Top Returning TV Shows of 2026: What To Watch This Year
TV looks very different than it did even a decade ago, and with 2026 beginning with a group of exciting premieres, it’s going to keep evolving as we move ahead. Network, cable, and streaming platforms now coexist in a fragmented ecosystem where viewing habits are shaped by on-demand access rather than fixed schedules. While broadcast networks once dominated with clearly defined seasons, streaming services have reshaped expectations. One of the most visible changes in the TV format has been the decline of the traditional 22-episode season. In its place, shorter episode orders have become the norm across platforms and networks, allowing creators to focus on tighter storytelling and higher production values. Alongside this shift, episode runtimes have also loosened, with many streaming shows abandoning the standard 42-minute format in favor of longer episodes. With this evolution, release strategies have also evolved. The fall TV season, once the cornerstone of the calendar, no longer holds the same weight. Shows now premiere year-round, with streaming platforms especially unconcerned with seasonal scheduling. This has created a more competitive environment where returning favorites and brand-new premieres often vie for attention simultaneously rather than being neatly spaced. As 2026 approaches, the competition is especially noticeable. Some of the most anticipated series returning to the air rival the excitement usually reserved for new launches, as several beloved titles are coming back after lengthy gaps. Revivals are tapping into nostalgia while aiming to reintroduce themselves to a changed landscape. Others are established hits continuing their runs, with new seasons that promise to build on already devoted fan bases. Together, these returns reflect how TV has become both more experimental and more audience-driven. Revivals, long-awaited follow-ups, and ongoing success stories are all part of the same crowded conversation. In 2026, viewers will be deciding which familiar worlds are most worth returning to and spending their time in, making things especially competitive in the upcoming year.
12
Will Trent (ABC)
Release Date: Tuesday, January 6
Will Trent season 4 key artABC
ABC’s crime drama returns for another season this January, and after Will Trent season 3’s intense finale, there’s a lot hanging in the balance. Following GBI Special Agent Will Trent as he solves complex cases while navigating personal and professional challenges, Will Trent is one of the best crime dramas on network TV. Will Trent season 3 ended with a major cliffhanger involving a shooting that left deputy director Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn) in peril, and hinted at unresolved tensions in Will’s personal life when it comes to Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen). Fans can expect the premiere to pick up on those threads, deepen character relationships, and introduce new investigations that test the team’s resilience.
Release Date
January 3, 2023
Directors
Howard Deutch, Eric Dean Seaton, Holly Dale, Lea Thompson, Patricia Cardoso, Sheree Folkson, Bille Woodruff, Erika Christensen, Gail Mancuso, Geary McLeod, Jason Ensler, Mark Tonderai, Paul McGuigan
Writers
Inda Craig-Galván, Henry ‘Hank’ Jones, Karine Rosenthal, Adam Toltzis, Antoine Perry
Ramón Rodríguez
Will Trent
Erika Christensen
Angie Polaski
11
Outlander (Starz)
Release Date: Friday, March 6
Claire and Jamie talking while sitting on a stone wall
Starz’s epic drama Outlander returns for its final season in March, bringing Claire (Caitríona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser’s (Sam Heughan) long-running story to a conclusion. As Outlander season 7 ended with the couple enmeshed in the chaos of the American Revolutionary War, Fraser’s Ridge was in jeopardy as the season unfolded. Outlander season 8, which fans are anticipating to be filled to the brim with action to properly finish off the story, adapts material from Diana Gabaldon’s Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, with the Fraser’s facing war at home as family secrets test their bond. Promising dramatic, emotional stakes, Outlander season 8 will be a season for the ages.
Release Date
August 9, 2014
Showrunner
Matthew B. Roberts
Directors
Metin Hüseyin, Jamie Payne
Writers
Ronald D. Moore, Matthew B. Roberts
10
The Night Manager (Prime Video)
Release Date: Sunday, January 11
Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie shake hands in The Night Manager
Returning a decade after its 2016 debut, The Night Manager will be coming back fro a second season on Prime Video this January. Continuing the high-stakes espionage and intrigue brought together by its first season, The Night Manager season 2 will bring Tom Hiddleston back as Jonathan Pine, a former British military officer and hotel night manager dealing with a world of crime. The upcoming season will also feature Olivia Colman as Angela Burr, an exciting return for fans of the series. While The Night Manager season 2 won’t feature Hugh Laurie’s Richard “Dickie” Onslow Roper, the actor is serving as an executive producer for the Prime Video series.
Release Date
2016 – 2025-00-00
Network
BBC One
Directors
Susanne Bier, Georgi Banks-Davies
Writers
David Farr
Franchise(s)
Based on a novel by John le Carré
9
Malcolm In The Middle (Disney+)
Release Date: TBD
Malcolm gives a speech at graduation in Malcolm in the Middle.
The Malcolm In The Middle revival that star Frankie Muniz has been teasing for years returns on Disney+ in 2026, revisiting the chaotic family at the heart of the beloved sitcom. The original series ended in 2006 with the family driving off into the sunset, which was a tongue-in-cheek finale fitting the show’s irreverent tone. Although specific plot details for the revival’s premiere are limited, viewers can expect the next chapter to explore how the grown-up characters and their offbeat household navigate modern life, with the same quirky humor and emotional heart that defined the original. Muniz will return alongside his TV parents, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, bringing a daughter of his own into the fold in the revival.
Release Date
2000 – 2006-00-00
Network
FOX
Showrunner
Linwood Boomer
Directors
David D’Ovidio, Peter Lauer, Levie Isaacks, Steve Welch, Steve Love, Bryan Cranston, Linwood Boomer, David Grossman, Arlene Sanford, Jamie Babbit, Chris Koch, Christopher Masterson
Writers
Maggie Bandur, Dan Kopelman, Neil Thompson, Pang-Ni Landrum, Matthew Carlson, Andy Bobrow, Eric Kaplan, Michael Borkow, Ian Busch, Jay Kogen, David Wright, Jack Amiel, Jennifer Celotta, Larry Strawther, Michael Begler, David Ihlenfeld
8
Tell Me Lies (Hulu)
Release Date: Tuesday, January 13
Grace Van Patten wearing a coat as Lucy, in an episode of Tell Me LiesJosh Stringer / ©Hulu/Disney / Courtesy Everett Collection
The twisted world of Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White) and Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) is returning when Tell Me Lies season 3 hits Hulu in mid-January. Returning on January 13, the series is one of the most highly-anticipated premieres for the streaming platform of the year. Tell Me Lies season 2’s finale revealed intense personal drama between Lucy, Stephen, and the larger group. With Lucy and Stephen still intertwined despite their tumultuous dynamic, the upcoming season will continue to explore the emotional fallout from their tumultuous relationship. Tell Me Lies season 3 is set to be messier, upping the intensity of the series as it moves closer to a resolution.
Release Date
September 7, 2022
Network
Hulu
Showrunner
Meaghan Oppenheimer
Directors
Isabel Sandoval, Jonathan Levine
Writers
Meaghan Oppenheimer, Carola Lovering, Allison P. Davis, Bill Kennedy
Grace Van Patten
Lucy Albright
Jackson White
Stephen DeMarco
7
Shrinking (Apple TV)
Release Date: Wednesday, January 28
Apple TV’s comedy, Shrinking, which positions Jason Segel opposite Harrison Ford as they work together in a therapy practice, will return in 2026 with its third season. While Shrinking has taken on Jimmy Laird’s (Segel) grief in tangible ways throughout the last two seasons, things seem to be settling in his life with his daughter, Alice (Lukita Maxwell). As Jimmy continues confronting his past and moving forward with his life, his relationships with both Gaby (Jessica Williams) and Paul Rhoades (Ford) are shifting, as well. Shrinking season 3’s premiere is expected to build on the character’s emotional growth, full of compassionate storytelling as characters face new challenges in their personal and professional lives.
Release Date
January 27, 2023
Network
Apple TV
Showrunner
Bill Lawrence
Directors
Bill Lawrence
6
The Rookie (ABC)
Release Date: Tuesday, January 6
Melissa O’Neil and Eric Winter as Lucy and Tim, sitting together in an episode of The Rookie
As one of ABC’s most popular shows, The Rookie’s season premiere this January is taking the team to international waters. With The Rookie season 7 having escalated the stakes surrounding the Mid-Wilshire team’s exposure to big-time criminals, season 8 is expected to up the ante even further. The Rookie season 8’s premiere will bring the cast to Prauge, assisting in an FBI sting as they track terrorists across the globe. With the team working alongside familiar FBI faces introduced on The Rookie: Feds during its short run, viewers can anticipate a huge shift in the show’s production value. As the season continues, Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and the gang have personal and professional issues to face.
Release Date
October 16, 2018
Showrunner
Alexi Hawley
Directors
Tori Garrett, Chi-Yoon Chung, Michael Goi, Sylvain White, Lisa Demaine, Lanre Olabisi, Bill Johnson, David McWhirter, Liz Friedlander, Daniel Willis, Toa Fraser, Anne Renton, Jon Huertas, Cherie Nowlan, TK Shom, Rob Seidenglanz, Valerie Weiss, Barbara Brown, Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul, SJ Main Muñoz, Nelson McCormick, Marcus Stokes, Adam Davidson, Anna Mastro
Writers
Corey Miller, Bill Rinier, Zoe Cheng, Mary Trahan, Ally Seibert, Liz Alper, Nick Hurwitz, Racheal Seymour, Madeleine Coghlan, David Radcliff
5
Scrubs (ABC)
Release Date: TBD
Scrubs reboot JD and TurkMovieStillsDB
ABC’s Scrubs revival will be bringing the original cast of the beloved series back to Sacred Heart Hospital from a whole new vantage point. Starring Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and Sarah Chalke, the Scrubs reboot is likely to return in the first few months of the year. Coming back around February or March, Scrubs will blend nostalgia with contemporary drama.
The Scrubs reboot will reintroduce some familiar faces while incorporating new medical staff, building different dynamics as viewers are reintroduced to the cast. The premiere should set up fresh stories while revisiting some past emotional beats, like Carla (Judy Reyes) and Turk’s (Faison) relationship.
Release Date
2001 – 2010-00-00
Showrunner
Bill Lawrence
Directors
Bill Lawrence
Writers
Bill Lawrence
4
Euphoria (HBO)
Release Date: April 2026
Sydney Sweeney in Euphoria season 2Photo Credit: Eddy Chen / ©HBO / Courtesy Everett Collection
The long awaited third season of Euphoria is set to return in April 2026, though a specific date has yet to be announced. Euphoria season 3 will not feature some of the original cast, but will bring back Zendaya’s Rue Bennett as she moves through trouble with the law post high school and attempts to rectify her relationships. Elsewhere, Syndey Sweeney’s Cassie Howard and Jacob Elordi’s Nate Jacobs appear to be dealing with difficulties in their romantic relationship. Jules (Hunter Schafer) and Lexi (Maude Apatow) will also return for the upcoming season, along with a slew of new cast members working on the Sam Levinson project.
Release Date
June 16, 2019
Showrunner
Sam Levinson
3
Bridgerton (Netflix)
Release Date: Thursday, January 29
Simone Ashley, Luke Thompson, Hannah New smiling in Bridgerton season 3Liam Daniel / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection
Netflix’s massive hit, Bridgerton, will premiere on January 29 with the first half of its fourth season. Following Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), the regency-era hit appears to be prepared for a very different love story this season. While Bridgerton season 3 focused on the story between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), the upcoming season will shift perspectives again. Benedict and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), a resourceful maid with a secret past, will find their romance sparking at a masquerade ball, and the story that ensues will follow another Julia Quinn novel from the Bridgerton series. With the first part of the season coming in January and the second in February, Bridgerton season 4 is anticipated to make waves.
Release Date
December 22, 2020
Network
Netflix
Directors
Tom Verica, Tricia Brock, Alex Pillai, Alrick Riley, Bille Woodruff, Cheryl Dunye, Sheree Folkson, Julie Anne Robinson
Writers
Abby McDonald, Sarah L. Thompson, Daniel Robinson, Oliver Goldstick, Leila Cohan-Miccio, Azia Squire, Sarah Dollard, Eli Wilson Pelton, Janet Lin
Luke Thompson
Lady Violet Bridgerton
Ruth Gemmell
Benedict Bridgerton
Publicado: 2025-12-23 02:55:00
fonte: screenrant.com
