10 Most Forgettable TV Shows Of 2026
The TV shows of 2026 is totally overwhelming. Seriously, there’s just too much to watch. With all the streaming apps and traditional channels, it’s really hard to decide how to spend your time. Most people are distracted by a million different things. That’s why choosing a series to commit to feels like a huge task. It’s hard to know what your free time is actually worth.
The truly great series always find their way to the top. We’ve already discussed the best TV series of 2026 in another post. But this list is different. This is about the series that nobody really talks about. Some of them were new releases; others were sequels that just didn’t go over as well as they used to. Some were boring crime dramas; others were great ideas that ultimately got lost in the maze of streaming services. Basically, these shows just didn’t leave an impression. Here are the most forgettable TV shows of 2026 so far.
THE AUDACITY
How many more shows about Silicon Valley can there possibly be? We already have “Silicon Valley,” “Devs,” and “Succession.” It feels like we’ve seen it all before. AMC’s “The Audacity” had a tough time from the start because the genre is so oversaturated. The series is created by Jonathan Glatzer. It’s about a tech guy, played by Billy Magnussen, and his girlfriend, a “performance psychologist,” played by Sarah Goldberg. The two get caught up in a data scandal. The cast also includes big names like Zach Galifianakis, Lucy Punch, Simon Helberg, and Randall Park.
The jokes are actually pretty funny when the series focuses on them. Magnussen’s character is a highlight. The portrayal of how “tech bros” think in 2026 hits the nail on the head. But the series is too cluttered. There are too many characters and not enough time. The subplots only weaken the main storyline. While the series does a good job of poking fun at tech culture, it struggles to tell a compelling story over the course of the entire season. AMC has renewed it for a second season, but it already feels like no one is talking about it anymore.
THE BEAUTY
Ryan Murphy produces so much television. He makes a lot of polished, kitschy series that don’t have much substance beneath the surface. “The Beauty” fits perfectly into this mold. The series is based on a comic book. It has a wild premise: a sexually transmitted virus that makes you look perfect before you die. Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall play FBI agents investigating the case, and Ashton Kutcher plays a tech billionaire. That sounds a lot like the movie “The Substance,” and Murphy takes full advantage of it.
There are disgusting transformation scenes, just like in “American Horror Story.” Murphy loves to show off outlandish production design. He also loves themes revolving around vanity or self-hatred. The problem is that the series never goes any deeper than that. It’s 11 episodes of people talking about beauty ideals without saying anything new. Some love Murphy’s style; others are sick of it. It’s just another empty, pretty drama from him.
THE BOROUGHS
The Duffer Brothers are famous for “Stranger Things.” Now they’re serving as executive producers on “The Boroughs.” The series uses the same “kids vs. monsters” formula, but swaps out the teenagers for older adults in a nursing home in New Mexico. The cast is fantastic, including Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, and Alfre Woodard. Even Dee Wallace, who starred in “E.T.,” has been cast.
Critics actually liked it. It has a high rating on Rotten Tomatoes. People like that the older characters are treated like heroes and not just as old people. But there’s one big problem: Basically, it’s just “Stranger Things” with old people. It’s a pure copy-and-paste project. If a show exists solely because of a more popular series, it’ll quickly fade away. Netflix canceled the series after just one season.
FINDING HER EDGE
Netflix loves teen romance series. You know the formula. There’s always a love triangle, a big competition, and pop music in the background. “Finding Her Edge” is exactly that. The series is based on a young adult novel. It’s about the Russo sisters, who are passionate about figure skating. Adriana is the main character, and she gets involved in a fake relationship with a new partner while still having feelings for her ex. The whole thing is very predictable.
The figure skating scenes look pretty good. The lead actress, Madelyn Keys, does her best with the script. But the script is just average. Even in the very first episode, you can guess exactly what’s going to happen. It’s the kind of show you watch while doing laundry or paying bills. Netflix loves this kind of thing. The show has racked up a lot of views and is getting a second season. Basically, it’s just “comfort food” that you forget the moment you turn it off.
GOING DUTCH SEASON 2
Denis Leary plays a colonel in this series. He’s transferred to a boring military base in the Netherlands. At first, critics liked the series. They liked the chemistry between Leary and his real-life daughter, Devin Leary. They also liked how the series poked fun at the military.
But in the second season, things really went downhill. The series is just crammed full of tired jokes about the Dutch. You know the drill: tulips and cheese. It just comes across as lazy. Even those who liked the show said the other characters didn’t have much to do. Only Danny Pudi had a decent storyline. Fox rushed through the second season and then simply canceled the show in May. It wasn’t even bad enough to be funny. It just fizzled out.
IMPERFECT WOMEN
Apple TV likes to produce stylishly staged crime dramas with well-known actresses. “Imperfect Women” is their latest production. It stars Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss, and Kate Mara in the lead roles. They’re best friends, but then one of them dies. The series is based on a book. The cast is great, and everyone does a good job with what they’ve got.
The series attempts to tackle profound themes like friendship and womanhood. But it doesn’t really succeed. It strives for something intelligent but doesn’t quite capture it. It’s not bad, but it’s not interesting either. Eight hours is a long time for a mystery that doesn’t feel urgent. It’s just kind of there. I actually wanted to make a joke about the title being “Imperfect TV Show,” but that would be too easy.
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE: LIFE IS STILL UNFAIR
People had reservations about this reboot, but it was actually quite nice. The original creator wrote all four episodes. The entire cast returned for a family reunion. It felt like it was made with love, not just for the money. It’s a nice little bonus for fans, but ultimately just a footnote.
Four episodes can’t match the crazy energy of the old series. Everything feels a bit thin. It hits the same notes we already know. It was a big hit for Hulu because people love nostalgia, but then it just faded away. If you want to remember how good the series was, just watch the old episodes.
MARSHALS
Taylor Sheridan is now behind many series. This is a spin-off of “Yellowstone.” It takes a character named Kayce Dutton and places him in a series about U.S. Marshals. The family drama of the original is swapped out for straightforward stories about manhunts. Kayce was never the best part of “Yellowstone,” so the whole thing feels a bit odd.
Sheridan didn’t even write this series himself. And it shows. It’s just a run-of-the-mill series where people wear cowboy hats. It lacks the grand, serious atmosphere of the original. Critics have panned it. It has the lowest ratings of any Sheridan series. People are constantly arguing online about whether it’s actually any good. But the ratings are huge. It’s number one on Paramount+, so a second season is being filmed. People keep watching, even if they don’t exactly know why.
SCARPETTA
Nicole Kidman has been appearing in a lot of streaming thrillers lately. This one is about a medical examiner. The series has a great cast, including Jamie Lee Curtis and Bobby Cannavale. The plot jumps back and forth between the present and the past. That’s fine in itself. But as the season went on, the whole thing just felt chaotic.
People started complaining about Kidman. She’s a great actress, but she seems out of place in this role. The show says her character grew up in difficult circumstances, but Kidman just looks too put-together. It feels like she’s in character. Amazon has ordered two seasons, but who knows if they’ll actually produce the second one after this reaction.
VANISHED
Kaley Cuoco is trying to show that she can do more than just sitcoms. This series is about her character, who is on a train to France when her boyfriend disappears. She has to set out to find him. The story itself is pretty decent. Cuoco gives a good performance, and the chemistry between her and the other actress, Karin Viard, is the best part of the series.
However, the series relies on well-worn clichés that could use a refresh. Furthermore, characters and locations from the Middle East are used merely as a backdrop, which comes across as rather half-hearted. The response was lukewarm. Most viewers will have forgotten they even watched this series just a few days after it ends.
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