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THE IDEA OF “new” television shows is a little bit of a tricky one these days. Sure, we do still get a fair share of truly new, exciting, unique ideas each year—just look at shows like Severance a couple years ago and Pluribus last year. Shows like last year’s The Lowdown—rich, well-written, character-focused stories—still draw major stars like Ethan Hawke and still hit in a big way for audiences that watch it. If someone was being dramatic and wanted to say original TV was dead, dying, or on life support, there’s plenty of evidence out there to throw in their face.
But at the same time, they aren’t entirely wrong. For one reason or another, so much of the TV landscape—even shows we’re really excited for—are based around something that in one way or another already exists.
Look, we can’t beat too much around the bush: People love nostalgia, people love things they recognize and remember, and it can be pretty hard to get anyone to even attempt to give their attention to something new, let alone get really into it in the way we all like to with the very best of TV. Which is why we kind of have two different options here—people need to be really trusting of word of mouth and really aware when something is a really good new, original show (because no one likes to waste their time with a piece of junk), and we just need to really hope that all the remakes, reboots, reimaginings, and re-whatevers are good.
And they should be! HBO’s Lanterns is modeled after True Detective, stars Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as the titular Green Lanterns, and counts Watchmen genius Damon Lindelof as a producer. Of course it’s good. Below, we’re going to keep track all year. We’re charting the shows we already know are good. We’re charting the shows we think might be good. And we’re charting the shows that may not even come out this year, but if they do… they still might not be good. But, again, say it with us: We’re choosing to be hopeful.
His & Hers (Netflix)
Photo credit: Netflix
Netflix has been really good of late at the pulpy, potboiler, limited series, and His & Hers is the latest in that winning streak. The show follows a detective (Jon Bernthal) and his estranged journalist wife (Tessa Thompson) as they both hunt for answers when a local woman—whom they both have a close connection to—winds up dead. Based on Alice Feeney’s book of the same name, His & Hers is exactly how this kind of show should be: Juicy, fun, easy to watch, and filled with really good actors.
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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO)

Photo credit: HBO
In shrinking its story down to a more intimate one that takes place between the margins of major universe events, Game of Thrones takes a page out of the Andor handbook with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (based on George R.R. Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas). This short series, which follows a big, humble, anxious hedge knight (former professional rugby playerPeter Claffey)and his little friend/squire (Dexter Sol Ansell) is a true breath of fresh air for Thrones fans on both a story and character level. It’s a delight.
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Ponies (Peacock)

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Doesn’t the premise of Ponies just sound fun? This spy series set in ’70s Moscow follows a pair of women working with the CIA who find themselves at the midst of a vast conspiracy when their husbands both die under mysterious circumstances. And those women are played by The White Lotus‘s Haley Lu Richardson and Game of Thrones queen Emilia Clarke. Sometimes something that sounds like a winner just turns out to be one.
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The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins (NBC/Peacock)

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This show about a disgraced former football player (Tracy Morgan) and a documentary filmmaker following him (Daniel Radcliffe) comes from the team behind 30 Rock, so you know you’re going to get several jokes per minute. Plus, Morgan and Radcliffe are no slouches themselves. The show had a special debut in January and will continue on a regular schedule later in February.
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Wonder Man (Disney+)

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At the very least, Wonder Man is among the best shows Marvel ever made—and you could make a case that it’s at the top of the list. Yahya Abdul Mateen II plays the titular hero (aka actor Simon Williams) as the kind of guy we love to love in this sort of story: humble, well-meaning, charismatic, and ambitious. But when he meets fellow actor (and former fake terrorist) Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) and learns that his favorite movie from childhood is being remade by an acclaimed director, everything changes. Wonder Man isn’t just a good Marvel show, but a good show about people, movies, and friendship period. Let’s hope the MCU takes notes from what worked so well here and keeps the streak going in the future.
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The Muppet Show (ABC/Disney+)

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One of America’s great cultural institutions made its grand return in 2026: The Muppet Show! This version—coming from executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg—is directly modeled on the original Muppet Show, which means special guests, musical performances, comedy sketches, and lots of fun. The first episode, which featured special guest star Sabrina Carpenter, was an absolute delight for anyone who likes Kermit, Miss Piggy, and friends (or who just likes laughing and having a good time). For now, it’s just this one episode, but if the reaction is strong enough (and it seems like it might be), the show will come back in full.
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Love Story (FX)

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The latest entry in producer Ryan Murphy’s American Story universe is called Love Story, and follows the romance and life between Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. The show is, however, much better than that tabloid-y description sounds; Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Carolyn, is a star, coming off her Tony-nominated role in the Fleetwood Mac-inspired play Stereophonic. But Paul Anthony Kelly, who plays JFK Jr., is a real discovery—it’s his first role (he was previously a model), and he truly feels like a reincarnation of the late attorney/magazine publisher/dashing public figure. Of course, this is a story that ends in an extreme tragedy—so if you get invested, be sure to have your tissues ready.
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Neighbors (HBO)

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This wild documentary series looks at different disputes between neighbors, telling compelling and often escalating true stories that will truly floor you in the depiction of their very-real truth. Think about this less as a story about the legalities of these disputes, and more a look into some larger-than-life characters through an often trippy, absurd lens. The series is produced by Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein, coming off of their recent success on the Oscar-nominated Marty Supreme.
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Scrubs (ABC)

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The new season of Scrubs brings back almost all of the original cast, including Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and Sarah Chalke. And audiences who love and/or remember that trio and most of the show’s original dramedy premise should be pleased with this new version of the beloved aughts sitcom. The last season aired in 2010, so we’re OK with calling this 16-years-later revival a ‘new’ show.
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DTF St. Louis (HBO)

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DTF St. Louis follows trio of languishing adults—played by the electric trio of Jason Bateman, Linda Cardellini, and David Harbour—who get involved in a love triangle and general madness that results in one of them winding up dead. You may think you have an idea of what you’re getting into with this show based on the cast and that premise, but believe us—all of your expectations will be upended. DTF St. Louis is a tonal balancing act, a show that bounces between hilarious dark comedy, compelling mystery, and gutting, relatable drama. It’s one of the best shows of the year.
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Marshals (CBS)

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The second age of Yellowstone begins in earnest with Marshals, a 13-episode drama that airs on CBS (and streams on Parmaount+ either simultaneously or a day later, depending on which tier of subscription you have). The series focuses on Luke Grimes’s character Kayce, and how an old SEAL Team leader (Logan Marshall-Green) recruits him into his Marshal squad. There’s at least one more Yellowstone spinoff coming in 2026—Dutton Ranch—and so this is the one leading the charge.
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Young Sherlock (Prime Video)

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One of the busiest men in show business these days—on both the big and small screen—is Guy Ritchie, and his newest endeavor takes him back to a world he’s inhabited a couple times before. Young Sherlock follows, well, a Young Sherlock Holmes. And as you can imagine, it follows Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective as he solves a mystery. Hero Fiennes Tiffin plays the titular character, and Colin Firth is also part of the show’s cast. If you’re into that, you’ll have a fun time! It’s an enjoyable show.
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Vladimir (Netlfix)

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The erotic thriller is back! Or, well, juicy erotic character study dramedy? Whatever we want to call it, Netflix’s Vladimir is one of the year’s most exciting new shows. Based on the novel of the same name, this show follows a longtime literature professor at a college (Rachel Weisz, constantly breaking the fourth wall) who finds herself in the midst of controversy when her fellow professor husband (John Slattery) gets caught sleeping with students. She takes this as an opportunity to switch things up a bit, and so she becomes smitten with her very hot new colleague (Leo Woodall). It’s a fun, zippy, juicy time—and kind of like if Deadpool was actually about a smart woman in academia who’s spinning her wheels and maybe just a little bit horny.
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Rooster (HBO)

Photo credit: HBO
From the mold of Ted Lasso and Shrinking comes Rooster, which stars Steve Carell and counts Lasso and Shrinking co-creator Bill Lawrence (who also made Scrubs and Cougar Town) as its showrunner. Carell plays an author who heads to help his professor daughter on a college campus… and becomes enamored with life there. Imagine Back to School but with some middle-age soul-searching and academia at play? Sure! HBO’s got another winner on their hands with this one—and maybe Carell can get the Emmy that he somehow never got for The Office.
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Scarpetta (Prime Video)

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There are 29 books in the Scarpetta series, and, now, one TV show on Prime Video starring Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis. The series follows forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta (Kidman) as she solves a crime—but the show is so much more than just that. In a way, Scarpetta is destined to fit into Prime Video’s roster of rock-solid procedural murder mysteries, which also includes Reacher, Cross, Bosch, and plenty more. But it’s got a little bit of an extra chaotic oomph—helped out by the star-studded cast that also includes Bobby Cannavale and Simon Baker—that make it worth your while and a unique, fun show.
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Sunny Nights (Hulu)

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Sunny Nights, which aired in Australia last year, now makes its U.S. debut on Hulu. The premise is simple: A pair of siblings (played by the very funny Will Forte and D’Arcy Carden) want to start a spray tan business, but wind up entrenched in the criminal underworld. Whoops! Forte and Carden have been two of our finest comedic actors for a while—with ability to play depth in addition to that humor—and the show thrives when they’re at their strongest. A solid watch for anyone looking for something light but compelling.
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The Madison (Paramount+)

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This series—from Yellowstone super writer/producer Taylor Sheridan—follows Stacy Clyburn (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her family, as they move from the busy, stressful world of New York City to a more rustic setting out in beautiful Montana after a totally unforseen tragedy. Kurt Russellplays her husband, Preston, with his usual endless charisma, while the supporting cast includes the likes of Matthew Fox and Suits star Patrick J. Adams. Sheridan does his usual zigging and zagging in The Madison—the tone can sometimes shift from very sad to zany and comedic, and, as usual, there’s a bit of social commentary speechifying buried in almost every scene. But if you’re on board with the writing style he uses in shows like Yellowstone and Landman, you’ll probably be OK with it here, especially if you’re ready for a heavier and more contemplative tone. This show was originally planned to be part of the Yellowstone connected universe, but those plans have since been changed; It’s now a new story, but with that Montana setting, you still get to look at all sorts of beautiful landscapes.
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Jury Duty: Company Retreat (Prime Video)

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After striking gold a couple years ago with Jury Duty, Prime Video gives its grand Truman Show-esque experiment another try with a second season called Company Retreat. This time around, we follow a regular guy who thinks he’s working as a temp for a hot sauce company and joining them on their annual company bonding retreat. Of course, everyone around him is actually an actor in a scripted, engineered situation. It’s a little goofier than the first season, but seeing how everything plays out is compelling, often very funny television nonetheless. A worthy follow-up, and, honestly, we might just watch these as long as they feel like making them.
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Bait (Prime Video)

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Riz Ahmed is the creator and star of Bait, a show about an actor who thinks he’s about to get offered the role of a lifetime—James Bond!—and the madness that spirals out of such a revelation. If you’re a fan of Ahmed’s (and why wouldn’t you be?) this will be a fun ride.
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Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen (Netflix)

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Camila Morrone (Daisy Jones and the Six) and Adam DiMarco(The White Lotus) are set to get married in this horror series from showrunner Haley Z. Boston (who worked on the very underrated Brand New Cherry Flavor) and producers The Duffer Brothers. And not to oversell, but Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is the best horror show I’ve seen in quite some time. While the show plays with familiar settings and tropes—you may think of Ready or Not or Midsommar during the show’s eight episodes—it’s so filled with Ari Aster-esque dread and stunning, striking camera work that it doesn’t even matter. Horror fans are in for an absolute treat with this one.
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Malcolm In The Middle: Life’s Still Unfair (Hulu/Disney+)

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The beloved ’90s and 2000s sitcom Malcolm in the Middle makes its grand return with Life’s Still Unfair, a four-part limited series that picks up with our favorite parents and brothers 20 years after the show aired its last episode in 2006.Frankie Muniz, now also a NASCAR racer, and Bryan Cranston, now a seven-time Emmy winner, are among those returning. If you loved the original series, you’ll probably love this too.
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The Audacity (AMC/AMC+)

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If you’ve been missing a Succession-style dramedy in your life, you can do worse than AMC’s The Audacity (considering creator Jonathan Glatzer worked on Succession before moving to AMC for this project). This show is a Silicon Valley satire centered on a CEO and his personal shrink, with a very charismatic cast that includes Billy Magnussen, Zach Gaifianakis, and Barry star Sarah Goldberg.
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Margot’s Got Money Troubles (Apple TV)

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Based on the book of the same name, Margot’s Got Money Troubles is Apple TV’s best-reviewed series of the year so far, with a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes as of press time. It’s also the streamer’s most star-studded new series of the year, with newly minted Academy Award nominee Elle Fanning leading a cast that also includes Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Greg Kinnear, and more. The story follows Margot (Fanning), who finds herself pregnant and pivots to resources like OnlyFans to support herself. As part of her journey, she seeks out the advice of her professional wrestler father (Offerman)—and things only get wilder and wilder from there.
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This Is a Gardening Show (Netflix)

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The title says it all. In This Is a Gardening Show, Zach Galifianakis learns to garden, as he shares tips and insights in real time with viewers as he learns them himself. It’s particularly good when you need something to watch as you’re winding down late at night.
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Half Man (HBO)

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Richard Gadd co-stars with Jaime Bell in Half Man, his follow-up series to the Emmy-winning Baby Reindeer from a few years ago. This limited series follows a man (Bell) whose life is totally thrown into a frenzy when his non-blood brother (Gadd) shows up on his wedding day, sending the story into a decades-long examination of their history and bond. Like Baby Reindeer, it’s a brutal, punishing watch, and also a fascinating exploration of masculinity and anger. It’s not easy—but it’s really good.
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Kevin (Prime Video)

Photo credit: Amazon Prime
If you spend time watching something extremely punishing and intense like Half Man and need a palette cleanser to bring you back down a few notches, we highly recommend Kevin. Prime Video’s new adult animation series follows a talking cat named Kevin (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) who finds a new life in Astoria after his owners (one of whom is voiced by Aubrey Plaza, who also co-created the show) break up. The show is a nice, fun time, and has a stacked voice cast that also includes John Waters, Whoopi Goldberg, and Amy Sedaris. MH cover star Charles Melton even pops his voice in for a bit!
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Widow’s Bay (Apple TV)

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Fresh off the success of The Beast in Me, Matthew Rhys leads Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay, where he plays the mayor of a small New England town who refuses to listen to residents who repeatedly tell him the town is haunted. The show is an achievement in tone balancing—it’s both a creepy, Twin Peaks-style surreal horror, and since the showrunner is Parks & Recreation writer Katie Dippold, it comes with quite a funny sense of humor as well. With Atlanta and Station Eleven director Hiro Murai on board, Widow’s Bay is another half-hour victory for Apple TV—and easily one of the year’s must-see new shows.
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Man On Fire (Netflix)

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Normally, we would say that we don’t need another Man on Fire. We would say that the 2004 Man on Fire film, starring Denzel Washington and directed by the late Tony Scott, is perfect. But this TV series stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who already charmed our socks off in 2026 with Wonder Man, so we had no choice but to be on board. And that’s kind of the verdict. Netflix’s Man on Fire is different enough from the 2004 film to not feel like you’re watching too much of a rehash, and just like the movie, it’s got a herculean, charisma-filled performance from a superstar at its center. If you’re interested in an action-filled adventure with heart, Man on Fire is a good way to spend your time.
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The Punisher: One Last Kill (Disney+)

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Guys. It’s Jon Bernthal as The Punisher, going absolutely HAM. If you’ve ever been into this, you’re going to have a great time.
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Gary (FX/Hulu)

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OK. Look. Fine. Gary isn’t a “new show”—it’s a standalone, flashback episode of The Bear. But if we’re including something like The Punisher: One Last Kill, it feels fair to also include Gary, which maybe should be styled “Gary,” since it’s actually an episode meant to bridge the gap between The Bear season 4 and it’s fantastic fifth and final season. The reason we include this episode, though, is becuase it basically feels like a standalone. A flashback following Michael (Jon Bernthal) and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), “Gary” shows both actors at their absolute best; It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you tense, and by the end, it’ll break your heart. The episode is also co-written by those two stars, and shot on film to convey its flashback nature, looks absolutely amazing. Whether you want to call Gary (or “Gary”) a movie, a show, a special, or anything in between… it’s one of the best things you can watch in 2026.
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Dutton Ranch (Paramount+)

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Yes, another Yellowstone spinoff! This one follows Rip (Cole Hauser) and Beth (Kelly Reilly) in their new lives on the new (see the ending of the main Yellowstone show) Dutton Ranch, now located in Texas. Of course, nothing is ever easy—and so it doesn’t take long for Beth to find her match in a new rival played by the great Annette Bening. One other major cast addition? The legendary Ed Harris, who always lights up whatever TV show (Westworld) or movie (A History of Violence, The Truman Show, Love Lies Bleeding, etc.) he’s in.
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Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed (Apple TV)

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Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black, She-Hulk, Keeper) leads Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, where she plays a mom who gets involved in a dark suburban conspiracy thriller world of blackmail, murder, and youth soccer. It’s a dark, fun, wild show, with a spiritual connection to Your Friends and Neighbors, which debuted last year with Jon Hamm and dealt with similar subject matter. Jake Johnson, who is always wonderful, is used to perfection here.
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The Boroughs (Netflix)

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Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Clarke Peters, Alfre Woodard, and Bill Pullman lead The Boroughs, a series produced by The Duffer Brothers centered on a retirement community where an alien threat looms. Due to the Duffers’ involvement, the show comes in the shadow of Stranger Things ending—but it more than stands on its own, bringing a fun story of sci-fi horror (in the style of Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter) to life.
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Spider-Noir (Prime Video/MGM+)

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Nicolas Cage reprises the role he made famous in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in Spider-Noir, a, well, noir-influenced Spider-Man story. Spider-Noir takes influence not only from the comics (there have been a number of Spider-Man Noir series) but even more directly from 1930s detective movies; Cage plays Ben Reilly as basically an extension of an old Humphrey Bogart character. You can watch in either black and white or color, and while we’d suggest black and white, there’s merit in both—the colors in the color version are really well chosen and pop off the screen. But most importantly, it’s just a fun detective mystery, populated with characters Spider-Man fans already know and love like Sandman, Tombstone, and Robbie Robertson.
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Cape Fear (Apple TV)

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After film adaptations in both 1962 and 1991, Cape Fear now comes to us in the form of a star-studded TV series on Apple TV. This time, Javier Bardem plays the sinister role of Max Cady (previously taken on by a pair of legendary Roberts in Mitchum and De Niro), a convict seeking revenge on a married lawyer couple (Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson) responsible for his incarceration. The show captures the dread always present in this story, and updates it wonderfully for the modern day. Bardem is one of the most legendary villain actors we have, and he’s chewing the scenery at his best here. Looking for even further reason to hop on? Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese(who directed the 1991 film) are on board as producers. Just press the play button already!
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Pop Culture Jeopardy (Netflix)

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OK, so Pop Culture Jeopardy isn’t new. This Colin Jost-hosted Jeopardy! spinoff has actually moved to Netflix after airing a first season on Prime Video a year ago. But we never included it before, and a lot of people are probably discovering it for the first time now that Netflix is the host. And let’s just put it simply: If you’re the kind of person reading a list of the Best New TV Shows of 2026, you’re probably the kind of person who is perfect for Pop Culture Jeopardy. Throw this on and put your knowledge of everything from blockbuster movies to recent TV endings to social media influencers to the test. If you feel good, maybe consider trying out for the next season!
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Alice and Steve (Hulu)

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Relationships of all sorts—including the fairly taboo—are explored in Hulu’s new comedy series Alice and Steve. The titular characters Alice (Nicola Walker) and Steve (Flight of the Conchords legend Jemaine Clement) have been friends for decades, and now both in the 50s find themselves in different spots in life. Alice is happily married to a (slightly) younger man, while Steve is divorced—and unhappy with where life has led him. Alice tells him that it’s not too late and he can still have his perfect family life, but just needs a younger woman. One thing leads to another, however, and Steve eventually winds up romantically involved with Alice’s 26-year-old daughter. Yikes! That sounds like quite the odd premise, and that kind of relationship-testing oddity is exactly what makes Alice and Steve such a compelling social dramedy.
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Not Suitable for Work (Hulu)

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Sometimes a good old classic sitcom can be just what the doctor ordered, and that’s exactly what Not Suitable for Work is. From Mindy Kaling, this sitcom imagines a group of young people living in New York City’s Murray Hill neighborhood and navigating life and a career in the modern day. It’s not reinventing the wheel, but it’s like a new take on Friends—and it’s fun!
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Lucky (Apple TV)

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Lucky finds Anya Taylor-Joy back on TV for the first time since The Queen’s Gambit, this time as a reformed criminal getting involved with one last Las Vegas heist. The show is based on the book of the same name and also includes Drew Starkey and Timothy Olyphant in its cast.
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The Hawk (Netflix)

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Sure, we already got Stick with Owen Wilson on Apple TV last year. But who’s going to say no to The Hawk, a Golf comedy co-created by and starring Will Ferrell? Molly Shannon, Jimmy Tatro, and Chris Parnell also star. If you’re game for some Will Ferrell shenanigans—whatever form that may take in the year 2026—this is where you need to go.
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The Westies (MGM+)

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The Westies isn’t breaking new ground. But if someone told you there was an ’80s New York City-set crime drama that featured JK Simmons as the leader of an Irish crime syndicate and Titus Welliver as a cop intertwined with him, and the two have known each other their entire lives… doesn’t that just sound rock solid? The Westies is rock solid.
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Ride or Die (Prime Video)

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Ride or Die is a perfectly servicable spy comedy. But you want to see Ted Lasso‘s Hannah Waddingham as a secret assassain, don’t you? She already got to accompany Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, and now she gets to try the Ethan Hunt suit on herself in this fun two-hander where he co-lead is the great Octavia Spencer.
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The Shards (FX)

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The Shards was a very compelling novel by Bret Easton Ellis, a tale of murder, sex, and mania in the California-set ’80s. The TV series adaptation now arrives on FX via Ryan Murphy, with Kaia Gerber, Igby Rigney, and Homer Gere among those playing key roles. And while it doesn’t cut quite as deep as Ellis’s book, it comes close enough—and makes for a neon-drenched, fun, spooky, ’80s time. Worth a shot if you ever give any Murphy stuff a shot, or if you want a fun and provocative story to sink your teeth into.
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Sterling Point (Prime Video)

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Sometimes you just need a cozy, warm, delightful teen drama—and Sterling Point is just that. Prime Video’s series comes from creator Megan Park, who was behind acclaimed films The Fallout (with Jenna Ortega) and My Old Ass (with Aubrey Plaza), and now brings her talents to episodic television. Much of the success of Sterling Point hinges on its cast, and lead actress Ella Rubin, who cut her teeth in major projects like Anora and Until Dawn, proves to be more than up to the task as Annie, while veteran actors Jay Duplass, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Missi Pyle are there to hold down the fort with their years of experience. Plus: Mark Ruffalo’s son, Keen Ruffalo, is a charisma bomb as Annie’s twin brother, Connor. You’ll have a good time with this—and devour the eight-episode first season in no time.
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Lanterns (HBO)

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Lanterns is the latest live-action TV chapter of James Gunn’s new DC Universe, and it feels like something of a cross between True Detective and what you might imagine in a superhero show. There’s a superpowered team working on Lanterns behind the scenes, though, as the show was co-created by Ozark‘s Chris Mundy, comic book writer Tom King, and TV legend Damon Lindelof. There are certainly shades of Lindelof’s Watchmen here, as Lanterns is far more complex than you typical superhero fare. But beyond that, the show really works thanks to the incredible chemistry between its two lead characters, Green Lanterns John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler). It’s a great watch, and you’re going to want to be a part of this ride.
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Furious (Hulu)

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Furious is, with ease, not only one of the best new shows of the year, but one of the best shows period. This take on a crime drama comes from creator Elizabeth Meriwether (who previously led New Girl and The Dropout), and follows an FBI agent named Alice (a fantastic Emmy Rossum) as she tracks the case emerging around a young female serial killer (an equally fantastic Lola Petticrew). I’ve been telling people that Furious kind of feels like a cross between Killing Eve and Twin Peaks without the weirdness, but that’s not even doing it justice—it’s just a great crime show, and one that feels uniquely 2026 in ways that will become immediately obvious from the very first episode. Plus, a couple of our favorite guys—Scoot McNairy and Jake Lacy—really get a chance to shine as conflicting NYPD detectives and men in Alice’s life. This show is great. And season 2 is already in the works.
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The Traitors: New Blood (NBC/Peacock)

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The cutthroat reality competition series returns with a spinoff (of sorts) that’s really just the same The Traitors that we know and love—but with all regular, non-celeb players. If you’re in it for the gameplay and the drama, you’ll be in it once again. And, of course, Alan Cumming is hosting, which makes it worth every second he’s on screen.
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Neagley (Prime Video)

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Reacher season 4 may have come to an end, but fans get a treat right after: a spinoff for one of Jack Reacher’s best friends and closest colleagues, Frances Neagley (Maria Sten). The show is a pretty similar form of action-focused mystery, and you’ll be hooked pretty damn quickly.
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Brothers (Apple TV)

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Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson play a version of themselves in Brothers, a comedy that posits the idea that the True Detective duo and longtime friends are actually siblings related by blood. Sure! Why not.
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East of Eden (Netflix, 10/1)

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The famous novel by John Steinbeck comes to life this year as a Netflix limited series led by a cast that includes Florence Pugh, Mike Faist, Christopher Abbott, and Tracy Letts. Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather, Elia Kazan, directed the 1955 film that starred James Dean, is on board for this one as the writer and executive producer.
Get Jiro (Adult Swim, 10/3)

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This animated series drops viewers into a future Los Angeles where elite chefs control the city, and our hero, Jiro (voiced by Reacher season 3 star Brian Tee) finds himself on a blood-filled quest for revenge. Based on a graphic novel from—who else?—the late Anthony Bourdain.
Carrie (Prime Video, October 7)

Photo credit: Amazon Prime
For his first project under his new deal with Amazon, Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, Midnight Mass, etc) is tackling a series adaptation of Stephen King’s novel Carrie. Yes, this novel has been adapted many times before. But in updating it to the present and taking on the TV series format, the show should be pretty different from anything we’ve seen before.
Below (Netflix, 10/8)

Photo credit: Netflix
Guys. It’s Josh Hartnett in a Jaws-esque story, in a small town surrounded by water, taking on a sea monster. Mackenzie Davis and Charlie Heaton are also a part of the cast. We have never been more in, especially in a year where coastal horror is all the rage in the aftermath of Widow’s Bay. Give it to us now!
Crystal Lake (10/15, Peacock)

Photo credit: Peacock
Crystal Lake takes the Hannibal approach to Friday the 13th, slowplaying its story from the beginning and focusing on Pamela Voorhees, Jason’s mother, played here by Linda Cardellini. We’re excited for this one.
Vision Quest (10/14)

Photo credit: Marvel Studios
Five years after White Vision jetted off at the end of WandaVision, Marvel fans will finally get some answers. Paul Bettany returns to his famous android role a Vision for VisionQuest, which should hopefully feel like a spiritual sequel to WandaVision and Agatha All Along, even though its got different writers. The great James Spader will also be reprising his role from Avengers: Age of Ultron as Ultron, so it’s pretty clear we’re going to get some A+ robot stuff.
Prodigies (Apple TV, 2026 TBA)

Photo credit: Matt Winkelmeyer – Getty Images
Prodigies is a comedy series coming to Apple TV about about a couple (Will Sharpe and Ayo Edebiri) who were both former child prodigies… and are now trudging along in their 30s, wondering if they made do on their promise or not. Sharpe is also the creator of the show.
12 12 12 (Apple TV, 2026 TBA)

Photo credit: Jeremychanphotography – Getty Images
Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan (a duo who first worked together in the movie Synchronic) lead 12 12 12, a heist thriller set around a crime in Zurich, Switzerland.
Superfakes (Peacock, 2026 TBA)

Photo credit: Amy Sussman – Getty Images
This mystery thriller follows a counterfeit dealer (Lucy Liu) who gets involved with a black market underground world of crime in order to grow her operation. Industry‘s Ken Leung also stars.
Dig (Peacock, 2026 TBA)

Photo credit: Rich Polk/2026GG – Getty Images
Amy Poehler may be the first ever Golden Globe-winning podcaster for her work on her excellent Good Hang podcast, but she’s still an A+ comic actor at her heart. This year, she’ll re-team with Parks and Recreation creator Michael Schur for an archeology comedy called Dig, which will count Hugh Laurie and Geraldine Visnawathan among its cast members. Sounds good and funny!
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