The TV Shows I Am Most Excited for in 2026 (Must-Watch Picks!)

Okayyyyy! I honestly love this topic and was so excited to get right into it! In today's article, I will be talking about what tv shows I am excited for this year, in 2026!

Let's start off with one I feel everyone would love.

(SPOILERS IMCOMING!!!)

1. Outerbanks.

I cannot talk about this show any more than I already have. And I have talked about it A LOT! I love this show, and they are coming out with the last season of the series, season 5.

I am so sad that it's done and leaving because it was truly an amazing watch. The twists, cliff hangers, everything about this show was so shocking and heartbreaking.

(Side note: Spoilers!!!)

JJ's death, I am still so mad about, was so sad. Like Kie will never find another love like JJ and he will never get to meet his God child. He was such a good character; he literally carried the show.

And the backstory for his departure was sick and honestly, uncalled for. Rudy deserves better! WE WANT HIM BACK!!!! But before he died, his greatest fear was to die alone and he did. It was honestly so crazy. They have given hints that he may be back but due to the backstory for his departure, I'm not so sure. He was so good in the show! And his character is so heartbreaking but so good. He was betrayed by both fathers, losing his mother, and getting abused by his father. But there were good times too, realizing they found the gold, when they cashed elderado, finding treasure. He loved his friends, and they loved him. They searched and searched for gold, not realizing they already had it.

I honestly am so excited to see who Kiara ends up with now that JJ is gone. Everyone hates her and Rafe getting together, but honestly, I see it. Even if she doesn't end up with anyone, I cannot wait to see what new path she's taking since JJ was her true love!

Not only is her love life juicy, but also her story with her parents. They treated her so badly, sending her off to camp because they didn't want her to be a Pogue, but JJ saved her and it was such a sweet scene when he did. Kiara had gone through so much and her parents not supporting her and now losing JJ, it's just-- I don't even know how she's still functioning right, honestly. It's so sad. She will never have a happy ending.

The fact that Pope never got to say "I love you" back to JJ was so sad. Like he loved JJ, we all can see it! JJ literally went to jail for him!

They were such a good duo, and my heart goes out to him! I just know that he is going to be so upset in the new season since JJ was killed off. I also want to see what's in store for him and Cleo. They are such a good couple in this series, the way they met, them being together after so much, all of it was just so good. Since Pope was technically a FUGITIVE after they left Kildare, I want to see if he'll get arrested or not! Because I heard that they go BACK to Kildare!

The creators took us by storm with Sarah getting pregnant by John B's baby in the last season, like dude, come on, we need MORE! Sarah was honestly such a baddie and such a good character in this series! She and JJ def carried HARD throughout the show.

To her and John B getting together to JJ and her having the most unbreakable brotherly, sister connection. Sarah has gone through so much in this show, it's so sad. She has lost yet another person and it's just too much for her. The fact that she lost JJ just to get Rafe back was so sad. I cannot wait to see her and her baby in the next season!

John B, the main, main character. Now John B, he was a very excellent character as well. He went through just as much as the rest of the Pogues.

When he was framed by Sarah's DAD, Ward, for murder, it was an INSANE plot twist. LIKE WHAT!??!?! It was crazy and not only that, but his dad was also missing for months, until he magically turns up and then dies again in a short amount of time. Like dude? How do you die twice? Everyone wants JJ to pull a Ward, and I'm assuming John B does too. Indicating that it was "brothers for life". A brother from another mother is what they were. The best brother duo! Friends since young! John B, JJ, and Pope had such an incredible connection and JJ's death really shocked them, especially since he was the troublemaker who always got away with it. John B and Sarah's relationship is so strong and so amazing. I really hope they get married in the next season and I know he is so excited to be a father.

Cleo isn't really a main, main character until later in the story, but her backstory is crazy. She's def a survivor. She's spent all her life surviving and losing a father like she did in the last couple of seasons was so shocking.

He was killed in front of her, and he was saving her life, it was truly horrifying to see from her point of view. Cleo is such a baddie; her, Sarah, and Kie are the best trio in the series! I cannot wait to see her and Pope's relationship unfold more in season 5!

Image Credit: Mathieu Landrett from Commons.Wikimedia

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2. Stranger Things.

Now I know season 5 came out in 2025, but I know many of us are Stranger Things fans. So, I am very behind on the whole thing, so I don't know much but I'm already loving the whole story and the whole sci Fi theme. It's def a great show and I cannot wait to watch more.

(Side Note: Spoilers!)

Eleven has been through so much and I am so sad for her. She was treated like a puppet in the series and it's honestly so sad to see. She just wanted to be normal and to be a kid.

But when Hop took her in after finding her, the whole thing was honestly a shock, and I was not expecting that, no way. But her and Mike's relationship is so sweet to see, especially since Mike seems to have such a strong connection towards her. I just know that the next couple of seasons will be amazing!

Now let's talk about the whole group all together, Mike and his pack. Before Eleven, they were just mindless kids, doing kid things, and they have all been through the worst at their young age. After season 1, it def changed them.

It was sad to see how they all had triggers from the past, especially Mike's sister. She lost her best friend, and no one else seemed to notice, except Steve. Steve was such a good boyfriend, as he was so good in the series! But he honestly didn't really notice either; he just was like; it is what is? Nancy deserves better, and Barb didn't deserve to go out like that. Mike and his pack were so funny and such a great group. They had bad times and mostly bad times, but their bond is unmistakable, and I cannot wait to watch it unfold before me.

Image Credit: Puneeth Shetty from Unsplash

3. The Upshaws.

Now this show is most certainly a comedy and is a very good one! I recommend it for a good laugh! This family is so realistic, like could they be any more real? Not every household is perfect, but they most certainly represent a messy household.

Bennie Upshaw is hilarious. Like I'm talking, Kevin Hart hilarious. He makes everything funny, even the worst things.

Him and Regina are such a power couple, fighting through the good and bad together! Bennie is funny but can be very messy. Regina has been fed up with him way too many times, but they always seem to push through. Bennie having a baby mama, really was a plot twist, but I gotta say, his son has the hots. I cannot wait for more of the Upshaw's in the next and final season!

Regina Upshaw, she is so funny and very expressive with her emotions toward Bennie and his problems. She's always trying to get her and her family out of whatever mess Bennie has gotten mixed up in. She does it effortlessly though.

Her and her sister, Lachrisha, the funniest duo. We love a good dose of Cre and Gina! Regina juggles her household and extended household on a day-to-day basis; I just know she has more drama to come in her future.

Lacrisha, she's got her own life and house but is always at the Upshaw's place to either get them out of mess or stir up some mess. She has been with her sister from the start, from her sister having her first kid to her and Bennie's nonstop fights. She's always there for the kids, helping them through whatever they're going through.

It's so good to see an auntie who cares! While juggling her family life, she also has her own love life. What does she have going on with her and her lover? We'll see.

Calvin, Bennie's extended child. Now let's just say how he got here was accidental but are glad he is here because he and Aaliyah's brotherly sister connection is hard to beat. I mean they always look out for each other even though they aren't fully blood.

It's so good to see! However, it seems he's got a thing for her best friend. Aaliyah was not too happy about that one.

Maya, the Upshaw's youngest sister. She is funny and adorable. She makes adult things seem innocent.

She def carried the show with her cute attitude and beautiful charms. As she gets older, she starts to see the family flaws and finds herself getting mixed up in them, herself.

Aaliyah, the Upshaw's oldest sister. Juggling her social, teen, and family life is a hassle for her. She gets her hilarious charms from her father, though.

She's always trying to fit in while watching her family life play out as it does. She and Maya have such a beautiful sister relationship that I'd love to see more of in the next season!

Bernard, the oldest brother in the family. While he struggles to figure out who he is, he finds out some juicy things about him and a past lover. A child?

Indeed, so. 10 years and he didn't know she even existed. Heartbreaking if I was his daughter? Definitely!

Image Credit: Delcho Dichev from Pexels.

4. The Queen Of Flow.

I haven't watched it yet, but everyone says it's so good and with the next season coming out, I cannot wait to watch! The preview had me hooked just by only a few words. Yes, it's mostly Spanish but I could learn a thing or two. It seems very interesting and by the preview, I'd def recommend!

Image Credit:Natacha Panassol from Unsplash.

6. Wednesday.

Okay, we need a round of applause for this series! Like I fell in love with it right off the bat! I truly love the Wednesday cast. I finished the second season in such a short amount of time, and I cannot wait to watch the next season coming out very soon in 2026!

Wednesday, the main character. Honestly, Jenna was meant for this role, literally. She was so amazing in this series.

Her and Enid's friendship is honestly so pure and so sweet. As much as Wednesday hates to admit that she cares about Enid, you can tell very much in the series that she cares for her deeply! And her relationship with Tyler literally gives 'Enemies to Lovers.' The fact that they kissed in season one and then she found out about who he truly was, leading to her distancing herself because he was crazy and then them hating each other in the next season was honestly so good! But there was a bit of a love triangle there. More like 3 love triangles between Wednesday and her lovers. Xavier, he wasn't really Wednesday's lover, but the tension was there, and I was loving it! Xavier was so hot and such a good fit for Wednesday. It was a shame that he didn't appear in season 2. But let's not forget, Bianca, Xavier's ex-girlfriend was obviously so jealous that Xavier liked Wednesday more than her. Not only were the feelings there but also the facts.

Enid, Wednesday's best friend throughout the whole series. Of course, she has a group of friends who are her best friends, but Enid is really her ride or die. When Enid is not talking Wednesday out of whatever mess she's gotten into, she's mixed up with Ajax in the first season.

Her and Ajax relationship was absolutely a fan favorite, and when she ended up with another ware wolf in the second season, leaving Ajax, the fans were not at all happy. She and Ajax had a good thing going until she realized that she lost feelings for him overtime in the next season, leading to her liking someone else. However, after a major incident, she and Ajax became friends again in the last episode. Is something potentially still there with her and Ajax? I think so, but we'll see. In season 2, we find out that Enid might actually be an alpha werewolf, leading to more problems within the series.

Bianca, in the first season, she was Wednesday's rival for many, many reasons. One because she still liked Xavier and the fact that Wednesday and Xavier were getting closer and closer, really ticked her off. But later, she teams up with Wednesday to take down the Hyde that was ripping people to bits throughout the show. In the second season, she and Wednesday become very fond of each other, leading to Bianca leading down a new path in season two, regarding her family problems and the new principal of the school.

Xavier, while he was mixed up in the whole thing with Wednesday, Bianca, and Tyler, he was often accused of being the potential Hyde because of how the Hyde that was hurting people never hurt Wednesday but actually saved her once. He made a major impact in the show, mainly with the love triangle between him, Bianca and Wednesday. His time in season 1 was very much unforgettable, and I hope he returns to the show in season 3, since he didn't show up in season 2.

The Wednesday family, they play a major part in season 2 but in season 1, Wednesday is mostly alone, figuring out her way on her own. Her mother? Mortisha makes a great appearance in season 2, always by Wednesday's side, grabbing her out of trouble when possible.

Her father? Always supporting Wednesday's choices but also warning her lightly but mostly letting her mother deal with the problems. Her brother? Pugsley makes an appearance in season 1, but he makes a greater appearance in season 2, joining the school along with Wednesday. Pugsley is left in a place he is not familiar with, just as Wednesday was, finding his way in school. While he deals with his own problems, he often hides things from his family throughout the show as well. Thing, Wednesday's partner in crime. He truly is a right hand. He puts on quite a show in season 1, always sticking with Wednesday through it all. But in season 2, we find out more and more about his past, leading up to the whole reason why he was even created.

Tyler & His Father, now Tyler is the bad guy in this show, his feelings about Wednesday clearly visible. He wanted to be with her but once she found out who he was, she wanted nothing to do with the crazy person who's killing people for fun. He was later taken to a hospital where he was being treated and in season 2, his hatred for Wednesday not only grows but expands.

Not only his hatred grew but also his love for her as well. Now Tyler's father knew about the whole reason why and how he turned into a Hyde but kept it a secret from not only him but everyone else in the show. He makes a great character leading up to the problems he faces and how he comes over them in the next season. I'll leave the rest up for you to watch!

And for the rest of the cast? I wouldn't change any of them or take any of them out, since they made the show what it is today! It truly is a great show, and I recommend it 100 times!!

Image Credit: Ramón Salinero from Pexels.

(Wednesday's Mom Used This in The Movie!!!)

5. Ginny & Georgia.

Now, this show is filled with the drama, murder, trauma, abuse, etc. The list is never ending but that is what makes the show so good! These characters fit these rolls so well, and the emotions felt so real!

It's also so realistic. Teens are literally going through the same things the characters are in the show! It's too relatable how relatable it is.

Ginny, one of the main, main characters. Ginny goes through so much and her past with her mom and her life back when she was little was so heartbreaking but so needed to build her character. It was so sad to see that she was self-harming in the early seasons, and that's what makes it so relatable.

A lot of teens deal with this problem, and they conveyed this in the movie so well. She has many lovers but her one main lover is Marcus, they have such a cute love story, it's honestly so sweet to see. She has 3 lovers throughout the series but always comes back to Marcus. Along with her busy love life, she also deals with internal and external problems with her family and friends. And if I'm honest, she wasn't a great friend in season 2. I cannot wait to see more of how her character brings. She was such a baddie when her mom was on trial, she would do anything for Georgia and Georgia would do anything for her.

Georgia, the mother and mostly the main, main character in the movie. We see a lot of Georgia's past and how she developed to be what she is today. She and Ginny carried the show so well; it's not even funny.

Georgia is that mama bear that would do anything for her kids, even committing murder. In season 2, we see a lot of that, so be aware. Georgia gives her kids freedom and space but also keeps an eye on Ginny after finding out her little secret. Georgia has many lovers throughout the series, I can't even name them all but her main lover is Paul, but as you get to the last episodes of season 2, Joe seems to be catching Georgia's eye. We are left off on the biggest cliff hanger of all, a new pregnancy coming? I don't know but I am so excited to find out!

Austin, Ginny's little brother. He was seen in season 1 as the innocent little kid, but he is everything but that as the show goes on. He has every right to hate everyone and start his villain arch in season 3.

He was going through so much in season 1 already, and season 2 just adds to it. Him locking his dad away instead of his mother was such a shocker, major plot twist that no one was expecting. We had hints about it, but I didn't think that he would go along with it. But how Austin felt after he locked his dad away, shows how much he manipulated him into believing that his mother was the problem and not him. Not to mention HE WAS ABUSIVE!!!

Joe, Gil, Paul, & Zion. Gil and Zion are Georgia's baby father's while Paul is Georgia's husband in season 1 and 2. Not only her husband but her boss and the mayor.

Now Zion was around when Ginny was little but not so much, Georgia left him when she was like 16 because Zion's parents tried to get custody of Ginny. Gil came into the picture after Zion, giving Georgia another kid, Austin. Georgia left Gil soon after Austin was born. Joe and Georgia met when they were kids, but they never knew that they would meet when they were adults. Joe was the first one to realize this, but Georgia has yet to realize. What Zion did to Ginny and Austin is honestly so sad, and he shouldn't even be around that much in season 3 because he was barely in their lives before. Why show up now?

Marcus & Maxine Baker! Maxine, Ginny's best friend in season 1, but it takes a real turn later in season 1 after finding out Marcus and Ginny were up to things behind her back. Maxine has always been there for Ginny and in season 2, Mang and Ginny treated her so badly.

You could tell that Max was struggling with so much on her own, and no one seemed to even realize. Marcus, the troubled one. In season 1, he comes across as the cocky, sly teenager next door. But things get heated and next thing you know, they are starting to like each other. In season 2, even after their breakup, he still cares, even showing up for her at the hospital after a big event. It's clear that Marcus and Ginny still love each other, and Marcus and Max's connection is so sweet, and Max just wants the best for him, even if it's hurting him.

Mang! Now Mang is a group with Max, Nora, Ginny, & Abby. They are Ginny's best friends in seasons 1 and 2.

In season 1, everything was good. They were struggling through things on their own, yes, but they always came together to talk things out with one another. Now, everything wasn't amazing, but they were best friends. They had a huge breakup in season 1 after the whole Ginny and Marcus thing, leading to Max not including Ginny in their group anymore. But after that, they found out that Abby knew too and also pushed her away as well. Leading to Ginny, Abby and Marcus becoming good friends. I won't spoil season 2 too much but how they treated Max even after they all made up was so wrong and sad. Like WHY??!?!?!?

Image Credit:Netflix from commons.wikimedia

Now these may only be a few, but they are so worth it! If you've watched these before, let me know your take on them! Especially Outerbanks!

I could argue about that one all day long! These are just my opinions so if you disagree, let me know in the comments below!! Sorry about the spoilers!! Until next time!

-Love, Lay!