A new month means new streaming lineups rife with new shows and returning fan favorites. August highlights include Ryan Murphy’s The Shards, the highly anticipated HBO Max series Lanterns, and—wait for it—a live, one-night-only concert event featuring the world’s first immortal rock star, the Vampire Lestat. I’m already salivating. In addition to the return of Ted Lasso, new seasons of Reacher, Dark Matter, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Taylor Sheridan’s action-thriller Lioness are in store, but that’s not all.

Let’s take a full look at 9 must-see new and returning shows to stream in August 2026, ranked in order of release date.

1

Lioness season 3

Taylor Sheridan’s female-led espionage thriller

The action continues on a global scale as the Lioness returns for season three, which sees the team deployed on its most personal assignment yet. As yet another one of Taylor Sheridan’s hit shows, the new season will see the collision of hidden networks, foreign operatives, and personal betrayals as Joe (Zoe Saldaña) walks the fine line between duty and home. She’ll also confront the enemies operating in the shadows, leaving her to reckon with a war that will bleed into every part of her life.

Lioness season three premiered on August 2 on Paramount+.

Lioness

Release Date

July 23, 2023

Network

Paramount+

Showrunner

Taylor Sheridan

2

Ted Lasso season 4

Puns, mustaches, and optimism return to Richmond

Apple TV’s game-changing sports comedy Ted Lasso returns with a new season that was never supposed to happen, but then Jason Sudeikis had an epiphany. Season 4 will feature AFC Richmond’s first all-female team, the Lady Greyhounds. This means we’re in for a new cast of characters, but don’t worry – fan-favorites Ted Lasso (Sudeikis), Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt), Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), Keeley Jones (Juno Temple), Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), and Leslie Higgins (Jeremy Swift) are reprising their roles.

Ted Lasso season 4 premieres on August 5 on Apple TV.

Ted Lasso

Release Date

August 14, 2020

Network

Apple TV

Showrunner

Bill Lawrence, Jason Sudeikis

3

Sterling Point

A coming-of-age drama that’ll make your heart leap

Sterling Point follows the story of 17-year-old Annie Jacobson (Ella Rubin). After being raised in New York City with her twin brother, Connor (Keen Ruffalo), by their loving adoptive father (Jay Duplass), Annie’s life takes a dramatic turn when she inherits her mysterious grandfather’s island in Canada. New friends and budding romances are in store, as are untold family secrets. Jeffrey Dean Morgan also stars.

Sterling Point debuts on August 5 on Prime Video.

Sterling Point

Release Date

August 5, 2026

Network

Prime Video

Directors

Megan Park

4

The Shards

Elite prep school culture with a serial killer on the loose

Ryan Murphy, who is best known for American Horror Story, returns with his newest creation, The Shards, which is based on Bret Easton Ellis’ autobiographical thriller novel of the same name. Set in 1981 Los Angeles, a group of privileged high school seniors at an elite prep school navigate identity, sex, jealousy, obsession, and the dangers lurking beneath the surface of American adolescence. This one mixes hedonism and entitlement with the lure of a serial killer.

The Shards debuts on August 5 on Hulu.

The Shards

Release Date

August 5, 2026

Network

FX, Hulu

Directors

Max Minghella, Crystle Roberson Dorsey, Michael Uppendahl, Ryan Murphy

5

Reacher season 4

The lone wolf returns, and things turn violent

In Reacher season 4, man-mountain Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) will be thrown into a bizarre, mystery-based conspiracy after witnessing a traumatic incident. The new season is based on the 13th book in author Lee Child’s series, Gone Tomorrow. When Reacher encounters a troubled woman on the subway and notices that her behavior matches that of a suicide bomber, he attempts to de-escalate the situation. Before he can do anything, though, the woman shoots herself in front of him, pulling the former investigator into a far-reaching conspiracy involving powerful politicians, old wars, and, of course, extremists. Expect things to get extremely violent.

Reacher season 4 premieres on August 12 on Prime Video.

Reacher

Release Date

February 3, 2022

Network

Prime Video

Showrunner

Nick Santora

6

Lanterns

Superhero detective series based on the DC comic Green Lantern

Lanterns is based on the mythos of the DC comic Green Lantern and follows two intergalactic cops as they investigate a murder with cosmic ties in the American heartland. Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) stars as cocky test pilot Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre (The Underground Railroad) as rookie John Stewart. While Hal trains John in the ways of the force and the use of his Power Ring, the two find themselves drawn into an Earth-based mystery involving the deep-seated secrets of a small community.

Lanterns debuts on August 16 on HBO Max.

Lanterns

Release Date

August 16, 2026

Network

HBO

Showrunner

Chris Mundy

7

Average Joe season 2

A dark comedy drama starring Deon Cole

Inspired by the life of creator Robb Cullen, Average Joe is an intense, darkly comedic series about a blue-collar plumber named Joe (Deon Cole) who discovers his late father stole millions of dollars from the Russian mafia. Season 2 finds him on the move from Pittsburgh when a mysterious threat targets his family, forcing Joe and his crew to Cape Town, South Africa. What begins as a search for answers quickly spirals into a dangerous adventure with international criminals, powerful enemies, and long-buried secrets.

Average Joe season 2 premieres on August 19 on Paramount+.

Average Joe

Release Date

June 25, 2023

Network

BET+

Directors

David Katzenberg, Eric Dean Seaton, Joy Lane, Christoph Schrewe, Marshall Tyler

8

The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only Live

Your one chance to see the levitating rockstar perform his original tunes live

While each season of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire series has been nothing short of a theatrical masterpiece, The Vampire Lestat has outdone itself. Lestat (Sam Reid) has taken us on an award-worthy thrill ride of emotion while exposing his vulnerabilities via the power of rock music, and now, fans have the chance to experience it live. For one night only, from the legendary Beacon Theatre in New York City, the world’s first immortal rock star will take the stage to perform original music from The Vampire Lestat. The season’s inimitable soundtrack has achieved real-world streaming success and critical praise. While all songs are righteous, Brutal Love is the one tune making the biggest waves.

The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only Live debuts on August 23 on AMC+.

The Vampire Lestat

Release Date

2026 – 2026-00-00

Network

AMC

Writers

Jonathan Ceniceroz, Ryan Kattner, Anusree Roy, Hannah Moscovitch, Kevin Hanna, Rolin Jones

9

Dark Matter season 2

The return to a mind-bending sci-fi multiverse

After being abducted from his world by an alternate version of himself and forced to endure the mind-bending landscape of all the lives he could have lived, physicist Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton, Star Wars franchise) finally settles into a quiet life. Dark Matter season 2 picks up with the Dessen family living in a world that seems safe until Jason’s obsession with the Box continues to grow and the unimaginable forces them to run once again.

Dark Matter season 2 premieres on August 28 on Apple TV.

Dark Matter

Release Date

May 7, 2024

Network

Apple TV+

Directors

Jakob Verbruggen, Alik Sakharov, Roxann Dawson, Logan George

Other returning shows to stream this month include Futurama season 14 on August 3, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 18 on August 17, and Adults season 2 on August 27, and Netflix’s Tires season 3 on August 13, My Life with the Walter Boys season 3 on August 6, Outer Banks season 5 on August 20, and Leanne season 2 on August 27.