Series Snapshot ~ 2/12/2026

By: [email protected] on Thu, 02/12/2026 - 14:53

Welcome to the Series Snapshot, a weekly deep dive into the shows topping the streaming charts.

This week Netflix’s popular original series Bridgerton steps aside for a new original, Unfamiliar, a German spy thriller. This feat is made even more impressive given Unfamiliar only has six one-hour episodes, but that’s part of what viewers praise the show for, not wasting time. Unfamiliar is compact and grounded, and critics praise the series for approaching the genre from a more realistic, natural perspective, with a simple premise that unfolds into chaos. Former German intelligence agents Simon (Felix Kramer) and Meret (Susanne Wolff) have stepped away from the field, now running a discrete safehouse a.k.a “The Nest”, but when a loose end from an old mission gone wrong turns up at their door, they find themselves thrown back into the fray of high-stakes espionage, testing their skills, emotions, and their marriage. Audiences and reviewers both appreciate Unfamiliar’s attempts at realism, even down to the action sequences, which substitute desperate messiness for typical Hollywood fight choreography. Unfamiliar also stars Maja Bons, and comes from creator and writer Paul Coates.

Over at Hulu, relationship drama Tell Me Lies continues to strengthen its foothold at the top with high viewership, ahead of High Potential and Memory of a Killer. The series has come a long way from its beginnings; initially criticized for melodramatic, soap opera-like writing, Tell Me Lies is now credited for its nuanced takes, exploring manipulation and abuse through the turbulent relationship of its main couple, Lucy Albright and Stephen Demarco (played by Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, respectively). Viewers appreciate how even though the characters are frustrating and unlikeable, they are acted with such ease and authenticity that it’s hard not to get fully invested. Season three has held no shortage of twists and big reveals, but showrunner and creator Meaghan Oppenheimer has stated that she always envisioned the show’s story wrapping in three seasons, so a fourth is unlikely. Tell Me Lies also stars Catherine Missal and Spencer House.

HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is establishing itself as one of HBO’s strongest recent original programs, claiming another weekly win for viewership. Adapted from George R. R. Martin’s series of novellas, Seven Kingdoms is a bona fide hit, scoring big with audiences for its bold tonal shift, risk taking, and character focus. Viewers express that Seven Kingdoms casting is some of, if not the best casting we’ve seen in the Game of Thrones universe so far; Peter Claffey is pitch perfect as Sir Duncan the Tall, Daniel Ings explodes in every scene with his larger than life portrayal of Ser Lyonel Baratheon, but most of all, audiences are completely smitten by the young Dexter Sol Ansell, who plays the bald-headed squire, Egg, with expertise and dedication far beyond his years. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was created by George R. R. Martin and Ira Parker.

Amazon’s Fallout is also proving itself as a top IP, and their decision to switch from releasing an entire season to weekly episodes seems to have paid off, with audiences more invested than ever before. Season two has been massively successful, scoring on average even higher than Fallout’s first season, and ranking as Amazon’s sixth most watched season of any series, ever. Weekly installments seem to drive conversation in forums and chatrooms, creating organic hype through speculation and debate. Walton Goggins is quickly affirming himself as one of the great character actors of our time, and is recognized as the show’s main draw, supported by the excellent performances of Ella Purnell as Lucy, and Aaron Moten as Maximus. Fallout was created by Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner.

The new season of AppleTV’s original series Shrinking enjoys another lap at the top after taking “most-viewed” on the platform last week. The series is consistently enjoyed by fans and critics for its wholesome charm and heartwarming characters, something of a trademark for creators Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, thanks to their other big hit Ted Lasso. So far, season three is getting particular praise for Jason Segel’s performance as the bereaved therapist Jimmy Laird, and also Harrison Ford as his mentor Dr. Rhodes, who in recent episodes further confronts the challenges of his Parkinson’s diagnosis. Viewers were also thrilled to see the beloved Michael J. Fox return to screen acting for a three-episode arc as “Gerry”, a man with further progressed Parkinson’s who befriends and bonds with Rhodes. Shrinking fills a void of needed optimism, and its hope-filled formula has secured it an official renewal for a fourth season, likely to release in 2027. New episodes of Shrinking release on AppleTV every Wednesday at Midnight.

For Disney Plus, once again Wonder Man is most watched this week, maintaining a firm hold even after releasing the full season. In 2026, to say that there’s an oversaturation of superhero content is something of an understatement, but Wonder Man manages to find a fresh take on the genre. Its story isn’t about saving the galaxy, but trying to be a working actor in the superficial world of Hollywood, while also having superpowers. The series is praised for its satirical take on the film industry, and some good self awareness on Marvel’s part, while also being a love letter to the craft of acting. This tonal balance is brought to life by the strong cast of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as aspiring actor Simon, and Ben Kingsley, who plays the washed-up Trevor Slattery, his mentor and acting coach. Simon must keep his powers secret, or risk losing his career, all while the “Department of Damage Control” closes in. Fans and critics appreciate Wonder Man’s balancing act between grounded tone and eccentric characters, most notably Zlatko Buric as Von Kovak, a sort of satirized caricature of Werner Herzog. Wonder Man was created by Andrew Guest and Destin Daniel Cretton.