10 must-watch TV shows this summer, from 'Ted Lasso' to 'The Bear'
10 must-watch TV shows this summer, from 'Ted Lasso' to 'The Bear'
Kelly Lawler, USA TODAYMon, June 1, 2026 at 12:02 PM UTC
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Summer 2026 will be full of vampires, dragons, frontiersmen, superheroes and President Barack Obama. And that's just on your TV screens.
Yes, as temperatures heat up around the country so are all the TV shows available for you to watch, and it'll be a summer full of heavy hitting returning shows (like "House of the Dragon," "The Bear" and "Ted Lasso") as well as exciting new series eager to become the next cultural darling (from a "Legally Blonde" prequel to a familiar prairie-set reboot).
We've rounded up the 10 shows you won't want to miss this summer, whether you're inside trying to beat the heat or looking for something breezy to watch on your beach weekend. There's something for everyone on our list.
Sam Reid as Lestat De Lioncourt in "The Vampire Lestat."'The Vampire Lestat' (AMC)
June 7 (New episodes Sundays, 9 p.m. ET/PT)
A rebrand of "Interview with a Vampire" to indicate the change in main character, "Lestat" continues the story started in the steamy AMC series starring Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid as the vampires Louis and Lestat, respectively.
The first two seasons were told from Louis's point of view, but now the camera flips to the punk-rock Lestat, and Reid's hot and heavy depiction of the blonde creature of the night made famous in Anne Rice's novels and the 1994 film adaptation (played by Tom Cruise). The series, which has a rabid fanbase, promises more of the melodrama, blood, sex and outbursts from the "Interview" seasons in the "Lestat" version.
Matt Smith and Emma D'Arcy in "House of the Dragon."'House of the Dragon' Season 3 (HBO)
June 21 (New episodes Sundays, 9 p.m. ET/PT)
Get ready for civil war in Westeros. After two seasons of build up, with a battle here and a battle there, HBO's "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon" is letting its dragons loose in Season 3. The warring factions of the silver-haired Targaryen clan, led by Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) on Team Black and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) on Team Green, are finally fully stocked with armies and fire-breathing weapons of mass destruction and ready to fight for the Iron Throne. The third season will set up the long game for the series as it gets bloody, muddy and deeply political.
Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu in "The Bear."'The Bear' Season 5 (Hulu/FX)
All episodes June 25
Get ready to say "yes, chef!" one last time. FX and Hulu's culinary phenomenon is returning for a fifth and final season. We as viewers have been along for the ride with Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and the rest of the kitchen staff of The Bear and The Beef restaurants for five years, and it will be oh-so-hard to say goodbye.
The series left off with Carmy attempting to turn over his ownership of the restaurant and retire, as he reckons with what his profession and the frenetic pace of restaurant life has done to his own mental health. The restaurant's financial backing is also in question as all the characters come together to try to fix the unfixable and solve problems that never end. Fans can only hope there might be some way to eke out a happy ending in the notoriously stressful show.
'Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness' (HBO)
June 26 (New episodes Fridays, 9 p.m. ET/PT)
Dubbed as an "almost history of America," Larry David goes for broke in his first post-"Curb Your Enthusiasm" project in terms of celebrity collaborators (does it get bigger than a president?). Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michele Obama combine forces with David for a project sort of celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary this July 4 with this seven-episode comedy series.
Details have been kept mum, other than that the show will include "select 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' actors and noteworthy guest stars." We're picturing something like "Drunk History" crossed with "Seinfeld": could be great, could be a trainwreck. It will certainly be worth watching.
Elle Woods (Lexi Minetree) in "Elle."'Elle' (Prime Video)
All episodes July 1
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They're making a "Legally Blonde" prequel? What, like it's hard? Elle Woods, the golden-blonde valley girl protagonist of the 2001 blockbuster movie, is back − this time as a teen. Produced by the character's originator, Reese Witherspoon, the 1990s-period piece follows a young Elle (now portrayed by newcomer Lexi Minetree) in high school. Bruiser the dog will, of course, be there, too.
Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette in Season 3 of "Silo."'Silo' Season 3 (Apple TV)
July 3(New episodes streaming Fridays)
Apple TV's fantastic sci-fi dystopian thriller returns for a third season, and it's already been renewed for a fourth and final installment. Based on the book series by Hugh Howey, the show takes place in a silo-shaped bunker underground holding 10,000 people, centuries after some kind of world-ending event.
The first two seasons followed the rumblings of rebellion within the Silo, as citizens questioned their secretive government and what really happened that drove humanity to the buried refuge. Series lead Rebecca Ferguson returns as Juliette after a fiery cliffhanger at the end of Season 2. New faces include Jessica Brown Findlay ("Downton Abbey"), Colin Hanks, Jessica Henwick ("Vladimir") and Ashley Zuckerman ("Succession").
Skywalker Hughes as Mary Ingalls, Crosby Fitzgerald as Caroline Ingalls, Luke Bracey as Charles Ingalls and Alice Halsey as Laura Ingalls in "Little House on the Prairie."'Little House on the Prairie' (Netflix)
All episodes July 9
Ready for a sun-dappled dose of nostalgia? Netflix is bringing us a shiny new version of the classic 1974-1983 NBC series. Also based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s iconic semi-autobiographical books, the new "Prairie" is comfort watching served up in a bonnet and stockings. The cast is a group of mostly unknown actors who may just make their mark on Hollywood with these high-profile roles.
Jennifer Garner as Hollis in "Five Star Weekend."'The Five Star Weekend' (Peacock)
All episodes July 9
If we were giving out superlatives for summer TV shows, we'd call Peacock's new Elin Hilderbrand adaptation "most likely to be watched at the beach house." A gauzy, dreamy melodrama about a widow trying to take control back of her life by bringing four friends from different ages and stages together for one weekend in Nantucket. Of course, lessons will be learned along the way.
The cast for the series is stacked, including Jennifer Garner, D’Arcy Carden, Gemma Chan, Regina Hall, Chloë Sevigny, Harlow Jane, and Timothy Olyphant.
Brendan Hunt, Jason Sudeikis and Tanya Reynolds in "Ted Lasso" Season 4.'Ted Lasso' Season 4 (Apple TV)
August 5 (New episodes streaming Wednesdays)
He's back, with biscuits (but not tea) in tow. Apple TV's massively popular "Ted Lasso," about an American football coach drafted to lead a British soccer team, was seemingly all done with a very conclusive Season 3 finale episode in 2023. But the Jason Sudeikis-starring sappy comedy is coming back, thanks to the pure willpower of a streaming service in desperate need of an all-around hit.
The new season will focus on Ted coaching a women's team for Richmond. Returning cast, other than Sudeikis, include Juno Temple, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt and Jeremy Swift. New players on the field in Season 4 include Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsey, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey, Abbie Hern and Grant Feely. Several supporting characters from the first three seasons of "Lasso," such as Nick Mohammed's Nate and Phil Dunster's Jamie Tartt, have not been announced as part of the Season 4 cast.
Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan in "Lanterns."'Lanterns' (HBO Max)
August 16 (New episodes streaming Sundays)
It wouldn't be summer without a visit from some superheroes. HBO Max has a new series based on the DC Comics Green Lantern characters, but it doesn't look a thing like the much-maligned Ryan Reynolds/Blake Lively film adaptation from 2011. In fact you might think you're not looking at a superhero show at all, but rather a neo-noir mystery or modern Western by the dusty look of the series.
But we're still talking about aliens, good guys and bad guys in "Lanterns," which stars Kyle Chandler as veteran Green Lantern hero Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as young whippersnapper John Stewart. The two work together to solve a mystery in America's heartland that is a part of the wider DC universe of films. Nathan Fillion's lantern hero Guy Gardner will also reprise his role from 2025's box office hit "Superman."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Summer 2026 TV shows – What to watch from 'Ted Lasso' to 'The Bear'
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
