We're off to a great start for TV shows in 2026. There have been so many good shows, including Run Away, His & Hers, The Night Manager, and more, to start the year, and we're getting even more great shows like A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and Bridgerton season 4 over the next few weeks.
Unfortunately, while the list of upcoming shows is stellar, the list of shows still waiting for renewals is not. There are so many big shows still waiting to be renewed to start the new year. From the list, I picked six TV shows that are in serious danger of getting canceled.
It's never fun to do this exercise, but with so much hope among fans, it's important to be realistic about expectations. When it's been four to six months since the finale and we still haven't heard abou the future a series, well, it's time to get worried.
Let's get the list started with one my favorite shows from 2023, Gen V.
Gen V
Gen V returned for season 2 on Prime Video in September 2025, but the buzz just wasn't the same as the first season. The series works as an in-between of sorts of The Boys season 4 and season 5. We see Jaz Sinclair return as Marie Moreau following the huge twist at the end of season 1.
Unfortunately, some of the choices this season just didn't really work the way that they did in the first season. With The Boys coming to an end in season 5, which premieres in April on Prime Video, it's starting to feel like Gen V season 3 might not happen.
There's obviously a chance that Prime Video is waiting to announce the third season until after The Boys season 5, but the longer we go without a renewal, the less likely it is that this show returns for a new season.
The Abandons
The Abandons was such an interesting series! Westerns always perform well on Netflix, especially American Primeval and Godless. With an all-star cast led by Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson, the series tells the story of a feud between families in a land dispute. It's hard to imagine The Abandons getting the ax after one season, but sadly, it feels like that's where we are headed.
Unfortunately, the series is kind of a mess, even though it features solid performances and an ending that does suggest a second could be possible. Throw in creator Kurt Sutter leaving the series before production wrapped, Netflix cutting the original episode count, and The Abandons just feels like it was set up to fail.
The Runarounds
When The Runarounds premiered in September, it had a great chance to be Prime Video's answert to Outer Banks. The series about a teen band was created by Jonas Pate, one of the creators of the hit Netflix series. Unfortunately, the show just never really popped like Outer Banks did.
I really liked some elements of The Runarounds. The music is catchy and good, and the young cast was really impressive. The story drags at times, and that's probably the show's biggest downfall.
It's been a while now since we've heard anything about The Runarounds season 2, but that's just not a good sign. If this show was getting picked up, we probably would have heard by now, although Prime Video does take a while announce renewals on occasion.
Smoke
Smoke starring Taron Egerton premiered on Apple TV on June 27, 2025, and ran for nine episodes through mid-August. Smoke was one of the most-watched Apple TV series over the summer, but since it ended, it's been pretty quiet on the renewal front. Usually, with Apple TV shows, we expect a renewal a little bit sooner than this. It's been almost six months since the show ended.
The series told the story of Egerton's character, Dave Gudsen, who is an arson investigator tasked with solving arson crimes and catching serial arsonists. So, there's a level of mystery in the series that is intriguing to a lot of fans.
Unfortunately, while there might be plans from the creative team to continue the series, it's not looking good right now. Apple TV seems to be one of the smaller streamers at the moment, despite its incredible TV offering. We'll just have to wait and see, but my gut is telling me Smoke will be canceled.
The Copenhagen Test
The Copenhagen Test had all the makings of a special sci-fi mystery series. There's some espionage components, as well, which is traditionally a big draw for fans. Unfortunately, the series is not off to the best start.
Simu Liu stars in The Copenhagen Test, which just premiered on Dec. 27, so it's still early for this show. The spy sci-fi thriller tells the story of Alexander Hale, played by Liu, who is a spy who has his brain hacked. He must stay one step ahead of the hackers and stop their plot.
Overall, this show is a super interesting premise, but it's a Peacock show. Sadly, that makes a big difference. If this show was on Netflix or HBO, or even Prime Video, I have no doubt it would be a bigger hit. It still could get picked up for a second season, and that would be great, but it's off to a slow start. Generally, those slow starts are hard for TV shows to recover from.
A Man on the Inside
Speaking of spy shows, A Man on the Inside is on the chopping block at Netflix. While the show has an incredible cast led by Ted Danson and creative team led by Michael Schur, A Man on the Inside, through two seasons, has failed to make a splash in the way that other Netflix shows have.
The series has the makings of a hit Netflix show. A Man on the Inside is about a private investigator, played by Danson, who takes on mundane crimes that have big implications. It's a cool premise, but it doesn't seem like it has found its true audience.
Ultimately, because Netflix is in the star business, too, they have an opportunity to renew this show to maintain the relationships with the creatives involved, but viewership is low. On top of that, it's also been a while since season 2 premiered in November 2025. Netflix usually picks up shows a little bit more quickly when they are big hits. We know A Man on the Inside isn't that, so the wait continues.
Again, those are the shows I think are in serious danger of getting canceled this year. I hope all the shows get renewed, but the nature of this business is that these streamers can't keep all these shows going and also keep creating new shows, so some shows are going to get canceled.