Best TV Shows of 2026: New Series to Watch Now

Critics Consensus: As made evident in Interview with the Vampire, Sam Reid perfectly embodies this luridly divine undead Frenchman, but The Vampire Lestat makes him a snarling, campy, and utterly magnetic star who unapologetically commands your attention.

Starring: Sam Reid, Jacob Anderson, Eric Bogosian, Delainey Hayles

Critics Consensus: Silo codifies its third season as a masterful dystopian tale with expertly driven character arcs and tighter narrative strings, fulfilling its promise of science fiction excellence.

Starring: David Oyelowo, Rashida Jones, Rebecca Ferguson, Common

Critics Consensus: Blessed with an enthralling raconteur as its subject, The 99 Year Old Man! is an affectionate and hilarious retrospective as well as a wistful reminder that even a long life well-lived has its fair share of heartbreak.

Critics Consensus: Clocking in for a second season of a near perfect medical procedural, The Pitt goes all in on narrative excellence, brilliant humanity, and heart-wrenching drama to winning effect.

Starring: Noah Wyle, Tracy Ifeachor, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden

Critics Consensus: Katie Dippold successfully continues to invest in eccentricity with this outlandish horror-comedy that stokes the genre’s well-worn tropes to winning effect, bringing scares, laughs, and a game cast.

Starring: Matthew Rhys, Kate O'Flynn, Stephen Root, Kingston Rumi Southwick

Critics Consensus: An inspired look into the depths of an iconic character, Maul once again proves that through kinetic, vibrant, and engaging animation the Star Wars saga can continue in masterful spades.

Starring: Sam Witwer, Gideon Adlon, Wagner Moura, Richard Ayoade

Critics Consensus: The Bear closes out its final season with the character-driven finesse that it started with, ensuring its story and fans are served the finest of televisual meals without diminished returns.

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce

Critics Consensus: Cozy, charming, and full of heart, The Other Bennet Sister gives Mary her moment to shine, thanks to Ella Bruccoleri’s delightful performance and a fresh take on Jane Austen’s familiar world.

Starring: Ella Bruccoleri, Ruth Jones, Indira Varma, Laurie Davidson

Critics Consensus: Harnessing Tracy Morgan’s unpredictable comedic charisma to consistently hilarious effect, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is a delightful ensemble sitcom that, true to its title, gets better and better as it goes along.

Starring: Tracy Morgan, Daniel Radcliffe, Erika Alexander, Bobby Moynihan

Critics Consensus: Lisa Kudrow once again leads the illustrious Comeback with renewed vigor and purpose, remaining on the pulse of the media’s current moment, marking a welcome and long-awaited victory lap.

Starring: Lisa Kudrow, Robert Michael Morris, Damian Young, Laura Silverman

Critics Consensus: Hacks takes a triumphant bow with a final season that keeps the pace and jokes right on par with its previous installments, bidding farewell to Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels with all the flair and care this world has to offer.

Synopsis: In the aftermath of mistaken and unflattering news reports that she passed away, Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and Ava (Hannah Einbinder) return to Las Vegas… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Rose Abdoo

Critics Consensus: Rivals‘ second season reliably ups the ante by trusting in its stellar ensemble cast to skillfully steer the audience through its silly capers of melodramatic fun to winning effect.

Starring: David Tennant, Oliver Chris, Katherine Parkinson, Alex Hassell

Critics Consensus: Legends gets the basics of the crime genre right, bringing in clear-cut drama to a daringly real tale and imbuing its narrative with the right balance of respect and spectacle.

Starring: Tom Burke, Steve Coogan, Hayley Squires, Tom Hughes

Critics Consensus: Colin Farrell remains out of this world in his deduction, dedication, and emotional depth within Sugar season two, aptly bestowing audiences with a rich noir tale and sci-fi trappings that expertly adapt to the story at hand.

Starring: Colin Farrell, Jin Ha, Raymond Lee, Tony Dalton

Critics Consensus: Taut, ambitious, and impressively self-assured, Star City proves a worthy expansion of the For All Mankind universe with its blend of political intrigue and human drama.

Starring: Rhys Ifans, Adam Nagaitis, Agnes O'Casey, Alice Englert

Critics Consensus: The Boroughs exudes excellence through its wonderfully plotted sci-fi trappings, star-studded cast, heartfelt narrative, and genuine ingenuity; a new classic through-and-through.

Starring: Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Denis O'Hare, Clarke Peters

Critics Consensus: Rich in character and dramatic antics, Margo’s Got Money Troubles succeeds because of its attention to emotional detail, authentic performances, and brilliant storytelling.

Starring: Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Nicole Kidman

Critics Consensus: Betting on its own adaptability after resetting the board and analyzing new market forces, Industry yields a handsome payout with this sterling fourth season.

Starring: Myha'la Herrold, Marisa Abela, Kit Harington, Harry Lawtey

Critics Consensus: Stretching its tone in different directions without ever snapping, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is another triumphantly funny and proudly Irish series from creator Lisa McGee.

Starring: Roisin Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Darragh Hand

Critics Consensus: Reveling in the dynamic friendship between Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham, this Ride or Die spy caper maximizes its entertainment, humor, and fun through genuine performances and breezy writing.

Starring: Octavia Spencer, Hannah Waddingham, Ed Skrein, Calam Lynch

Critics Consensus: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a welcome return to Westeros that works better in the buddy-comedy arena rather than solely slaying its competition.

Starring: Finn Bennett, Bertie Carvel, Tanzyn Crawford, Daniel Ings

Critics Consensus: Riz Ahmed creates and stars in this compassionate, humor-filled meta-satire that dazzlingly lures in its audience like delicious BAIT.

Starring: Riz Ahmed, Guz Khan, Sheeba Chaddha, Aasiya Shah

Critics Consensus: As much a buddy adventure as it is an espionage caper, Ponies‘ likable trot of a story gradually achieves full gallop thanks to Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson’s tag-team charisma.

Starring: Emilia Clarke, Haley Lu Richardson, Nicholas Podany, Andrew Richardson

Critics Consensus: The Boys stays true to its form and completes its mission with ample panache, narrative pay-off, and an excess of blood and guts to deviously glorious effect.

Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty

Critics Consensus: Tatiana Maslany boldly leads this twistedly thrilling whodunit, serving as a fascinating exploration of the unexpected through compelling storytelling, diverting escapades, and the undeniable assurance of Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.

Starring: Tatiana Maslany, Jake Johnson, Charlie Hall, Jon Michael Hill

Critics Consensus: Sally Wainwright strikes the right chord in this uproarious delight, including a gusty cast of Riot Women who fiercely showcase their right to rock, no matter their age.

Starring: Joanna Scanlan, Rosalie Craig, Tamsin Greig, Taj Atwal

Critics Consensus: Nicolas Cage delivers a gloriously pulpy performance that makes every quip and thwip crackle in Spider-Noir — a dazzling, stylish blend of hard-boiled storytelling and pure comic book verve.

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Lamorne Morris, Li Jun Li, Karen Rodriguez

Critics Consensus: The fate of Westeros comes to a head in a reinvigorated and riveting third season of House of the Dragon, complete with wicked new characters and more thrilling battles, crafting a punchy prequel that matches the expectations of its predecessor.

Starring: Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint

Critics Consensus: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Wonder Man, turning in a sly performance alongside an equally wonderful Ben Kingsley in this low-stakes superhero fare that boasts high-hearted personal drama as its winning factor.

Starring: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Arian Moayed, X Mayo, Olivia Thirlby

Critics Consensus: Fleshing out William Golding’s text with thoughtful observations about boyhood and sharpened by a uniformly terrific troupe of child actors, this retelling of Lord of the Flies seizes the conch shell and commands attention.

Starring: Winston Sawyers, Lox Pratt, David McKenna, Isaac Talbut

Critics Consensus: Shrinking‘s soothing balm of eager humanity shines through in the series’ laugh inducing, heartstring pulling and tender third season.

Starring: Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Harrison Ford, Luke Tennie

Critics Consensus: Off Campus thrives on titillation and the deliberate excavation of relationship dynamics in a whirlwind romance novel adaptation that genuinely cares for the genre and all its pleasurable trappings.

Starring: Ella Bright, Belmont Cameli, Mika Abdalla, Antonio Cipriano

Critics Consensus: Twisty, stylish, and at times gloriously grim, Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole packs enough thrills and unexpected twists to keep you hooked.

Starring: Tobias Santelmann, Peter Stormare, Ellen Helinder, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal

Critics Consensus: Scrubs revives and revamps its signature laughs and cast to deliver another fan-favorite run of medical gags, heartfelt dramedy, and instant fun.

Starring: Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke, Judy Reyes

Critics Consensus: Paradise season 2 invests in its genre fare and delivers another gripping season filled with deeper intrigue, a stellar cast, and captivating drama.

Starring: Sterling K. Brown, James Marsden, Julianne Nicholson, Krys Marshall

Critics Consensus: Amadeus scales historical drama highs through sensational storytelling and divine performances by Will Sharpe and Paul Bettany.

Starring: Will Sharpe, Paul Bettany, Gabrielle Creevy, Rory Kinnear

Critics Consensus: With smart storytelling, high ambition, and enough tension to keep viewers glued to their screen, For All Mankind remains one of television’s most compelling sci-fi sagas.

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Wrenn Schmidt, Coral Peña, Krys Marshall

Critics Consensus: Beef pairs its second season with winning performers and a crackling sense of ingenuity in a saga that Lee Sung Jin perfectly anchors through his mastery of class satire and the unexpected modes of human nature.

Synopsis: A young couple witnesses an alarming fight between their boss and his wife, triggering chess moves of favors and coercion in the elitist world of… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Charles Melton, Cailee Spaeny

Critics Consensus: Steve Conrad zeroes in on the crossroads between the suburbanite mundane and insane with this sly yet telling crime thriller that boasts strong performances by David Harbour and Jason Bateman.

Starring: Jason Bateman, David Harbour, Linda Cardellini, Richard Jenkins

Critics Consensus: Catching lightning in a bottle twice thanks to Anthony Norman’s charm and the ensemble’s delightfully chaotic energy, Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat remains just as funny as it is wholesome.

Starring: Blair Beeken, Alex Bonifer, Warren Burke, LaNisa Renee Frederick

Critics Consensus: Dutton Ranch takes what its predecessor perfected and carries the mantle well in a new town with the same well-worn trappings, perfectly dusted and ripe for entertaining.

Starring: Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Ed Harris, Annette Bening

Critics Consensus: Finding renewed purpose after a major loss, The Four Seasons balances laughter and heartbreak with the confidence of a show settling comfortably into its own rhythm.

Synopsis: Coming off a hard year, our group of friends carries on their tradition of vacationing together — now with a baby in tow. The Four… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tina Fey, Will Forte, Colman Domingo, Marco Calvani

Critics Consensus: Continuing to peek through the satirical façade of socialite life, Your Friends & Neighbors‘ second season digs itself into a deeper and richer character hole, where Hamm, Munn, and Marsden make like bandits and steal the show.

Starring: Jon Hamm, Amanda Peet, Hoon Lee, Olivia Munn

Critics Consensus: The Five Star Weekend soothes and consoles the soul with a quintet of wonderful performances by seasoned actresses whose friendship and humor make viewers feel like one of the gals.

Starring: Jennifer Garner, D'Arcy Carden, Gemma Chan, Regina Hall

Critics Consensus: The Testaments ably continues The Handmaid’s Tale‘s fight through a coming-of-age lens in a slow-burning world builder that features an excellent cast of fresh talent.

Starring: Chase Infiniti, Lucy Halliday, Ann Dowd, Rowan Blanchard

Critics Consensus: Rooster nestles in with humor and heart thanks to Steve Carell’s soothing performance and Danielle Deadwyler’s exuberant support, leading Bill Lawrence’s kind-spirited, good-time new series to lovely heights.

Starring: Steve Carell, Lauren Tsai, Scott MacArthur, Danielle Deadwyler

Critics Consensus: Daredevil: Born Again imbues its second season with rich substance thanks to devilishly good performances, punchier narrative momentum, and well-timed themes befitting this daring crusader.

Starring: Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, Elden Henson, Deborah Ann Woll

Critics Consensus: Marking a belated but welcome return for Tom Hiddleston’s tortured spy, The Night Manager‘s second season is a glamorous and haunted continuation that only gets better as it goes.

Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Olivia Colman, Alistair Petrie

Critics Consensus: Marrying horror and atmospheric storytelling to thrilling effect, Something Very Bad is Going to Happen ably transports newlywed jitters to the surrealist realm of binge-worthy TV.

Starring: Camila Morrone, Adam DiMarco, Ted Levine, Jennifer Jason Leigh

Critics Consensus: Injecting a heavy dose of hormones and humor into the Star Trek universe, Starfleet Academy marks a refreshing tonal shift that proves this franchise still has plenty of new thematic territory to explore.

Starring: Holly Hunter, Sandro Rosta, Karim Diane, Kerrice Brooks

Critics Consensus: Young Sherlock doesn’t aim to recreate Conan Doyle’s work, rather, it takes pride in its liberal adaptation, delivering Guy Ritchie’s signature blend of precise entertainment, sly style, and ingratiating characters.

Starring: Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Dónal Finn, Zine Tseng, Joseph Fiennes

Critics Consensus: Exposing ANTM’s outreageous stunts, behind-the-scenes chaos, and systematic issues, Reality Check delivers a fascinating and compelling look at the cost of fame in early-2000s reality TV.

Starring: Nigel Barker

Critics Consensus: Taking a page out of a fairytale, Bridgerton season four excels at selling a fantasy that, no matter how predictable, is as sweet, steamy, and engrossing as ever.

Starring: Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, Luke Thompson

Critics Consensus: A sturdy adaptation from the Harlan Coben canon, Run Away sprints through a series of twists while never losing steam thanks to James Nesbitt’s committed performance.

Starring: James Nesbitt, Minnie Driver, Ruth Jones, Alfred Enoch

Critics Consensus: Little House on the Prairie dusts off the 70s and enters a new era of conscious creation and adaptation, striking the right balance between nostalgia and inspiration to craft a new and enlivened path for itself.

Starring: Luke Bracey, Crosby Fitzgerald, Alice Halsey, Skywalker Hughes

Critics Consensus: Dan Levy and Rachel Sennott concoct a hilarious send-up of the classic family crime drama genre with witty verve, a stellar ensemble cast, and the assurance that Big Mistakes gets it right.

Starring: Dan Levy, Taylor Ortega, Laurie Metcalf, Abby Quinn

Critics Consensus: No repeat questions here; Malcolm in the Middle aptly returns to its comic antics with assured vigor, and even though Life’s Still Unfair this revival is teeming with success.

Starring: Bryan Cranston, Frankie Muniz, Jane Kaczmarek, Christopher Masterson

Critics Consensus: Ryan Murphy’s Love Story finds a winning pair in Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon as they embody the tragic, lovely, and shining aspects of John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette in a mindful yet entertaining new series.

Starring: Sarah Pidgeon, Paul Anthony Kelly, Naomi Watts, Grace Gummer

Critics Consensus: Richard Gadd delivers a broodingly bleak sophomore effort that dares to plumb the depths of toxic masculinity and repression in a complex and unsettling tale that makes for unsettlingly good TV.

Starring: Jamie Bell, Richard Gadd, Neve McIntosh, Charlie de Melo

Critics Consensus: Anya Taylor-Joy is Lucky in an entertaining bit of thrilling fare that often promises more than it can deliver but never lets the audience down when it comes to action and intrigue.

Starring: Matthew Rauch, Anya Taylor-Joy, Timothy Olyphant, Annette Bening

Critics Consensus: Standing on the precipice of overstaying its welcome, this Silicon Valley farce places its callous, fascinating, and unpleasant personalities front and center to rapturous effect, proving this series has The Audacity.

Starring: Billy Magnussen, Sarah Goldberg, Zach Galifianakis, Lucy Punch

Critics Consensus: Elevated by Javier Bardem’s manic charisma and the genre’s best pulpy intricacies, Cape Fear  revitalizes the revenge thriller and manages to make a noteworthy name for itself.

Starring: Amy Adams, Javier Bardem, Patrick Wilson, Ryan Anthony Holcomb

Critics Consensus: Gripping with few narrative gripes, Steal invests in thrilling heist entertainment with stirring performances by Sophie Turner and Archie Madekwe to rousing effect.

Starring: Sophie Turner, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Archie Madekwe, Andrew Howard

Critics Consensus: A television remake that lightens up the original film’s hellish concept, The ‘Burbs proves to be a good neighbor thanks primarily to Keke Palmer’s crack comedic timing.

Starring: Keke Palmer, Jack Whitehall, Julia Duffy, Paula Pell

Critics Consensus: Against all odds, Monarch continues to pack a striking gut-punch of action-drama by embracing its Legacy of Monsters‘ talent and leading with a cast of rich and complex characters.

Starring: Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons

Critics Consensus: Turning an uncomfortable conceit into an emotionally resonant comedy makes Alice and Steve the best chaotic friends to spend some time with.

Starring: Nicola Walker, Jemaine Clement, Joel Fry, Yali Topol Margalith

Critics Consensus: Packing big performances by Banks and Macfadyen, The Miniature Wife’s premise risks running out of steam, but it keeps the laughs coming and manages not to shrink under pressure.

Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Matthew Macfadyen, O.T. Fagbenle, Zoe Lister Jones

Critics Consensus: Caking on visceral splatter over an engaging takedown of modern beauty standards, Ryan Murphy’s gonzo sci-fi horror is a disgustingly good time, even if its cultural commentary only goes skin deep.

Starring: Evan Peters, Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope, Ashton Kutcher