Summer watchin’: Find out where to catch the hottest new TV shows
Summer TV once meant scouting for fresh premieres to fill long evenings. Back in 2018 the calendar delivered a strong slate of new scripted series, and the shows listed below all made their debuts between May and August of that year. Many of them have since wrapped their runs, yet they remain easy to find for anyone looking to catch up or revisit a favorite season.
Strange Angel – CBS All Access
Strange Angel premiered on June 14, 2018. If you’re into Star Trek: Discovery, you might just be into creator Mark Heyman’s new sci-fi drama. Based on the George Pendle book, Strange Angel follows a rocket scientist in 40s Los Angeles who is secretly the disciple of occultist Aleister Crowley. Stars Jack Reynor (Glassland), Bella Heathcote (The Neon Demon), Rupert Friend (Hitman: Agent 47), Peter Mark Kendall (The Americans), Dan Donohue (The Last Tycoon), and Phil Abrams (Designated Survivor). The series ran two seasons before CBS All Access canceled it in late 2019.
Yellowstone – Paramount Network
Yellowstone premiered on June 20, 2018. Writer-director Taylor Sheridan’s (Hell or High Water) new show consists of ten hour-long episodes and no, it is not centered around watching hot springs and gushing geysers. Starring Dave Annable (666 Park Avenue), Kelly Reilly (Eden Lake), and Cole Hauser (Dazed and Confused) as a ranching family in Montana who face off against others encroaching on their land, Yellowstone is described as the best and worst of America seen through the eyes of a family that represents both. The series concluded after five seasons in December 2024.
Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan – Amazon
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan premiered on August 31, 2018. John Krasinski (A Quiet Place) leaps from the big screen to the small one as Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, who uncovers a pattern in terrorist communication that launches him into the center of a dangerous assignment. If you like action, suspense, and thrills, this is your bag. The series ran four seasons through 2023, and a related feature film arrived in 2026.
Castle Rock – Hulu
Castle Rock premiered on July 25, 2018. Based on the stories of Stephen King, this mini-series will weave narratives, characters, and themes from the fictional town of Castle Rock. We’re in it just for Bill Skarsgard (It) alone. The anthology ran two seasons before Hulu ended the series in 2020.
Where These Shows Stand Today
Every title on the original list has now finished its run. Most wrapped after one to three seasons, while Yellowstone stretched to five. Several of the shows remain available on their original platforms or successor services, so viewers can still line up a full binge without hunting for stray episodes.
Cultural Impact and Legacy
Pose stood out immediately for casting five trans actors in series regular roles and for assembling the largest scripted LGBTQ+ ensemble at the time. Yellowstone became a major cable draw and later expanded into a multi-show franchise. Those two entries continue to surface in conversations about representation and long-form cable drama years after their finales.
Summer 2018 TV Landscape Snapshot
The 2018 summer slate mixed prestige dramas, limited series, and comedies that debuted from May through August. Newer streamers and established cable networks were all chasing viewers who wanted something fresh while traditional fall schedules took a break. The shows covered here captured that competitive moment when each platform was still figuring out how to own the warmer months.
From Preview to Binge-Worthy History
What started as a guide to upcoming premieres now functions as a compact archive of completed seasons. Every listed series is finished and largely streamable, so the original anticipation has shifted into a straightforward catalog of what actually made it to air and how far each run extended.
Revisiting these titles offers a clear snapshot of what networks and streamers were betting on during one particular summer. Some of the bets paid off for years afterward, while others stayed brief yet memorable. Either way, the full seasons sit ready for anyone ready to press play.
