New Year, New TV - What to Watch this Month

The Top 10 Lists of movies and TV from the past year are over (unless I start getting into the Top 10 performances and all that jazz) -- so it's time to look forward to 2026. And shockingly, we have some pretty good TV to start the year off right! While movies take a bit of a backseat in the coming weeks, TV is ringing in the new year with returning BANGERS, as well as a new show or two.

Today, I'll be writing short blurbs on each show I'm watching -- as well as some new shows on the way the rest of the month -- and whether I think they're a RIP or a SKIP.

The Pitt - Season 2

HBO Max - 1st Episode out now!

New eps release Thursday's @ 9 pm ET

The Pitt is fucking BACK. Season 1 aired last January-March, and Season 2 is back just a year later -- how TV should be done! This season brings back most of our favorite doctors and nurses, and is introducing a new attending + med students.

Season 2 is on Fourth of July weekend, and the 1st episode is lulling us in before what I'm sure will be a chaotic season. Storylines I'm most interested in this season:

• Dr. Robby working with Dr. Al-Hashimi -- the new attending taking over while he's on Sabbatical

• Dr. Langdon returning -- want to see him back in action (and working with Mel of course)

• Whitaker and Javadi stepping into their own in the ED -- already seeing good signs early on

• Dr. Abbott and Dr. King -- don't care what they're doing, just give me more please -- Bean's Blog favorites

If you've watched the 1st episode of Season 2 -- below are the early storylines I'm most interested in. If you haven't watched -- just skip ahead and get caught up ASAP!

• The Baby of course -- where'd it come from and WTF was that reaction at the end of the ep? Did Dr. Al see something on the test Mohan missed, or is it something else?

  • Is the baby connected to the Deaf Lady? That was my original hunch

• The guy Dr. McKay is working with the wrist -- seems like there could be a brain issue as well?

• The young girl Santos is treating -- could be an abuse situation, very concerning

  • The girl played Richie's daughter in The Bear as well -- so I'm pot-committed

• Who was Robby's phone call with? How will he and Langdon work this season?

• Dr. Mel's malpractice suit -- not all that interested in the trial, but want more of sweet Mel King being herself

  • (the almost-hug when she saw Langdon was the best)

• Weed-Grandma -- not sure what's going on with her but like her vibes

Rip or Skip: RIP(!!!)

The Traitors - Season 4

Peacock - 1st 3 episodes out now!

New eps release Thursday's @ 9 pm ET -- eps 4 & 5 release this week

The newest season of one of my new favorite competition reality shows is BACK for Season 4. The Traitors has created a rabid fandom over it's first 3 seasons, and has mastered the release schedule.

This season features 20 reality and real stars -- not my favorite cast, but one I know tons of people have been excited for. Lots of Housewives representation with Lisa Rinna, Dorinda Medley, Candiace Bassett, Porsha Williams -- Rob Cesternino, Natalie Anderson, and Yam Yam from Survivor -- Ian Terry and Tiffany Mitchell from Big Brother -- actors like Michael Rappaport (WOAT) and Rob Funchess -- all the way to Donna frickin' Kelce.

I've watched the first 3 -- and aside from one twist new to Season 4 that I think they executed super poorly (but is a good idea in theory) -- I'm liking the season so far. The antics, the characters, and the challenges are all keeping me entertained.

Rip or Skip: RIP

Industry - Season 4

HBO Max - 1st episode out now!

New eps release Sunday Nights

Speaking of Season 4's of a show that hits like crack that has returned -- Industry is back on HBO Max. A drama set in the Investment-Banking industry in England, focusing in on a group of grads competing for limited spots at a huge investment bank called Pierpoint. This show is a finance-thriller focusing on ambition, power, money, drugs, sex, politics -- and is a wild thrill-ride.

When I first started watching, the cast was almost entirely unknown to me. Myha'la, Harry Lawtey, Marisa Abela, Ken Leung, David Jonsson, and Sagar Radia -- many of whom have gone on to become bigger stars. The cast has added more well-known actors in recent series like Kit Harrington and Sarah Goldberg -- while bringing in Max Minghella, Kiernan Shipka, Charlie Heaton, Toheeb Jimoh (Sam from Ted Lasso), and Kal Penn (from Harold & Kumar) for Season 4.

What I love about this show -- and this first ep of Season 4 -- is that it's always going a million miles per hour. The dialogue is sharp, even if you don't fully understand what the hell they're talking about with the industry jargon. It also puts characters in outrageous situations and fucking GOES for it at all times -- never scaring away from going too bold. Really good show.

Rip or Skip: RIP

His & Hers

Netflix - Full Season out now!

New crime thriller on Netflix starring two great actors -- Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson. They play estranged spouses who cross paths as one believes the other is a prime suspect in a murder. I only watched the first episode, and while I think it's a good premise, there's things I like and things I don't like about it thus far. Will continue watching and report back -- let me know if any of you are watching this one!

The Night Manager - Season 2

Amazon Prime - 1st 3 episodes out now!

New eps release Sunday Nights

I am currently working through the 1st season of The Night Manager in preparation for Season 2 -- which is silly because S1 released in 2016, so I've had 10 years to catch up and am just doing so now. But I'm loving Season 1, and am hearing good things on Season 2.

If you're unfamiliar, this is a British thriller starring Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine, a former soldier turned intelligence officer contracted to spy on Richard Roper -- a shady entrepreneur played by Hugh Laurie, suspected of criminal connections.

This show has a standout cast of Hiddleston and Laurie, Olivia Colman, Elizabeth Debicki, Tom Hollander, David Harewood, Tobias Menzies. Good thriller/spy-drama, plenty of Brits which elevate the dialogue -- and a really fun watch thus far. Excited to get into Season 2.

Rip or Skip: Season 1, RIP

Rip or Skip: Season 2, TBD

Starfleet Academy - Season 1

Paramount + - New Star Trek Series coming Jan.15th

I myself am not a Star Trek guy -- which is either unsurprising or surprising as a huge Star Wars nerd -- so I likely will not be tuning into this one. But if you are a Star Trek fan, there's positive buzz around this new show Starfleet Academy. Starring Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti, as well as a young group of actors who will play cadets training to become Starfleet officers.

Rip or Skip: TBD

Ponies - Season 1

Peacock - New Spy Fiction Series Coming Jan. 15th

Interesting new Peacock series coming in a couple days about the wives of CIA agent husbands played by Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) and Haley Lu Richardson (The White Lotus). Set in 1977, The two work in the American Embassy as secretaries, and are thrust into action when their husbands mysteriously die in the Soviet Union. These two PONIES (persons of no interest) dig into a vast conspiracy to find out what happened to their husbands.

I like the two lead actresses quite a bit and think it's a very interesting premise -- I'm going to give it a shot and will report back here!

Rip or Skip: TBD

The Beauty - Season 1

Hulu - New Body-Horror Series Coming Jan. 21st

Another FX series from creator Ryan Murphy -- known for American Horror Story, the Monster series, Glee, Pose, and all sorts of FX originals of varying success -- comes a body-horror show about a corporation that produces a new drug causing aesthetic effects -- "a drug that makes you beautiful.'" Starring Ashton Kutcher, Rebecca Hall, Anthony Ramos, Evan Peters, Bella Hadid, and Isabella Rossellini -- this has the potential to be a hit or a total flop, but I'm excited to see which.

Rip or Skip: TBD

Wonder Man - Season 1

Disney+ - New MCU Series Coming Jan. 27th

My Marvel fandom has waned in the years post-Endgame, but part of me will always be an MCU nerd at heart. And while I may not be seated for every MCU movie or watching every show, part of me is intrigued by their newest series, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen as Wonder Man.

All I know about the origins is that his name is Simon Williams, and he's a Hollywood actor before he gets his powers and is thrust into the hero world. I get similar but different vibes from this show that I did Moon Knight -- a show I had problems with but wanted to love -- and it's because it's an unknown hero played by a great actor (Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight -- Adbul-Mateen here). Still undecided, but if I hear good buzz, I'll be giving it a shot.

Rip or Skip: TBD