GoKawiilI 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 things really kick off toward the end of May. As per usual, Apple TV is heavily represented.
Here’s a handy list of what’s coming so that you can plan accordingly.
The Boroughs
Streaming on Netflix on May 21st
Since the end of Stranger Things, the Duffer brothers have stuck around to produce a few series at Netflix. And next up is a show that looks like it could capture some of the same classic sci-fi feeling of the early Stranger Things seasons — albeit with a slightly older cast. The Boroughs is set at a retirement community that also happens to be home to an extraterrestrial mystery. The premise is great, but the cast might be the most exciting part: The show features Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman.
Star City
Streaming on Apple TV on May 29th
A lot has happened over the course of the first five seasons of For All Mankind, and while we know the show will wrap up soon, there’s also a spinoff that will take things back to the beginning. In the show’s alternate reality, the Soviet Union is the first country to land an cosmonaut on the Moon, and Star City will show that story from the Soviet perspective. And in a nice bit of synchronicity, the show premieres the same day that season 5 of For All Mankind wraps up.
Image: Apple
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