to track. Sometimes knowing what happened is sufficient without investing hours.
Accept that FOMO is inevitable. You will miss things. That’s okay. The great content will still be there when you’re ready. Nothing disappears anymore.
Create realistic viewing schedules. One episode per night of priority shows. Weekend binges for completed series. Adjust based on your actual life, not aspirational viewing goals.
Remember that television should enhance life, not consume it. These shows exist for your enjoyment. Don’t let them become stressful obligation.
Watch what brings you joy. Skip what doesn’t. There’s no prize for completing everything.
The Shows That Will Define The Year
Among these 36, a few will transcend their moment and define 2026 in retrospect.
Stranger Things finale is obvious choice. The show that launched Netflix into cultural dominance ends. That’s historic regardless of quality. The conversation will be massive.
The Boys Season 5 could be the year’s most important finale. It’s ending at creative peak while still relevant. The finale will either stick the landing or fumble at the goal line. Either way, it’s major event.
Severance Season 2 matters for prestige television’s future. If it maintains Season 1’s quality after three year gap, it proves that patient storytelling still works. Networks can take time getting things right.
Andor Season 2 could be Star Wars’ redemption narrative. After years of mixed reception to various projects, Andor represents what the franchise can be at its best. Season 2 determines if that excellence is sustainable.
Euphoria Season 3 will dominate youth culture conversation. For better or worse, the show speaks to and about Gen Z. How it concludes matters for representation of this generation.
Daredevil: Born Again determines Marvel TV’s direction. If it works, expect more gritty street level heroes. If it fails, Marvel recalibrates again.
The White Lotus Season 3 (already aired) showed whether anthology format can sustain indefinitely. Mike White’s ability to deliver consistently excellent satire across locations is remarkable. Season 4 development proves it worked.
These shows will be remembered when most others fade. They’re not just content. They’re cultural touchstones.
Your Survival Guide For The Year In Television
Save this list. Bookmark it. Screenshot it. You’ll need it.
As premiere dates approach, set reminders. The most anticipated shows will have plenty of marketing, but smaller gems might slip by without active tracking.
Follow show specific accounts on social media for updates. Premiere dates shift constantly. Announcements drop unexpectedly. Staying plugged in prevents missing launches.
Subscribe strategically. You don’t need every streaming service simultaneously. Rotate subscriptions based on what’s currently airing. Watch Severance on Apple TV+ in January, cancel and subscribe to Disney+ for Andor in April.
Create viewing communities. Group chats for specific shows. Reddit episode discussions. Online communities enhance experience and keep you accountable to actually watching.
Trust your instincts about what to skip. If a show isn’t working by episode three, move on. Life’s too short for mediocre television even if everyone else is watching.
Protect yourself from spoilers for priority shows. Mute keywords. Avoid social media temporarily. Do what’s necessary to experience reveals fresh.
But also accept that spoilers aren’t death sentences. Studies show knowing plot doesn’t diminish enjoyment as much as people think. If you get spoiled, watch anyway.
Celebrate the embarrassment of riches. This much quality content is unprecedented. The streaming era has problems but abundance of creativity isn’t one of them.
2026 gives television fans everything they could want. Every genre. Every tone. Every type of story. The challenge is navigating options, not finding something worth watching.
The Final Countdown Starts Now
Mark those calendars. Clear those schedules. Prepare those streaming queues.
2026 is the year television graduates from background entertainment to primary cultural force. These 36 shows represent billions in investment, thousands of hours of labor, and unlimited creative ambition.
From January’s Knight of the Seven Kingdoms through December’s likely finale episodes, the year will be non stop event television. Every month brings multiple must watch premieres or returns.
The conversations will be everywhere. Water cooler talk, social media discourse, think pieces analyzing every frame. Television drives culture now more than movies, music, or any other medium.
The shows will make you laugh, cry, scream, theorize, and feel more alive. Great television does that. It connects people across distances through shared stories.
Some shows will disappoint. Hyped projects will underdeliver. That’s inevitable. But enough will exceed expectations to make the year historic.
The endings will hurt. Saying goodbye to Stranger Things, The Boys, Euphoria, The Handmaid’s Tale. These shows defined years of viewing. Their conclusions mark era endings.
The beginnings will excite. New franchises launching. Fresh voices emerging. Next obsessions waiting to be discovered.
2026 is the year you’ll remember not by world events or personal milestones but by which shows you were watching. By which finale destroyed you. By which new series became your entire personality for three months.
Which show are you most hyped for? Which finale are you dreading? What new series will become your surprise obsession?
Drop your predictions below. Share this with your watch party crew. Follow for updates as premiere dates shift and new shows get announced.
The greatest year in television history starts now. Better clear your schedule because these 36 shows are about to consume your life.
And honestly? You wouldn’t want it any other way.
