19 Best TV Shows to Stream in 2026, From Rivals to The Pitt
From dark comedies and murder mysteries to returning favourites, these are the standout TV shows worth watching right now
The best TV shows of 2026 bring together returning favourites, gripping dramas and unexpected streaming hits.
The best TV shows 2026 has produced so far cover almost every genre. There are sharp comedies, unsettling thrillers, literary adaptations and ambitious dramas.
Some established favourites have returned with fresh ideas. Others arrived quietly and became unexpected hits.
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From Rivals and Ted Lasso to The Night Manager and The Pitt, these series have given viewers plenty of reasons to keep streaming.
Here are 19 of the strongest shows to watch right now.
1. Furious
This crime thriller puts a new spin on the familiar hunt for a serial killer.
Emmy Rossum plays Alice, an FBI agent struggling against institutional sexism and the consequences of an abusive relationship. Her investigation leads her towards a killer with an unusual motive.
The series blends crime drama, dark humour and disturbing subject matter. Its tonal shifts give the story a striking edge.
The result is an intense drama about revenge, abuse and the failures of powerful institutions.
Where to watch: Hulu in the US; Disney+ in the UK.
2. Widow’s Bay
Matthew Rhys leads this unusual horror-comedy as Tom Loftis, the mayor of a small New England island town.
Tom wants to turn the community into a tourist destination. There is just one problem: an evil spirit haunts the town.
Rhys plays the mayor with complete seriousness, which makes the supernatural comedy even funnier.
The show borrows familiar horror ideas without becoming a straightforward parody. Strong supporting performances help give the fictional town its personality.
Where to watch: Apple TV+ internationally.
3. Rivals
The second series of Rivals continues the lavish adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s novels.
The drama combines outrageous comedy with sharper stories about class, marriage and ambition.
The series remains particularly effective when it mixes farce with emotional conflict. A chaotic dinner party provides one of its funniest episodes, while the personal fallout gives the story greater weight.
Claire Rushbrook delivers one of the season’s strongest performances as Lady Monica.
Where to watch: Hulu in the US; Disney+ in the UK.
4. Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso returned after a lengthy break with its trademark optimism intact.
The new season moves Ted back to London, where he becomes involved with a women’s football team at Richmond.
The characters face familiar sporting challenges alongside issues of sexism and teamwork.
Jason Sudeikis remains perfectly suited to Ted’s mixture of foolishness and unexpected wisdom. Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple and Brett Goldstein also return.
The series still manages to deliver positive messages without becoming overly sentimental.
Where to watch: Apple TV+ internationally.
5. DTF St Louis
This HBO miniseries explores the darker side of suburban life through a murder mystery and complicated love triangle.
David Harbour gives the standout performance as Floyd, a troubled husband dealing with debt, marriage problems and personal disappointment.
Linda Cardellini also impresses as his wife.
The series finds humour in ordinary lives while gradually revealing their darker secrets. Its combination of absurdity and emotional depth makes it more sophisticated than a conventional suburban mystery.
Where to watch: HBO Max in the US; NOW in the UK.
6. The Other Bennet Sister
Jane Austen adaptations are hardly unusual, but this series finds fresh material in Mary Bennet.
Ella Bruccoleri plays the bookish sister from Pride and Prejudice, who often disappears behind the personalities of her more celebrated siblings.
The series remains faithful to Austen’s social observations while giving Mary a much larger story.
Family relationships, romance and social expectations all feature as Mary begins a new chapter in London.
Where to watch: BritBox in the US; BBC iPlayer in the UK.
7. Margot’s Got Money Troubles
Elle Fanning leads this unconventional family comedy-drama.
Margot becomes a single mother after an affair with a married professor. Financial pressure then pushes her towards creating online adult content.
Michelle Pfeiffer brings considerable comic energy as Margot’s mother.
The show handles family dysfunction and money problems with humour rather than judgement. Beneath its unusual premise, it remains a surprisingly warm story about family and survival.
Where to watch: Apple TV+ internationally.
8. Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
Tatiana Maslany takes the lead in this Hitchcock-inspired thriller.
She plays a divorced mother whose life changes after she develops a relationship with an online sex worker. When he dies, she suddenly finds herself caught in a dangerous mystery.
The series mixes suspense with a character study about a woman rebuilding her life.
Maslany gives the central role both toughness and vulnerability.
Where to watch: Apple TV+ internationally.
9. Alice and Steve
Nicola Walker and Jemaine Clement play longtime friends whose relationship collapses after Steve begins dating Alice’s adult daughter.
Alice attempts to sabotage the romance. Steve retaliates.
Their escalating revenge campaign becomes increasingly ridiculous, but the series never loses sight of the friendship beneath the chaos.
Walker and Clement give the comedy a strong emotional centre.
Where to watch: Hulu in the US; Disney+ in the UK.
10. Industry
Industry has transformed since its debut.
The early seasons focused on young graduates fighting for survival in London’s financial sector. The latest series expands into politics, media and Britain’s wealthy elite.
Myha’la and Marisa Abela remain compelling as Harper and Yasmin.
Kit Harington also delivers one of his strongest performances as troubled businessman Sir Henry Muck.
The writing remains sharp and pessimistic as the characters gain influence and face increasingly dangerous choices.
Where to watch: HBO Max in the US; BBC iPlayer in the UK.
11. How to Get to Heaven from Belfast
Lisa McGee, the creator of Derry Girls, combines comedy, mystery and friendship in this fast-moving series.
Three women in their late 30s reconnect after years of friendship and different life choices.
A mysterious death sends them on an increasingly strange journey across Ireland.
The show balances emotional relationships with absurd humour and unexpected twists.
McGee’s distinctive dialogue gives the series much of its charm.
Where to watch: Netflix internationally.
12. The Beauty
Ryan Murphy’s The Beauty turns beauty culture into body horror.
The story centres on a drug that makes people physically more attractive but comes with a terrifying side effect.
The premise allows the series to satirise society’s obsession with appearance.
Evan Peters, Rebecca Hall, Ashton Kutcher and Isabella Rossellini lead a strong ensemble.
The show embraces its outrageous premise and keeps the pace moving across its episodes.
Where to watch: Hulu in the US; Disney+ in the UK.
13. The Night Manager
Tom Hiddleston returns as Jonathan Pine in the long-awaited continuation of the espionage thriller.
The new story moves beyond John le Carré’s original novel and takes Pine into a dangerous world involving arms dealing and political corruption.
Diego Calva makes a strong impression as the new antagonist.
The series combines glamorous locations with political intrigue, danger and classic spy drama.
Where to watch: Prime Video internationally; BBC iPlayer in the UK.
14. Lord of the Flies
Jack Thorne brings William Golding’s classic novel to television in a new adaptation.
The story follows schoolboys stranded on an isolated island as their society begins to collapse.
The four-part structure gives different characters the opportunity to tell the story from their own perspectives.
The result is tense and unsettling. It also explores the darker side of human behaviour.
Where to watch: Netflix in the US; BBC iPlayer in the UK.
15. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
This Game of Thrones prequel takes a lighter approach to the fantasy world.
Peter Claffey plays Ser Duncan, a young knight whose status is far less certain than his confidence suggests.
His companion Egg provides much of the series’ humour.
The show focuses more on character and adventure than complicated political intrigue. That makes it accessible even to viewers who do not remember every detail of the wider Game of Thrones universe.
Where to watch: HBO Max in the US and UK.
16. The Comeback
Lisa Kudrow returns as Valerie Cherish in the latest chapter of the cult mockumentary.
This time, Valerie confronts Hollywood’s growing dependence on artificial intelligence.
The series uses its familiar comedy to explore changing attitudes towards television, fame and technology.
Kudrow once again combines awkward humour with a surprisingly emotional performance.
The result remains both sharply satirical and genuinely funny.
Where to watch: HBO Max in the US and UK.
17. Rooster
Steve Carell leads this warm college comedy from Bill Lawrence.
Carell plays Greg Russo, a novelist who unexpectedly ends up teaching at a university.
The premise is deliberately absurd, but Carell gives the character enough humanity to make the story work.
Danielle Deadwyler, Phil Dunster and John C McGinley strengthen the ensemble.
The relaxed tone makes Rooster an appealing alternative to heavier television dramas.
Where to watch: HBO Max in the US and UK.
18. Bait
Riz Ahmed stars in this clever comedy about identity, fame and the James Bond phenomenon.
Ahmed plays Shah Latif, an actor who lands an audition for 007. His decision to attract media attention sends him into a storm of controversy.
The show examines representation from several perspectives.
It also mixes family comedy, industry satire and psychological drama.
Its willingness to experiment gives Bait a distinctive personality.
Where to watch: Prime Video in the US and UK.
19. The Pitt
Noah Wyle leads this intense medical drama as Dr Robby.
The series follows a single shift at a Pittsburgh trauma centre in real time. Doctors, nurses and patients face a constant stream of emergencies.
The format creates sustained pressure without losing sight of the people behind each medical case.
Wyle gives the drama its emotional centre, while Taylor Dearden stands out as Dr Mel King.
The series feels both like a return to classic medical television and a modern portrait of pressure inside healthcare.
Where to watch: HBO Max in the US; availability varies by region.
The best shows to stream right now
The strongest series of 2026 are not limited to one style.
Furious delivers a dark crime story, while Widow’s Bay finds humour in horror. Rivals and Ted Lasso bring established favourites back with fresh energy.
Meanwhile, The Pitt, Industry and The Night Manager prove that returning dramas can still evolve.
For viewers looking for something different, Bait, The Other Bennet Sister and How to Get to Heaven from Belfast offer distinctive alternatives.
The result is a particularly varied television year, with streaming platforms continuing to blur the boundaries between comedy, drama, mystery and genre television.
