43 Best TV Shows Of 2026 (So Far)

Television! If you're reading this, you likely have one, and chances are pretty good that you watch a lot of things on it. But since there's long been too much stuff out there for even professional TV critics to keep up with, we've recruited a bunch of /Film editors and writers to divide, conquer, and create an ongoing list of the best shows of the year so far.

Prestige dramas, laugh-out-loud comedies, network procedurals, sci-fi epics, anthology projects, superhero series, anime, fantasy franchise entries — you'll find them all represented here, and more. If you ever turn on the tube and become overwhelmed by options, throw one of these bad boys on. You'll be glad you did.

"Slow Horses" is the best spy show on TV, but "The Agency" isn't far off. Michael Fassbender and Paramount+'s hugely bingeable show takes its cues from the great John le Carré to deliver a grounded spy series that, though more subtle than the exploits of Jackson Lamb and his Slow Horses, is nevertheless consistently gripping.

Season 2 arrived in June of 2026 and managed to maintain that same quality, re-introducing Fassbender as troubled CIA sleuth "Martian." The actor has never been better in the role, delivering a suitably subtle performance that conveys all the internal anguish of a man who has relinquished his own agency to become whoever his government needs him to be, but who also struggles with his own desire for love. In Season 2, he's also grappling with a secret that could destroy his entire career and even have him thrown in jail.

Somehow, "The Agency" Season 2 continues to convincingly blend noir-ish elements with entirely believable spycraft. One minute Fassbender is brooding in his imposing Barbican apartment, and the next, he's overseeing rescue missions in scenes that makes us feel like we're sitting in on a real CIA operation. Meanwhile, Richard Gere and Jeffrey Wright are typically brilliant in their supporting roles as London Station Chief Bosko and Deputy Chief Henry Ogletree, respectively. But even the lesser-known supporting cast members do a fantastic job, never once breaking the sense of realism that makes "The Agency" one of the most impressive series on TV. (Joe Roberts)

It may have arrived with little marketing fanfare, but don't let that color your perception of "Batman: Caped Crusader" Season 2. The first "Caped Crusader" season, which attracted substantial acclaim from /Film, was a retro take on Batman. If you're a Batman fan and liked what Season 1 was going for, Season 2 offers more of the same bat-flavored comfort food.

While the series was developed by "Batman: The Animated Series" co-creator Bruce Timm and thus features his art style, "Caped Crusader" is very much its own beast. Literally set in the 1940s, "Caped Crusader" puts Batman (Hamish Linklater) in a new pulp adventure each episode. The show's stories typically play like film noir send-ups, but "Caped Crusader" is unafraid to utilize the occult or mad science if it'll mean a good story. Targeted at an older audience with a TV-MA rating, "Caped Crusader" can hew slightly more adult, which adds verisimilitude to the show's genre aspirations; you never feel like you're watching a pale noir imitation with the violence and sexuality sanded off for the kids.

While modeled on the earliest Batman comics of the 1930s-40s, "Caped Crusader" remains well aware of the long history that comes after those early comics. Season 2 is filled with unique reinventions of classic Batman villains, with the stand-out definitely being a morose Joker (Matthew Needham) who nonetheless still uses a unique venom to make his victims die laughing. (Devin Meenan)

Relationships are hard, but waging an intergenerational war of attrition with a younger couple might be even harder. Netflix struck absolute gold with Season 1 of "Beef" in 2023, detailing the fallout of a road rage incident gone haywire between hot-heads played by Steven Yeun and Ali Wong. That deceptively simple and mundane premise spiraled into directions that nobody could've foreseen — both viewers and characters alike. Round two of creator Lee Sung Jin's breathtakingly complex premise adopts an anthology format, focusing on a completely different set of characters who similarly find themselves entangled in another series of circumstances fraught with trouble.

While nothing can recreate the sense of discovery the first time around, Season 2 weaponizes our sky-high expectations against us in the best possible way. Meet the irascible country club owner Josh Martín (Oscar Isaac) and his hifalutin wife Lindsay (Carey Mulligan), two people trapped in a marriage gone sour and nursing years' worth of grudges against one another. When happy-go-lucky (read: naïve) Gen Z fiancées Austin Davis (Charles Melton) and Ashley Miller (Cailee Spaeny) catch their boss in the middle of an argument that's turned violent, the drawn-out rivalry that unfolds next is yet another absurdist, "White Lotus"-like descent into the deranged that needs to be seen to be believed.

You simply won't find another TV show like this in 2026 — one that's audacious, bleakly hilarious, and shockingly heartfelt in equal measure. (Jeremy Mathai)

Instead of narrowing down its dense storyline, the fifth and final season of "The Boys" radically opens it up. Amid the anxieties surrounding the Supe Virus, the threat of a near-immortal Homelander (Antony Starr) looms large over this irreverent political satire. Eric Kripke's interpretation of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's comic book series has always been sharp and topical, but Season 5 takes this core philosophy to its extremes. Vought-controlled America isn't a far cry from our current reality, and every character — human or Supe — is pushed to their limits in this fight that goes beyond the archetypal concepts of good and evil. Characters like Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) and Firecracker (Valorie Curry) get to indulge in conflicting motivations, which adds yet another layer of nuance before an inevitable showdown.

The titular Boys also grapple with their point of no return. They must set their differences aside to band together one last time, which is easier said than done. Some of the glaring flaws of Season 4 were in the form of empty shock value, but the final season has countered this impulse with a more meaningful exploration of morality. This doesn't mean the show has lost any of its punchy dark humor — we still see tentacles writhing out of toilet seats and heads being unceremoniously crushed under superhero boots. But Season 5 of "The Boys" refuses to rush its climactic final stretch, which has arguably become one of its greatest strengths. (Debopriyaa Dutta)

Lisa Kudrow and Michael Patrick King only make a new season of "The Comeback" when they feel like they've got something to say, and if it's true that this will be the final outing for Kudrow's irrepressible sitcom star Valerie Cherish, it's a fitting conclusion for this unforgettable character. In the very first season of "The Comeback" that aired in 2005, Valerie tries to mount a comeback on a sitcom called "Room and Bored," which ends in disaster; the second season, which hit HBO in 2014, follows Valerie again as she works on "Seeing Red," a gritty HBO drama about the making of "Room and Bored" created by the antagonistic sitcom writer Paulie G (Lance Barber).

So where does Season 3 of "The Comeback" pick up? After winning an Emmy for "Seeing Red" a decade prior, Valerie starts working on a new sitcom called "How's That?" with her longtime friend and business partner Billy Stanton (James Bucatinsky, also an executive producer on "The Comeback") by her side. The problem? Despite the presence of writers Mary and Josh Abrams (Abbi Jacobson and John Early), "How's That?" is written using artificial intelligence, something Valerie frantically tries to hide from the rest of the cast and crew in her role as an executive producer. "The Comeback" might just be the most incisive, cutting Hollywood satire of its era, and Season 3 is no exception. (Nina Starner)

It should be little surprise for anime fans that when the creators of "Fullmetal Alchemist" reunite, sparks of magic fly. "Daemons of the Shadow Realm" adapts the latest action-fantasy manga by "Fullmetal" author Hiromu Arakawa, courtesy of Studio Bones (behind both "Fullmetal Alchemist" anime).

Arakawa's distinctive art style endures in "Daemons," as does her character design philosophy that "Men should be buffed and women should be vavoom!" Like "Fullmetal Alchemist," "Daemons" is also about a pair of siblings — but these siblings, brother Yoru and sister Asa, barely know each other and are on opposite sides of a clan war. The primary weapons of this war? Daemons, partnered with humans. The Daemons range from vaguely humanoid (Yoru's Left and Right guardians) to truly, well, demonic; Asa's murderous friend Gabby has a toothy, multi-eyed shadow for her partner.

Asa and Yoru are twin harbingers of an ancient, world-shattering prophecy. The nature of their destiny (and why the different clans want them) is one of the central mysteries that's already made "Daemons of the Shadow Realm" such a gripping watch only a few episodes into its first season.

"Fullmetal Alchemist" was a fantasy world that pulled from real history, while "Daemons of the Shadow Realm" focuses on a fantasy world lying in the shadows of modern day Japan. I'm even more excited to see how it can continue to stand out from its predecessor, while still having the same storytelling strengths in action and tone balancing. (Devin Meenan)

Can you imagine a mainstream American production hub churning out a modern-day small town murder mystery investigation series (think "Broadchurch" and other shows of that ilk), only it's consistently (and often very darkly) funny, primarily focused on middle-aged Australian lesbian and non-binary disasters, and vocally Land Back when it comes to the Indigenous folk of the Land Down Under? Me neither, which is what makes the series "Deadloch" such a hidden gem over on Prime Video.

Once again overseen by show creators Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan, aka The Kates, "Deadloch" Season 2 takes things even further than the series' highly-watchable first season by adding more idiosyncratic and queer (in more ways than one) characters to the mix. Yet, unlike a lot of television cut from the same crime genre cloth, Season 2 wholly wrestles with the question of whether the show's lovable protagonists — strictly by-the-book cop Dulcie Collins (Kate Box) and chaos gremlin detective Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami) — can really make a difference when it comes to police corruption and brutality by being "the good ones." 

Throw in a visibly sweltering setting for atmosphere (namely, Eddie's untamed home town of Barra Creek) and a wonderfully smarmy Luke Hemsworth as one of Season 2's sordid suspects, and what've you got? A recipe for one of the best (and most wittily subversive) series of 2026 that you may've never heard of, much less seen. (Sandy Schaefer)

Yes, there's a murder in the opening episode, like so many other prestige TV shows in the modern era. But the best shows use that formula as a way to explore themes and ideas they're really interested in, Trojan Horsing the unexpected stuff past the audience's gates until people are so hooked by the mystery, they're willing to take the ride all the way to the end to find out what really happened. As one of the oddest shows to get a coveted Sunday night HBO slot in quite some time, "Patriot" creator Steven Conrad's "DTF St. Louis" makes that ride unforgettable.

Jason Bateman, Linda Cardellini, and especially David Harbour are doing some of the best work of their careers in this show as a romantic triangle unlike any you've seen on television. The series is extremely open-minded, and the boldness of the storytelling means it's difficult to see the twists and turns coming. "DTF St. Louis" is a singular piece of art about desire, love, taboos, and financial instability, and it's far more probing and emotionally curious than its "dead body in the first episode" mystery structure might lead you to expect. Also, don't sleep on Richard Jenkins and Joy Sunday as two detectives of different generations who investigate the death and learn way more than they bargained for. (Ben Pearson)

Anticipation was high for this "Yellowstone" spin-off, and not only because it featured two fan-favorite characters from Taylor Sheridan's wildly popular neo-Western. The first sequel series, "Marshals," had no idea what it was about, disappointing "Yellowstone" fans everywhere. Then, "Dutton Ranch" saved the day with a show that felt very much like a true sequel to the original series while also charting some interesting new ground by turning Kelly Reilly's Beth Dutton and Cole Hauser's Rip Wheeler into underdogs for the first time.

"Dutton Ranch" takes the classic Sheridan formula of soapy melodrama mixed with surprisingly well-wrought naturalistic drama to create a show that's both emotionally affecting and a heck of a lot of fun. As we see Rip and Beth struggle to come to terms with parenthood and overcome the challenges of running a farm by themselves, we also see the cartel invade small-town Texas and unleash hell. We get one of the most delightfully slimy villains in Jai Courtney's Rob-Will Jackson, and consistently compelling storylines across the board. No character's trajectory is dull in this first season, which is more than can be said for so many supposedly more "serious" shows.

It was always going to be tough following up "Yellowstone," but "Dutton Ranch" proves it can be done with panache. The show is a Lone Star State neo-Western crime thriller that's just a grand old time. What more could you want? (Joe Roberts)

Who would have thought that one of television's greatest comedic duos would come in the form of Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe? If you've yet to experience the exquisite comedy of "The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins," you're missing out on one of the funniest new TV shows out there. From "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" executive producers Robert Carlock and Sam Means, this superb comedy series at Peacock basically plays out like a combination of the Chicago Bulls documentary series "The Last Dance" if it was crossed with "30 Rock," which Carlock also executive produced with Tina Fey.

A documentary crew led by struggling filmmaker Arthur Tobin (Radcliffe) is following the life of Reggie Dinkins (Morgan), a disgraced ex-football player who's trying to make a comeback. Of course, Reggie is anything but normal, making perfect use of Morgan's comedic sensibilities, and his absurd antics are only enhanced by the supporting cast of characters, such as his former teammate Rusty (a perfectly cast Bobby Moynihan) and his ex-wife/current manager, Monica (Erika Alexander).

With a frequency and speed of jokes that matches the same pace and quickness of the wit and hilarity of "30 Rock," this show is a treasure trove of laugh out loud bits. Plus, the first season features guest appearances from Craig Robinson, Heidi Gardner, and Megan Thee Stallion, just to name a few. We dare you to watch it and not explode into fits of laughter. (Ethan Anderton)

Where can "For All Mankind" go with its alternate timeline after already settling both the Moon and Mars? Well, it takes a page out of anime and stages a revolution on Mars, of course. Season 5 slows down on the space exploration a bit to focus on what it means to actually conquer the cosmos. Most of the season is about generational change, immigration and colonization, and the idea of calling Mars home. Though the show has always had grand moments of spectacle — and this season isn't different, with a fantastic voyage to a moon of Jupiter — it's always been a character-driven story. This season puts the characters to the test by pitting the citizens of Mars against Earth, with echoes of the long tradition of Martian revolutions, and even drawing parallels to the never-ending wars of the 2000s.

If this all sounds a bit too heavy and grim, don't worry: "For All Mankind" is still a hell of a fun show with plenty of wacky moments and elements. This is, after all, a show that has Joel Kinnaman playing an astronaut who refuses to step down from positions of authority in dangerous professions well into his 80s. It's a show about an alternate timeline where streaming never took off, and it provides a hilarious recreation of an infamous historical meme. In its penultimate season, "For All Mankind" is delivering one tremendous crescendo that takes humanity to the stars. (Rafael Motamayor)

Crime thrillers are among some of the most popular shows in TV history, and "Furious," the drama starring Emmy Rossum on Hulu, is here to join the esteemed ranks of the best of the best. Created by Elizabeth Meriwether ("New Girl," "The Dropout," "Dying For Sex") and loosely inspired by the mostly-forgotten 1987 pseudo-noir film "Black Widow," the series is a more — forgive the word choice — furious tale of misogynistic violence and a survivor's righteous revenge. As FBI agent Alice Black, Rossum is investigating a case of a young woman targeting and murdering the wealthy, powerful men who trafficked her as a teenager. At the same time, Alice is working through her own trauma as a survivor of domestic violence at the hands of her police officer ex, who remains on the force and whom she has to interact with from time to time on the case.

What makes "Furious" such a compelling watch is the way Alice's story parallels and intersects with that of the killer, Catherine (Lola Petticrew). At first glance, the series seems like a cat-and-mouse procedural that audiences are already accustomed to, but "Furious" has more to say about the systemic failures of government and judicial institutions when it comes to women's safety, believing survivors of sexual violence, and bringing perpetrators to justice regardless of their wealth and social standing. It's a nuanced, complex examination of the emotional toll that plagues us all when trauma inspires revenge. (BJ Colangelo).

Masamune Shirow's "Ghost in the Shell" is one of the most influential pieces of science-fiction of the last 40 years, being adapted several times before. Science Saru's "The Ghost in the Shell" immediately stands out from the rest by taking a much more faithful route to adapting the manga. Rather than the philosophical, almost ethereal vibe of the 1995 film, this anime is a lot more colorful than what you'd expect from a cyberpunk story. It's also funnier than what we normally associate with the genre.

That's where the anime's biggest charm lies. This is a show that's equal parts philosophical rants about the nature of consciousness, the meaning of self, and our relationship with robotics, and a funny cop show about a group of misfits fighting terrorists and other criminals. The show balances both tones so neither overwhelms the other, with the colorful visual style aiding in brightening the rather dark reality of the anime's world to support the humorous elements. And yet, this is still "Ghost in the Shell," meaning there is plenty of thrilling action and stunning mechanical animation. With more time to properly adapt the manga than past adaptations, "The Ghost in the Shell" gives every character more depth and layers than we've seen before, particularly Major Kusanagi, who is funny and quick-tempered rather than overly serious all the time. It's a new era for the franchise, and the future has never looked brighter. (Rafael Motamayor)

"Hacks" is, sadly, in its final season, but it's comforting to know that this HBO comedy created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky is going out on the highest possible note. Season 5 begins with Jean Smart's Deborah Vance in a legal pickle — she isn't allowed to perform in any way, shape, or form after abruptly quitting her late night show to side with her head writer and closest friend, Ava Daniels (known AI-hater Hannah Einbinder).

As Deborah and Ava keep trying to find loopholes that might let Deborah do what she does best, we're starting to wind the story down for some of the show's supporting players. Any time Meg Stalter's Kayla Schaefer and Downs' Jimmy LuSaque Jr., Deborah and Ava's co-managers, are on screen is just an absolute delight.

Even though "Hacks" built its foundation on strife between Deborah and Ava, the final season finds the pair in lockstep, which is a joy to behold ... and the series isn't any less funny because of this. (When Deborah books a performance at Madison Square Garden and proudly tells Ava it's set to take place on September 11, I laughed so loud and so hard that my smart watch warned me about a "loud environment.") "Hacks" might be taking its final bow, but it's better than ever. (Nina Starner)

How do you replace a fantasy show beset by controversies and backlash, but which consistently reigned as a ratings hit? By debuting another fantasy show that's every bit as divisive, yet becomes another true water-cooler series. "House of the Dragon" has always had intimidatingly large shoes to fill following "Game of Thrones," but George R.R. Martin's prequel story about the Targaryen civil war seemed a natural choice to adapt next. There are dragons and power grabs and political schemes (and incest ... so much incest), but audiences quickly found this a worthy and occasionally superior replacement for their swords-and-sandals fix.

Even "House of the Dragon" Season 3, another mixed-bag installment of Ryan Condal's adaptation, has enough juice to land on a list like this. What other show provides as much spectacle? Where else can you find this genre treated with such seriousness and weight? Although we may never get back to the days of a proper monoculture, there's something worth celebrating about having an audience united in passion — positive, negative, but passion nonetheless — over yet another show set in the world of Westeros.

Don't take this for granted, folks. "House of the Dragon" is prestige TV on a cinematic budget, boasting supremely talented actors at the top of their game and a creative team as geeky as we are. When its watch ends next season, we may find ourselves craving the days when we had a production to fill that dragon-shaped hole in our hearts. (Jeremy Mathai)

If you're not watching the HBO series "Industry," you're missing out — especially because its penultimate season is absolutely incredible. The series began as a pretty straightforward financial drama that followed young new Pierpoint & Co. employee Harper Stern (Myha'la) as she learns the ropes in London, but across the show's four seasons thus far, "Industry" has mutated into something much deeper. While it still focuses on the chaotic and cruel world of finance, it's also a character study of some of the worst people you've ever seen in your life (complimentary).

"Game of Thrones" alum Kit Harington joined "Industry" back in Season 3 as Sir Henry Muck, a blatant idiot with too much power and capital, and his fraudulent banking app, Tender, is the central focus of Season 4. While Harper tries to determine exactly how and why Tender is fraudulent alongside her former Pierpoint mentor Eric Tao (Ken Leung), Henry's wife and Harper's former best friend Yasmin Kara-Hanani (Marisa Abela) cravenly props Henry and Tender up for her own social and financial gain ... and if we're going to support women's rights, we must also support their wrongs.

"Industry" Season 4 is incisive, uncomfortable, and absolutely absurd. It brings in fascinating new players ("Mad Men" veteran Kiernan Shipka and "Stranger Things" alum Charlie Heaton both deliver excellent performances), and that final scene between Harper and Yasmin will leave you shaken to your core. Be sure to binge "Industry" before its fifth and final season arrives. (Nina Starner)

Four seasons in, and the small screen adaptation of Robert Kirkman's "Invincible" comic books remains the best animated "Spider-Man" series currently streaming. As with Peter Parker, the more miserable the show's titular do-gooder, Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), is, the better the narrative tends to be around him. Indeed, Season 4 hits even harder on the series' core theme: Being a superhero is just as much of a mental, physical, and spiritual grind as being anyone else who saves people for a living. (The healthcare workers on "The Pitt" and Mark really need to swap war stories sometime.)

Things get even more ethically tricky and psychologically draining for Mark and his loved ones in Season 4, between the galactic war heating up against the remaining Space Nazis that are the Viltrumites, Mark's Viltrumite dad Nolan/Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons) going on an apology tour as part of his desperate attempt to atone for his previous horrific crimes, and both Mark and his fellow superhero/girlfriend Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs) buckling under the weight of their ever-growing baggage. Standout episodes like Mark's trip to Hell (yes, the actual place) and some genuinely breathtaking imagery during the big battle on Viltrum similarly do their part to pull Season 4 through some rough patches on its way to an emotionally rich and morally complex season finale that ranks as one of the show's finest hours yet. Like its namesake, "Invincible" keeps on keeping on through thick and thin. (Sandy Schaefer)

Science Saru's adaptation of Tomato Soup's "A Witch's Life in Mongol" uses storybook-like visuals and stylized character designs to hide a dark and violent world. Here, it's the story of a young girl who discovers the joy of learning, right before her entire world is annihilated by the Mongol Empire conquering her city. The show's balance of cute visuals with truly brutal violence is shocking, and it helps put the audience right in the shoes of its protagonist, Sitara, one of the best anime characters of 2026. Seeing Sitara go through the almost transcendent experience of learning and seeking knowledge is reminiscent of "Orb: On the Movements of the Earth," a similarly excellent anime all about knowledge and set in a historical period rather than a fantasy world.

Indeed, part of what makes "Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia" so unique not just as an anime but as a piece of television is how it centers on the kind of character and culture you rarely see represented: a young girl sold into slavery in medieval Persia. The show pays intricate attention to detail in the way it portrays its world, from the architecture to the music and even the way it shows characters' relationships to the tenants of Islam in a nuanced way. There is no show quite like it, no anime with this level of scope that nevertheless focuses on such an intimate story, brought to life with incredibly vibrant animation. (Rafael Motamayor)

Who says the world of Westeros need be grimy, gross, and full of gore? Okay, admittedly, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" includes all of that as much as "Game of Thrones" ever did. But where this differs from the original HBO series or "House of the Dragon" is in a matter of perspective — specifically, one that's far afield from the political machinations and power-grabbing ambitions involving the Iron Throne. The previous entries put author George R.R. Martin's taste for edgy subversion and moral ambiguity at the forefront, which we ate up and went on to demand seconds. This prequel is a more wholesome, ground-level, and modest palate cleanser, proving beyond a doubt that you can't deconstruct a genre like fantasy without first knowing what makes it so welcoming to begin with.

"A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" strips away the schlocky, borderline exploitative aspects audiences had come to expect from the swords-and-sandals franchise, but without ever sanding off its roughest edges. The shadows and blood and mad Targaryens are all present and accounted for, yet this instead opts to focus on the tiny glimmers of light. If "The night is dark and full of terrors" sums up the approach to its parent series, then "Are there no true knights among you?!" best captures the heart and soul here. Leave it to Dunk (Peter Claffey) and his loyal squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) to provide the pleasant comfort watch we needed. (Jeremy Mathai)

It's still too early to make a judgment call on the new DC Universe. While "Superman" and "Peacemaker" season 2 were fairly successful, the too-maligned "Supergirl" was an unfortunate misfire. The big question has been whether studio co-head James Gunn's promise for DC to be more script-driven will hold true. Well, if the first season of "Lanterns" is any indication, it seems Gunn has kept his word. Creator/showrunner Chris Mundy and co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tom King deliver a series which feels both completely its own thing while still being part of the DC universe, something that the various Marvel series have largely failed at. Rather than just being another superhero series, "Lanterns" is a refreshing and bold take on the Green Lantern character.

It helps that "Lanterns" doesn't involve one Green Lantern, but two: the grizzled veteran Hal Jordan (a career-best Kyle Chandler) and newbie John Stewart (Aaron Pierre, as good as we all hoped he'd be in the role). The dynamic between the two men is such that it allows the series to feel like a combination of "True Detective" and "Men in Black," a Western-flavored crime show which happens to feature interstellar rather than international criminals. As the deep bench of Green Lantern Corps members indicates, the character is a wide-ranging and varied one, something "Lanterns" seems to wholly embrace while carving its own path. If the future of DC Studios follows the show's lead, we'll see the brightest day for DC going forward. (Bill Bria)

The American version of the Australian documentary series "Love on the Spectrum" has been running for four seasons now on Netflix, and the fourth season just might be the most beautiful one yet. It's easily some of the most touching and best television of 2026.

While the series (created by Cian O'Clery) continues to bring back favorites like the medieval-loving Connor Tomlinson and the fast-talking James B. Jones, as well as Season 3's breakout star Madison Marilla and her cowboy sweetheart Tyler White, this season's new faces just might steal the show and help make this a season to remember, from the nervous but eager Logan Pereira (above left) to the bubbly and animated Emma Sue Miller, not to mention the lovable Dylan Aguilar.

There are wonderful new milestones for our familiar faces, as well as fantastic breakthroughs for the newcomers. In fact, this season might be filled with the biggest amount of successes in the show's history. I'm making that claim solely based on memory, but the uplifting vibes are there throughout pretty much the entire season.

But there's one particular moment at the end of Season 4 that stands out among the rest. You'll know it when you see it, and we won't spoil it here, but let's just say it's a magnificent, Avengers-style assembly for the "Love on the Spectrum" cast, albeit one that's a little bittersweet knowing that stars Abbey Romeo and David Isaacman make an appearance in the 2025 footage but are no longer together as of 2026 . Even so, this season will still warm your heart. (Ethan Anderton)

"The Madison" is one of the most surprising series of 2026. Originally billed as a "Yellowstone" spin-off, many of us expected the Taylor Sheridan series to be another neo-Western crime drama like the Dutton family saga. However, being set in the state of Montana is the only real connection "The Madison" has to "Yellowstone." No one gets shot, but there is a devastating plane crash that impacts an entire family.

Sheridan's properties often treat death as a throwaway aspect of the story, but not this one. In fact, the burden of death is the most pivotal aspect of "The Madison." The series explores grief through a tender, sentimental, and nuanced lens that promotes empathy. Be that as it may, Sheridan and company pepper the story with enough heart, humor, romance, and hot cowboys to show that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. What's more, Michelle Pfeiffer's performance as a grieving widow is outstanding, and Kurt Russell is always awesome.

"The Madison" proves that Sheridan can take risks — and its success shows that his risks can pay off. Hopefully, he will always make shows about people getting shot. But "The Madison" suggests this cowboy isn't interested in riding the proverbial one-trick pony, and it will be interesting to see if Sheridan expands upon this more grounded style moving forward. (Kieran Fisher)

Spearheaded by producer David E. Kelley and based on Rufi Thorpe's best-selling novel of the same name, Apple TV's series "Margo's Got Money Troubles" feels like a breath of fresh air (and, not for nothing, is pulling off a storyline that "Euphoria" can't land to save its life). Elle Fanning stars in the series as Margo Millet, a young woman studying English at a local college before an affair with her professor ends in an unexpected pregnancy. When she decides to keep the baby and raise her newborn son Bodhi, half her roommates run for the hills and leave her financially stranded. So what's a girl to do when she needs money to support herself and her kid?

With some surprising childcare assistance from her formerly absent father (Nick Offerman's pro wrestler character, Jinx) and help from her remaining roommate Susie (Thaddea Graham), Margo starts exploring a career on OnlyFans ... and that career picks up serious steam when she starts making experimental videos with other creators. With Michelle Pfeiffer as Margo's flighty but loving mom Shyanne, Nicole Kidman as Linda "Lace" Sawkins (one of Jinx's former wrestling friends who's now a lawyer), and a story about found family and biological family coming together to support Margo when she needs it the most, "Margo's Got Money Troubles" is empowering, eminently watchable, and just a whole lot of fun. (Nina Starner)

"Marshals" is a CBS procedural and a sequel to "Yellowstone" that's had a tough time combining those two elements in its first season, but that's part of what makes it such an interesting watch. You can see the writers grappling with the enormity of their task, following up one of the biggest shows of the last decade while also trying to progress the story of Luke Grimes' Kayce Dutton on its own terms. What results is a show that doesn't always know what it's doing, but is a lot of fun if you throw caution to the wind and enjoy it as a ridiculous piece of procedural nonsense that brings back some familiar faces from the mothership series.

Though "Marshals" has continued some depressing "Yellowstone" trends, it has also provided fans of Taylor Sheridan's neo-Western series with a proper sequel. Until "The Dutton Ranch" debuts, this is the only spin-off show set in the same world as the original, and it's a heck of a ride. "Marshals" Episode 10 in particular channels classic "Yellowstone" with a wild plot that's unhinged in the most enjoyable way possible. But there's plenty of off-the-wall chaos to keep you engaged throughout as Kayce tries his best to keep the Duttons' sordid history hidden while embarking on a new career in law enforcement. If you go in expecting a fun, completely illogical CBS procedural and like the idea of revisiting some "Yellowstone" mainstays, "Marshals" has what you need. (Joe Roberts)

If 2025's "The Perfect Neighbor" was the point at which true crime entertainment went too far, "Neighbors" is a delightfully off-the-wall salve. A24's HBO docuseries comes from directors Harrison Fishman and Dylan Redford, with Josh Safdie producing. It has a premise so simple, it's a wonder nobody has actually made the show before: "Neighbors" explores different neighborly disputes in each of its six episodes. But these aren't your typical tiffs over parking spots or noise complaints. The characters in this series are just that: characters. Somehow, Fishman and Redford have found the most charismatic, intriguing, and often disturbing sets of warring residents in the United States. It makes for a wild show that certainly got its due from critics, but deserves more widespread recognition.

The "Gilligan's Island" theme song once sparked a weird lawsuit and a wild feud between two Laguna Beach residents, but that's nothing compared to the stories in "Neighbors." This show includes a man who starts his own farm in a residential neighborhood, much to the chagrin of the charming retirees across the street. There's also a Halloween decoration competition that leads to all-out war between two New Jerseyans in a story that's like something out of an "I Think You Should Leave" sketch. The intimacy and access Fishman and Redford were afforded is impressive, ultimately resulting in a show that feels less a mere document of neighborly quarrels and more a dissection of a deeper collective psychology. (Joe Roberts)

It's truly amazing to think we got not one, but two excellent adaptations of Eiichiro Oda's "One Piece" in the same year. While Netflix's live-action adaptation manages to capture the absurdity and heart of the original while condensing the story enough to make it digestible to general audiences, Toei Animation's long-running anime adaptation continues to be stellar. The past couple of years have seen some changes in the animation, with individual directors getting more freedom to leave their mark on the show with experimental visuals. Likewise, a change to a seasonal release format has fixed many of the show's pacing issues. The result is a year of "One Piece" that has delivered some of the best moments in the entire near-30-year-old history of the series.

The Elbaph Arc has been full of emotional reunions, huge lore reveals, delightfully absurd comedy, and thrilling action on a scale that's unparalleled elsewhere on TV. With the latest story arc being set in a land of giants, "One Piece" is having a lot of fun with scale and dimension, with huge creatures and sets that allow for inventive action that keeps it fresh, even after all this time. As always, however, the reason this show works so well and the reason the story continues to be impactful is the characters, who remain as engaging and memorable as ever. It's a great time to be a "One Piece" fan, and Elbaph is just getting started. (Rafael Motamayor)

Eiichiro Oda's "One Piece" is notoriously hard to adapt because it's a ludicrously vast world full of fantastical powers, impossible creatures, and a story that just keeps escalating to epic heights. The sheer fact that we have even a half-decent live-action adaptation is nothing short of a miracle. But Netflix's "One Piece" is not just a decent adaptation, it's a phenomenal piece of television. Season 2 doubles down on what made the first season great, capturing the essence of the characters and letting them interact with one another in delightful moments of downtime. It also manages to perfectly capture the wackiness of Oda's world, bringing in giants, talking reindeer doctors, people with wax powers, and even an otter wearing pajamas riding a vulture with a machine gun, all without mocking these things or trying to make them grounded and realistic.

The joy of watching "One Piece" is how much it truly feels like a cartoon brought to life. It dares to be silly and goofy, but also action-packed and emotional. At a time of prestige big-budget adaptations, "One Piece" reminds its audience that not everything needs to be overly serious. What's more, the show even improves on its source material by remixing certain characters and events so they can impact the story earlier than in the manga. This delivers a viewing experience that's surprising and impactful, no matter how familiar you are with the story. (Rafael Motamayor)

The lives of those deemed trivial by the world matter just as much as those dubbed "main characters." It's an idea many recent shows have embraced, though few as endearingly as "The Other Bennet Sister." Adapted from Janice Hadlow's novel, the series speed-runs through "Pride & Prejudice" from the perspective of Mary Bennet (an outstanding Ella Bruccoleri), the wonderfully awkward, oft-neglected member of the Bennet family at the heart of Jane Austen's classic Regency-era romance/social satire. From there, the show follows Mary as she strives to make a life all her own, one in which she may yet find both love and a purpose beyond being someone's wife.

Much as it might sound like glorified fan-fiction (not that there's necessarily anything wrong with that), "The Other Bennet Sister" enriches the world and characters of Austen's source material. By holding a magnifying glass up to the social pressures and challenges that Mary and women like her must navigate, the show invites you to see them in a whole new light, including the likes of the famously antagonistic Caroline Bingley (Tanya Reynolds). That's not to play down the series' cozy charms, either, as "The Other Bennet Sister" is a pleasingly bright mix of romance, comedy, and commentary that was filmed in several grandiose locations (something the UK's tourism industry no doubt appreciates) and features beautiful, delightful supporting actors like Dónal Finn, Indira Varma, Laurie Davidson, and Varada Sethu. As Mary herself realizes, one can be multiple things at once. (Sandy Schaefer)

Every show should go for the gusto the way "Paradise" does. Under showrunner Dan Fogelman's guidance, this intensely post-apocalyptic, occasionally Western-flavored, and increasingly trippy political sci-fi thriller series remains an unrelenting ride in its second go-round. By that same token, there's nary an episode that doesn't dish out some kind of game-changing twist, shocking flashback reveal, or heartstring-yanking turn of events to keep you tuning in, eager to learn more.

Season 2 only ups the ante in the series' ongoing quest to generate maximum drama, bringing in Shailene Woodley for an emotionally-charged guest role and introducing what might just be the best small screen villain of 2026 to date. Along the way, the ghostly covers of vintage pop songs that close out each new chapter come to take on a peculiar charm of their own, much like "Paradise" and its most out-there story threads as a whole.

Even in the show's strange new world, though, some things never change (like society being subject to the whims of billionaires and politicians scheming to develop cult-ish fanbases), and it's those qualities that keep this series feeling grounded in the face of its most preposterous developments. That goes double for Sterling K. Brown's performance as the show's dashing, upstanding protagonist Xavier Collins, who can move you to tears with his tenderness before shifting into full action hero mode in the blink of an eye. In the end, "Paradise" is just too damn compelling to give up on. (Sandy Schaefer)

Welcome to the Pitt, a hospital of horrors full of overworked caregivers with thousand-yard stares, some of the most stomach-churning injuries you'll ever see, and suicidal ideation aplenty. How considerate of "E.R." creator R. Scott Gemmill to make a medical procedural specifically for sickos like us. On the surface, "The Pitt" is as straightforward as it gets: Unfolding over one shift each season, every episode tackles a single hour in the Emergency Department of the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. Underneath, however, this pressure-cooker of a setting is the ideal breeding ground for juicy interpersonal drama, organic social commentary, and lead star Noah Wyle and his oh-so-sad eyes sucking you right into the action.

Perhaps the true genius of "The Pitt" is how it appeals to so many different demographics at once. For those with a deeper appreciation of what doctors and nurses (and aides and medical students and...) experience on a daily basis, the sheer competence porn on display holds up to scrutiny. For the shippers among us, just try to resist the bristling chemistry between, well, pretty much everyone in this cast full of the most beautiful people you've ever seen. But more than anything else, this is a throwback to TV of old, when shows were allowed to span more than 8-10 episodes at a time, writers could channel "Lost" and flesh out an entire cast, and nothing was obligated to build up to some game-changing conclusion. Just make sure you're watching it correctly, folks. (Jeremy Mathai)

Can you believe Genndy Tartakovsky was originally going to leave behind the friendship of caveman Spear and Tyrannosaurus rex Fang in favor of an entirely new story for "Primal" Season 3? Thankfully, the creator came to realize he could spend more time with Spear and Fang in a story that tested their unlikely friendship in a whole new way.

After the end of "Primal" Season 2 saw Spear sacrifice himself to save his new wife Mira and her village, the caveman was believed to be dead and buried. But Season 3 brings him back in a shocking fashion. Following a vicious attack on Mira's village by a group of bloodthirsty Ape-Men, a surviving shaman uses magic to reanimate Spear's corpse and seek vengeance. But after completing this task, a mostly braindead Spear is left to figure out what his life was like before, driven by foggy visions of his past. As Spear wanders aimlessly, he encounters all sorts of mystical and monstrous new threats until he reunites with Fang. But there's something off about Spear, and he must prove that he's the ally that the dinosaur companion remembers.

"Primal" Season 3 packs the same dazzling visuals, graphic violence, and beating heart that made the first two seasons of the show so great. But this season also adds a bigger dose of humor, as Spear stumbles around clumsily like a zombie caveman. Spear's wife Mira also takes a bigger role, as she struggles with the return of the husband she believed to be dead. It all makes for another stellar season of animated television. (Ethan Anderton)

Prime Video's "Reacher" has been breaking viewing records since it debuted in 2022, and Season 4 proves the show isn't slowing down one bit. You might have thought that after Alan Ritchson's Jack Reacher faced off against Olivier Richter's towering henchman Paul Van Hoven in Season 3, the show would have nowhere to go. But "Reacher" Season 4 got off to a fantastic start simply by being based on the Lee Child book with the most bonkers reveal in Jack Reacher history. Now the new episodes have arrived, and already the show is proving it can still outdo itself.

Season 4 maintains the same propulsive energy as previous installments, throwing Ritchson's hero into the center of a complex web of intrigue and conspiracy while also managing to deliver top-notch action sequences. As pulpy as the show is, the combat feels consistently grounded in real-world physics, making Reacher's merciless takedowns feel even more impactful. Meanwhile, the ex-military policeman has a new ragtag group helping him on his mission to solve the mystery of a government worker who ended her life on a Philadelphia subway car. The dynamics of the new crew work just as well, if not better, than with previous seasons, and it shows the writers are adept at crafting what is essentially an anthology series where the only constant is Jack Reacher himself. Season 4 has proved that Ritchson and co. still know how to bring Child's books to life in the most crowd-pleasing and enjoyable way. (Joe Roberts)

Bill Lawrence makes some of the funniest and sweetest shows on TV (including but not limited to "Scrubs," "Shrinking," and "Ted Lasso"), and Steve Carell is one of television's most charming performers, so it's pretty great to watch these two team up for the HBO comedy "Rooster." Created by Lawrence and Matt Tarses, "Rooster" centers on Carell's pulp novelist Greg Russo (the show's title comes from the name of Greg's main character, private detective Rooster), who pays a visit to the fictional and pastoral Ludlow College to check in on his daughter, Katie (Charly Clive). As Greg provides support for Katie as she grapples with the destruction of her marriage — her fellow professor husband Archie ("Ted Lasso" star Phil Dunster) publicly cuckolded her with grad student Sunny (Lauren Tsai), who's now pregnant with his child — he ends up more involved in Ludlow's world than he anticipated.

Before long, Ludlow's president Walter Mann (a hysterically funny John C. McGinley showing off his impressive physique thanks to Walter's obsession with saunas and cold plunges) has convinced Greg to serve as a writer-in-residence at Ludlow, and he becomes part of this chaotic liberal arts college in earnest. With outstanding supporting performances from comedy powerhouses like Annie Mumolo, Rory Scovel, and Robby Hoffman and a characteristically great turn from Danielle Deadwyler as Ludlow professor Dylan Shepard, "Rooster" is funny, sweet, heart-warming, and endlessly charming ... and Carell at his best since "The Office." (Nina Starner)

Art has the power to transform us all, and if a television show can make me reconsider my perspective on how I live each day on this dying planet, that certainly must count for something. For three seasons now, "Shrinking" on Apple TV has proven that series creators Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, and Brett Goldstein understand humanity in an unusually honest way. "Shrinking" is so much more than a comedy built around awkward jokes and feel-good situations, but a call to face the painful challenge of making decisions that are necessary for growth in our own lives, even when those decisions feel uncomfortable, unfair, or emotionally exhausting. Hell, star Harrison Ford loves the show so much that he'd be happy to retire with the show as the final credit on his resumé.

The series captures how messy personal growth can be, especially when people repeatedly fail before finally understanding themselves. Season 3 pushes those emotional themes even further, highlighting how people constantly evolve while their fears and emotional burdens evolve alongside them. Some changes lead toward happiness, while others create new struggles. Rather than offering simple answers, the series encourages compassion, accountability, forgiveness, and honesty, reminding viewers that progress rarely happens without vulnerability, patience, and genuine human connection, all through the perspective of some of the most lovable characters on TV. (I would die for you, Derek.) Still, the show reminds us that continuing to fight for better lives always matters. (BJ Colangelo)

The victim of an online trolling campaign and longtime fans who never gave the show a chance but sure did talk about it online, "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" quickly developed a reputation as a terrible show, and one that should be avoided to convince Paramount brass to take "Trek" in a new direction. But the truth is plain for everyone who actually watched it: "Starfleet Academy" is a delight, an admittedly YA-flavored take on the storied franchise that understands the appeal of both the core series and a teen soap alike.

Designed to fix the both literal and metaphorical damage caused by the later seasons of "Star Trek: Discovery," "Starfleet Academy" is a "magical school" show where the magical school is actually a science fiction school, one built to train young folks from across the galaxy how to be the diplomats, scientists, explorers, and yes, even warriors seen across the "Star Trek" universe. The series frequently adopts an upstairs/downstairs formula, with the seasoned staff grappling with issues that could throw the entire quadrant into disarray while the students take on a situation that acts as a microcosm of the bigger issue (although those lines blur as the stakes increase). "Trek" fans wondering how the seasoned professionals of other shows are made will delight in watching these eager cadets learn the ropes and prepare to boldly go themselves.

With its diverse cast and keen interest in science, truth, and answering some of the franchise's biggest mysteries, "Starfleet Academy" is a ray of sunshine that was a little too pure for our world. At least Season 2 was in the can before Paramount lowered the axe. (Jacob Hall)

Who says boldly going and heading out to the distant cosmos in the spirit of exploration couldn't also be a total blast? How about terrifying, hilarious, heartwarming, silly, and involving puppets in equal measure? "Star Trek" may have a reputation as a somewhat stuffy, high-brow, nerd-only venture, but that hardly reflects the experience of actually living and breathing this futuristic world. "Strange New Worlds" perhaps best captures the full spectrum of what the sci-fi franchise has to offer, with Season 4 taking an even more ambitious grab-bag approach.

The writing may be on the wall for this series, as it's slated to bow out after its fifth and final season, but "Strange New Worlds" is showing no signs of slowing down just yet. Season 4 alone has already given us a dinosaur-themed adventure, an episode diving headfirst into the horror genre, a "The Hangover"-like romp, and promises to go further than any "Trek" show has gone before. It's almost as if co-showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers have challenged themselves to go out on the highest note possible, leaving fans dying for more.

As far as television goes, there's truly nothing like this currently streaming. Even on the small screen, franchise IP oftentimes has too many studio executives to answer to, too many passionate fans to consider, and source material that can feel more like a weight around its neck. "Strange New Worlds" somehow navigates around every one of these obstacles, easily making this must-watch TV. (Jeremy Mathai)

To paraphrase Michael Corleone, just when I thought I was out, "Star Wars" pulled me back in. "Andor" excluded, the galaxy far, far away has not held my interest lately, especially with the diminishing returns of the Disney+ shows — or formerly diminishing returns, because "Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord" is a shot in the arm.

I still have a soft spot for ex-Sith Lord Maul. Between Sam Witwer's always-incredible voiceover performance as Maul, the stand-out "Clone Wars" episodes that resurrected the villain, and maybe a touch of sentiment ("The Phantom Menace" was the first "Star Wars" movie I saw), I'm always willing to give a chance to a project that features Maul in a starring role. In this case, I'm very glad I did.

Admittedly, I was a bit concerned by the earliest "Shadow Lord" episodes, which leaned a bit too much on police procedural and not enough on the promised Shadow Lord. But the ride only got more exciting with each episode, and the strong pacing kept me hooked until the end.

It's all the easier to overlook any flaws because "Shadow Lord" is a gorgeous spectacle, with breathtaking animation, lighting design (aided by the red glow of the villains' lightsabers) and fight choreography, especially in the climactic Episodes 9-10, when Maul faces a silent, relentless Darth Vader. Watching "Star Wars: Maul" will make you wish more of these "Star Wars" shows stuck to animation. (Devin Meenan)

Subjectivity was a core element of AMC's "Interview with the Vampire" during its first two seasons, just like the reputed Anne Rice best-seller it was adapted from. There, because we were seeing the world of Rice's renowned Vampire Chronicles books through the eyes of one Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), the show unfolded as a gothic yet melancholic and moody horror drama that reflected Louis' outlook on his life as a vampire and himself along with it. So, with Season 3 swapping out Louis for his maker/ lover Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) as its POV character to adapt Rice's novel "The Vampire Lestat," it stood to reason that we were in for more than just a change in title.

As narratively extra and stylistically flamboyant as its attachment issue-riddled supernatural namesake, "The Vampire Lestat" is a deliriously exemplar continuation that takes an already exceptionally theatrical show and transforms it into an utterly wild horror rock musical that's deliciously ridiculous and radically emotionally honest at once. Somehow, this beautifully chaotic series remains capable of holding queer camp and heart-wrenching tragedy in the same hand as it charts Lestat's experiences during a whirlwind rock band tour that's all about exercising his demons (whether he'd admit it or not). And with all due respect to OG Lestat actor Tom Cruise, he's Reid's character now. You haven't lived until you've heard the way the latter purrs things like "Chipotle" or "more red meat for Reddit." (Sandy Schaefer)

Vic Michaelis, the host of "Very Important People," is rapidly becoming comedy's next breakout star, so make a note of that now. The series evolved from the old CollegeHumor show "Hello My Name Is," but now, on "Very Important People," it's Michaelis playing a heightened version of themself as the host of an absurd talk show where comedians are transformed into bizarre characters they have never seen before, then forced to improvise an entire interview in real time.

The results are consistently chaotic and hilarious. Just to name a few, Rekha Shankar appears as a sentient hot dog woman battling postpartum depression, while "Saturday Night Live" featured player Jeremy Culhane plays a foreign ambassador from the fictional nation of Lafufu searching for an American political spouse. Lisa Gilroy, easily one of the sharpest comedic performers working right now, becomes Vic's childhood imaginary friend, trying to apologize after being imprisoned in an imaginary jail for sleeping with Vic's father. Angela Giarratana portrays a washed-up lounge singer in Las Vegas desperate for a comeback, and Demi Adejuyigbe takes on the role of a humanoid flower haunted by regrets over hosting a low-budget children's television program. For viewers craving pure nightmare fuel, Brennan Lee Mulligan and Jacob Wysocki appear as grotesque babies from an alternate universe.

Every episode is gut-bustingly funny and has quickly become a who's who of the future of character comedians. If you aren't a Dropout subscriber yet, what are you waiting for? (BJ Colangelo)

What if the mayor of a small island town, played by "The Americans" star Matthew Rhys, was desperately trying to put his community on the map, but slowly realizes that the island's resident crank is telling the truth when he claims the island is cursed? That's the basic pitch of "Widow's Bay," and it's ridiculously entertaining to see Rhys go from a skeptic to a possible believer as he encounters progressively creepier lore. So far, every episode has played on a different horror trope, which keeps the show fresh and visually dynamic. The comedy is often understated, but it's very, very funny.

Hollywood is littered with horror comedies that couldn't manage to strike the right balance between those two genres, but this show is among the best of the best, and absolutely nails it. One minute, you'll be laughing at a side character's reaction in a small-town municipal meeting (which makes sense, considering creator Katie Dippold worked as a writer on "Parks and Recreation"), and the next, you'll be freaked out as a creepy clown speedily skitters toward our main character in a dark crawl space (which makes sense, considering the show's directing roster includes directors who are no stranger to unnerving material, like "Atlanta" alum Hiro Murai, "Severance" veteran Sam Donovan, "Friendship" director Andrew DeYoung, and even horror filmmaker Ti West).

Only three episodes have aired at the time of this writing, but this show is the real deal, folks. Don't miss it. (Ben Pearson)

Bug Films' adaptation of Kamome Shirahama's "Witch Hat Atelier" is stunning to look at. The ongoing anime mimics the manga's evocative panels, bringing its intricately fantastical setting to life. However, the primary draw of "Witch Hat Atelier" is the cautionary tale that centers around a child named Coco, who has been fascinated with magic since infancy. After meeting a witch named Qifrey, Coco tries casting her own magic spells. Unfortunately, a particular sigil encases her mother in crystallized ice, kickstarting her arduous journey to become a witch apprentice and save her mother before it's too late.

"Witch Hat Atelier" ventures beyond fantasy wish fulfillment tropes by treating magic as a tool that is protected for a reason. Spell-work comes with great moral responsibility, and even a pure-hearted child like Coco must carry that weight while using magic. Coco's first magical trial measures her creative ingenuity, and she passes with flying colors by using mundane artistic skills instead. While such out-of-the-box thinking is rewarded, it also puts a target on her back, as some antagonistic forces shadow her actions with concerning interest. Coco's learning curve is marked by the lesson that magic can also be wielded to cause harm, which is why she must develop a sturdy moral compass. To that end, the anime blends slice-of-life elements with soaring visual spectacle to weave a profound story about self-discovery. As Coco glides through magical realms with wide-eyed awe and anxiety-riddled caution, so do we. (Debopriyaa Dutta)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a weird place right now. Thanks in part to the introduction of the multiverse, it's less cohesive than ever. Kang, who was supposed to be the overarching villain of this latest arc, has been quietly shuffled offstage due to real-world scandal and replaced with Doctor Doom, who is confusingly set to be played by former Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. Then there was that whole thing with "Thunderbolts*" having an asterisk in its title, seemingly changing its name to "The New Avengers," and Marvel having to clarify that the title hasn't actually changed...

Amid all those headaches, it was a relief to get a mostly self-contained, somewhat silly Marvel TV show about Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) mentoring a young actor, Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who's hiding some rather inconvenient superpowers. "Wonder Man" is another one of those self-indulgent shows about Hollywood that Hollywood seems to love making, but to be fair, the format has delivered some gems in recent years. Both "Barry" and "The Studio" come to mind while watching this quirky MCU entry, which features appearances from Josh Gad and Joe Pantoliano as themselves. Yes, Joey Pants is now officially a Marvel character.

The whole thing is glued together by the oddball pairing at the heart of it. It's been fun to watch Trevor Slattery bounce chaotically around the MCU after starting his life as the most controversial element of the fandom firebomb that was "Iron Man 3." And Abdul-Mateen has an irresistible charisma that elevates every role he's in. I'll be watching Simon Williams' career with interest when he returns in "Wonder Man" Season 2. (Hannah Shaw-Williams)

It was the X-Men that paved the way for the superhero movie boom of the 2000s. Now, as we wait to see if the mutants can lead the Marvel Cinematic Universe to a better and brighter future, Professor X and his students are already getting the job done for Marvel Studios Animation with "X-Men '97." The first season of the '90s "X-Men" cartoon series revival, like the comic books it's based on, was an unabashedly political soap opera that acknowledged just how firmly ingrained social prejudice is among humans, and it was full of astonishing spectacle (and more than a smidge of queer subtext). But after Marvel's heavily-publicized parting of ways with Season 1 showrunner Beau DeMayo, would the belated "X-Men '97" Season 2 be able to clear the same bar?

Fortunately, the answer is a resounding "yes." In its second go-round, "X-Men '97" only doubles down on Season 1's breathtaking, animated compositions and superhero action, all the while delving deeply into themes about the dangers of revenge, assimilation, and engaging in good faith with those who have proven they don't have your best interests at heart. It's also just as soapy as the first season, loading on the shocking deaths, twists, and returns, even as it continues to weaponize "X-Men" fans' nostalgia against them by repurposing iconography and plot points from famous comic book arcs in unexpected and exciting ways. Any "X-Men" story where Charles Xavier himself (Ross Marquand) is radicalized is doing something right. (Sandy Schaefer)