10 Best Streaming TV Shows Of 2026 (So Far)

We recently told you about the 10 broadcast series we’ve been loving most in 2026. Now, we’re turning our attention to the streamers, which have been churning out their own top-notch content this year. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Our list below includes 10 more picks for series that ought to make your watchlist, from a terrific “Hacks” swan song to an impressive debut from Hulu’s “The Testaments.” Meanwhile, shows like Netflix’s “BEEF,” Hulu’s “Paradise,” and HBO Max’s “The Pitt” have all successfully avoided a sophomore slump, while newbies such as “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” and “Widow’s Bay” — both freshmen hailing from Apple TV — made excellent first impressions on us.

But let’s not waste any more time. Keep scrolling to see our favorite streaming shows of 2026 (so far), then drop a comment with your own! (And don’t forget to check out our picks for the best TV moments of the year thus far, and the best TV performances.)

Creator Lee Sung Jin’s anthology fired up the grill for another high-octane tale filled with rage, unhealthy relationships, and bats**t characters. As two couples — one at the top of the food chain at a luxury golf club, and one at the bottom — went head-to-head, Lee went for broke, unraveling a story that focused on classism, broken systems, privilege, and relationship dynamics. The material was placed in the hands of four very competent actors (Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Cailee Spaeny, and Charles Melton), who all equally crushed. Isaac and Mulligan, in particular, destroyed us with monologues chock-full of harsh truths and reveals of how the world had beaten them down and made them question their choices. Devastating, poignant, powerful. — Nick Caruso

We love a show that leaves us wanting more. Now that the HBO Max series has officially said goodbye, we’re happy to report that Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky’s comedy went out with a bang. Deborah’s road to the Garden was a blast to watch, but the heart of “Hacks” — the relationship between Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels — was treated with great care. From the ladies’ Montecito outing that had Ava pretending to be Deborah’s girlfriend, to their entire European getaway that gave Deborah new purpose, Season 5 was as memorable, hilarious, and heartbreaking as the show has ever been. — N.C.

When we heard that Apple would be adapting “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” we were skeptical. How would the various themes and subjects in Rufi Thorpe’s novel — including OnlyFans, professional wrestling, Hooters, and new motherhood — fit together on screen? Thorpe somehow managed to do the unthinkable with that random collection of ideas: write an entertaining and compelling story that cast an almost comically wide net. How could lightning strike twice?

Anchored by an all-star cast — including Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, and Nicole Kidman — the series successfully brings our beloved characters to life while exploring the fringiest of cultural spaces without ever seeming cringey or trite. Like the book, the series challenges our own ideas of success and family as we watch Fanning transform into the quirky OnlyFans persona HungryGhost — and we’re eating up every last bit. — Claire Franken

We said it when we named “Paradise” one of the year’s best shows overall, regardless of network/streamer, and we’ll say it again for the cheap seats: Hulu’s post-apocalyptic drama is well worth your time. Season 2 both deepened and broadened the show’s ambitious story, which moved to the Earth’s surface as Xavier (played by Sterling K. Brown) searched for his missing wife, Teri (Enuka Okuma). Season 2 cast additions like Shailene Woodley (as Graceland tour guide Annie) and Thomas Doherty (as an enigmatic wanderer) added interesting new angles on the story we thought we knew — particularly when it came to Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson) and her agenda, which unfurled in chaotic fashion as the season moved toward its climax. — Kimberly Roots

“The Pitt” isn’t your typical streaming show. Heck, if it weren’t for the graphic medical cases and occasional F-bomb, the Noah Wyle-led drama could be mistaken for a meticulously crafted network series. But that’s precisely what sets it apart. At a time when so many streaming dramas chase bigger twists or are built around the binge model, “The Pitt” succeeds by embracing the strengths of a great procedural while elevating them with compelling characters and deeply human emotional stakes that carry from one season into the next. With its weekly rollout and devotion to the format, the HBO Max original excels not only at season-long storytelling, but also in the self-contained patient stories that begin when someone enters the ER and end when they’re discharged, admitted or wheeled into surgery. The result is a series that feels both refreshingly old-school and among the most compelling dramas currently on television, network or streaming. — Ryan Schwartz

We haven’t seen enough love out there for “PONIES,” an underrated Peacock gem that landed on the streamer back in January. That’s a real shame, because the series — which stars Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson as women who become CIA operatives to get answers about what happened to their late husbands — struck a fascinating balance between gripping Cold War drama and “Thelma & Louise”-esque buddy comedy. Clarke and Richardson forged a warm and convincing chemistry as their characters, Bea and Twila, got pulled deeper and deeper into their assignments, with Richardson doing especially strong work as Twila slowly confronted her darkest demons. “PONIES” has yet to be renewed for a second season, but we sure hope Peacock books a return trip to Moscow for more of this pleasant surprise. — Rebecca Luther

Bill Lawrence’s Apple TV dramedy once again hit it out of the park in Season 3 with big laughs and even bigger drama. The ensemble’s chemistry was as heartfelt as ever, as evidenced by events like Paul’s worsening Parkinson’s disease and Derek’s emergency heart surgery. And look no further than Gaby’s takedown of Louis as a prime example of the fire this cast can bring. While these tense moments certainly kept us seated, we were really on board to just spend time with Jimmy and his friends. Following their journeys made us feel like part of the gang: connected, loved, and never immune to some good, old-fashioned ribbing. (And Harrison Ford? National treasure.) — N.C.

Gilead, aka the misogynistic regime of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” is still going strong in the series’ sequel. But Gilead also continues to underestimate the women it forces into subservience, a miscalculation that is a tantalizingly lit fuse in “The Testaments.” The proper young ladies at a school run by Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd, reprising her “Handmaid’s” role) have all of the passions, fears, and obsessions that any adolescent girl would. But the strict rules of their theocratic society are a pressure cooker that makes high school into a life-or-death gambit. What else can these teens do but explode? And what else can we do but cheer them on? — K.R.

Four seasons in, the Alan Cumming-hosted reality series is as electric as ever. While the formula remains the same (spicy Housewives + competition series pros = fiery roundtables), the show’s dynamic twists and excellent casting haven’t led it astray yet. This year’s iteration continued to serve (and we don’t just mean Cumming’s drip). Rob Rausch and his overalls put on a masterclass of deceit as he inched his way to the top, while early eliminations like those of Ian Terry and Rob Cesternino kept us on our toes. Sure, the Secret Traitor twist was a flop (sorry, Donna Kelce), but Lisa Rinna’s savage banquet ploy and some sneaky murders in plain sight more than made up for it. With a civilian season on the way at NBC, we can’t wait to see what Alan (and his adorable pup Lala) have in store for us next. — N.C.

Are you a fan of horror? Comedy? Or both? Apple TV’s delightfully wicked new series strikes an inspired balance between the two genres, like if “Parks and Recreation” were set in the town of Twin Peaks. (Which makes sense, since series creator Katie Dippold wrote for “Parks and Rec.”) Matthew Rhys stars as Tom, the mayor of a tiny New England island town that appears to be cursed — although he’d really rather you didn’t say that out loud. The townsfolk are appropriately quirky, with Kate O’Flynn standing out as Tom’s high-strung secretary Patricia and TV vet Stephen Root playing crusty old seafarer Wyck. But the scares are very real, with the show conjuring up convincingly terrifying sea hags and serial killers. It’s a high-wire act each week, delivering laughs and frights in equal measure, and we already have our fingers crossed for a Season 2… even if that means more suffering for poor Tom. — Dave Nemetz

Which streaming series have caught your attention so far this year? Tell us below!