The Best TV Shows of 2026: A Mid-Year Roundup of Returning Greats and Surprising Newcomers

If there's a theme that unites all the series on this best-so-far list, it's anxiety. Anxiety about money, about class, about fame, about legitimacy.

We're celebrating returning greats, banger farewells, and some surprising and original newbies — here's hoping it's a sign of even better things to come on the small screen this year.

The Pitt delivers a visceral, real-time medical drama that captures the chaos and humanity of emergency medicine like nothing else on television.

Hacks continues to prove why it's one of the sharpest comedies on television, with a third season that deepens its exploration of legacy, relevance, and the cost of ambition.

Industry's third season cements its place as the most anxiety-inducing drama about finance since the 2008 crash, capturing the moral rot at the heart of modern capitalism.