With all good news, there's usually a bit of bad news, too. Netflix unveiled the new and returning shows coming throughout 2025, and while it's exciting to learn that shows like Stranger Things, Wednesday, Emily in Paris, Nobody Wants This, and more will be back this year, there's also a catch. Some of our favorite shows were sadly missing from that list.
On Wednesday, Jan. 30, Netflix closed out the first month of 2025 by giving fans a glimpse at the shows they can look forward to later this year. While some fan-favorites like Ginny & Georgia and Squid Game received June release dates for their respective third seasons, plenty of other established hit series were also included on the list to make comebacks in 2025.
Unfortunately, not every Netflix show fans love will be able to wrap up filming in time to be released later this year. We already had an inkling that some of these shows, like Bridgerton and Outer Banks, wouldn't be returning until 2026, Netflix's omissions from the 2025 slate all but confirm that a handful of beloved series will keep us waiting for at least another year.
Netflix shows most likely delayed until 2026
Almost a dozen popular Netflix shows were not included on the streamer's list of scripted titles coming in 2025. The biggest among them are the fourth season of Bridgerton, the fifth and final season of Outer Banks, the seventh season of Virgin River, and the second season of Outstanding Drama Series Emmy nominee 3 Body Problem.
When Bridgerton season 3 released in two parts last year, showrunner Jess Brownell had all but confirmed that the Benedict-centric fourth season wouldn't make its premiere until 2026, as the series has established a very unfortunate release patter of a new season every two years. As for Outer Banks, the teen adventure series takes a decent amount of time to produce, and cameras aren't likely to start rolling until spring 2025.
Here's the list of Netflix shows unlikely to be back until 2026:
- 3 Body Problem season 2
- Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2
- Beef season 2
- Black Doves season 2
- Bridgerton season 4
- The Gentlemen season 2
- The Lincoln Lawyer season 4
- One Piece season 2
- Outer Banks season 5
- Virgin River season 7
- The Watcher season 2
For most of these shows, a 2026 release is a given. Like, The Watcher season 2 has had zero updates about casting or production, so there's no conceivable way Netflix could prepare a release this year. The Lincoln Lawyer was just recently renewed, and Virgin River hasn't started filming. As for Black Doves season 2, even though the spy thriller earned a very early renewal, series star Ben Whishaw revealed the second season hasn't even been written.
But that's not to say that some of these shows won't be able to manage a release before the end of 2025. For instance, Netflix had previously slated Virgin River season 6 for a 2025 drop after its delays, but the streamer fast-tracked its release in Decemeber. The same thing happened with The Lincoln Lawyer season 3, though the opposite happened with The Night Agent season 2. Clearly, there's a bit of wiggle room on both sides.
It's great that Netflix isn't making promises it can't keep with these shows. Just think how much more disappointing it would be if the streamer had said that any of the above titles could be coming out in 2025, but they ended up nothing making the cut. At the very least, they're getting the disappointment out of the way ahead of time, so in the event that any of the shows could sneak in under the wire, we can be pleasantly surprised and excited.
Stay tuned for more streaming news and updates from Show Snob!