Apple TV 2026: Your guide to the most anticipated new and returning shows

Apple TV is poised for a banner year in 2026, with an impressive slate of new original series, highly anticipated spinoffs and beloved returning favorites. From cyberpunk epics to gripping thrillers, the Apple TV 2026 lineup helps cement the streamer’s reputation as a powerhouse for quality programming.

Here’s your complete guide to the most highly anticipated shows coming to Apple TV next year.

Apple TV 2026 lineup: The most highly anticipated new and returning shows

With new episodes arriving nearly every week, the Apple TV 2026 lineup deliver on the streaming service’s promise of quality over quantity. Whether you’re a sci-fi devotee eagerly awaiting Neuromancer, a spy thriller enthusiast counting down to Star City, or a fan of character-driven drama excited for The Savant and Margo’s Got Money Troubles, 2026 looks to be one of the streaming service’s strongest years yet.

The combination of bold new series and beloved returning favorites ensures there will be something for every viewer.

Major new Apple TV series coming in 2026

Margo’s Got Money Troubles (premieres April 15, 2026)

Bold, heartwarming family comedy-drama Margo’s Got Money Troubles comes from A24 and prolific producer David E. Kelley. Based on Rufi Thorpe’s bestselling 2024 novel, the series stars Elle Fanning as Margo. She’s a recent college dropout and aspiring writer whose parents are an ex-Hooters waitress (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) and ex-pro wrestler (Nick Offerman). When circumstances force Margo to make her way with a newborn baby, she turns to an unconventional solution to support herself.

Also starring Nicole Kidman, the series promises to blend comedy with genuine emotional depth as it explores themes of family, independence and reinvention. The first three episodes premiere on April 15, with new episodes releasing weekly through May 20.

The Savant (date TBA)

Originally scheduled for a September 2025 release but delayed to 2026, limited series The Savant stars Jessica Chastain as an undercover investigator who infiltrates online hate groups to stop domestic extremists before they act. Written by showrunner Melissa James Gibson, the thriller is inspired by a true story and explores the dangerous world of misinformation and extremism.

The delay has only heightened anticipation for what promises to be a timely and gripping examination of contemporary threats.

Star City (mid-to-late 2026)

This highly anticipated spinoff of critically acclaimed series For All Mankind takes viewers behind the Iron Curtain for a Soviet perspective on the space race. Described as a “propulsive, paranoid thriller,” Star City explores the alternate history moment when the Soviet Union became the first nation to put a man on the moon.

Created by For All Mankind veterans Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi, Star City follows cosmonauts, engineers and KGB intelligence officers embedded within the Soviet space program at the real-life Star City training center. The cast includes Rhys Ifans as the chief designer driving the Soviet space program and Anna Maxwell Martin as Lyudmilla, head of the KGB surveillance department. Other cast members include Solly McLeod, Agnes O’Casey, Alice Englert, Adam Nagaitis, Josef Davies and Ruby Ashbourne Serkis.

Unlike For All Mankind‘s decade-jumping format, Star City will remain rooted in the 1970s. It offers an espionage-laced narrative that explores Cold War secrecy, state surveillance and the human cost of ideological competition. Filming wrapped in August 2025 after beginning in Lithuania in February, setting the stage for a mid-to-late 2026 premiere.

Neuromancer (late 2026)

One of the most ambitious sci-fi adaptations in years, this 10-episode series brings William Gibson’s seminal 1984 cyberpunk novel Neuromancer to life. The story follows Case, a damaged elite hacker played by Callum Turner. He teams up with Molly, a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes portrayed by Briana Middleton. Together, they pull off a high-stakes heist on a shadowy corporate dynasty in Chiba City, Japan.

The series began filming in July 2025 across multiple international locations, including Tokyo, Los Angeles, Istanbul, Canada and London. Created by Graham Roland and JD Dillard — with Dillard directing the pilot — the show earned backing from Drake’s production company DreamCrew Entertainment.

Gibson’s groundbreaking novel coined terms like “cyberspace” and “jacked in,” now part of our everyday vocabulary. The book has long been considered unfilmable after decades of failed adaptation attempts. Apple TV’s track record with sci-fi series like Foundation, Silo and For All Mankind suggests the streamer might finally crack the code on this legendary property.

Fan favorites returning to Apple TV in 2026

Some of the most popular Apple TV shows, including Severance and Foundation, probably won’t return until 2027. However, the following series should air new seasons in the coming year.

Ted Lasso (season 4)

Emmy Award-winning comedy Ted Lasso, which became a cultural phenomenon and Apple TV’s first big hit, is returning for another season. Jason Sudeikis will reprise his role as the eternally optimistic American football coach navigating the world of English soccer. Other returning cast members include Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift and Juno Temple. While many thought the show had wrapped with season three, Apple executives have confirmed the beloved series will continue its heartwarming journey in 2026.

Silo (season 3)

Dystopian science fiction hit Silo, based on Hugh Howey’s novels, got renewed for seasons three and four (with season four confirmed as the final chapter). The series explores a post-apocalyptic world where the last remnants of humanity live in a massive underground silo. They’re forbidden from learning about their past or questioning their existence. Silo season three is anticipated to arrive in 2026, continuing the gripping mystery that has captivated audiences worldwide.

Slow Horses (season 6)

Expected in late 2026, Gary Oldman’s critically acclaimed spy thriller continues its impressive run with season 6, following season 5’s late 2025 debut. The series, based on Mick Herron’s novels, follows a team of disgraced MI5 agents relegated to Slough House who somehow end up on the most dangerous cases. With season 7 also already greenlit, this darkly comic espionage drama shows no signs of slowing down.

The Morning Show (season 5)

Season four of The Morning Show premiered in September 2025 and concluded its run in November. Then Apple TV renewed the Jennifer Aniston- and Reese Witherspoon-led drama about the inner workings of a fictional morning news show for a fifth season, expected to air in late 2026.

The Morning Show season five will continue to explore timely issues around journalism, power dynamics and the search for truth in a polarized media landscape.

Murderbot (season 2)

Murderbot, the critically acclaimed sci-fi comedy based on Martha Wells’ Hugo and Nebula Award-winning “Murderbot Diaries,” premiered in May 2025 to rave reviews (95% on Rotten Tomatoes). Alexander Skarsgård stars as the self-hacking security android who’s horrified by human emotion yet drawn to protecting its vulnerable clients.

Apple TV renewed the show for a second season in July 2025, with new Murderbot episodes expected in 2026.

Apple TV 2026 lineup: Already scheduled for early 2026

Apple TV will kick off the year with several high-profile returns:

• Tehran (season three), January 9: The International Emmy Award-winning espionage thriller returns with Hugh Laurie joining the cast, alongside stars Niv Sultan, Shaun Toub, and Shila Ommi. A fourth season is already in production.
• Hijack (season two), January 14: Idris Elba’s real-time thriller returns, this time shifting the action from an airplane to a Berlin underground train.
• Drops of God (season two), January 21: The acclaimed wine world drama continues its journey through global viticulture.
• Shrinking (season three), January 28: Jason Segel and Harrison Ford return in this hit comedy from Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence.
• The Last Thing He Told Me (season two), February 20: Jennifer Garner reprises her role in this adaptation of Laura Dave’s bestselling thriller.
• Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (season two), February 27: The Monsterverse continues to expand with new kaiju adventures.
• Your Friends & Neighbors (season two), April 3: Jon Hamm returns in this black comedy crime drama.

Watch them all on Apple TV

Apple TV is available by subscription for $12.99 with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.

In November 2019, Apple TV “became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 580 wins and 2,787 award nominations and counting,” the service said.

David Snow

David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.

With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.

Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.

Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.