Trying to keep up with new Netflix series in 2026? Here is the short list: the new shows that earned the hype, the big returns, and what is still on the way before the year is out.
Lord of the Flies (May 4). Jack Thorne's adaptation of the William Golding classic, with a young cast that makes a story everyone thinks they know feel brutal and personal again. One of the best-reviewed shows of the year.
Outer Banks season 5 (August 20). The fifth and final season sent the Pogues off for good. All five seasons are streaming now.
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story (September 17). Ryan Murphy's anthology takes on the Fall River murders.
Save Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story
East of Eden (October 1). Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, and Mike Faist in Zoe Kazan's Steinbeck adaptation, the biggest new drama of Netflix's fall.
Below (October 8). A creature feature rooted in a coastal fishing town.
The Diplomat season 4 (October 15) and Nobody Wants This season 3 (October 22). Two dependable returns in the same month.
Lupin part 4 (October 23). Omar Sy's gentleman thief is back.
Emily in Paris season 6 (Thursday, December 24). The final season takes Emily to Greece and Monaco before it brings her home to Paris, and it lands on Christmas Eve.
What about Ginny & Georgia? Season 4 is confirmed for 2027, with no exact date yet.
What is the best new Netflix series of 2026? For prestige drama, Lord of the Flies and East of Eden. For comfort, The Diplomat.
Add them to your watchlist in Plot and you will always have the next one ready.
