2026 TV Collection
Every TV show that completed its run Jan–Sep 2026, ranked by quality. Last updated October 2026.
The Pitt: Season 2 ★
Winter 2026HBO92 MetacriticThe best hospital drama on television got even better. Season 2 maintains the real-time urgency that made the debut a revelation while deepening its characters in ways that feel earned, not forced. The highest Metascore of any 2026 show so far. Streaming on Max.
Aired Jan 8 – Apr 16, 2026 (15 episodes)
One Piece: Into the Grand Line (Season 2) ★
Winter 2026Netflix100% RT100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Netflix's live-action adaptation somehow topped its already-excellent first season with bigger stakes, a larger scope, and Eiichiro Oda's world rendered in stunning detail. The bar for manga adaptations just moved to the stratosphere. Streaming on Netflix.
Released Mar 10, 2026 (8 episodes)
Avatar: The Last Airbender – Season 2 ★
Summer 2026Netflix7 episodes71% RTSeason 2 covers the Earth Kingdom arc with Toph Beifong joining the Gaang — all 7 episodes dropped Jun 25. Stronger action, darker themes, and richer visuals than Season 1. Miya Cech takes on the fan-favorite role. Streaming on Netflix.
Released Jun 20–25, 2026 (7 episodes)
The Bear: Season 4 ★
Summer 2026Hulu / FX10 episodes85% RT72 MetacriticJeremy Allen White returns as Carmy Berzatto — all 10 episodes dropped Jun 25. 85% RT, 72 Metacritic. Renewed urgency after Season 3's slow-burn, and the ensemble remains one of TV's best. Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach complete the trio. Streaming on Hulu.
Released Jun 25, 2026 (10 episodes)
X-Men '97: Season 2
Disney+AnimationMarvel's revival of the '90s animated series returns for a second season, releasing weekly through mid-August.
Airing Jul 1 – mid-Aug 2026
Industry: Season 4
Winter 2026HBO87 MetacriticHBO's finance drama evolved from a satire about London bankers into one of the most fascinating character studies on TV. Charlie Heaton joins as an investigative reporter, Kit Harington gets an extraordinary showcase episode, and the show's highest Metacritic score yet. Streaming on Max.
Aired Jan 11 – Mar 15, 2026 (8 episodes)
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Winter 2026HBO88% RTThe most purely enjoyable trip to Westeros since peak Game of Thrones. Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell as Dunk and Egg have undeniable chemistry, and the lighter tone is exactly what the franchise needed. Faithful to George R.R. Martin's novellas and full of heart. Streaming on Max.
Aired Jan 18 – Mar 8, 2026 (6 episodes)
Lord of the Flies
Spring 2026Netflix95% RTJack Thorne's four-episode adaptation of William Golding's classic is harrowing, beautifully shot, and utterly gripping. Critics near-unanimous at 95% Fresh — though the 54% audience score suggests the unflinching darkness isn't for everyone. A prestige limited series. Streaming on Netflix.
Released May 4, 2026 (4 episodes)
Bait
Winter 2026Prime Video85 MetacriticRiz Ahmed as a struggling actor navigating Hollywood's casting machine in this razor-sharp six-episode comedy. Premiered at Sundance to rave reviews. Ahmed's comedic timing is revelatory — this is the satirical industry takedown that Entourage wished it could be. Streaming on Prime Video.
Released Mar 25, 2026 (6 episodes)
Spider-Noir
Spring 2026Prime Video / MGM+92% RTNicolas Cage's first lead TV role delivered. All 8 episodes of the grizzled noir detective / Spider-Man mashup earned 92% RT with a 94% audience score. The dual black-and-white format is a bold creative choice that pays off. Both brilliant and beautifully unhinged. Streaming on Prime Video.
Released May 27, 2026 (8 episodes)
Dutton Ranch
Paramount+Western/Drama89% RTKelly Reilly's Beth Dutton and Cole Hauser's Rip Wheeler carried their own show — 89% RT and a massive audience answered whether Yellowstone works without Kevin Costner. It does. Streaming on Paramount+.
Aired May 15 – Jul 3, 2026
Silo: Season 3
Apple TV+Sci-FiThe post-apocalyptic drama's best season yet: 96% RT. Final season set for July 2027.
Airing from Jul 3, 2026 (10 episodes, weekly)
Reacher: Season 4
Prime VideoAction/ThrillerAlan Ritchson adapts 'Gone Tomorrow.' 94% RT, 77 Metacritic.
Airing from Aug 12, 2026 (first 3 episodes at once)
Neagley
Prime VideoAction/ThrillerReacher spinoff with Maria Sten. 94% RT; all 8 episodes dropped at once.
Premiered Sep 16, 2026 (all 8 episodes)
Widow's Bay
Apple TV+Comedy/HorrorKatie Dippold's supernatural comedy-horror. Hiro Murai directs Matthew Rhys as the mayor of a cursed New England island town. Twin Peaks vibes. Wrapped Jun 17.
Premiered Apr 29, 2026
The Night Agent: Season 3
Winter 2026Netflix86% RTNetflix's spy thriller keeps leveling up. Season 3 opened at 100% Tomatometer (settled at 86%) and critics called it the show's best installment — tighter narrative, better twists, more compelling action. The popcorn thriller that keeps exceeding expectations. Streaming on Netflix.
Released Feb 19, 2026 (10 episodes)
Dark Winds: Season 4
Winter 2026AMC80 MetacriticTV's best-kept secret continues. Zahn McClarnon's Joe Leaphorn takes the investigation from Navajo Nation to 1970s Los Angeles. AMC's confidence is clear — they renewed it for Season 5 before Season 4 even premiered. Still one of the most underappreciated dramas on television. Streaming on AMC+.
Aired Feb 15 – Apr 5, 2026 (8 episodes)
The Four Seasons: Season 2
Spring 2026Netflix88% RT / 77 MetacriticTina Fey's dramedy returned funnier, more focused, and emotionally richer than season one. All 8 episodes dropped on Netflix and hit #1 in America within a day. The season deals with grief after Steve Carell's character's death — a tonal shift that gives the ensemble sharper material. Streaming on Netflix.
Released May 28, 2026 (8 episodes)
Rick and Morty: Season 9
Adult SwimAnimation/Comedy100% RTThe highest-rated season launch in years — 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Post-Roiland, the new voice cast didn't just carry the show, they elevated it. Streaming on Adult Swim / Max.
Aired May 24 – Jul 26, 2026 (10 episodes)
The Season
Disney+Sports DramaDisney+'s high school football drama blends Friday Night Lights sincerity with a modern lens on how a community rallies around — and sometimes suffocates — its young athletes. Streaming on Disney+.
Aired Jun – Aug 2026
Not Suitable for Work
PeacockComedyPeacock's workplace comedy set in a corporate HR department — a sharp ensemble tackling modern office culture with satirical bite. Streaming on Peacock.
Aired Jun 2 – Aug 2026
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4
Paramount+Sci-Fi10 episodesPenultimate season. 71 Metacritic; wrapped Sep 24 with Season 5 set for 2027.
Airing from Jul 23, 2026
Futurama: Season 11
HuluAnimation/ComedyThe Planet Express crew returns on Hulu. 10 episodes, finale Sep 28.
Airing from Aug 3, 2026
The Gentlemen: Season 2
NetflixCrime ComedyGuy RitchieTheo James returns in Guy Ritchie's crime comedy. 86% RT, Certified Fresh.
Premiered Sep 3, 2026 (full drop)
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story
NetflixTrue Crime DramaRyan MurphyRyan Murphy's true-crime anthology continues. Mixed reviews.
Premiered Sep 17, 2026 (full drop)
Euphoria: Season 3
Spring 2026HBO42% RT56 MetacriticThe most divisive show of 2026. After a four-year hiatus, Euphoria returned to its lowest-ever scores. The visual flair is still there and Zendaya still delivers, but the narrative choices have alienated the audience that made it a cultural phenomenon. A cautionary tale about long hiatuses. Streaming on Max.
Aired Apr 12 – Jun 14, 2026 (8 episodes)
2026 TV To-Do
Upcoming and currently-airing releases ranked by anticipation. Updated monthly as seasons complete.
Ted Lasso: Season 4 ★
Summer 2026Apple TV+10 episodesTed returns to Richmond — but this time he's coaching a second division women's football team. Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, and Brett Goldstein all return alongside new additions. The surprise return nobody expected after Season 3's farewell. Apple TV+'s crown jewel is back. Streaming on Apple TV+.
Premieres Aug 5, 2026
Harry Potter
HBOFantasyHBO's book-by-book series premieres Christmas Day.
Premieres Dec 25, 2026
Lanterns
HBOSuperhero/CrimeDCUKyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as Hal Jordan and John Stewart, investigating a murder in small-town Nebraska — DC's True Detective-flavored bet. 8 episodes. On HBO / Max.
Premieres Aug 16, 2026
Slow Horses: Season 6
Apple TV+Spy ThrillerGary OldmanThe universally acclaimed spy thriller returns — 6 episodes, weekly. Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb is the most reliable thing on television. Streaming on Apple TV+.
Airing from Sep 16, 2026 (6 episodes, weekly)
VisionQuest
Disney+SuperheroMarvel's WandaVision follow-up. Paul Bettany and James Spader; two-episode premiere, 8 weekly episodes.
Premieres Oct 14, 2026
Carrie
Prime VideoHorrorMike Flanagan adapts Stephen King's first novel. All 8 episodes at once.
Premieres Oct 7, 2026
East of Eden
NetflixLimited SeriesSteinbeck's epic as a 7-episode limited series, Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames.
Premieres Oct 1, 2026
Avatar: Seven Havens ★
Paramount+AnimationThe new Avatar series set after Korra. 13 episodes, three a week through Oct 30.
Premieres Oct 9, 2026
The Diplomat: Season 4
NetflixPolitical ThrillerPicks up from the stolen-nuke cliffhanger. All 8 episodes.
Premieres Oct 15, 2026
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3
Prime VideoFantasy8 episodes, Nov 11 → Nov 25.
Premieres Nov 11, 2026
Blade Runner 2099
Prime VideoSci-FiMichelle Yeoh and Hunter Schafer. All 8 episodes.
Premieres Nov 25, 2026
MobLand
Paramount+Crime DramaGuy RitchieTom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, and Helen Mirren in a London crime-family drama. Streaming on Paramount+.
Airing from Sep 18, 2026
American Horror Story: Season 13
FX / HuluHorror AnthologyThe crossover "Avengers" season — Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson return. On FX / Hulu.
Airing from Sep 24, 2026
Make Your Own 2026 TV Tier List
Rank these shows yourself with ME-DB's free tier list maker. Drag and drop to organize your collection and track your watchlist — no sign-up needed.
Try This Tier List →How We Rank
Ranking the Collection
TV shows that have completed their current season are ranked on critical reception (Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic), audience engagement, cultural impact, and quality relative to previous seasons. Personal enjoyment is the tiebreaker for tier placement, but consensus drives the floor.
Ranking the To-Do
Upcoming and currently-airing shows are ranked on anticipation factors: showrunner pedigree, cast, source-material strength, platform investment, franchise momentum, and early critical reception where available.
S Tier = exceptional, must-watch regardless of genre preferences
A Tier = excellent, highly recommended for fans of the genre
B Tier = good, worth watching if the premise interests you
C Tier = decent, has notable strengths but also clear weaknesses
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best TV show of 2026?
As of October 2026, the S-tier TV shows are The Pitt: Season 2 (92 Metacritic), One Piece: Into the Grand Line Season 2 (100% RT), The Bear: Season 4, Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, and X-Men '97: Season 2. The ranking is updated monthly as new shows premiere and complete their runs.
What TV shows are coming out in 2026?
2026 has a stacked TV lineup. The first half brought The Pitt S2, Industry S4, One Piece S2, Spider-Noir, and Dutton Ranch; summer added Ted Lasso S4, X-Men '97 S2, Silo S3, and Reacher S4; September delivered Slow Horses S6, Neagley, and The Gentlemen S2. Coming this fall: East of Eden and War (Oct 1), Carrie (Oct 7), Avatar: Seven Havens (Oct 9), VisionQuest (Oct 14), The Diplomat S4 (Oct 15), The Rings of Power S3 (Nov 11), and HBO's Harry Potter (Dec 25).
How often is this TV tier list updated?
On the 1st of every month. Each update re-evaluates rankings based on completed shows and newly premiered series. Monthly deep-dives are published as separate articles.
Where can I watch the best TV shows of 2026?
The top 2026 TV shows are spread across platforms: Max (The Pitt, Industry, Euphoria), Netflix (One Piece, Lord of the Flies, Avatar, Four Seasons), Prime Video (Bait, Spider-Noir), Apple TV+ (Ted Lasso), Hulu (The Bear), and Paramount+ (Dutton Ranch, Star Trek). Check each show's entry above for streaming links.
Related Articles
Award Winners
Monthly Deep-Dives
A closer look at each month — full write-ups and month-over-month context.
- 📅 October 2026
- 📅 September 2026
- 📅 August 2026
- 📅 July 2026
- 📅 June 2026
- 📅 May 2026