Series Snapshot ~ 2/19/2026

By: [email protected] on Thu, 02/19/2026 - 12:42

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

This week, Netflix’s regency-era romance Bridgerton steps aside for Lincoln Lawyer, which just launched its fourth season to high marks and viewership. Lincoln Lawyer is adapted from a series of novels by author Michael Connelly, with each season corresponding to one book, though not in the original order of publication. Season four, based on the sixth book, Law of Innocence, released to a perfect 100% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. This season raises the stakes for protagonist Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) who must now play a defendant for the first time, developing his own legal defense from a jail cell. Also returning are beloved cast members Becki Newton, Jazz Raycole, Angus Sampson, and notably, Neve Campbell, who is now a series regular for the full season. Critics and viewers appreciate the risky plot-pivot this season, which has proven to be a powerful hook. Lincoln Lawyer was created by David E. Kelley.

Hulu’s relationship drama Tell Me Lies is once again at the top this week, after airing its series finale. The series’ abrupt ending has received a range of reactions from fans and critics, sparking confusion and debate in online forums, however, creator and showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer stated that the unhinged and chaotic conclusion is a fitting end for Tell Me Lies’ tumultuous plot. Tell Me Lies’ rough start proves that even if a show begins with poor reception, improvements can be made to salvage it, and crucially make it a hit. Tell Me Lies starred Grace Van Patten, Jackson White, Catherine Missal and Alicia Crowder, and was based on the 2018 best selling novel of the same name by author Carola Lovering.

HBO’s smash hit A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms continues its reign as most-watched this week, ahead of The Pitt and Heated Rivalry. The series’ success is largely attributed to its stark tonal shift from the original Game of Thrones series, adopting a lighthearted, “buddy-comedy” adventure. Viewers also point to the series’ stellar casting by Lucy Devan, marking that Ser Duncan (Peter Claffey) and his squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), couldn’t be more perfectly suited, tastefully honoring the source material in George R. R. Martin’s novellas. Rounding out the cast with explosive energy is Daniel Ings, who plays the larger-than-life “Laughing Storm”, Ser Lyonel Baratheon. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has been renewed for a second season, and was created by George R. R. Martin and Ira Parker.

Most watched at Amazon Prime Video this week is, unsurprisingly Fallout, after wrapping up a fantastic second season and securing itself as the most watched videogame adaptation series ever. Fallout, based on the popular post-apocalyptic games by Bethesda Game Studios, has been consistently praised for its faithful recreation of the IP’s satirical, offbeat tone, performances, and clever writing. Despite taking a few liberties, fans of the games seem content with minor changes, accepting that Amazon’s version was never intended to be a true 1:1 interpretation, but rather a new adventure with some familiar characters, locations and subplots. Fallout’s best asset however, is its powerhouse cast; Walton Goggins as the devilishly charming ghoul, Ella Purnell as the spunky, wide-eyed Lucy, and Aaron Moten as brotherhood-of-steel knight Maximus, form a perfect trio. Audiences want more prompting Fallout to be renewed for a third season, set to release sometime next year. The series was created by Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner.

At AppleTV, Idris Elba led thriller Hijack is back at the top, somewhat surprisingly, after sliding down in viewership as audiences preferred Tehran and Shrinking. The chart spike may be due in part to the season nearing its end, with just two episodes remaining. Despite hitting number one this week, reviews remain extremely polarized, critics rave about the new season, but general audiences seem bored in discussions, rating the show poorly. Main points of criticism seem to be a slow pace, lower-stakes setting, tired tropes, and major plot holes that all cause the second season to fall short of the much stronger first. While no one seems to have a problem with Elba’s performance, some note that even his exceptional acting chops aren’t enough to save the series. No news yet from Apple as to whether they’ll pursue a third season, but consensus seems to be that even a second season was pushing it, and it will be difficult to justify a third. Hijack was created by George Kay and Jim Field Smith.

On Disney Plus, Wonder Man loses its spot to a new limited series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. The series launched with its first three episodes, which have received positive reviews so far. The Ryan Murphy biopic series documents the turbulent, high-profile relationship between JFK Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly), and fashion publicist Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon). Also starring are Naomi Watts, who plays Jacqueline Kenney Onassis, and Grace Gummer as Caroline Kennedy. Fans enjoy the high-drama presentation of 90’s politics and pop-culture, but despite early high marks, not everyone loves the series, including the current Kennedy family, who expressed frustration in not being consulted during the show’s production. New episodes release Thursdays in the U.S. and Fridays in the U.K, with the ninth episode season finale set for March 26th. Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette was created by Connor Hines and Ryan Murphy.