{"id":117317,"date":"2026-01-02T12:10:26","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T12:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/117317\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T12:10:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T12:10:26","slug":"tv-shows-were-excited-for-in-2026-starfleet-academy-scrubs-beef","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/117317\/","title":{"rendered":"TV shows we’re excited for in 2026: \u2018Starfleet Academy,\u2019 \u2018Scrubs,\u2019 ‘Beef’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jan. 2, 2026 3 AM PT <\/p>\n

It\u2019s the start of a new year and that means the kickoff of a whole new slate of television series. And while 2026 will bring plenty of those, it will also yield revivals, new seasons of beloved shows, spinoffs and long-awaited finales. Though this list isn\u2019t exhaustive by any means, and not all dates have been announced, there\u2019s plenty to start penciling into your calendar. <\/p>\n

\u2018Star Trek: Starfleet Academy\u2019 (Jan. 15, Paramount+) \"A <\/p>\n

Holly Hunter as Capt. Nahla Ake in \u201cStar Trek: Starfleet Academy.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Brooke Palmer\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

In these awful, uncertain times, it is heartening that \u201cStar Trek,\u201d that most good-hearted, proudly progressive of space operas, continues to create new missions for fresh multiplanetary crews of explorers. The latest series, set like \u201cStar Trek: Discovery\u201d in the far-flung 32nd century, when anything the writers need created can be, takes place both in San Francisco \u2014 where the rebuilt Starfleet Academy is welcoming its first new class in more than 100 years \u2014 and aboard a training starship, the USS Athena, which will presumably carry cadets into situations more dangerous than rush week or beer pong. Tig Notaro\u2019s engineer Jett Reno, surviving from \u201cStar Trek: Discovery,\u201d and Robert Picardo\u2019s holographic doctor way back from \u201cStar Trek: Voyager,\u201d are seen here, as are several new young actors for youth appeal and Holly Hunter, as the academy chancellor and starship captain, for the \u201cBroadcast News\u201d fans. The voice of Stephen Colbert, making announcements as the Digital Dean of Students, is heard, and Paul Giamatti puts on prosthetics to play the villain. \u2014 Robert Lloyd<\/p>\n

\u2018Memory of a Killer\u2019 (Jan. 25, Fox) \"A <\/p>\n

Michael Imperioli, left, and Patrick Dempsey in \u201cMemory of a Killer.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Christos Kalohoridis\/Fox)<\/p>\n

Former \u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy<\/a>\u201d heartthrob Patrick Dempsey trades in his \u201cMcDreamy\u201d scrubs for a high-powered rifle in Fox\u2019s thriller drama. Inspired by the 2003 Belgian film \u201cDe Zaak Alzheimer,\u201d the drama features Dempsey as Angelo Ledda, a New York City hit man facing a devastating dilemma: he has early Alzheimer\u2019s. The disease complicates his deadly profession and his life as a low-key family man. With a cast that includes Michael Imperioli (\u201cThe Sopranos\u201d) and Gina Torres (\u201cSuits\u201d), the trailer looks particularly intriguing, with Dempsey looking intense while backed by the Who\u2019s \u201cBehind Blue Eyes.\u201d Fox is spotlighting the series with a two-night premiere; the first episode airs following the NFC Championship game. The second episode airs Jan. 26 as the drama settles into its regular slot on Mondays at 9 p.m. \u2014 Greg Braxton<\/p>\n

\u2018Scrubs\u2019 revival (Feb. 25, ABC) \"Zach <\/p>\n

Zach Braff, top, and Donald Faison in the \u201cScrubs\u201d revival.<\/p>\n

(Jeff Weddell\/Disney)<\/p>\n

Ready for another walk through the halls of Sacred Heart Hospital with J.D., Elliot, Turk, Dr. Cox and Carla? The 30-minute sitcom was a comfort watch throughout much of the early aughts, with an endless loop of reruns keeping the show alive in the minds of fans long after it was canceled in 2010. But now ABC is bringing back the medical sitcom nearly 16 years later for a 10th season, and a lot of familiar faces are returning too: Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke and Donald Faison will reprise their lead roles, and John C. McGinley and Judy Reyes will make guest appearances. But not all is the same \u2014 several new cast members will join \u201cScrubs,\u201d including Vanessa Bayer (\u201cSaturday Night Live,\u201d \u201cI Love That for You\u201d) and Joel Kim Booster (\u201cFire Island,\u201d \u201cLoot\u201d). As long as J.D.\u2019s daydreams and goofy bromance with Turk remain, I\u2019m all in. \u2014 Maira Garcia<\/p>\n

\u2018Monarch: Legacy of Monsters\u2019 Season 2 (Feb. 27, Apple TV) \"A <\/p>\n

Wyatt Russell and Mari Yamamoto in Season 2 of \u201cMonarch: Legacy of Monsters.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Vince Valitutti\/Apple)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been two years since the first season of \u201cMonarch: Legacy of Monsters\u201d ended with a surprise two-year time jump and I\u2019ve been waiting to see what\u2019s next for the extended Randa clan<\/a> ever since. The Monsterverse<\/a> series follows Cate Randa (Anna Sawai) \u2014 a survivor of a Godzilla encounter \u2014 trying to learn the truth about her father Hiroshi\u2019s (Takehiro Hira) disappearance with the help of her newly discovered half-brother Kentaro (Ren Watabe) and ex-pat hacker May (Kiersey Clemons). It turns out the Randa family legacy is intertwined with Godzilla as well as Monarch, a secret organization dedicated to studying the giant monsters known as Titans. The possibility of kaiju battles was definitely what initially drew me to the show, but the humans have kept me hooked. Season 1 ended with Cate reuniting with her brother and father after escaping a mysterious pocket world beneath Earth\u2019s surface with her long-lost grandmother Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) in tow. If that is not the setup for some gloriously messy family drama, I don\u2019t know what is \u2014 and that\u2019s not even taking into account a potential love triangle. But don\u2019t fret monster lovers, the presence of Kong has also been teased for Season 2. \u2014 Tracy Brown<\/p>\n

\u2019American Love Story\u2019 (February, FX)<\/p>\n

The latest iteration of Ryan Murphy\u2019s \u201cAmerican Story\u201d anthology will focus on John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, whose relationship and untimely deaths in 1999 created a media frenzy. (The couple died in a plane crash that Kennedy was piloting \u2014 the cause of death was deemed pilot error, but with no survivors, we\u2019ll never know with 100% certainty.) Though their deaths occurred more than two decades ago, the event remains a significant moment in the memories of Americans and the Kennedy family, which has endured numerous tragedies over the decades. While Kennedy family members have openly criticized the series<\/a>, it hasn\u2019t stopped Murphy from proceeding. The television creator knows how to pique viewers\u2019 interest, often dramatizing notable people and events. The series stars Sarah Pidgeon as Bessette, newcomer Paul Kelly as Kennedy and Naomi Watts as matriarch Jackie Kennedy. \u2014 M.G.<\/p>\n

\u2018Y: Marshals\u2019 (March 1, CBS), \u2018Dutton Ranch\u2019 (2026, Paramount+) \"A <\/p>\n

Logan Marshall-Green, Arielle Kebbel and Luke Grimes in CBS\u2019 \u201cY: Marshals.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Sonja Flemming\/CBS)<\/p>\n

More than a year has passed since \u201cYellowstone\u201d rode off into the sunset. The modern western was television\u2019s hottest series during its five-season run, solidifying the star power of its lead Kevin Costner as patriarch John Dutton while establishing co-creator Taylor Sheridan as one of TV\u2019s top writer-producers. Sheridan hopes to continue his \u201cYellowstone\u201d triumph with several spinoffs. Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser will reprise their respective roles as Dutton\u2019s volcanic daughter Beth Dutton and her husband, boss ranch hand Rip Wheeler, in Paramount+\u2019s \u201cDutton Ranch.\u201d Luke Grimes, who played Dutton\u2019s son Kayce Dutton, will headline \u201cY: Marshals\u201d in which Kayce joins a top U.S. Marshals unit. Joining Grimes in the CBS drama are \u201cYellowstone\u201d cast members Gil Birmingham (Thomas Rainwater) and Mo Brings Plenty (Mo). Also in development is \u201cThe Madison,\u201d a drama starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell about a New York City family living in Montana\u2019s Madison River territory. \u2014 G.B.<\/p>\n

\u2018Imperfect Women\u2019 (March 18, Apple TV) \"Three <\/p>\n

Elisabeth Moss, left, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara in \u201cImperfect Women.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Nicole Weingart\/Apple)<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re longing for the elusive Season 3 of \u201cBig Little Lies\u201d<\/a> or a similar crime-laced psychological thriller led by powerhouse women, Apple TV might be able to scratch that itch with this upcoming drama. Based on Araminta Hall\u2019s novel of the same name, \u201cImperfect Women\u201d will follow three lifelong friends, played by Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara, as a murder sends their lives into chaos. Moss and Washington also serve as executive producers with Hall. Details about the plot of the series are scant (it is a mystery, after all), but the novel teases a story with deep betrayal and guilt, a secret affair and muddled perspectives, all underpinned by a murder investigation. That all sounds pretty dark, but Moss said the series will somehow be a \u201cfantastic palate-cleanser\u201d<\/a> after the close of her dystopian drama \u201cThe Handmaid\u2019s Tale.\u201d \u201cImperfect Women\u201d is \u201csuper different,\u201d she added. \u201cIt\u2019s fun, it\u2019s sexy.\u201d \u2014 Kaitlyn Huamani<\/p>\n

\u2018The Forsytes\u2019 (March 22, PBS) \"A <\/p>\n

Danny Griffin and Tuppence Middleton in \u201cThe Forsytes.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Sean Gleason\/Masterpiece \/ PBS)<\/p>\n

Written by Debbie Horsfield (\u201cPoldark\u201d), this is, as far as I can tell, a freely adapted, female-forward prequel to John Galsworthy\u2019s \u201cForsyte Saga\u201d novels, which provided the basis for a highly popular, 26-part adaptation in 1967 and subsequent filmings in 2002 and 2003. Set among a late Victorian-era family of stockbrokers, a phrase that will undoubtedly bring the word \u201csuccession\u201d to mind, it promises to be a meaty, cheesy and handsomely dressed \u2014 sometimes undressed \u2014 romp. The large ensemble cast includes Francesca Annis, Stephen Moyer, Tuppence Middleton, Eleanor Tomlinson, Jack Davenport, \u201cDoctor Who\u201d companion Millie Gibson and Susan Hampshire, who starred in and won an Emmy for the 1967 series. \u2014 R.L.<\/p>\n

\u2018Margo\u2019s Got Money Troubles\u2019 (April 15, Apple TV) \"A <\/p>\n

Michelle Pfeiffer and Elle Fanning in \u201cMargo\u2019s Got Money Troubles.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Allyson Riggs\/Apple)<\/p>\n

Ever look at a television title and think: \u201cIt\u2019s great to see myself represented on TV?\u201d The actual premise of this series may feel less relatable on the surface to most, but the struggle to stretch a dollar like it\u2019s made of industrial-use elastic is a conundrum many of us know all too well these days. And this new series from prolific TV producer David E. Kelley promises humor and heart in its adaptation of Rufi Thorpe\u2019s novel of the same name, which explores sex work and financial precarity without moralization. The series stars Elle Fanning as the titular character, a recent college dropout from a working-class background who, as a new mom raising a baby solo, is forced to figure out how to make ends meet and finds a financial lifeline as a creator for OnlyFans, the subscription-based platform made famous by adult content. The series also features Michelle Pfeiffer as Margo\u2019s mother (an ex-Hooters waitress) and Nick Offerman as her father (an ex-pro wrestler). And to ensure she\u2019s not letting 2026 go by without adding a stamp to her TV punch card, Nicole Kidman is also part of the stacked cast. Because we need that, all of us. \u2014 Yvonne Villarreal<\/p>\n

\u2018The Testaments\u2019 (April 2026, Hulu) \"Two <\/p>\n

Lucy Halliday, left, and Chase Infiniti in \u201cThe Testaments.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Disney)<\/p>\n

The success of Bruce Miller\u2019s award-winning adaptation of Margaret Atwood\u2019s \u201cThe Handmaid\u2019s Tale<\/a>\u201d prompted the author to write the Booker Prize-winning sequel \u201cThe Testaments,\u201d which Miller is also adapting. Set to premiere in April, it returns viewers to the Old Testament world of Gilead, years after the events in \u201cThe Handmaid\u2019s Tale,\u201d and focuses on June\u2019s (Elisabeth Moss) daughters Hannah, renamed Agnes (Chase Infiniti), and Daisy, previously known as Nicole (Lucy Halliday), as they face the brutal forces of a misogynistic theocracy. Ann Dowd<\/a> reprises her role as Aunt Lydia, the only character (with the possible exception of June) who will cross over from the previous series. Miller has characterized the series as a \u201ccoming of age\u201d story, but readers of the book will know that all is not what it once was in Gilead; forces both without and within plot its downfall and June\u2019s daughters will not be far from the fight. \u2014 Mary McNamara<\/p>\n

\u2018Beef\u2019 Season 2 (2026, Netflix)<\/p>\n

Three years after gifting us a darkly comic road rage thriller<\/a> fronted by Steven Yeun and Ali Wong that was set against a soundtrack of \u2018NSync, Tori Amos and Hoobastank songs, Lee Sung Jin\u2019s anthology series returns for its second season with another layered, twist-filled exploration of class struggles, resentment and the absurdity of life\u2019s curveballs. Consisting of eight 30-minute episodes, this season unpacks the pursuit of the American Dream by way of an exclusive Southern California country club and two couples from different socioeconomic backgrounds. The chaos kicks off when a young couple who work at the club (Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton) witness a heated fight between their boss (Oscar Isaac), the general manager, and his wife (Carey Mulligan), an interior designer, just as the club\u2019s new Korean billionaire owner (Youn Yuh-jung) takes over. The encounter spins out into a web of favors and coercion in this tale of broken systems and characters going to great lengths to get what they want. \u201cParasite\u2019s\u201d Song Kang-ho and K-Pop star BM (of KARD) round out the cast. And yes, there will be needle drops. \u2014 Y.V.<\/p>\n

\u2018Little House on the Prairie\u2019 (2026, Netflix)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s beyond time that someone revisited the semi-autobiographical series by Laura Ingalls Wilder in a way more suited to modern television. The 1974 NBC adaptation is a classic, but as a family drama of its time, it did not attempt to capture the historical breadth the book series documented. The many tribulations, and triumphs, the Ingalls family experienced as they moved from state to state, (including the locust plague of 1874, described in \u201cOn the Banks of Plum Creek,\u201d which devastated the Midwest) provide a unique look into life on the American \u201cfrontier.\u201d With any luck, showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine and her team of writers will do the same. \u2014 M.M.<\/p>\n

\u2018Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen\u2019 (2026, Netflix)<\/p>\n

Fans of the nearly 10-year long \u201cStranger Things\u201d chapter on Netflix are sure to be feeling a bit of Duffer Brothers withdrawal in the new year. But their overall deal<\/a> with Netflix will bear another intriguing project before the creators move over to Paramount exclusively<\/a>. \u201cSomething Very Bad Is Going to Happen\u201d is a horror drama centering on a soon-to-be bride and groom, although the title seems to imply they never make it to the altar. The Duffer Brothers, Matt and Ross, and Hilary Leavitt from Upside Down Pictures are executive producing along with Haley Z. Boston, who will serve as showrunner. Boston has written on \u201cGuillermo del Toro\u2019s \u201cCabinet of Curiosities\u201d and \u201cBrand New Cherry Flavor,\u201d both of which attracted avid horror fans. Camila Morrone<\/a> (\u201cDaisy Jones & the Six,\u201d \u201cThe Night Manager\u201d) stars alongside Adam DiMarco<\/a> (\u201cThe White Lotus,\u201d \u201cOvercompensating\u201d). Very few other details have been shared, but the talent involved \u2014 both behind the scenes and in front of the camera \u2014 is enough to pique my curiosity, even if I\u2019ll have to close my eyes when things get a little too scary for my comfort. \u2014 K.H.<\/p>\n

\u2018Yellowjackets\u2019 Season 4 (2026, Showtime) \"A <\/p>\n

Tawny Cypress in the Season 3 finale of \u201cYellowjackets.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Darko Sikman\/Paramount+ with Showtime)<\/p>\n

I thought high school was traumatizing enough, but I didn\u2019t have to deal with anything close to what the teens in \u201cYellowjackets<\/a>\u201d have endured for three seasons. The coming-of-age survival thriller is about a championship high school soccer team whose plane crashes into the remote Canadian wilderness where they are stranded for 19 months. The story unfolds over two timelines, with one following the girls as they do whatever it takes to survive in the wilds \u2014 including cannibalism and ritual sacrifice \u2014 and the other following the survivors in the present day as they are trying to live their lives. Unfortunately for them, whatever they started in the wilderness is unwilling to be left buried in the past and is back on the h(a)unt. There is plenty of rage, trauma, secrets and murder in both timelines, as well as some unsolved mysteries that may or may not involve supernatural elements. With the upcoming fourth season confirmed to be the last, here\u2019s to hoping some of the remaining questions \u2014 including how the girls were saved, how many girls actually survived, and why the \u201cwilderness\u201d came back to them in the present day \u2014 will be answered. \u2014 T.B.<\/p>\n

\u2018VisionQuest\u2019 (2026, Disney+)<\/p>\n

It feels like forever ago that \u201cWandaVision<\/a>\u201d kicked off Marvel Studios\u2019 foray into television with a bang. A clever homage to sitcoms, the show followed Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) as she tried to magically piece together a life and family with Vision (Paul Bettany) after the events of \u201cAvengers: Endgame\u201d (2019). The upcoming Disney+ series \u201cVisionQuest\u201d will cap off the \u201cWandaVision\u201d trilogy, which also includes one of my favorite MCU installments, \u201cAgatha All Along<\/a>.\u201d When audiences last saw Vision, the reconstructed android had just regained his memories and, presumably, his sentience, before flying off into the unknown. The new series will see Vision trying to navigate that aftermath to figure out who he is \u2014 reportedly with some help from other known Marvel AI programs and robots. Both \u201cWandaVision\u201d and \u201cAgatha\u201d explored grief<\/a> and trauma and motherhood in their own ways, so I\u2019m curious how these themes might carry over into \u201cVisionQuest.\u201d I\u2019m admittedly a bit more into witches than robots, but I\u2019m looking forward to the proper introduction of Tommy Shepherd (Ruaridh Mollica), who in the comics is the grown-up version of one of Wanda and Vision\u2019s magically-created twins, and any potential family reunions. \u2014 T.B.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jan. 2, 2026 3 AM PT It\u2019s the start of a new year and that means the kickoff…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":117318,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[62370,29455,2242,62367,62365,1043,62368,24771,48,52,51,62364,47,50,49,18754,24261,45192,2822,62369,62366],"class_list":{"0":"post-117317","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-10th-season","9":"tag-beloved-show","10":"tag-drama","11":"tag-dutton","12":"tag-elisabeth-moss","13":"tag-event","14":"tag-father-hiroshi","15":"tag-hall","16":"tag-la","17":"tag-la-headlines","18":"tag-la-news","19":"tag-late-series","20":"tag-los-angeles","21":"tag-los-angeles-headlines","22":"tag-los-angeles-news","23":"tag-new-year","24":"tag-novel","25":"tag-star-trek","26":"tag-tv","27":"tag-untimely-death","28":"tag-yellowstone"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117317","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117317"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117317\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=117317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}