A new year brings a slew of new or restarting TV series, and it can be daunting to know what to pick up.
HBO Sundays are back in a big way with a pair of winners, Netflix welcomes back its beloved steamy period piece, and the Star Trek franchise grows by one. That’s a lot to sift through, and while they are all strong options, maybe you need a bit of convincing for which direction to go first.
Here are the best new shows to stream across the streaming services this week.
Industry
“Industry” is finally back in January 2026, and there is no other show like it on TV. While the freshman season was good, it was leaning a bit too much into being similar to other popular shows at the time (i.e. “Succession”). With each passing season, the show has come more and more into itself, and now with Season 4, it is wholly its own thing, full of characters that balance grace and vile behavior in equal measure. This could easily be the year “Industry” finally gets its award season due, so it’s the perfect time to catch up.
Tell Me Lies
Everyone loves the tea of a troubled relationship when it isn’t involving them, so “Tell Me Lies” borders on voyeristic viewing for some. The best toxic situationship of the 2020s is back and better than ever for Season 3.If you aren’t caught up, get the binge going now because the newest episodes promise to bring that toxicity everyone loves so much to a whole new level.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
A new trip through Westeros in HBO’s “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is likely to feel quite a bit different than the shows that preceded it. Gone are the dragons and massive armies clashing. Instead, we’ve got a man on his own for the first time in years, trying to make a name for himself. The new series is much smaller in scope, more grounded in its approach and leans more on its humor. The result is pure joy, and the series is likely to be a must-watch HBO Sunday stop for the duration of its season.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
I’m a sucker for a school setting plot device, and the Star Trek franchise finally taking a deeper look at the goings-on of the famed Starfleet Academy in Paramount+’s latest series is very exciting. If the setting wasn’t exciting enough to get you to check out the new show, Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti are sure to get you there. Both are having a blast in their respective roles and help give the series just that bit of extra oomph.
Bridgerton
Netflix’s steamy period piece adaptation of the popular books returns at the end of January for its fourth season. The latest outing follows the second son of the Bridgerton clan, intent on not settling down until running into the alluring Lady in Silver – who turns out to be a housemaid. The upcoming season has a fun Cinderella twist to it as the show moves to adapt the third book in the series.
The Pitt
After a Season 1 victory lap through the award circuit, piling on win after win, “The Pitt” is back and bringing its prestige flair to a classic type of TV. If you need another intense shift at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center and enjoy the competency of the doctors doing their job, Season 2 will scratch every one of those itches and more. Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa return to lead the charge as the show looks to shirk any fears of a Sophomore Slump for the HBO Max hit.
Wonder Man
Marvel’s back with a new MCU series on Disney+, this time centered on Simon Williams, aka “Wonder Man.” “Candyman” and “Watchmen” star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II takes on the title role, a wannabe Hollywood star who also happensto have superpowers. Marvel has struggled with their Disney+ shows in recent years, especially those that sought to launch new heroes outside of the cinematic MCU, but fortunately, “Wonder Man” is a pretty charming watch — character-forward and focused, while also delivering plenty of in-universe Easter Eggs, not to mention the real-world name drops and references that emerge in the series’ thread of industry satire. — Haleigh Foutch
