“The Pitt” tops a ranking of the 10 best TV shows of 2026 so far, with “Survivor 50,” “Beef,” and Netflix’s “Lord of the Flies” also drawing standout praise as audiences move between legacy hits and new adaptations.
By midyear, 2026 already feels like it’s been running for ages—at least for TV fans. Some weeks bring new cultural obsessions, others bring the comfort of old favorites, and every so often a series arrives that makes you forget what day it is.
Here are the 10 best TV shows of the year so far, led by HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt,” which has kept its momentum into Season 2.
10. “Ponies” (Peacock)
“Ponies” stars “Game of Thrones” alumna Emilia Clarke and “The White Lotus” Season 2 breakout Haley Lu Richardson. The story follows two unassuming CIA widows who turn out to be rather good spies when they’re thrust into the cold. killer world of 1970s Moscow. The series is described as rich with warmth and driven by magnetic performances. focused on Bea (Clarke) and Twila (Richardson). portrayed as misfits who sometimes pretend to be something they’re not in order to fit in. It leans into high-stakes intrigue, with KGB agents, intelligence work, deadly stakes, and groovy costumes.
9. “How to Get to Heaven from Belfast” (Netflix)
From “Derry Girls” creator Lisa McGee. “How to Get to Heaven from Belfast” is a Netflix series built around female friendship and womanhood. The mystery drama follows Saoirse (Roisin Gallagher). Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne). and Robyn (Sinead Keenan). who have remained close since high school and now live semi-charmed lives in their late 30s. Their bond is haunted by a dark secret from their teenage years. tied to a former fourth friend. Greta. who mysteriously turns up dead.
When the three women travel to a funeral in a remote Northern Irish village. they’re determined to find the truth about what happened to Greta and what really took place on a fire-lit night years earlier. The show is characterized as captivating and heart-racing, with unpredictable twists and turns that may require subtitles.
8. “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” (Apple TV)
Apple TV’s “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” is described as hilarious. quirky. and built for viewers who can’t stop watching. Elle Fanning stars as Margo in an adaptation of Rufi Thorpe’s book. Margo is a young single mother dealing with money troubles, turning to OnlyFans to make ends meet. Her support network includes her former wrestler father (Nick Offerman), while her flighty mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) adds friction.
The series follows Margo through an odyssey of balancing a new career as a sex worker with her pre-pregnancy relationships, her dead-beat baby daddy, and her unpredictable parents. The performance from Fanning is singled out, with the series balancing its silly and serious elements.
7. “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” (NBC)
NBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” pairs Daniel Radcliffe and Tracy Morgan in a goofy. self-referential network sitcom. The comedy is credited to creators Robert Carlock (“30 Rock”) and Sam Means (“Girls5Eva”). The show’s premise revolves around Dinkins as a disgraced football star trying to rehab his image with help from a struggling documentarian played by Radcliffe.
The series is portrayed as light, punchy, and built on pratfalls, high jinks, and silly situations—anchored by what’s described as whip-smart execution.
6. “The Other Bennet Sister” (BritBox)
“The Other Bennet Sister” is presented as a calmer alternative in a media environment shaped by political and cultural chaos and a flood of competing series. Rather than going big to stand out, it leans into going small, quiet, and calm.
Based on the novel by Janice Hadlow, the series tells the story of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” through the point of view of Mary Bennet, Lizzie Bennet’s awkward and plain younger sister. The show is described as a blend of sweet and simple without being boring or slow.
5. “The Comeback” (HBO)
Lisa Kudrow is credited as master of the comeback—though the ranking frames an exception in Valerie Cherish. HBO’s comedic darling “The Comeback” returns with a new season centered on an actress trying to revive her career.
Season 1 (2005) and Season 2 (2014) previously tracked the struggle for a comeback. and 2026’s Season 3 is described as particularly “apt (and hilarious) for the times we’re currently living in.” This time. Valerie. characterized as a faded TV star always trying to bring her career back into the spotlight. stars in a revolutionary new TV series: one written by AI. The jokes are attributed to creator Michael Patrick King (“Sex and the City”), described as acerbic and hilarious.
4. “Beef” (Netflix)
“Beef” first broke out in 2023 as a road-rage incident that spiraled into a blood feud between two strangers. It became a surprise hit built on word of mouth and followed its acclaim through multiple Emmy awards.
Season 2 arrives with a new cast and a new beef at the center, and it’s described as not disappointing. The second season follows two couples traveling a path of mutual destruction—one older and jaded. the other younger and naive. Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Cailee Spaeny, and Charles Melton star. The series is described as retaining the shock, awe, exciting performances, and mind-boggling twists of Season 1 while still feeling fresh.
3. “Survivor 50” (CBS)
“Survivor 50” is ranked as proof that TV doesn’t have to be new to be effective. The reality competition series has run for 26 years and reached 50 seasons on CBS. When “Survivor” premiered on CBS. the pitch was unlike anything else on TV: 16 people left on an island without any food. shelter. or creature comforts. voting each other out one by one until only a “Sole Survivor” remained. winning $1 million.
The show has evolved over its long tenure. but its 50th season is described as capturing the spirit of its origins while honoring its long legacy. Fan-favorite players returned, twists were introduced (with some more successful than others), and Mr. Beast and Zac Brown showed up. The winner walked away with $2 million.
2. “Lord of the Flies” (Netflix)
Ranking the best new show to hit TV screens so far this year, “Lord of the Flies” is described through the lens of high school English class flashbacks—though the experience is framed as moody, harrowing, and deeply upsetting.
This new adaptation of the classic William Golding novel is a British production. It follows a group of young boys stranded on a deserted island, losing civilization and decorum as days pass. The series is described as especially affecting because of how tiny the young actors are. making the peril feel immediate rather than abstract. The story is called an absolute classic for a reason.
1. “The Pitt” (HBO Max)
HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt” is called, almost by cliché, the best show on television. It has reportedly collected a wheelbarrow full of shiny awards, including 15 Emmys for 2025’s first season.
Season 2 premiered back in January, and the ranking says it didn’t miss a beat. The new episodes are described as growing on the creative success of Season 1. bringing new characters. new emergencies. and new commentary on a very chaotic world. “The Pitt” is framed as an unstoppable cultural phenomenon. with the ranking adding that if it keeps the pace. it will remain the best show on television for as long as it airs.
The Pitt HBO Max Survivor 50 Beef Lord of the Flies Ponies How to Get to Heaven from Belfast Margo’s Got Money Troubles The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins The Other Bennet Sister The Comeback 2026 TV shows