Summer TV Preview: ‘Wednesday,’ ‘Outlander’ Prequel & More New and Returning Shows to Watch
When it comes to summer television, broadcast networks may be taking a break from scripted originals, but streamers and other premium networks are offering a plethora of must-watch titles.
Whether you’re into comedy, looking forward to drama, or open to anything that may pass your way, there’s a show for every kind of taste on TV this summer. From returning favorites like Wednesday, The Bear, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Peacemaker to new offerings like Alien: Earth, Stick, and Ironheart, the options are endless.
Below, we’re rounding up 21 must-watch shows to tune into this summer. Let us know which titles you’ll be adding to your watchlist in the comments section.
Adults (FX / Hulu)
FX introduces viewers to a whole new group of TV friends in this comedy from creators Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw. Adults‘ ensemble includes Malik Elassal, Lucy Freyer, Jack Innanen, Amita Rao, and Owen Thiele, who live together under one roof in New York City. Joining them for their day-to-day shenanigans are a slew of guest stars, among which include Charlie Cox, D’Arcy Carden, and John Reynolds. Series Premiere, Wednesday, May 28
And Just Like That... (HBO Max)
Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) are back for another chapter of HBO Max‘s Sex and the City spinoff. Season 3 will continue to follow their personal lives and friendships as Carrie tries her hand at writing fiction. Plus, we’ll also learn where Carrie and Aidan (John Corbett) stand. In other words, it’s can’t-miss TV. Season 3 Premiere, Thursday, May 29
The Better Sister (Prime Video)
Elizabeth Banks and Jessica Biel lead this star-studded drama based on Alafair Burke’s novel, which follows two sisters who are forced together when one of their husbands is murdered. The eight-episode drama also features Corey Stoll and Kim Dickens among others. Series Premiere, Thursday, May 29
Stick (Apple TV+)
Owen Wilson leads this comedy that serves as a blend of Happy Gilmore meets Ted Lasso. Playing a disgraced former golf pro, Wilson’s Pryce Cahill sees promise in young golfer Santi (Peter Dager), whom he sets out to mentor with the help of Santi’s mom Elena (Mariana Treviño), pal Mitts (Marc Maron), and Zero (Lilli Kay). Series Premiere, Wednesday, June 4
Ginny & Georgia (Netflix)
It’s been more than two years since viewers last checked in with the titular daughter and mother duo portrayed by Antonia Gentry and Brianne Howey. After Season 2’s cliffhanger ending, which saw Georgia being dragged away in handcuffs under suspicion of murder, the series will likely serve up some much-needed answers surrounding her and Ginny’s next chapter, along with their family and friends. Season 3 Premiere, Thursday, June 5
Grantchester (PBS)
Season 10 of the British import Grantchester arrives this summer on PBS and follows DI Geordie Keating (Robson Green) and Reverend Alphy Kottaram (Rishi Nair) as they continue working together as a crime-solving duo in the scenic titular community and support each other through changing times and family struggles. Alphy will also face personal secrets as he settles into the new home he’s found. Season 10 Premiere, Sunday, June 15
The Buccaneers (Apple TV+)
Apple TV+‘s period drama continues the story of Nan (Kristine Frøseth) as her fellow Americans, Conchita (Alisha Boe), Lizzy (Aubri Ibrag), Mabel (Josie Totah), and Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse), as they acclimate to life abroad in England. As viewers will recall, a cliffhanger reveal in Season 1’s finale teased the arrival of Nan’s biological mother, timed to her wedding with the Duke of Tintagel, Theo (Guy Remmers), and Jinny’s escape from her abusive husband alongside Nan’s real love, Guy (Matthew Broome). Season 2 Premiere, Wednesday, June 18
The Gilded Age (HBO)
The logline for Season 3 of HBO‘s hit teases that, following the Opera War, the old guard is weakened, allowing the Russells to take their place at the head of society. But as Bertha (Carrie Coon) sets her sights on a prize that would elevate her family to extreme heights, George (Morgan Spector) risks everything on revolutionizing the railroad industry at the risk of ruining himself. Meanwhile, across the street at the Book house, Agnes (Christine Baranski) refuses to accept Ada’s (Cynthia Nixon) position as lady of the house. You won’t want to miss what’s in store for the rest of the ensemble as the latest chapter of Julian Fellowes’ drama unfolds. Season 3 Premiere, Sunday, June 22
Ironheart (Disney+)
Dominique Thorne takes center stage as Riri Williams, reprising her role previously introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, for an all-new story set in the MCU. Ironheart follows Riri as she returns to her hometown of Chicago, but her pursuit of her ambitions of building iron suits leads her to cross paths with the mysterious Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos), a.k.a. “The Hood.” Series Premiere, Tuesday, June 24
The Bear (Hulu)
Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) and his kitchen crew, including Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), return for another season of ups and downs as they push forward, determined not only to survive as a business but also to take The Bear to the next level. New challenges will be around every corner as the team must adapt, adjust, and overcome. Season 4 Premiere, Wednesday, June 25
Countdown (Prime Video)
Jensen Ackles leads this new drama for Prime Video, which tells the story of LAPD detective Mark Meachum who is recruited to a secret task force alongside several undercover agents to investigate the murder of an officer with the Department of Homeland Security. Ackles is joined onscreen by Eric Dane and Jessica Camacho in the Derek Haas-created series. Series Premiere, Wednesday, June 25
Squid Game (Netflix)
Netflix‘s global phenomenon wraps its run with the can’t-miss third and final season, which will reveal Gi-hun’s (Lee Jung-jae) fate after last season’s cliffhanger. In this final chapter, Gi-hun is driven to utter despair after losing his best friend by The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who was hiding his true identity to infiltrate the game. While Gi-hun persists with his goal to put an end to the game, The Front Man continues onto his next move, and the surviving players’ choices lead to graver consequences with each passing round. Season 3 Premiere, Friday, June 27
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FXX)
The landmark seventeenth season of FXX‘s hit comedy sees Mac (Rob McElhenney), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank (Danny DeVito) return for a new set of Philly-based shenanigans, ranging from a crossover with Abbott Elementary to new side hustles. Season 17 Premiere, Wednesday, July 9
Dexter: Resurrection (Paramount+ / Showtime)
The next Dexter spinoff is upon viewers this summer as Paramount+ and Showtime‘s follow-up to Dexter: New Blood finds Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) awakening from a coma to find his son, Harrison (Jack Alcott), gone without a trace. Realizing the weight of what he put his boy through, Dexter sets out of New York City, determined to find Harrison and make things right. When Miami Metro’s Angel Batista (David Zayas) arrives with questions, Dexter realizes his past is beginning to catch up with him in this highly anticipated sequel series. Series Premiere, Friday, July 11
The Summer I Turned Pretty (Prime Video)
The third and final season of the Prime Video series based on Jenny Han‘s novels is sure to excite as it explores Belly’s (Lola Tung) ever-evolving relationship with the Fisher brothers, Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). Don’t miss this one final trip to the fictional Cousins Beach for one last unforgettable summer adventure. Season 3 Premiere, Wednesday, July 16
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
In Season 3 of the Paramount+ original, the U.S.S. Enterprise is still led by Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and faces the conclusion of Season 2’s encounter with the Gorn. But new life and civilizations await the crew, including a villain that will test the characters’ grit and resolve going forward. Delivering an exciting twist on classic Star Trek, Season 3 of the series takes characters both old and new to new heights that you won’t want to miss. Season 3 Premiere, Thursday, July 17
Acapulco (Apple TV+)
The fourth and final season of Apple TV+’s bilingual comedy returns to find Máximo (Eugenio Derbez) finalizing the restoration of his beloved former place of work, Las Colinas. Meanwhile, in 1986, his younger self (played by Enrique Arrizon) faces hardships as a competitor claims the top spot among Acapulco’s “Best Hotels.” Get ready for a neon-colored summer of fun with Máximo and friends in this surely sweet farewell. Season 4 Premiere, Wednesday, July 23
Wednesday (Netflix)
Jenna Ortega returns as the titular Addams family character for Season 2 of the Netflix hit. According to the show’s logline, Wednesday returns to Nevermore Academy, where an all-new set of foes and woes await her to navigate, along with friends, family, and old adversaries. Returning for the newest mystery are costars Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzman, Isaac Ordonez, and Emma Myers, among others. Stay tuned for plenty of supernatural fun. Season 2 Premiere, Wednesday, August 6
Outlander: Blood of My Blood (Starz)
Outlander‘s Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) take a step back for their onscreen parents in this upcoming prequel from Starz. Outlander: Blood of My Blood tracks the romances of Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy) in 18th-century Scotland, and Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield) and Henry Beauchamp in World War I Scotland. Superfans of the original won’t want to miss the adventure, and new viewers can enter the universe for the first time with this must-see title. Series Premiere, Friday, August 8
Alien: Earth (FX / Hulu)
FX’s new original series from Fargo‘s Noah Hawley builds upon the lore introduced in Ridley Scott‘s 1979 classic Alien, but this time around, the action isn’t set in space, opting for planet Earth. Set in the year 2120, Alien: Earth finds the planet governed by five corporations: Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic, and Threshold. In this “Corporate Era,” cyborgs and synthetics exist alongside humans, but the game is changed when the Prodigy CEO unlocks a new technological advancement, hybrids, which are humanoid robots infused with human consciousness. The first hybrid is named Wendy (Sydney Chandler), who, along with other hybrids, encounters a mysterious and terrifying new life form. Series Premiere, Tuesday, August 12
Peacemaker (HBO Max)
James Gunn‘s superhero series following vigilante superhero, Christopher “Chris” Smith, a.k.a. Peacemaker, returns for its long-awaited second season with plenty of new faces and familiar favorites for this latest chapter in the DC Universe. John Cena reprises his leading role for the upcoming adventure with Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick also returning. It’s sure to be a rowdy time as Peacemaker struggles to reconcile his past with a newfound sense of purpose. Season 2 Premiere, Thursday, August 21
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