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Shows to watch: August 17 to 23, 2026

August 16, 2026 · 4 min read

Shows to watch this week

Outer Banks returns Thursday on Netflix to open season 5 (TMDB rating 8.3/10). The series follows teens who dig up a long-buried secret and set off a chain of misadventures — if you have kept up with the previous seasons, this is the comeback you were waiting for. Futurama continues season 11 with episode 4: the Planet Express ship crash-lands on a world of intelligent rats (8.4/10). Silo is at episode 8 of season 3: Gus, Knox's father, finally comes clean about a secret, and Charlotte makes a decision that will change her whole life (8.2/10).

If you are after something quieter, Trying is at episode 7 of season 5: Nikki and Jason's getaway does not go as planned, there or back home. Reacher continues season 4 with episode 4: Reacher talks to Sampson, Tamara breaks into a government building, and the team learns something that changes everything. On the premiere side, Philadelphia launches season 18 — the show follows four immature friends running an Irish pub and failing at adult life. Professor T opens season 4 on SFR Play: the series follows a genius criminologist, saddled with an overbearing mother, who advises the police. Ludwig opens season 2 on BBC One — the series tells the story of a puzzle designer who takes on the identity of his missing twin brother to find him.

  • Outer Banks - Buried secrets and adrenaline (8.3)
  • Philadelphia - Bad-faith comedy at the pub (8.3)
  • Professor T - Genius criminology with neuroses (7.3)
  • Ludwig - Puzzles and a borrowed identity (7.7)
  • Futurama - Crash-landing among intelligent rats (8.4)
  • Reacher - Action and inconvenient truths (8.1)
  • Trying - Tenderness and plans gone sideways (7.6)
  • Silo - Family confessions and a big decision (8.2)

Starting this week

Four seasons open this week, and each one is an entry point. Outer Banks (season 5) and Philadelphia (season 18) speak first to those already on board — if you had dropped off, this is the moment to catch back up. Professor T (season 4) and Ludwig (season 2) can be picked up with no baggage: two mystery-tinged investigations, one darker and one lighter, and nothing required before you jump in.

See the full calendar

Some information in this article (titles, air dates, availability) comes from TheTVDB. You can add or correct information directly on their site.

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