TechRadar’s most anticipated shows of 2026: The Pitt season 2, Lanterns, and 28 more exciting TV series
Happy New Year, everyone! 2026 is finally here and, with its arrival, you can expect lots of new TV shows to watch between now and – weird as it is to say just two days into 2026 – December 31.
As TechRadar’s entertainment experts, myself and my colleagues are looking forward to what 2026 has to offer, so we thought it’d be fun to round up our most anticipated TV series that’ll debut on the world’s best streaming services over the next 12 months.
This list isn’t an exhaustive one – indeed, many of this year’s small screen offerings don’t have release dates and/or haven’t even been announced yet. Of those that are due out in 2026, you’ll find them categorized by their launch date/month. Any shows confirmed to arrive this year without a release date are grouped together in a ‘TBC’ section at the end of this article. Here, then, are the 30 most exciting new shows of 2026, as chosen by us. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter.
January
The Pitt season 2 (January 8)
Jasmine Valentine
Somebody get me a doctor – and by that, I specifically mean Noah Wyle’s Doctor Robby. The Pitt season 2 is easily my most anticipated TV show of 2026 because I was completely blown away by the first season last January. I had no expectations for it, but 15 episodes later, with each episode accounting for a single hour, I felt as though I’d done my own shift in the ER. Set 10 months after the hit HBO Max show’s season 1 finale, the show’s next chapter takes place during Fourth of July weekend. Read more about what to expect in our guide on guide on The Pitt season 2.
His & Hers (January 8)
Tom Power
The first potentially big Netflix show of the year, His & Hers sees Marvel pair Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal star in it. A chilling crime drama based on Alice Feeney’s book namesake, Thompson plays Anna, an apathetic news anchor whose passion for journalism is reignited when she pounces on a mysterious murder that took place in a sleepy US town. However, as Anna searches for answers, Detective Jack Harper (Bernthal) grows increasingly suspicious of her actions. Expect plenty of water-cooler discussion when this six-part program drops in a few days time.
A Thousand Blows season 2 (January 9)
Amelia Schwanke
Grab your leather boxing gloves and best fake limb for pickpocketing, because Steven Knight’s Victorian East London world returns this month. Picking up directly where A Thousand Blows‘ first season ended, Hezekiah Moscow, Mary Carr, and Sugar Goodson are all still reeling from the blows they were dealt. Will Hezekiah finally escape London? Can Mary regain the trust of the Forty Elephants? And could Sugar have a change of heart when push comes to shove once more? With everything still to play for, season 2 of the acclaimed Hulu series is already certain to be an explosive one.
Industry season 4 (January 11)
Tom Power
Viewed as the successor to, well, Succession‘s big business drama crown, Industry returns in early January for its fourth season. This time, Pierpoint graduates Harper (Myha’la) and Yasmin (Marisa Abela) become embroiled in a high-stakes, globetrotting game of cat-and-mouse when a new financial tech company makes a splash in London. As their professional and personal lives get warped by money, power, and their burning ambition to be top dog, the pair’s friendship may not be long for this world.
Hijack season 2 (January 14)
Lucy Buglass
I’d watch anything Idris Elba is in, whether it’s Luther or The Suicide Squad, so he was the reason I got into Hijack. I ended up being on the edge of my seat watching as Flight KA29 was you guessed it, hijacked, and a second season of the popular Apple TV original will explore a similar situation on an underground train. I’m not sure which scenario is more heart-pounding and terrifying, but I guess I don’t have long to find out. Here’s hoping season 2 is just as good!
Ponies (January 15)
Tom Power
If Apple TV has become many people’s go-to for sci-fi shows, Peacock is slowly positioning itself as the home for spy-based genre fare. With The Jackal and, more recently The Copenhagen Test, wowing viewers, this thriller series will aim to join them as must-see TV on NBCUniversal’s streamer. Set in Moscow in the late ’70s, Ponies stars Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson as Bea and Twila, who work anonymously as secretaries for the US embassy in Russia. However, when their husbands are killed, they become CIA operatives, and team up to work out who’s responsible for widowing them amid a vast conspiracy.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 (January 18)
Tom Power
The third Game of Thrones TV show – one that takes place between House of the Dragon and Thrones – developed for HBO, this one’s based on another of acclaimed author George R.R. Martin’s beloved book trilogy. Tackling the first novel, titled ‘The Hedge Knight’, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ debut season will introduce us to Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg, a lovable underdog pairing whose tale becomes the stuff of Westerosi legend. Get the full lowdown on what to expect from this six-part program by reading my guide to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1.
Drops of God season 2 (January 21)
Amelia Schwanke
Whether you’re a fan of the manga or were hooked from the first season like me, Drops of God is set to fill our cups with even more mystery, family drama, and sommelier wisdom in its second season. The battle to inherit the legendary, multi-million-dollar wine collection of renowned oenologist Alexandre Léger may be over, but it turns out Léger is still one step ahead. Tasking his estranged daughter and protégé with finding the world’s greatest and most mysterious wine, the Apple TV show’s next entry promises even more twists, puzzles, and globe-trotting adventures than before.
Steal (January 21)
Jasmine Valentine
I’ve been waiting for Sophie Turner to come back to the small screen and now my patience has paid off. Alongside Archie Madekwe and Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, she stars in Steal, a new Prime Video drama following office worker Zara (Turner) who gets caught up in a major heist. She and best friend Luke (Madekwe) work for a pension fund investment company, and must work out why anyone would want to rob them after a gang of violent thieves start to make demands.
Wonder Man (January 27)
Tom Power
Marvel isn’t as reliable as it was when it comes to consistently high-quality content, but this forthcoming Disney+ show has the ingredients to be something special. Billed as a self-award superhero sitcom, Wonder Man will not only poke fun at audience fatigue concerning comic book movie and TV adaptations, but Marvel’s cinematic juggernaut itself and the wider Hollywood production machine. Think the MCU meets The Office meets The Studio, and you’ll be on the right track. Check out my Wonder Man guide for a breakdown of its cast, plot, and more.
Shrinking season 3 (January 28)
Lucy Buglass
Shrinking season 3 is almost here and we’ve got plenty to explore after season 2’s emotional breakthroughs. This Apple TV Original, which stars Jason Segel as therapist Jimmy Laird and, among others, Harrison Ford as his colleague, deals with grief and other complex emotions so well, and balances it all out with plenty of humor. If you haven’t seen Shrinking yet, you’ve got two brilliant seasons to binge before its next installment makes its bow.
Bridgerton season 4 (January 29)
Jasmine Valentine
Goodbye Nicola Coughlan, hello Luke Thompson. Well, he’s already been there, but his character Benedict will be taking over as the show’s focus in Bridgerton season 4. We’ll meet his new love interest Sophie (Yerin Ha) in season 4 episode 1 but, knowing Bridgerton, it’s not going to be a happily ever after courtship straight away. The pair meet as a masquerade ball and it’s up to Benedict’s sister Eloise (Claudia Jessie) to help him find out who she is. Annoyingly, just like its forebear, Bridgerton‘s fourth chapter is being split into two halves, with part 1 dropping on January 29 and part 2 following on February 26, so you’ll have a month’s wait on your hands to find out how volume 1 is resolved once it’s out.
February
The Night Agent season 3 (February 19)
Lucy Buglass
Netflix teased “new thrills, new worlds, new stunts, new characters, and new adventures” in its announcement for The Night Agent‘s third season, so I’m expecting plenty of them when it returns. The political thriller will see Gabriel Basso reprise his role as FBI agent Peter Sutherland, whose career is as high pressure as you can get. I really enjoyed the first two seasons and I look forward to what comes next, especially as House star Jennifer Morrison is part of proceedings this time around. Let’s hope one of the streamer’s biggest TV Originals can maintain it place as well, one of its most popular programs.
Paradise season 2 (February 23)
Lucy Buglass
Paradise season 2 can’t come quickly enough. I was obsessed with the first season because it was so much better than I thought it would be. Indeed, what I assumed was another political thriller ended up shocking me in the best way, and I’m eagerly awaiting more episodes. I have so many questions that need answering, starting with what happens after that epic season 1 finale. I’m canceling all of my plans for late February so I can watch the premiere in peace, and I’d advise you to do the same.
Scrubs (February 25)
Tom Power
I’m no Superman, but I’m more excited than I should be for the revival of one of my all-time favorite comedies. Scrubs was a powerhouse of the early 2000s and, while it ran out of steam towards its end – FYI, we never talk about season 9… – and is a tad outdated these days, it’s still a comfort show I can’t help but revisit on occasion. This soft reboot, which will air on Hulu and ABC in the US – its international home is TBD, but will likely be Disney+ – could be a car crash, but I’m holding out hope that it’ll be a fit, healthy, and happy continuation of the original, and won’t be on life support after its first five episodes.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2 (February 27)
Tom Power
I suspect an eyebrow or two will be raised in my direction over the return of Apple’s Monster-Verse TV show – after all, it wasn’t as well-received as I expected. Nonetheless, we all have our guilty pleasures, and dumb and fun sci-fi action-dramas of this ilk are what I like to unwind with. So, whether you’re fully invested in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ return or, like me, are looking forward to switching your brain off while you stick it on, it deserves a spot on this list. For more ahead of its return, read my guide on Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2.
March
One Piece season 2 (March 10)
Lucy Buglass
Netflix’s live-action adaptation of One Piece was a huge surprise. Not only did its first season stay true to the source material to keep its diehard fans happy, but also did enough to welcome newcomers into the fold who, like me, have baulked at the prospect of watching over 1,000 (!) episodes of the beloved anime. Lots more people are getting into the One Piece universe through this series and that’s something to be celebrated. When One Piece season 2 arrives, we’ll see the Straw Hats venturing into the treacherous Grand Line, where they’ll face tougher foes and bizarre islands as their quest continues for the titular mystical treasure. In short: I can’t wait.
Scarpetta (March 11)
Jasmine Valentine
Nicole Kidman and Jamie-Lee Curtis in an Amazon TV series? Sign me up. We won’t be able to see Scarpetta until March 2026, but I already think it’s in contention to be the TV hidden gem of the year. Adapted from the ‘Kay Scarpetta’ book series, Kidman takes on the synonymous role of the medical examiner intent on unmasking serial killers. It’s set to explore the psychological complexities of both perpetrators and investigators in a way crime shows typically leave out. Intrigued? I know you are.
Daredevil: Born Again season 2 (March, date TBC)
Tom Power
Invincible season 4 (March, date TBC)
Tom Power
“Where’s season 4, Willi-” oh, there it is. Just as its creative team promised, new seasons of Invincible will continue to arrive annually – and Invincible season 4, which returns sometime in March, will continue the trend started by the adult animated series’ second season. So, what awaits Mark Grayson next time around? I’m not going to spoil that, dear reader. If you’re desperate to find out more, though, my Invincible season 4 hub’s story section offers some clues. Be sure to read my Invincible season 3 ending explained article, too, to refresh your memory about how it sets up the show’s fourth outing.
April
Your Friends & Neighbors season 2 (April 3)
Amelia Schwanke
Not ready to say goodbye to Jon Hamm just yet? Apple isn’t either. Season 2 of its entertaining crme drama about a wrongly dismissed hedge fund manager, who turns to robbing his wealthy neighbors to maintain his lifestyle after losing his job and getting divorced, is on the way, with a new neighbor set to shake things up. The first season proved to be an easy albeit uncontroversial watch and there’s little reason to doubt we’ll get more of the same addictive comfort viewing next time around.
The Boys season 5 (April 8)
Tom Power
As one terrific Amazon adaptation – Invincible – prepares to enter its fourth season, another one is about to draw to a close. The Boys season 5 will bring down the curtain on the satirical and dark superhero franchise’s main show, and it promises to be an epic and explosive end. Indeed, The Boys’ last hurrah, which premieres in April, should finally give us the Butcher-Homelander showdown we’ve been waiting for, but there’ll be plenty more besides to enjoy when it makes landfall. Get the full lowdown on it via my guide on The Boys season 5 before it does.
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair (April 10)
Lucy Buglass
Frankie Muniz, Jane Kaczmarek, Bryan Cranston and the gang return for this follow up to Malcolm in the Middle. Set around 20 years after the original, Life’s Still Unfair is a four-part continuation that’ll follow Malcolm, who now lives with his daughter Leah and girlfriend Tristan, and is forced to include them as part of the wider family chaos when his parents demand he come to their 40th wedding anniversary party. It’s going to be a real dose of nostalgia when it lands later this year. Altogether now: “You’re not the boss of me now!”.
The Testaments (April, TBC)
Jasmine Valentine
There’s no need to have The Handmaid’s Tale FOMO anymore, although I don’t think that’s a sentence anyone in modern history has actually said. Sequel series The Testaments comes to screens in April, led by the enthralling Ann Dowd, who played Aunt Lydia in the original series. Following two young women living in Gilead and Canada, we also get to see June’s grown-up daughter for the first time, played by Chase Infiniti. Read the Margaret Atwood book if you want spoilers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll know what’s coming, because I expect some creative liberties to be taken with this one.
Mid- to late 2026
House of the Dragon season 3 (mid-2026, date TBC)
Tom Power
After an incredibly drawn-out second season that – depending on who you ask – did little to move the needle on its depiction of the Targaryen Civil War, I’m hoping House of the Dragon’s next entry will belatedly deliver some fiery and brutal action to go alongside its fantastical melodrama and familial politicking. With the Game of Thrones prequel set to return on HBO Max sometime in mid-2026, we don’t have too long to find out if it will, either. In the meantime, let my House of the Dragon season 3 guide be your, well, guide to its cast and likely story specifics.
Lanterns (mid-2026, date TBC)
Tom Power
James Gunn and Peter Safran’s nascent DC Universe (DCU) continues to take shape this year. And, of the projects currently in development as part of DCU Chapter One, this is one of the most-anticipated. Lanterns, which will respectively star Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler as John Stewart and Hal Jordan, is billed as a sci-fi murder-mystery that’s set in the American heartland. Due out sometime in mid-2026, Green Lantern devotees will hope it helps to exorcise the demons of that terrible film that starred Ryan Reynolds as a member of DC Comics’ iconic space cop agency. Read more about it – Lanterns, not that film – via my Lanterns hub.
X-Men ’97 season 2 (mid-2026, date TBC)
Tom Power
To me, my X-Men! It feels like an eternity since the first season of X-Men ‘97, the direct sequel to beloved Saturday morning cartoon X-Men: The Animated Series, was released. But, with Marvel confirming its second season will air in 2026, the countdown is on towards its return. My X-Men ‘97 season 1 ending explained piece and X-Men ‘97 season 2 guide should be your first ports of call for more on the series’ next entry, too. Now, let’s all hum that iconic theme tune to make the time go faster…
Rivals season 2 (TBC)
Jasmine Valentine
It breaks my heart that Dame Jilly Cooper won’t be around to see Rivals season 2 (the author died after a fall in October 2025), but I just know that new episodes will be even more outrageous in her honor. The first season was the perfect blend of scandal and heart, but we’re only part way through adapted Cooper’s famed book. Season 2 will pick up after Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) was assaulted by Cameron (Nafessa Williams) as their power struggle intensifies, so expect the fallout to be as explosive as you might think it’ll be.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 (TBC)
Tom Power
Stranger Things’ main show might have ended, but Netflix isn’t ready to let go of one of its biggest original franchises just yet. That much is clear with Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85, the universe’s first animated show that’s due out sometime this year. Set between the primary series’ second and third seasons, it’ll reunite us with the likes of Eleven, Mike, and Hopper, but they won’t be voiced by those who played them in the live-action show. Without them or its parent show, Tales From ‘85 will be viewed as the litmus test to see if Stranger Things will not only survive, but thrive in the years ahead.
VisionQuest (TBC)
Tom Power
The final installment of a TV trilogy that began with WandaVision and continued with Agatha All Along, this Paul Bettany-led vehicle will wrap up the Scarlet Witch-Vision story (for now, anyway) in late 2026. Little is officially known about VisionQuest, but it’ll reunite us with White Vision – he was last seen in WandaVision’s finale – and should tie together events in the aforementioned shows. Don’t expect to learn more about it until San Diego Comic-Con 2026 at the very earliest. In the meantime, find out everything we know so far about VisionQuest.