2025 was a remarkable year for television, filled with both satisfying conclusions and unexpected farewells. We saw the end of iconic series like Stranger Things, which wrapped up its story in Hawkins, and The Summer I Turned Pretty, which concluded its touching romance. While these shows provided beautifully crafted endings, 2025 also brought the unfortunate cancellation of several promising series before their time.
While last year felt like a time for wrapping things up, 2026 is looking like a year of exciting progress. There’s already a huge buzz building, with networks and streaming services planning a ton of new and returning shows. They’re promising ambitious projects and bold takes on familiar stories, and the number of confirmed releases is almost overwhelming – it’s a year that will definitely require some serious binge-watching skills!
2026 promises to be a great year with a mix of exciting new talent and established names pushing their boundaries. Building on the success of 2025, the industry is approaching the year with high expectations and a lot of confidence. Let’s take a look at what’s coming up before things really get started.
‘Hacks’ Season 5 (HBO)
Max
Deborah Vance is known for making a grand impression, and the fifth season of Hacks looks to be her biggest yet. Since it premiered in 2021, the Emmy-winning comedy has become popular thanks to the funny and often harsh relationship between Jean Smart’s character, a veteran comedian, and Hannah Einbinder’s Ava Daniels, a young writer. Over the past four seasons, viewers have seen their connection grow into a family-like bond, all while the show cleverly satirizes the world of entertainment.
With HBO announcing the end of Hacks, excitement for the final season is at an all-time high. The previous season left Deborah back in the spotlight and Ava struggling with what she wants, and Season 5 promises an unforgettable conclusion to their story. Fans are eager to see if Deborah will solidify her place in comedy history and if Ava will finally achieve her own success. Hacks has become one of the most celebrated comedies of recent years, and its final run is expected to be both funny and emotionally resonant. – Soniya Hinduja
‘The Boys’ Season 5 (Prime Video)
Prime Video
The show The Boys has always thrived on mayhem, and Season 5 promises to take that to the extreme. Launching on Prime Video on April 8, 2026, this final season will feature the ultimate confrontation between Karl Urban’s Butcher and Antony Starr’s Homelander. A recent preview shown at CCXP Brazil suggests a world on the verge of collapse, with Homelander’s instability escalating into complete control, Butcher facing his own health issues due to the virus, and the team struggling in a seemingly unwinnable battle.
The upcoming season of the show will bring back Erin Moriarty, Laz Alonso, Karen Fukuhara, and Tomer Capone for a thrilling conclusion filled with suspense, action, and unexpected turns. Picking up after a season that saw Homelander gain more power and Butcher resort to extreme measures, Season 5 promises to resolve all storylines, even those from Season 2 of Gen V. The final season is shaping up to be particularly intense, as the creators have made it clear that any character could be in danger, and the trailer hints at heartbreaking events. Expect plenty of shocking moments! – Soniya Hinduja
‘Euphoria’ Season 3 (HBO)
HBO
Fans have been waiting for almost four years, but Euphoria is set to return in April 2026! HBO has announced that Season 3 will jump forward five years, showing us what happened to Rue, Jules, Cassie, Nate, Maddy, and Lexi as they grow into adulthood and deal with the consequences of their past. The original stars – Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Hunter Schafer, and Jacob Elordi – are all returning, and creator Sam Levinson says the new season will be a more intense and grown-up look at themes like identity, trauma, addiction, and how to survive.
The second season of Euphoria concluded with Rue struggling with sobriety and damaged relationships, leaving viewers eager for answers. The show’s decision to jump ahead five years is a daring move that allows it to refresh itself while maintaining its honest and intense style. Euphoria has consistently been a visually stunning and creatively ambitious series, and with Season 3 scheduled for 2026, it’s expected to not only build on its previous success but also become a major cultural moment. – Soniya Hinduja
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 (HBO)
Warner Bros. Discovery
If you weren’t completely captivated by House of the Dragon Season 2, that’s perfectly understandable. But as a big fan of Game of Thrones, I suggest giving Season 3 a chance. It’s shaping up to be much more substantial, delivering on the potential hinted at in Season 2. Behind-the-scenes information suggests the new season won’t be another slow build-up, but the epic dragon battles and Targaryen conflicts viewers have been anticipating since the show was announced.
The show has reached the point where conflict is unavoidable. To finish the story as George R.R. Martin laid out in his book, Fire & Blood, it needs to focus on action. While some complaints about a lack of action seem overblown, HBO clearly intends to give viewers what they’re expecting: plenty of battles and drama. – Charles Papadopoulos
‘Y: Marshals’ (CBS)
Paramount+
Premiering March 1, 2026, on CBS, Y: Marshals is a new series set in the world of Yellowstone. The show follows Kayce Dutton (played by Luke Grimes) as he leaves the Yellowstone Ranch to become a U.S. Marshal. Using skills from his military and ranching background, Kayce tackles crime in Montana while also grappling with the challenges of law enforcement and his complicated family relationships.
Developed by the creators of Yellowstone, the new series Y: Marshals combines the raw energy of the Old West with the fast-paced style of contemporary crime dramas. Featuring Gil Birmingham, Mo Brings Plenty, and Logan Marshall-Green alongside Kayce Dutton (played by Luke Grimes), the show promises compelling characters and thrilling action. For viewers who followed Kayce’s complex story in Yellowstone Season 5, this series offers a chance to see him face even greater challenges to his values and strength, all while grappling with his family’s legacy – as noted by Soniya Hinduja.
‘Shrinking’ Season 3 (Apple TV)
Apple TV+
As a big TV fan, I’ve really come to look forward to Shrinking each year. It’s one of the few shows that consistently delivers a new season pretty quickly – just 13 months after the last one, which is almost unheard of these days! Honestly, that consistency is a big part of why I enjoy it so much. It’s just nice to have a show you can rely on to be there, making you laugh and feel something. Plus, let’s be real, any chance to see Harrison Ford on my screen is a win!
‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 (Apple TV)
Apple TV+
We don’t have a release date for Season 5 of For All Mankind yet, but it’s expected sometime in the future now that Apple TV has renewed the show. Apple TV+ is often quiet about its shows, which has frustrated many viewers. I’ve been a fan of For All Mankind for a long time, and I’m surprised by how few people I know have even heard of it. Sadly, this seems to be a common problem for many of the excellent sci-fi shows being made for the platform.
If you haven’t seen Apple TV+’s For All Mankind yet, now’s the perfect time to start. It’s become the best alternate history science fiction show on television, evolving from a realistic period drama about the space race into a grand, futuristic space opera with a complex and expanding universe. Apple is so committed to this world that they’re already planning spin-off series and continued investment, though they aren’t heavily promoting that fact. – Charles Papadopoulos
‘The Testaments’ (Hulu)
Disney
Premiering in April 2026, Hulu’s The Testaments revisits the frightening world of Gilead, the setting of The Handmaid’s Tale. This new series, based on Margaret Atwood’s 2019 novel, follows a younger generation of women living under Gilead’s strict rule. Ann Dowd will return as Aunt Lydia, a pivotal and often unsettling character who remains central to the story.
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In addition to Dowd, Chase Infiniti, Lucy Halliday, and Rowan Blanchard play characters struggling against control, brainwashing, and the fight to live in a world where memories of the past have been wiped clean. Bruce Miller is back as showrunner, and while The Handmaid’s Tale focused on June’s battle against Gilead, The Testaments shifts the focus. Fans are especially excited because the new season will explore Aunt Lydia’s backstory in more detail, and the new characters will add fresh intensity to the story. – Soniya Hinduja
‘Industry’ Season 4 (HBO)
HBO, 2022
HBO’s Industry is often unfairly compared to Succession, simply because it features some steamy scenes. But this show deserves to be recognized as a high-quality drama in its own right, boasting compelling characters and strong performances. While the upcoming fourth season will miss a key character, the addition of Kit Harington (known from Game of Thrones) as a regular cast member keeps me eagerly anticipating its return. He was great in Season 3, and I expect his expanded role will draw even more attention to this smart and often overlooked series. – Charles Papadopoulos
‘Wonder Man’ (Disney+)
Disney+
Marvel’s Wonder Man will be the first new series from the MCU in 2026. Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, the show blends superhero action with a look inside the world of Hollywood. Simon is an actor and stuntman whose life changes when he gains incredible powers, forcing him to balance newfound fame with the challenges of being a hero, and to question what’s real. Ben Kingsley will reprise his role as Trevor Slattery, bringing both humor and guidance to the story.
The new series isn’t breaking new ground, but it cleverly blends the superhero genre with the world of show business, offering witty humor and pointed observations about the entertainment industry. Marvel has successfully reinvented itself many times, and this show is another confident step in a new direction. As the start of Phase 6, it’s a fun and insightful look at celebrity culture, all within the established Marvel universe. With all eight episodes available immediately on Disney+, it’s clearly made for viewers to watch it all at once. –Soniya Hinduja
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2025-12-31 18:46