Series Snapshot ~ 9/17/2026

By: [email protected] on Thu, 09/17/2026 - 13:51

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

The most watched series on Netflix this week was Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen, which recently debuted its second season. The Gentlemen, set in the same universe as the 2019 film of the same name, is a slick, dark action-crime series that merges uppercrust aristocracy with a gritty, criminal underworld. Former UN Peacekeeping officer Eddie Hornal (Theo James) unexpectedly inherits his family’s estate after his father’s passing, but soon discovers a hidden, massive cannabis farm under the grounds. To protect his family, Eddie is forced to collaborate with a drug kingpin (Ray Winstone) and his brilliant but ruthless daughter (Kaya Scodelario). The new season has scored quite well, and audiences have been quick to stream the show’s eight episodes. Critics praise season two for leaning into its dark aesthetic and razor sharp satirical edge. Audiences adore the chemistry between James and Scodelario, and Ritchie keeps the pace moving with snappy dialogue and quick editing. Netflix has greenlit a third season, which recently started production and will release late 2027 or early 2028. The Gentlemen was created by Guy Ritchie, and also stars Daniel Ings and Vinnie Jones.

Also recently launching a new chapter is Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which premiered its fifth season on September 10th and quickly took the top spot on the platform. The reality series has moved at a breakneck pace, debuting in late 2024, and immediately becoming a viral sensation for its insight into a niche sect of Mormon influencers. However, the newest season is notably short at only five episodes; production was halted following real-world domestic violence allegations and a police investigation involving one of the show’s stars, Tyler Frankie Paul. If that weren’t enough drama, cast member Mikayla Matthews recently announced she is quitting the show, citing ethical concerns around the network platforming Paul for a sixth season. The new episodes have taken an equally dramatic turn in terms of critical reception- many say the show feels uncomfortable, and “isn’t fun anymore”. Additionally, the show’s sudden truncation caused pacing issues, and its focus on legal drama as opposed to “MomTok antics” has many feeling disappointed. Hulu hasn’t announced an official release date for season six, but it will likely drop sometime in spring of 2027. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was created by Jeff Jenkins.

At HBO, Lanterns continues to sweep, taking the top spot for the fourth consecutive week. The platform has successfully subverted the typical superhero genre with a gritty detective aesthetic, not far off from Watchmen. Episode five, “Lights Out”, recently aired, and is the most divisive yet – up until now, the series had mostly been a slow burn, building anticipation towards a fallout between John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler). The new episode offered a big payoff when the two finally exchanged blows, but left some fans feeling frustrated with out-of-character decisions, and some messy dialogue with antagonist Zoe Macon (Poorna Jagannathan). The series will end its first season on October 4th with what is sure to be an exciting finale. Despite record breaking views and generally positive reviews, HBO still has yet to greenlight a second season, though the writers room is hard at work preparing to pitch more episodes. Lanterns was created by Chris Mundy, David Lindelof, and Tom King.

Over at Amazon Prime, Reacher continues its dominance for the fifth week running, and finished season four on a high note with its finale Tuesday night. The action-packed episode scored well, with a commendable performance from Agnez Mo, who plays this season’s big bad, Lila Hoth. At the same time, new spinoff series Neagley, starring Maria Sten launched as a binge drop, and also achieved high marks, but slightly below the flagship IP’s original ratings. Season four of Reacher has received some of the highest praise in the entire series, with tighter fight choreography, intense violence, and dark urban paranoia – well adapted from Lee Child’s Gone Tomorrow. Star Alan Ritchson has completely won over fans, particularly those of the book series, and his recent takes on the character’s psychology have earned nods for nuance and depth, beyond deadpan one-liners. Additionally his portrayal of physical exhaustion throughout gives the indestructible hero some much-needed humanity. Production for season five is well underway in Ontario, Canada, and will adapt Child’s twentieth Novel, Make Me. Reacher season four also stars Sydelle Noel and Kevin Corrigan, and was developed by Nick Santora.

AppleTV’s feel-good sports series Ted Lasso reclaims the crown this week, as Silo’s third season finale hype cools down. AppleTV also celebrates a historic upset this week- for the first time taking the most Emmy wins for a network at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards. Apple original series Widow’s Bay (a previous Series Snapshot winner) took fourteen trophies home, setting the record for most wins for a single comedy season. Lasso was in its off-season and wasn’t eligible, but will likely get some buzz for next year’s award circuit. Audiences have quickly rushed back to stream the series after its new direction, shifting Coach Lasso to women’s soccer and introducing a fresh cast of athletes. Critics have praised the new arc, feeling it has given the series room to breathe while keeping the same charm and examining women’s sports with nuance and importance. Ted Lasso stars Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Jeremy Swift, and Brett Goldstein, and was created by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly.

Disney Plus and National Geographic have together scored major wins in the docuseries department this year, with number one series like Lion, Pompeii: Out of Time, and Secrets of the Bees. This week, a particularly somber docuseries, brought in the most views- 9/11: Reunited. Directed by Julian Jones, 9/11:Reunited commemorates the 25th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. Academy Award winning filmmakers Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin served as executive producers, and the project was made in close collaboration with the National September 11th Memorial & Museum. Each of its three episodes covers a segment of time on the day of the attacks, but mostly focuses on human connections and survivor stories. The filmmakers tracked down witnesses, first responders, and survivors for emotional reunions and interviews. Critical reception is overwhelmingly positive, but deeply reverent as well. The focus on humanity has proved a major win, but some point out that the musical scoring feels heavy handed as an emotional cue-card. Nevertheless, the docuseries’ massive viewership continues to show that the pairing of National Geographic’s dedication to documentaries, along with Disney’s reach and budget are a formidable force in non-fiction.