5 Highly-Anticipated New & Returning TV Shows This Summer!

Everyone knows Summer is the season of blockbusters, as we have already seen with huge releases thus far like F1, Ballerina, 28 Years Later, and How to Train Your Dragon. But what lies beside these big budget flicks, on the smaller screen, are several TV series that are rearing up for big debuts and even bigger returns. Here are 5 shows that audiences are ready to toss on after a long day of sand, swimming, and sunburns:

1. "The Bear" Season 4 (Now Streaming; Hulu)

"The Bear" is back and roaring with a fresh plate of 10 episodes! Following a polarizing third season that scooped up 13 combined Emmys and Golden Globes, "The Bear" is returning for a fourth course with a highly decorated cast. Ayo Ediberi and Jeremy Allen White were both served two lead performance awards at both ceremonies, as well as Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Liza Colón-Zayas both receiving Emmys for their supporting roles. Will "The Bear" Season 4 serve up the same accolades? Yes, Chef!

2. "Tires" Season 2 (Now Streaming; Netflix)

Switching gears, quite literally, finds audiences at the start of the highly-anticipated sophomore season of "Tires". Although the critical reaction to the first season did not equate to the audience scores, this second season has been a night-and-day comparison in acting, writing, and direction. The first season may be reminiscent of the first season of "The Office", often seen as a run that had the characters and writers slowly coming into form. Featuring the number one comic in America, Shane Gillis, and his real-life pals Steve Gerben, Chris O’Connor, and Kilah Fox, this season truly is a gem in a world that is begging for a new hit sitcom. A truckload of cameos also hit the screen this season, with Thomas Haden Church, Vince Vaughn, Jon Lovitz, and Francis Ellis all making appearances. 

3. "Alien: Earth" (August 12; Hulu)

The Alien franchise has been a sci-fi movie staple since its original debut in 1979. The first film, directed by Ridley Scott, set the stage for 5 follow-ups and 2 Predator crossover movies. Also featuring directors such as James Cameron and David Fincher, the franchise is ready to take to streaming with its first TV series, "Alien: Earth". Following the success of the 2024 summer hit Alien: Romulus, the FX original will be helmed by "Fargo" showrunner Noah Hawley, who will see his show set in 2120 and feature the “xenomorphs” on Earth for the first time. Strap up for an 8-hour season, touching down to planet Earth in August!

4. "Peacemaker" Season 2 (August 21; Max)

In the midst of the DC entertainment universe madness, questions about The Batman Part II, and James Gunn’s overall vision for the future of the company, "Peacemaker" is making its long-awaited return to TV sets! After a 3-year hiatus, John Cena is set to reprise his role as the Peacemaker, the character originally seen in Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, along with Season 1 reprisals from Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, and Jennifer Holland. The new season is also rumored to have many cameos and direct ties to other DCEU films and shows, such as Gunn’s upcoming Superman film and the preceding animated series "Creature Commandos". 

5. "Wednesday" Season 2 (August 6 and September 3; Netflix)

Following a monster first season, Jenna Ortega is back as the titular Wednesday Addams. In fact, the first season of the show became Netflix’s third-most watched English series ever, right behind "Squid Games" and "Stranger Things". With the king of creepy, Tim Burton, returning as a director, audiences have been awaiting the return of this black comedy since late-2022. Along with a star-studded returning cast, many new familiar faces will arrive in the new season of this Addams Family spin-off: Steve Buscemi, Lady Gaga, Thandiwe Newton, Christopher Lloyd, and Haley Joel Osment have all been listed in the cast of the second season. Time to get moody with a two-part resurrection of Alfred Gough and Miles Millar’s hit show, spooking audiences on August 6 and September 3.