Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Total Film
Total Film
Entertainment
Emma-Jane Betts

The best new TV shows to watch in 2026

Stranger Things: Tales from '85 cast.

We may be well into the second quarter of 2026, but some of the best new TV shows are still to come. As we head into the summer, get ready to return to the Upside Down and Westeros, as well as new small-screen entries in Marvel Phase 6 and the DCU Chapter One.

In short, there's a lot to keep track of across all the best streaming services in the coming months. You won't want to miss a thing, which is why we've rounded up all the biggest highlights heading our way this year. They're ordered by release order, with a lowdown of what to expect from each.

Plus, we update this page regularly as new shows get announced or hit our screens, so keep an eye out as 2026 progresses.

Upcoming 2026 TV shows

Stranger Things: Tales from ’85

(Image credit: Netflix)

Release date: April 23, 2026
Available on: Netflix

The main Stranger Things series may be over, but Netflix is far from done with the IP. Stranger Things: Tales From '85 is an upcoming animated show that will be set between seasons 2 and 3 or the main story. While we don't know a lot of details about this offshoot, we do know that there will be new monsters and a fresh adventure involving the Upside Down yet again with Stranger Things staple characters too. Hopefully, this animated venture can bring us all together after that very decisive season 5 ending.

Devil May Cry season 2

(Image credit: Netflix)

Release date: May 12, 2026
Available on: Netflix

Season 2 of the Capcom video game adaptation is arriving on Netflix in just a few months. "I'm allergic to formula. I dislike when successful shows turn into comfort food," showrunner Adi Shankar has said. "Devil May Cry won’t be TV that loops. My mission for season 2 was to capture the feeling of a 2000s film franchise entry where the audience can’t predict the next turn." Season 1 proved to be a huge hit for Netflix, so let's see if the next installment in Dante's adventures can match its predecessor.

Good Omens season 3

(Image credit: Amazon)

Release date: May 13, 2026
Available on: Prime Video

It's been almost three years since season 2 aired, but Good Omens season 3 is very much still happening and will be hitting our small screens on May 13. However, before we get too excited, this isn't going to be a regular full season, but instead just a single 90-minute episode to wrap up the story for good. As a Terry Pratchett fan girl, Good Omens holds a special place in my heart, so I'm excited to finally see the adaptation get a proper end. Hopefully, Crowley and Aziraphale will get reunited!

Rick and Morty season 9

(Image credit: Adult Swim)

Release date: May 24, 2026
Available on: HBO Max/Hulu

Though it hasn't even been a full year since season 8, season 9 is already almost upon us. The synopsis reads, "Rick and Morty is back, baby! Season Nine is all certified bangers. No AI slop! Just Grade A organic slop, made by real humans with real human traits like back hair and cysts. Please watch, or we'll have neglected our families for nothing." Oh, and season 10 is currently in development.

Spider-Noir

(Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)

Release date: May 25/May 27, 2026
Available on: MGM+/Prime Video

Nicolas Cage reprises his character from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in the spin-off series Spider-Man Noir, releasing this Spring on MGM+ and Prime Video. The show is getting a black-and-white release alongside a "period-inspired" color version. Set in an alternate 1930s New York, the show follows P.I. Ben Reilly (Cage) as he deals with a spider bite that gives him the ability to spin webs and swing through the Big Apple.

Cape Fear

(Image credit: Apple TV)

Release date: June 5, 2026
Available on: Apple TV

A fresh take on Cape Fear is arriving soon to Apple TV. The show, based on Martin Scorsese's 1991 thriller (which is based on the 1957 John D. MacDonald's novel titled The Executioners), stars Javier Bardem, Amy Adams, and Patrick Wilson. Bardem plays Max Cady, a killer who is planning revenge against the attorneys who sent him to prison: Wilson's Tom and Adams' Anna.

Sugar season 2

(Image credit: Apple TV)

Release date: June 19, 2026
Available on: Apple TV

Fresh off one of the more mind-bending plot twists in recent years, Colin Farrell's John Sugar is back on the case for a second season that pretty much demands to be watched once you know about that character reveal. Sugar season 2 sees John "tracking the troubled older brother of an up-and-coming local boxer as his search for his beloved missing sister continues". The synopsis continues, "As the investigation expands into a city-wide conspiracy with sinister intentions, Sugar must reckon with himself to answer the question – how far will he go to do what’s right?"

House of the Dragon season 3

(Image credit: HBO)

Release date: June 2026
Available on: HBO Max

That's right, another upcoming Game of Thrones show is releasing in 2026, and it also just so happens to be the next installment of one of the best HBO Max shows on streaming right now as well. House of the Dragon season 3 may not have a release date yet, but since it has officially wrapped filming and likely won't want to clash with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, we are predicting we will see it sometime around June. That's just speculation on our part, but what we do know is that the Targaryens are still fighting, and that their upcoming antics will be leading us to the events of the already confirmed House of the Dragon season 4.

Lucky

(Image credit: Apple TV)

Release date: July 15, 2026
Available on: Apple TV

Lucky is a limited series hailing from Apple TV, which stars Anya Taylor-Joy in her first television role since 2020's Netflix hit The Queen's Gambit. "When a multi-million-dollar heist goes sideways, con artist Lucky is forced to go on the run. Pursued by both the FBI and a ruthless crime boss, Lucky must fight for her life – and a way out," reads the synopsis. The first, action-packed trailer has already been released.

Lanterns

(Image credit: John P. Johnson/HBO Max)

Release date: August 2026
Available on: HBO Max

The next small-screen installment in James Gunn's DCU Chapter One is Lanterns. The new series will follow veteran member of intergalactic peacekeeping organization the Green Lantern Corps Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) as he trains up new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) while they investigate a murder in Nebraska. Gunn has previously compared the show to True Detective and The Leftovers showrunner Damon Lindelof is on board as co-creator, so we're expecting big things. The show was initially rumored to premiere in the first few months of 2026, but HBO surprised fans by officially announcing the later release window back in November. With Supergirl geared up to hero-land in cinemas on June 26, comic book lovers have now been left wondering whether it'll arrive before or after we catch up with Superman's wild cousin Kara Zor-El.

TBC 2026 TV shows

Ted Lasso season 4

(Image credit: Apple TV)

Release date: Summer 2026
Available on: Apple TV

Jason Sudeikis's titular character proved he can get knocked down and get up again when Ted Lasso was greenlit for a surprise new season, following its third and final chapter aired in spring 2023. In the new installment, the optimistic football-loving mogul is set to return to the world of goals and knee-high socks as a coach for a local women's team. And this time? He's sharing the sideline with Sex Education star Tanya Reynolds.

Hannah Waddingham will also be back as Rebecca Welton, as will Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent and Annette Badland as pub owner Mae.

VisionQuest

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Release date: TBC 2026
Available on: Disney Plus

It's been a long time coming, considering that VisionQuest was announced to be in development all the way back in 2022, but we finally know that the upcoming Marvel show will be with us sometime in late 2026. Created by Terry Matalas, the upcoming series focuses on the superpowered android and former Avenger known as Vision; however, reports on the portnetail story of the show indicate that he could technically be "White Vision" now. In classic Marvel fashion, plot details are being kept secret at the moment, so keep your eye on this page for more updates.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 2

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

Release date: TBC 2026
Available on: Disney Plus

If you love animation and superheroes as much as we do, chances are you are excited for the upcoming release of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 2 as well. Set in an alternate timeline to the rest of the MCU movies and shows that have Spidey in them, this series is an origin story following a Peter Parker who gets his abilities through a temporal paradox thanks to Doctor Stranger's antics. The style of the first season blew us away, and we can't wait to see what the next outing brings us.


For more on new releases, check out our lists of the most exciting movie release dates to look out for and upcoming DC movies and shows.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.