2026 has brought even more hits for Netflix with episodic releases, and a few have been so big that they can be considered the biggest shows of the year for the streamer. This is possible for Netflix thanks to the wide range of original, episodic content it has to offer. Between fresh non-fiction series, continuations of beloved hits, reality TV, and documentaries, there’s always something for everybody.
Subscribers frequently embrace the constant flow of new shows, with these series often holding potential to become incredibly popular around the world. That’s what happened in 2025 when Adolescence became a smash hit, climbing to second place all-time on Netflix’s global TV charts, and Stranger Things season 5 and Wednesday season 2 finished their runs inside the top 5.
Netflix’s 2026 TV shows include a mixture of familiar and new once again. Long-running shows like Virgin River came back. Reality TV series in Love Is Blind and Love on the Spectrum received new seasons, too. New titles diving into the thriller, horror, sci-fi, and other genres also held the ability to breakout and capture the attention of the entire globe.
That’s exactly what has happened throughout the year for several releases. Aided by official viewership data, here are Netflix’s 10 most-watched TV shows of 2026, so far.
- The data is from January 1 to June 28 and collected from Netflix’s top 10 global charts
- Movement in the new update: Teach You a Lesson moves to fourth, I Will Find You enters the top 10
- Titles to watch: Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2, which debuted to 8.7 million views.
10
The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4
The Lincoln Lawyer returned for 10 new episodes in 2026 when season 4 dropped in February. The series accumulated 26.4 million views across four weeks in the top 10 charts. The best performance came in week 2, where it collected 9.6 million views and jumped to #1 worldwide. The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 has slid out of the top 5 yearly ranking since then.
However, this marked a much stronger start for the series than before. While season 3 earned 28.1 million views across six weeks in the top 10, it was only at 23.9 million after four weeks, which is 2.5 million views fewer than season 4. The fourth season may not have had as strong legs, but it makes it clear why Netflix renewed The Lincoln Lawyer for season 5.
9
The Night Agent Season 3
Debuting in mid-February, The Night Agent season 3 became one of Netflix’s most-watched 2026 shows early on. Gabriel Basso returned as Peter Sutherland for another 10 episodes. The Night Agent season 3 earned 26.7 million views across four weeks in the top 10 charts. The best was week 2, where it drew 9.9 million views.
The performance is probably a bit disappointing for Netflix. The Night Agent season 2 had 43.8 million views in its first five weeks. Season 1’s viewership figures haven’t been revealed, but its hours viewed were significantly higher than both sequel seasons. It’s no wonder The Night Agent season 4 will be the last.
8
Michael Jackson: The Verdict
Riding the coattails of Lionsgate’s Michael becoming a box office sensation, Netflix has found its own hit with the King of Pop. The three-episode documentary series Michael Jackson: The Verdict has already tallied 27.5 million views in its first three weeks.
This is largely thanks to the series debuting at #1 with 17.8 million views, which is the third-largest opening for a Netflix show this year. It pulled in another 7.2 million views in week 2 before dropping to just 2.5 million views in week 3. Michael Jackson: The Verdict fell out of the top 10 after that.
7
Nemesis Season 1
One of Netflix’s biggest hits came with Nemesis season 1. The eight-episode crime drama debuted in May and consistently found its audience. In its first five weeks of release, Nemesis season 1 amassed 30 million views. It remained in the top three globally for its first three weeks, with week 2 delivering its highest views at 11.4 million, generating a #1 global finish.
It’s moved into the top five after a month, following another 3.5 million views in week 4 and 2.1 million views in week 5. Nemesis became one of six shows this year to spend its first four weeks in the top 4 globally.
6
Man On Fire Season 1
After routinely seeing Denzel Washington’s movie trend on the service, Netflix rebooted Man on Fire as a TV series in 2026. Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as John Creasy, the seven-episode action thriller climbed up these charts quickly. Man on Fire season 1 has earned 35 million views so far.
It spent two weeks as the #1 show on the planet upon its debut, generating 11 and 12.6 million views in the respective weeks. The other weeks have seen it stay in the top 5. The strong performance is why Man on Fire season 2 is expected to be announced by Netflix eventually.
5
One Piece Season 2
Netflix keeps finding success by adapting the popular manga into a live-action fantasy action series. One Piece season 2 delivered 39.5 million views across five weeks in the top 10 charts. This included spending three consecutive weeks at #1, which is tied for the longest streak for any Netflix original series this year.
This was made possible by its 16.8 million views in week 1 and only dropping to 11.1 million in week 2. Competition was so limited in week 3 that One Piece stayed on top with only 5.9 million views. While this has made season 2 one of the year’s most-watched shows, the viewership figures are down from season 1.
The debut episodes spent eight weeks straight in Netflix’s top 10, pulling in 63.6 million views during that timeframe. 57.8 million of those views were collected during its first five weeks. That puts One Piece season 2 behind the first season’s viewership by 18.3 million views. Luckily for Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates, One Piece season 3 has already been confirmed.
4
Teach You A Lesson
The lone foreign language show on the list so far, Teach You a Lesson has dominated Netflix’s non-English series charts recently. After its June 5 premiere, the Korean action drama has totaled 46.6 million views in four weeks.
This has come after spending four consecutive weeks at #1 on the non-English charts. Despite a lower 6.4 million views debut, interest surged by 229% in week 2, giving it 21.1 million views. Interest has remained steady for week 3 (11.8 million) and week 4 (7.3 million), allowing it to pull ahead of One Piece season 2.
3
I Will Find You
Harlan Coben is no stranger to delivering hits to Netflix, with the other 2026 series, Run Away, previously being in the top 10. Now, it’s I Will Find You that has taken over the world’s interest. The series has already brought in 58.1 million views in just two weeks, which is how it has skyrocketed to the top 3 by June’s end.
The limited series launched to 24 million views, the most for a 2026 debut series, but it grew in popularity afterward. I Will Find You‘s 34.1 million views during week 2 is the most for any Netflix original show over that span this year. If this momentum keeps up, Coben’s series can keep breaking records and climb even higher on this list and Netflix’s overall viewership charts.
2
His & Hers
Netflix’s biggest new hit of 2026 on the TV front is His & Hers. The six-episode mystery thriller starring Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson gained worldwide attention after its early January release, where it spent three weeks at #1 on the global charts. His & Hers earned 90.6 million views across seven weeks in the top 10.
However, the total viewership is confirmed to be a bit higher. Netflix’s all-time most-watched shows chart has His & Hers listed at 10th with 98.2 million views. This means that after dropping out of the top 10, it made another 7.6 million views during the rest of its first 91 days of release (which is the period of time Netflix tabulates views for all-time rankings).
That shows just how strong interest remained in His & Hers throughout its first three months on Netflix. It currently holds the 2026 record for the most views in weeks 2, 3, and 4 for all TV shows after collecting 29.5, 17.2, and 11 million views across those times. And while it was Netflix’s most-watched show for the year for a while, it has been dethroned.
1
Bridgerton Season 4
Netflix’s global hit historical romance series, Bridgerton, has retained strong viewership upon its 2026 return. Bridgerton season 4 earned 130.8 million views after spending nine consecutive weeks in the top 10 charts. This was aided by Netflix giving the season a two-part release; the first four episodes were released on January 29, and the remaining four episodes came out on February 26.
Bridgerton season 4, part 1, debuted at #1 worldwide with 39.7 million views, the highest opening week for any 2026 Netflix series. Part 2 launched to 28 million views and returned the series to the #1 global spot. Bridgerton season 4’s nine weeks in the top 10 is also the most for any of Netflix’s shows this year.
|
Rank |
2026 Netflix Show |
Total Views |
|---|---|---|
|
1) |
Bridgerton season 4 |
130.8 million |
|
2) |
His & Hers |
90.6 million |
|
3) |
I Will Find You |
58.1 million |
|
4) |
Teach You a Lesson |
46.6 million |
|
5) |
One Piece season 2 |
39.5 million |
|
6) |
Man on Fire season 1 |
35.0 million |
|
7) |
Nemesis season 1 |
30.0 million |
|
8) |
Michael Jackson: The Verdict |
27.5 million |
|
9) |
The Night Agent season 3 |
26.7 million |
|
10) |
The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 |
26.4 million |
In addition to being the most-watched Netflix original series in 2026 so far, the viewership figures put it among the streamer’s most popular seasons of television ever. However, the record viewership has yet to be officially announced for Bridgerton so far, with it remaining absent from the all-time most popular chart.
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