The shows worth signing up to streaming platforms for in 2026

Choice can be a curse as well as a blessing, and today’s fragmented streaming media sector makes choosing streaming platforms very difficult for consumers.

Apart from short-form video portals (YouTube, Twitch, TikTok) and catch-up services (4oD, iPlayer, Sky Go), there are numerous subscription video on demand portals.

These include the historic duopoly of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, with Disney+ challenging the former’s market dominance and NOW TV offering Sky content without a dish.

Then there are upstart providers (Apple TV+, Discovery+, Paramount+) and services not even available in the UK at the time of writing, such as the upcoming HBO Max platform.

And on top of all that are services like Viaplay and TNT Sports, attempting to dent Sky’s dominance in sports broadcasting.

With many of these platforms offering premium ad-free packages at suitably elevated prices, a single household could spend almost £400 per month just on media subscriptions.

Consequently, tough decisions need to be made in terms of choosing streaming platforms to sign up with.

And while it’s impossible to list more than a handful of marquee series in an article of this length, these are some of the shows which might make choosing streaming platforms easier…

Paradise. Platform: Disney+

The first season of Paradise was literally groundbreaking, portraying a subterranean post-apocalyptic world of vegan food, constant surveillance and political backstabbing – again, literally.

Season two won’t have the same wow-factor, but February’s launch could still be one of the most hotly anticipated televisual events of the year.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Platform: NOW/Sky

It’s impossible to deny the cultural significance of Game of Thrones, so this prequel based on George R. R. Martin’s novellas is likely to attract a huge international audience.

Directed by Black Mirror alumni, Seven Kingdoms promises a lighter and more humorous take on GOT’s usual death-and-betrayal themes.

The Night Agent. Platform: Netflix

Despite being fairly recent (its first series debuted in 2023), high-octane political drama The Night Agent has deservedly become one of the ten most watched series in Netflix’s history.

In terms of both its geopolitical tensions and emotional heft, the second series approached levels of quality not seen since Homeland, and series 3’s Istanbul setting promises plenty.

Last One Laughing. Platform: Amazon Prime Video

It’s hard to explain the comedic value of watching ten stand-up comedians locked in a house while trying not to laugh, but few shows in 2025 were as riotously fun as this surprise hit.

The highly anticipated 2026 follow-up features David Mitchell, Romesh Ranganathan, Diane Morgan and Mel Giedroyc, plus last season’s undisputed champion Bob Mortimer.

Malcolm In The Middle. Platform: Disney+

It may only be a miniseries (to begin with), but the return of this much-loved comedy show could prove surprisingly poignant to viewers old enough to remember the original.

It’s also notable for tempting Bryan Cranston back to his iconic role as Hal, though it’ll be difficult for Breaking Bad fans to see him as anyone other than drug kingpin Walter White.

The Pitt. Platform: HBO Max

To succeed in a crowded streaming sector, HBO Max needs a flagship show for February’s UK launch, and this Noah Wyle-anchored real-time medical drama might do the job.

Combining the best elements of ER and 24, the first series was hugely acclaimed, but it wasn’t available in Britain at the time. Season two (and its predecessor) will be, though.