Get ready for a big year on the couch, thanks to Elle Woods, Kayce Dutton, Laura Ingalls and a Westeros knight
Let’s begin by saluting the TV series that came to an end in 2025. Stranger Things, You, The Handmaid’s Tale, Andor, Cobra Kai and The Sex Lives of College Girls all provided solid entertainment and gave us something to do on a lazy Friday night. Sob! To quote Boys II Men (as one does), it’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday! Still, as a professional TV watcher, I assure you that these dearly departed shows would want you to move on. So cheer up because there’s an absurd amount of TV to fill your heart—and your schedule—in 2026.
The theme? What’s past is present. This year’s fresh crop features remakes, prequels (Elle Woods, is that you?!), spinoffs, sequels, throwbacks and a retelling of a modern-day tragedy courtesy of the uber-producer who brought us American Crime Story and Monsters. And keep in mind that some of the buzziest series have yet to even make a peep—after all, a year ago absolutely nobody predicted that a gay hockey romance from Canada called Heated Rivalry would catch fire in the ether.
We’ve rounded up 10 picks that are coming in hot with impressive star power, promising premises and Emmy potential. And because we care that much, we’ve included a rundown of returning favorites too. Ready to plop on the sofa and tune in? Good. Meet your new favorites.
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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Release date: Jan. 18
Where to watch: HBO Max
This is the next chapter of the enduring Westeros story. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, this fantasy is set roughly 75 years after House of the Dragon and 100 years before Game of Thrones—i.e., when the Targaryens still sit on the Iron Throne. It follows two unlikely heroes who wandered Westeros: a young and naive but courageous knight named Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his sharp squire, Prince Aegon “Egg” Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell). Judging from the trailers, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a bit lighter compared with its predecessors … which is just fine, given that we’re still scarred from the Red Wedding.
The Beauty
Release date: Jan. 21
Where to watch: FX, Hulu and Disney+
If The Substance made you squeamish about age and appearance, just you wait. Based on graphic novels of the same name, this sci-fi/body horror series centers around a forever-young super-drug created by billionaires that seems way too good to be true. Two undercover FBI agents (Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall) arrive in Paris, intent on uncovering the truth, and end up trying to evade corrupt officials and a mercenary targeting them.
Ryan Murphy, who kick-started his career with Nip/Tuck in the early 2000s, is a creator and executive producer. And the ensemble includes Ashton Kutcher, Ben Platt, Anthony Ramos, Peter Gallagher, Bella Hadid and Isabella Rosellini.
Love Story
Release date: Feb. 14
Where to watch: Hulu and Disney+
In July 1999, the world was shocked and devastated to learn that John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, were killed after a small plane he was flying crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. This tantalizing and visually striking limited series—the latest in Murphy’s anthology series—chronicles the glamorous (albeit turbulent) relationship between the charismatic political scion (newcomer Paul Anthony Kelly) and the beautiful and elusive Calvin Klein publicity director (Tiny Beautiful Things’s Sarah Pidgeon). The romance spans their meet-cute in New York City in the early ’90s and their private wedding in 1996 to their public feuds and, finally, their tragic deaths. FYI, Naomi Watts plays Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
This is so tightly under wraps, it doesn’t have a website or trailer yet, but it is coming out on Valentine’s Day!
[Editor’s note: Some of the shows noted below do not have their own streaming pages yet. We will add them as they become available.]
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins
Release date: Feb. 23
Where to watch: NBC and Peacock
Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe have teamed up for a mockumentary. Seriously! Morgan is the titular character, a disgraced NFL superstar desperate for a comeback. Banned for life from the league after accidentally revealing on live TV that he bet on his own games, he hires Radcliffe’s Arthur Tobin to film a documentary to win back his fans and his loved ones and maybe even be elected into the Hall of Fame.
The fast-paced comedy, from the folks who made 30 Rock (including executive producer Tina Fey), scores as a smart and hilarious spoof of earnest sports docs like The Last Dance and Beckham. Morgan and Radcliffe, meanwhile, make for an amusing odd couple.
Marshals
Release date: March 1
Where to watch: CBS and Paramount+
Kayce Dutton has left the ranch. In this Yellowstone spinoff, Luke Grimes’s heroic character embarks on a career as a U.S. Marshal. (Hey, he is a Navy SEAL and a cowboy.) Picking up about a year after the end of the flagship neo-Western series, Kayce is now a changed man. Let’s put it this way: Kelsey Asbille, who played his wife, Monica, has not been confirmed to be part of the new series. But Breckin Merrill reprises his role as Kayce’s teen son, Tate—and the series’ showrunner has confirmed that the father-son bond is stronger than ever. Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and his right-hand man, Mo (Moses Brings Plenty), are back too.
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair
Release date: April 10
Where to watch: Hulu and Disney+
Millennials, rejoice! The gang’s (mostly) all here for this four-episode limited revival series. Since we last saw outsider Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) in 2006, he’s gotten married and welcomed a daughter. Now, after shielding his brood from his kooky family for more than a decade, he reluctantly returns to their orbit when parents Hal (Bryan Cranston) and Lois (Jane Kaczmarek) throw a 40th-anniversary party. Christopher Kennedy Masterson and Justin Berfield are also back in the fold as Malcolm’s siblings, with Caleb Ellsworth-Clark replacing Erik Per Sullivan as third brother Dewey. Given Cranston’s presence, there’s got to be some sort of Breaking Bad Easter egg in there, right?
Widow’s Bay
Release date: April 29
Where to watch: Apple TV+
Halloween arrives in April this year, thanks to this creepy 10-part comedy/mystery/thriller about a quaint little town off the coast of New England that happens to be haunted. Emmy winner Matthew Rhys is Tom Loftis, the hapless local mayor desperately trying to revive his struggling community. The problem is that there’s no Wi-Fi, the phone signal is meh and, much to his dismay, the superstitious residents have good reason to believe the island is cursed. Despite these odds, Mayor Loftis is determined to turn the spot into a tourist destination.
This original production was created by Katie Dippold, the writer of Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, The Heat and The Haunted Mansion.
The Testaments
Release date: April
Where to watch: Hulu and Disney+
Blessed be the fruit of Margaret Atwood’s sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, which takes place about 15 years after the events of the original novel and picks back up inside the dystopian Republic of Gilead theocracy. Here, a new generation of women deal with the bleak future that awaits them—not to mention the day-to-day grip of Ann Dowd’s sinister Aunt Lydia. One Battle After Another breakout star Chase Infiniti steps into the role of Agnes, the older version of June and Luke’s daughter, Hannah. (She was renamed in Gilead). Elisabeth Moss, who played heroine June in the OG series, is referenced but does not appear … for now.
Little House on the Prairie
Release date: TBD
Where to watch: Netflix
It’s about time the TikTok generation caught up with Ma, Pa, Mary, Laura and the rest of the Ingalls family. A fresh adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s experiences of growing up in the American West in the 1800s, this reboot of the classic TV show is both a character-driven drama and an epic survival tale of life on the frontier. It also features more modern production values compared with the original 1974–1983 version (pictured above), which aired on NBC and starred Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert.
So who’s bringing the family back to life? Alice Halsey stars as the strong-willed Laura, alongside Luke Bracey as patriarch Charles, Crosby Fitzgerald as matriarch Caroline and Skywalker Hughes as sister Mary.
Elle
Release date: TBD
Where to watch: Prime Video
What, like it’s hard to make a new installment of Legally Blonde? Apparently, the answer is yes. That’s why, instead of the long-awaited third movie about the fashion student turned star lawyer, we have a prequel about Miss Elle Woods. Newcomer Lexi Minetree (she popped up once in Law & Order: SVU) plays the savvy blonde in her formative high school years … before she appeared in a Ricky Martin video, served as president at Delta Nu at CULA or shined at Harvard Law School. June Diane Raphael and Tom Everett Scott play her parents. And the series has not only been blessed by Reese Witherspoon (pictured above)—it’s actually being produced through her Hello Sunshine company.
VisionQuest
Release date: TBD
Where to watch: Disney+
WandaVision: Really great. Agatha All Along: Also really great. So expectations are understandably high for the third installment of this trilogy from the MCU. Paul Bettany returns as Vision, who struggles to regain his memory and humanity after the destructive events in WandaVision. And James Spader, reprising his role of Ultron from 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron film, appears in both robotic and human forms. Series creator Terry Matalas (12 Monkeys) has said that each episode of this series feels like a different genre of film, just as WandaVision used distinct sitcom eras as narrative devices. Let’s tune in and see exactly what he means!
10 returning shows to watch in 2026
- The Pitt (Jan. 8, HBO Max): One of 2025’s breakout series—and your reigning Emmy winner for Outstanding Drama Series—is already back for a second season. This time, the hardworking staffers at the Pittsburgh Medical Trauma Center are dealing with chaos on the 4th of July.
- Shrinking (Jan. 28, Apple TV+): The big-hearted comedy about an unconventional therapist (Jason Segel) and his quirky colleagues levels up in Season Three with the help of two high-profile guest stars: Jeff Daniels and the incomparable Michael J. Fox.
- Bridgerton (Part 1: Jan. 29, Part 2: Feb. 26, Netflix): Season Four, based on the love story in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton book An Offer from a Gentleman, will detail the Cinderella-inspired romance between Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha). Jonathan Bailey’s Viscount Anthony is expected to return as well.
- Paradise (Feb. 23, Hulu and Disney+): In Season Two of the political thriller, Sterling K. Brown‘s Xavier sets out to find his wife, Teri (Enuka Okuma), three years after the apocalyptic event believed to have brought about the end of civilization. It didn’t! Shailene Woodley joins the cast.
- Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans (Feb. 25, CBS): Reality check: Survivor is celebrating its golden season. In honor of the occasion, the entire cast consists of returning players—including Jenna Lewis, Colby Donaldson, Ozzy Lusth, The Traitors favorite Cirie Fields and The White Lotus creator Mike White.
- Outlander (March 6, Starz): Will couple Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) get their happily ever after? The eighth and final season finds the time-traveling couple returning to a changed Fraser’s Ridge during the American Revolutionary War.
- The Boys (April 8, Prime Video): When we last left TV’s boldest and bloodiest superhero satire, supervillain Homelander (Anthony Starr) was in dictator mode and declaring martial law. For the fifth and final act, viewers will learn his ultimate fate—and whether beleaguered hero Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) can ultimately triumph.
- Euphoria (April, HBO Max): After more than four years, the third and likely final season of the provocative drama is finally here with its big-time cast (Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Maude Apatow and Hunter Schafer) fully intact. The Gen Zers are now out of high school and dealing with the real world.
- The Bear (June, Hulu and Disney+): In the 2025 finale of the searing “comedy,” Jeremy Allen White’s Carmy made the shocking decision to leave the restaurant industry. Season Five will likely explore his life outside a chaotic industry, as well as how his famed Chicago eatery will fare in a new era.
- The Hunting Wives (TBA, Netflix): The latest chapter of the raunchy Texas drama starring Malin Akerman (Margo) and Brittany Snow (Sophie) and their fab wigs just started production in November. After that crazy finale, Season Two will pick up after Sophie runs over Margo’s brother with her car. But did he really die?
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Sources:
- Entertainment Weekly: “Y Marshals Showrunner says Kayce Dutton is ‘focused on being a father’ in Yellowstone spinoff”
- Variety: “The Handmaid’s Tale Creator on how the finale sets up sequel ‘The Testaments’ Major Character’s Return to June and whether that was actually a Taylor Swift cameo”
- Tudum: “Return to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie in a new adaptation”
- Apple: “Apple TV unveils a first look at ‘Widow’s Bay,’ a new series starring and executive produced by Emmy winner Matthew Rhys”
- Deadline: “Bridgerton Season 4 Part I trailers highlights Cinderella retelling as Benedict’s Rake meets ‘The Most Intriguing’ Lady in Silver, Sophie Baek”
- The Hollywood Reporter: “Season 3 details revealed by creator”
