TV Shows | The Verge

Your guide to sci-fi streaming season

2026-05-01T08:25:59-04:00

I haven't quite figured out the reason why, but for the last few years, summer has become the moment for new science fiction shows on streaming services. And 2026 isn't any different - aside from the fact that premiere dates seem to be moving up a little.

This year, the release schedule is nearly as full in the spring as it is in the summer, which should make it easier to check out everything you want to without having storylines overlap in your brain. In fact, a number of these shows are already streaming now: The alternate future of For All Mankind is currently in the midst of its penultimate season, as is the horror mystery box From. But …

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Apple TV’s new horror series is scarier because it’s also hilarious

2026-05-01T11:40:06-04:00

Matthew Rhys and Stephen Root. | Image: Apple

Kate O'Flynn views comedy and horror as "kind of the same thing." Both are at their best when they surprise - a laugh or a scare that comes out of nowhere hits the hardest. That's why, for the star of the new horror-comedy hybrid Widow's Bay, mixing up the genres makes perfect sense - they heighten each other. "You're never on steady ground," she says. "Your guard is down, and you're vulnerable to a laugh or a cry or a scream. It's all up for grabs."

Widow's Bay, which starts streaming on Apple TV on April 29th, tells the story of the titular island, which sits off the coast of New England. It has a rustic small-town charm and also happens …

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The plan to quietly kill Coyote v. Acme blew up in David Zaslav’s face

2026-04-27T14:35:32-04:00

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on Hollywood trends and streaming culture, follow Charles Pulliam-Moore. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes on Sundays at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here.

How it started

Under David Zaslav's leadership, WBD got very into the practice of shelving its own nearly completed projects in order to cash in on subsequent tax write-offs. To help deal with its looming debt and operating costs, the studio killed Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah's live-action Batgirl feature and the Scoob! Holiday Haunt movie from Michael Kurinsky …

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The person who allegedly leaked Paramount’s new Avatar movie has been arrested

2026-04-24T15:45:01-04:00

Following Paramount Skydance's move to launch an investigation into how its upcoming Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender animated feature leaked onto the internet, a suspect has been taken into custody by police.

The Straits Times reports Singaporean police have arrested a 26-year-old man who is alleged to have uploaded the new Avatar movie (previously titled The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender) online after accessing a server where the project was being held ahead of its scheduled October 9th premiere on Paramount Plus. According to the authorities, a copy of the entire movie was found on the suspect's electronic devices. If he is ultimatel …

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Brendan Carr’s war on wokeness targets inclusive children’s television

2026-04-24T06:06:26-04:00

Under the guidance of consummate bully / chairman Brendan Carr, the FCC is taking steps toward cracking down on children's entertainment that in any way explores the complexities of gender identity.

On Wednesday, the FCC's Media Bureau announced that it is soliciting comments from the public about whether the TV ratings system has made sound decisions regarding children's programming with transgender or nonbinary characters. In a statement about the commenting period the FCC said that it was soliciting feedback due to an alleged uptick in "significant concerns" about whether "controversial gender identity issues are being included or promot …

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Apple TV has another busy summer of sci-fi with Silo season 3 in July

2026-04-21T09:48:44-04:00

Over the last few years Apple TV has established itself as a force in sci-fi, and that trend looks to continue through 2026. Up next: the post-apocalyptic thriller Silo is returning for its third season on July 3rd. The 10 episode-long season will span 10 episodes and wrap up on September 4th, with new episodes streaming on Fridays.

Based on a trilogy of books from author Hugh Howey, Silo follows the residents of an underground city - the titular silo - that live in a tightly-controlled environment amidst a grim and deadly landscape outside their walls. The first season introduced the story as a small-town mystery, before season 2 steadily …

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Japanese man sentenced to prison for posting spoilers

2026-04-20T16:02:58-04:00

Though it's very common for entertainment writers to describe some narrative elements of the films and shows that they're covering, a Japanese court has determined that the practice can sometimes be tantamount to copyright infringement.

Last Thursday, the Tokyo District Court ruled that 39-year-old Wataru Takeuchi was guilty of violating Japanese law that prohibits the creation of "a new work by making creative modifications to the original while preserving its essential characteristics." Takeuchi worked as administrator of a website that published lengthy, spoiler-heavy descriptions from popular movies and series. And two of Takeuchi's "ar …

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The perfect successor to Lost has been hiding from me for years

2026-04-15T09:54:51-04:00

Ever since Jack decided to stay behind in 2010, I've been searching for something to give me the same feeling that Lost did. I crave a big mystery with a huge cast and more secrets than I can handle, something that prompts me and my friends to share nonsensical theories about what's really going on. It's been 16 years and my search has been filled with disappointment. Yellowjackets initially seemed like exactly what I wanted until its downslide began, while promising shows like 1899 were cancelled before they had a chance to really get started. It turns out that the perfect Lost successor has actually been airing for years, but because of th …

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The Miniature Wife was an exercise in visual trickery

2026-04-08T18:29:32-04:00

In Manuel Gonzales' 2013 short story "The Miniature Wife," a woman starts to become a different kind of person after her husband accidentally shrinks her down to the size of a coffee mug. Because of her new stature, the woman is more physically vulnerable, and it's difficult for her to effectively communicate with normal sized people. But for all the danger that the woman's tininess puts her in, it also pushes her to tap into a strength that takes her husband by surprise.

The marital dynamics are very similar in Peacock's new The Miniature Wife series adaptation starring Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen. The show adds depth to both of …

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Apple’s sci-fi thriller Dark Matter is back in August

2026-04-07T09:04:35-04:00

Over the last few years summer has turned out to be a great time for new streaming sci-fi, and 2026 is shaping up to be much the same. Apple just announced that its multiversal thriller Dark Matter is coming back for its second season, which will start streaming on August 28th. Season 2 will span 10 episodes and wrap up in October.

Adapted from Blake Crouch's novel of the same name, Dark Matter first premiered in 2024, and it follows the story of physics professor Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton) who gets abducted by, well, himself, but a version from another timeline. There's a whole lot of alternate reality drama going on, and it sounds like …

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