Jul 1, 2026 9:30am PT
Collage: Variety; Burbs: Peacock; A Kight Of The Seven Kingdoms / The Pitt; HBO; Widow's Bay: Apple TV; Testaments: Disney
We’re halfway through 2026, and the year has already delivered a plethora of brilliant television shows — sitcoms and medical dramas, horror and fantasy, period pieces and contemporary social commentary. With the hazy days of summer upon us, now is the perfect time to catch up on any shows you’ve been contemplating, or may have missed entirely. Variety TV critics Aramide Tinubu and Alison Herman have both selected their 10 favorite shows — presented here unranked, and in alphabetical order — from the first half of 2026, ranging from the soapy, 1980s-set U.K. delight “Rivals” to the sensual and extremely bloody “The Vampire Lestat.”
Aramide Tinubu’s Top 10
The ‘Burbs (Peacock)
