I watched the first episode of 5 new shows. These are worth your time
I sampled the latest series across multiple streaming services to see which ones earned a second episode and which ones didn't.
Having too many TV shows to pick from isn’t the worst problem to have. But sometimes it causes paralysis, and you end up watching reruns of Friends or The West Wing. Instead of finishing a great show and then falling into another rut, I decided to switch things up.
I picked one show from a variety of streaming services to give it a shot. The assignment was simple: only commit to watching the first episode. If I thought it was good or intriguing, then I could continue, but otherwise I shouldn’t feel guilty about abandoning it and moving on.
These are all new shows from 2026 that were either on my to-watch list or would have been.
Although some shows develop and get better after the first episode, like Widow’s Bay, usually the pilot is enough to tell whether it’s boring or just not your style. I put off watching Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, but that show’s a perfect example of getting hooked after one episode.
The Audacity (AMC)
Watched more than one episode: No 👎
Why: All I knew about The Audacity going in was that it was a tech-focused show, with hints of HBO’s Silicon Valley. Within the first few minutes, the show was already dripping with inside baseball scenes and cringy tech terms.
The first episode is filled with subtly humorous moments and uncomfortable confrontations. This show hit a little too close to home for me, as someone who works around the tech industry, so it wasn’t for me. But it’s well done and will probably hit for a lot of people.
Recommended if you like: Mockumentries; Silicon Valley; Vests
Sunny Nights (Hulu)
Watched more than one episode: No 👎
Why: Sunny Nights originally premiered in Australia and has now come to Hulu and Disney+. It caught my attention because it stars Will Forte and D'Arcy Carden. The duo play siblings who start a spray tan company and get caught up in criminal activity.
The drama comedy has some genuinely funny moments throughout the opening episode, but ultimately the story felt a little thin—like it could become a slog. It wasn’t able to fully grab me, despite being an hour-long. I liked Will Forte in Netflix’s The Four Seasons, but he was a little much in this series.
Recommended if you like: The Last Man on Earth; Dark comedies; Australian accents
Young Sherlock (Amazon Prime)
Watched more than one episode: Yes 👍
Why: This Guy Ritchie-directed series is a fun, witty, and entertaining reboot origin story of detective Sherlock Holmes. The first episode spends just enough time introducing characters and laying the foundation to be useful, but also allows enough time for solving a crime.
Individually, there are smaller cases to be worked, while larger ones stretch across multiple episodes. This show isn’t too serious or too silly. It’s a good balance that should have you ready for the second episode when the first one finishes.
Recommended if you like: Guy Ritchie; Origin stories; Witty mysteries
The Hawk (Netflix)
Watched more than one episode: No 👎
Why: The Hawk is a golf comedy starring Will Ferrell, Molly Shannon, and Fortune Feimster, among others. Whether it's Happy Gilmore 2 or Stick on Apple TV, golf in particular is having a TV moment. Maybe it’s the Ted Lasso sports effect?
Either way, the first episode of The Hawk was too goofy and cringy, without any laughs, for me to continue the show. There’s trying too hard, and then there’s The Hawk. Stick is a much better version of the come-back golfer story.
Recommended if you like: Slap-stick comedy; Happy Gilmore; Will Ferrell movies
Star City (Apple TV)
Watched more than one episode: Yes 👍
Why: Star City is the spin-off of For All Mankind. That fictional show explores an alternate history of the space race and where it might have led up to the present and into the future. Star City is the same alternate history, but from the Soviet perspective. The good news is that it doesn’t matter whether you’ve seen that show or not. You don’t need to.
Star City is much more of a spy thriller. Apartments are bugged. People are disappeared. The tone is darker, and the show is a slow burn. Whereas For All Mankind is more sci-fi, Star City is more centered on the activities on Earth.
Recommended if you like: For All Mankind; Espionage thrillers; Le Carré novels
If you need your own suggestions to try this with, let me offer Margot's Got Money Troubles, Jury Duty 2, and Rooster.