15 Most Exciting Shows Releasing In 2026

15 Most Exciting Shows Releasing In 2026 Finn Bennett as Aerion Targaryen in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms By  Arielle Port Published 24 minutes ago Arielle Port started as a TV producer, developing content for Netflix (Firefly Lane, Brazen) and Hallmark (The Santa Stakeout, A Christmas Treasure) before transitioning into entertainment journalism. Her love of story went from interest to lifelong passion while at The University of Pennsylvania, where she fell in with a student-run web series, Classless TV, and it was a gateway drug. Arielle Port has been a Writer for Screen Rant since August 2024. She lives in Los Angeles with her boyfriend and more importantly, her cat, Boseman. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Add Us On Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

After five years impacted by COVID shutdowns and the WGA-SAG strikes, TV shows are starting to come back in a big way, with highly anticipated shows arriving in 2026. While there are plenty of incredible returning TV shows to binge now before new seasons next year, there are many exciting new TV shows premiering in 2026 as well.

Continuations of beloved TV universes like Game of Thrones and Yellowstone will dominate the conversation, but there are plenty of exciting original series coming soon, too. From A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to Spider Noir, 2026 will be a big year for television.

A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms (HBO)

Release Date: January 18, 2026 (Weekly, 6 Episodes)

Dunk and Egg sitting together in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is HBO’s next expansion of its Westeros-set fantasy universe. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set roughly 75 years after House of the Dragon and about 100 years before Game of Thrones, when the Targaryens still sit on the Iron Throne.

The story follows Ser Duncan the Tall, a well-meaning but rough-around-the-edges hedge knight, played by Peter Claffey. He’s accompanied by his sharp, secretive squire, Prince Aegon Targaryen, known as Egg, portrayed by Dexter Sol Ansell.

Unlike HBO’s previous Westerosi series, the source material is lighter. Based on the trailers, expect a more comedic tone. Ahead of its premiere, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was renewed for season 2.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins (NBC)

Release Date: February 23, 2026 (2-Episode Premiere)

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins stars Tracy Morgan as Reggie, a washed-up former football star attempting a public and personal comeback in this redemption-focused sports comedy. Desperate to repair his reputation, Reggie hires earnest filmmaker Arthur Tobin, played by Daniel Radcliffe, to document his journey back into the good graces of both fans and family.

Paired with NBC’s highly underrated cheerleading comedy Stumble, the network appears to be chasing its own feel-good, sports-adjacent answer to Ted Lasso. The series also excitingly reunites Morgan with 30 Rock creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock.

Radcliffe's involvement in Reggie Dinkins is particularly promising because when he commits to television, the results tend to be strange, inventive, and unexpectedly heartfelt, as seen on Miracle Workers. That combination makes Reggie Dinkins one of the more intriguing comedy bets for 2026.

Love Story (FX)

Release Date: February 2026

Love Story is Ryan Murphy’s next anthology series for FX, formerly titled American Love Story. Season 1’s subject is American royalty: the doomed, media-saturated relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr., played by Paul Kelly, and style icon Carolyn Bessette, portrayed by Sarah Pidgeon.

Love Story also stars Naomi Watts as Jackie Kennedy. Murphy’s strongest work often comes when he applies his maximalist instincts to real history, as seen on American Crime Story. If Murphy balances intimacy with spectacle, Love Story could become one of his most emotionally resonant and visually striking projects to date.

The Testaments (Hulu)

Release Date: April 2026

Fans of The Handmaid’s Tale: blessed be the fruit! The Testaments brings Margaret Atwood’s long-awaited sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale to Hulu, picking up roughly 15 years after the events of the original novel.

The series marks the return of Ann Dowd’s formidable Aunt Lydia, this time anchoring a coming-of-age story centered on a new generation of young women navigating the regime’s grip. One Battle After Another breakout Chase Infiniti stars as Agnes, the older version of June and Luke’s daughter Hannah.

Big Mistakes (Netflix)

Release Date: TBD (8 Episodes)

Details on Big Mistakes remain largely under wraps, but Netflix’s official description frames the comedy as the story of Nicky and Morgan, two “deeply incapable siblings” who find themselves blackmailed into the world of organized crime. Big Mistakes marks Dan Levy’s first series as a creator since Schitt’s Creek.

Levy will also star in the series opposite Rachel Sennott, current star of HBO’s Entourage replacement show I Love LA. That pairing alone is enough to spark interest among comedy fans, signaling a sharp, character-driven sensibility with room for both awkward humor and emotional bite.

Blade Runner 2099 (Prime Video)

Release Date: TBD

Prime Video

Blade Runner 2099 continues the iconic sci-fi franchise with a new story set decades after Blade Runner 2049. Michelle Yeoh stars as Olwen, a replicant confronting the end of her life in a future Los Angeles still defined by artificial humans, corporate power, and existential unease. Olwen will partner with a human on the run, Cora, played by Euphoria star Hunter Schafer

Inspired by Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the show keeps the franchise’s signature visually lush, philosophically heavy, and emotionally restrained tone. Expect a slow-burn exploration of identity, mortality, and what humanity means in a world built on imitation.

Crystal Lake (Peacock)

Release Date: TBD (8 Episodes)

Linda Cardellini in The Curse of La Llorona

Crystal Lake is Peacock’s upcoming slasher series based on the Friday the 13th franchise, serving as a prequel to the 1980 film. Crystal Lake stars Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees, with Callum Vinson appearing as a young Jason Voorhees.

Rather than leaning solely on gore, Crystal Lake is said to draw tonal inspiration from 1970s paranoia thrillers, emphasizing dread, psychology, and slow-building tension. With show runner Brad Caleb Kane coming off It: Welcome to Derry, expectations are high that the show will balance franchise mythology with elevated horror storytelling.

DTF St. Louis (HBO)

Release Date: TBD (7 Episodes)

Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde looking serious in Ozark season 4

DTF St. Louis is an upcoming HBO dark comedy starring Jason Bateman, David Harbour, and Linda Cardellini. The HBO dark comedy series centers on a twisted love triangle among three adults navigating the disappointments and anxieties of middle age, which ultimately spirals toward one of their untimely deaths.

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Not much is known about the Steve Conrad-created series, but it was inspired by James Lasdun’s New Yorker article "My Dentist’s Murder Trial: Adultery, False Identities, and a Lethal Sedation". Time will tell if it will be one of Bateman's best roles, but Bateman, Harbour, and Cardellini thrive with challenging roles that balance comedy and darkness.

Dutton Ranch (Paramount+)

Release Date: TBD

Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler standing with Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton leaning on his shoulder in Yellowstone season 3

Dutton Ranch continues the saga of the Dutton family following the conclusion of Yellowstone’s five-season run. This Paramount+ spinoff focuses on fan favorites Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) as they navigate the challenges of preserving the family legacy, facing danger, loyalty, and the harsh realities of ranch life.

The series also welcomes exciting new cast members, including Annette Bening as Beulah Jackson and Ed Harris as Everett McKinney. While more is known about Y: Marshals (premiering March 1), Dutton Ranch is the more direct spinoff which fans are more eagerly anticipating.

Elle (Prime Video)

Release Date: TBD

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Elle will explore the early life of Elle Woods, long before Delta Nu at UCLA or Harvard Law School. Following a path similar to The Carrie Diaries as a Sex and the City prequel, the show explores the formative years of an iconic character. What, like it’s hard?

Lexi Minetree leads the cast of Elle, blessed by Reese Witherspoon to tackle Elle’s high school years. Produced by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, the series promises a faithful yet fresh take.

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