The best TV series of 2026 so far include The Pitt season 2, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Industry season 4, Hacks season 5, Beef season 2, Widow’s Bay and Lanterns. All 11 picks below premiered between January and August 2026 and have drawn strong reviews from critics.
This list mixes new shows with returning favourites, and it only counts seasons that actually premiered in 2026. Each entry has its confirmed premiere date and the platform it streams on. Availability varies by country, so check your local version of each service before you start a show.
For more picks across genres, browse our series section.
Also read11 Best Movies of 2026 So Far, From Hoppers to The Odyssey
Quick facts: the best shows of 2026 so far
| Show | Premiered | Platform | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pitt | 8 January 2026 | HBO Max | 2 |
| Industry | 11 January 2026 | HBO | 4 |
| A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms | 18 January 2026 | HBO | 1 |
| Shrinking | 28 January 2026 | Apple TV | 3 |
| Paradise | 23 February 2026 | Hulu / Disney+ | 2 |
| The Comeback | 22 March 2026 | HBO | 3 (final) |
| The Testaments | 8 April 2026 | Hulu | 1 |
| Hacks | 9 April 2026 | HBO Max | 5 (final) |
| Beef | 16 April 2026 | Netflix | 2 |
| Widow’s Bay | 29 April 2026 | Apple TV | 1 |
| Lanterns | 16 August 2026 | HBO | 1 |
1. The Pitt (2026)
The second season of the emergency room drama returned on 8 January 2026. It is set ten months after season 1, on the Fourth of July, during what is meant to be Dr Robby’s last shift before a three month sabbatical. Noah Wyle leads the cast again, with Sepideh Moafi joining as the interim senior attending.
The real time format, one shift across the season, still works. Season 2 holds a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, according to figures listed on Wikipedia. It streams on HBO Max.
Why it made the list: No other drama this year has felt as tense or as humane, episode after episode.
2. Industry (2026)
Season 4 of the London finance drama premiered on HBO on 11 January 2026 and ran for eight episodes until 1 March. Harper and Eric start a short-selling fund and go after Tender, a payments startup that turns out to be faking its profits. Kit Harington and Kiernan Shipka are part of a big ensemble.
The season holds a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and HBO has renewed the show for a fifth and final season. In the UK, it airs on the BBC.
Why it made the list: It is the sharpest show on TV about money, power and the people who chase both.
3. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026)
This Game of Thrones prequel premiered on HBO and HBO Max on 18 January 2026. Based on George R. R. Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas, it follows hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his young squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) at a tournament in Ashford, about 90 years before the events of the main saga.
It runs only six episodes and is far lighter than House of the Dragon. Critics responded well: it has a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes. A second season is expected in 2027.
Best for: Thrones fans who want the world without the heavy politics.
4. Shrinking (2026)
The third season of the Apple TV comedy premiered on 28 January 2026 and ran 11 episodes. Jason Segel, Jessica Williams and Harrison Ford return, as Paul’s Parkinson’s symptoms worsen and the group deals with children leaving home, a proposal and a move to San Diego.
The season scored 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. Apple has already renewed the show for a fourth season with the same cast.
Best for: Viewers who want a warm comedy that still takes grief and change seriously.
5. Paradise (2026)
Dan Fogelman’s bunker thriller returned on 23 February 2026, with three episodes on day one and the rest weekly until 30 March. Sterling K. Brown is back as Secret Service agent Xavier Collins, and Shailene Woodley joins the cast. It streams on Hulu in the US and on Disney+ in many other markets.
Season 2 scored 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, up from 86% for season 1. Hulu has ordered a third and final season.
Why it made the list: It kept the twists coming without losing the mystery that made season 1 work.
6. The Comeback (2026)
Lisa Kudrow’s Valerie Cherish returned on HBO on 22 March 2026 for a third and final season. This time Valerie is cast in a new network sitcom, then finds out the scripts were written entirely by AI. Andrew Scott, Abbi Jacobson and John Early join the returning cast.
The season has a 97% Rotten Tomatoes rating and a Metacritic score of 80. The series finale aired on 10 May 2026.
Why it made the list: It is the funniest show of the year about Hollywood, and it got there first on the AI question.
7. The Testaments (2026)
This sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale premiered on Hulu on 8 April 2026 with three episodes. Created by Bruce Miller and based on Margaret Atwood’s 2019 novel, it follows Agnes (Chase Infiniti), raised inside Gilead, and Daisy (Lucy Halliday), a newcomer who is secretly working with the resistance. Ann Dowd returns as Aunt Lydia.
The ten-episode season holds an 88% Rotten Tomatoes rating, and Hulu renewed it for a second season in May 2026.
Best for: Handmaid’s Tale fans and anyone who likes a slow-burn political drama.
8. Hacks (2026)
The fifth and final season of Hacks premiered on HBO Max on 9 April 2026, and the series finale aired on 28 May. Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) chases a comeback show at Madison Square Garden while Ava (Hannah Einbinder) tries to reboot an old project, before a health crisis changes their plans.
The final season has a 97% Rotten Tomatoes rating and a Metacritic score of 87. It ends one of the best comedy partnerships on television on a strong note.
Why it made the list: Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder gave the show a proper send-off.
9. Beef (2026)
Lee Sung Jin’s anthology returned to Netflix on 16 April 2026 with a new story and a new cast. Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan play a wealthy couple, and Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton play a young couple who film the pair’s fight at a country club and use it to blackmail them.
The season holds 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 77 on Metacritic. You do not need to have seen season 1 to follow it.
Best for: Dark comedy fans who enjoy watching a small fight spiral out of control.
10. Widow’s Bay (2026)
Apple TV’s horror comedy premiered on 29 April 2026 with two episodes. Matthew Rhys plays Tom Loftis, the sceptical mayor of a New England island town that may be under a centuries-old curse, who is trying to impress a visiting reporter and boost tourism. Katie Dippold created the show.
It has a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from more than 100 reviews, and Apple renewed it for a second season on 11 June 2026.
Why it made the list: It is the year’s best surprise, scary and funny in equal measure.
11. Lanterns (2026)
DC Studios’ Green Lantern series premiered on HBO on 16 August 2026, with its eight episodes running weekly until 4 October. Kyle Chandler plays veteran Lantern Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre plays new recruit John Stewart, as the two investigate a murder in Rushville, Nebraska.
The show takes a grounded, crime-drama approach to the characters. It has a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, though a second season had not been announced at the time of writing.
Best for: Superhero fans who would rather watch a detective story than another big battle.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best TV series of 2026 so far?
Based on reviews, The Pitt season 2 and Widow’s Bay are among the highest rated, both at 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Hacks and The Comeback, both in their final seasons, are close behind.
Which new shows of 2026 have been renewed?
Widow’s Bay and The Testaments have both been renewed for second seasons. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was renewed before it premiered, with season 2 expected in 2027.
Where can I watch these shows outside the US?
Most stream on HBO Max, Apple TV, Netflix, Hulu or Disney+. Paradise streams on Disney+ in many markets, while Industry airs on the BBC in the UK.
Which 2026 shows ended for good this year?
Hacks and The Comeback both aired their final seasons in 2026. Industry and Paradise have each been renewed for one last season.
For more ranked lists, see our listicles and reviews.
Sources: Premiere dates and review scores from Wikipedia (The Pitt season 2) and individual series pages; critics’ picks from TVLine and /Film; Hacks premiere date from ComingSoon.
