Now that summer has nearly ended, we're well past the halfway point of 2026. That's an almost unbelievable concept to consider, but time flies when you're binge-watching some of the best new shows the year has to offer. This year, Prime Video has more than stepped up to the plate and dominated the pop culture conversation with a number of popular new original series.
The streaming service started easing into the year with the likes of Sophie Turner's crime thriller Steal, the steamy romantic drama 56 Days, and Nicole Kidman's procedural drama Scarpetta. But Prime Video really turned things up a notch this spring and summer with the additions of new series that fans around the world immediately became obsessed with.
From Off Campus lighting the world on fire in May to Sterling Point delivering the brand of authentically funny and vulnerable teen drama we've been craving, Prime Video has been hitting home run after home run. With many more new original series still to come later this year, let's take a look at the best new original series the streaming service has released so far!
Off Campus
Following the premiere of Off Campus on Prime Video in May 2026, the hockey romance was the show everyone was talking about. Based on the series of books by Elle Kennedy, the first season centered on Briar University's star hockey player Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli) as he approaches wallflower Hannah Wells (Ella Bright) to help tutor him in their philosophy class.
Soon, the pair are wrapped up in a mutually benefical fake dating scheme as Hannah helps Garrett with their coursework and Garrett offers his romantic insights to help Hannah land her rock star crush Justin (Josh Heuston). Obviously, sparks fly between Hannah and Garrett that are both unavoidable and undeniable as they guide each other through much more personal obstacles.
Off Campus was a viral sensation that far exceeded the expectations and anticipation of the popular books. The second season was quickly picked up and put into production, this time centering on fan-favorite couple Allie (Mika Abdalla) and Dean's (Stephen Kalyn) love story. Not only was the series a winning and entertaining binge-watch, it was also good, genuinely must-watch television.
Elle
Largely, 2026 was the year of young adult television on Prime Video. The streaming service picked up the crown from whichever streamer or network previously dropped it, whether that's The CW, Freeform, or even Netflix. After the Off Campus explosion, the streamer released fellow page-to-screen adaptation Every Year After, but summer's next big winner was actually Elle.
Even though the Legally Blonde prequel series didn't make quite as much noise as probably expected, Elle was still a hit on Prime Video and quickly hit No. 1 on the platform. In the series, Elle Woods (Lexi Minetree) finds her life in Los Angeles uprooted as her family moves to Seattle in the middle of high school. Suddenly, her bubbly personality doesn't fit in with her new peers.
Naturally, some fans took issue with the "canon" of it all and how Elle having a worldview-changing experience in her youth impacts her character development in the film. But Elle presents a fun, humorous, and touching origin story for the iconic character with an unbelievable performance from Minetree. Don't sleep on Elle, especially when season 2 will resolve the love triangle.
Ride or Die
It might seem like Prime Video was specifically focused on young adult and coming-of-age series this summer, but the streaming service actually did have other new original series to offer. Well, not too many more to be fair, but if you're a fan of action and comedy and a bit of mystery, then you certainly tuned into Ride or Die and devoured the entire first season in one sitting.
Emmy Award-winning Ted Lasso star and Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer team up in Ride or Die as best friends Judith Burton and Debbie Claybourne. When the pair are forced to go on the run in order to evade an enemy, Judith soon reveals that she's secretly an assassin, which obviously comes quite in handy for their predicament. However, their adventure is still full of chaos.
Ride or Die premiered on Prime Video in July and earned widespread positive critical reception, earning a certified fresh and near-perfect rating of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Waddingham and Spencer are magical together in this series, perfectly paired for a story that utilizes every aspect of their talents. Hopefully, the streamer will soon give fans some great season 2 news.
Sterling Point
When it comes to Prime Video's summer lineup of new series, the streamer saved the best for last. Sterling Point honestly might end up being the best new Prime Video show of the year and one of the best shows of 2026 overall, across all platforms. The teen drama series from creator Megan Park is that uniquely special and exactly what we needed this year.
Based on an original idea from Park and not a book series, Sterling Point centers on 16-year-old Annie Jacobson (Ella Rubin) as she heads to the titular island town in Muskoka after inheriting it from the later maternal grandfather she never knew. Once there, Annie unpacks a lifetime of family secrets about her mother's death, a surprise sister, and more unexpected connections.
Sterling Point tackles honest and impactful stories about young people that refreshingly aren't cringe-inducing. The characters act and speak like real people thanks to Park's expert writing, which balances the heavy with the surprisingly hilarious. Rubin also delivers an all-around knockout performance that should be in serious Emmys contention. Easily, this is the year's greatest revelation.
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