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The best new TV shows, ranked
From buzzy returning favorites to easy background watches, here’s how to sort through the flood of new TV.
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Even as someone who watches television in a professional capacity, I’m currently overwhelmed by how many new TV shows have debuted in the past month. It’s as if Apple, Netflix, and HBO/Warner Bros. were waiting until the moment the 2026 Oscars ended to unleash a torrent of new and returning series on unsuspecting audiences.
I’m still catching up on a few of the shows I’m about to list below, while others have only provided a handful of episodes to critics. But based on what I’ve seen, here is how you should prioritize shows released in the past month in your viewing queue.
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PS: This list essentially functions as one big “Play or Skip,” so I’ll skip that section of the newsletter this week.
But your recommendations are still welcome. Have a show you can’t stop watching? Email me about it at [email protected].
The best new TV shows, ranked
Stream these now
These are the shows that people will be talking about, and for good reason.
“Beef” Season 2: Maybe it’s because I just finished binging the first half of this show, but I can’t wait to find out how the season’s two couples – country club employees portrayed by Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton – resolve their simmering dispute. (Netflix)
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“The Boys” Season 5: Eric Kripke’s dark superhero series continues to pull its plot from the front pages, with Homelander’s (Antony Starr) fascist reign threatened only by the possibility of a superhero genocide. (Prime Video)
“Bait” Season 1: Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”) stars in this very funny series imagining what would happen if a British Pakistani actor working on the margins of showbiz was suddenly in the running to play James Bond. (Prime Video)
Wait a few weeks
Some of these are returning shows off to a bumpy start. Others are good already, but are rolling out episodes weekly, so you have time to catch up.
“The Testaments” Season 1: I’m liking this “Handmaid’s Tale” sequel so far, and any opportunity to see Chase Infiniti (“One Battle After Another”) is a plus. But I’m unsure if the show’s totalitarian milieu will keep me coming back week after week. (Hulu)
“Hacks” Season 5: Ending a TV show is never easy, much less a beloved show with nine Emmy wins, so I’m being patient with this comedy despite its slow start to the season. (HBO Max)
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“The Comeback” Season 3: Lisa Kudrow’s showbiz satire is grappling with how to discuss AI (aren’t we all?), but regardless, it’s nice to see her on screen again. (HBO Max)
When you’ve watched everything else
These aren’t necessarily bad shows, but they’re a tier below the others.
“For All Mankind” Season 5: I’ll definitely catch up on this sci-fi in full at some point, but that point may be months after it concludes its final season in May. (Apple TV)
“The Miniature Wife”: There’s some fun stuff here, but I’m waiting to see if this Elizabeth Banks comedy-drama, about a woman shrunk by her inventor husband (Matthew Macfadyen), is more than a literalization of how relationship imbalances can make you feel small. (Peacock)
“Euphoria” Season 3: I don’t love what I’ve seen so far, mostly because the characters that once had high school as a natural connection point feel so detached from each other. Maybe that will change in later episodes, but I’m not optimistic. (HBO Max)
Palate cleansers
These shows are their own category, easy to pop on while you’re making dinner or folding laundry. They don’t fit into the above rubric, but are an essential part of any streaming diet.
“Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair”: Dewey (originally played by Mass. native and current Harvard student Erik Per Sullivan) has been replaced in this reboot, but much of what made the 2000s sitcom a joy is still present. (Hulu)
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“Taskmaster” Season 21: Following in the footsteps of Nahant native Jason Mantzoukas, “Eternals” star and fellow American Kumail Nanjiani has crossed the pond for this British show, a cross between “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” a late-night talk show, and an escape room. (YouTube)
“Survivor” Season 50: The all-star season of CBS’s long-running reality show hasn’t always provided the fireworks, but April 15’s episode had everything a fan would want: A genuinely surprising twist and vintage performances from everyone’s favorite player, Cirie. (Paramount+)
End Credits
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Until next time, good stream hunting, everyone!
— Kevin
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