The Best Action Series Of 2026 Will Be Dethroned In Just 2 Weeks

Published Jul 30, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT Liz Hersey is an Editor and Critic for ScreenRant's TV team, editing, reviewing, writing, and creating content about the iconic shows you love to watch. She began her editing career at ScreenRant in 2019, shortly after joining the site as a Writer that same year. With a passion for all things books, Liz frequently attends Toronto literary events and conferences, and loves interacting with her book lover community. In addition to being an avid reader of the romance and thriller genres, Liz is a writer of several short stories, and is currently at work on a young adult witch novel. When she's not working, reading, or writing, Liz can be found seeing movies at her local cinema, attending live jazz events, or curling up on the couch to binge her favorite TV shows. You can reach her at liz.h@screenrant.com. When it comes to the best action series of the year, Prime Video is about to top itself when one of the streaming platform's most popular shows returns in August. Thus far, 2026 has been a spectacular year for action TV, from Teach You a Lesson, Netflix's hit new vigilante K-drama, to Lucky, Apple TV's recent cat-and-mouse crime thriller. In theory, The Boys' fifth and final season should have been a contender, but the final outing of Prime Video's superhero satire was met with a decidedly polarized response. However, Prime Video redeemed itself with the most exciting and fun action series released this year: Ride or Die. Favoring popcorn thrills over self-serious grit, Ride or Die is a high-octane blast of a series starring Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer as a pair of best friends who are forced to go on the run from a dangerous enemy when it's revealed that Waddingham's Judith is actually an international assassin. Middle-aged women typically don't star as action heroes, making Ride or Die a refreshing change of pace, and with Waddingham's impressive skill at performing Judith's death-defying stunts, the show begs the question: why on earth not? A hit with audiences, Ride or Die remains one of Prime Video's current most-watched series almost two weeks after it released its entire first season (via FlixPatrol). However, as popular as it may be, Ride or Die will very likely have to cede the "best action series of 2026" throne to Reacher, whose fourth season premieres on August 12, 2026. Reacher Is Coming For The Crown Of 2026's Best Action Series With the streaming age's ever-shortening attention span, it's rare for a show to make it to a fourth season, let alone maintain high quality along the way. This makes Reacher season 4 a noteworthy outlier, as all signs point to it being every bit as strong as its predecessors. In addition to his considerable size and military training, Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) is able to operate as effectively as he does due to his ability to remain a mysterious drifter. However, in season 4, after he witnesses a suicide on a subway, Reacher gets embroiled in a massive conspiracy, becoming America's most wanted man, complete with his face plastered on billboards. Though the new season promises more of the show's typical badassery, Reacher will have his back against the wall like never before. Each season of the Prime Video series is based on a novel in Lee Child's Jack Reacher book series, with season 4 adapting book 13, Gone Tomorrow. At 30 books thus far (book 31 comes out in October 2026), Reacher could theoretically go on forever. However, for the show to successfully pull off this feat, it needs more than just source material; it must keep the story fresh while embracing what makes Reacher ​​​​​​great. Based on season 4's premise, it looks to be doing just that. Reacher's Fiercest Competition Might Come From Its Own Franchise Based on the competition thus far, Reacher season 4 looks to have an easy shot at reclaiming its "best action series" crown, but the year isn't over yet. In fact, the hit Prime Video show may be usurped by its own spinoff: Neagley. The protagonist's former military colleague and strongest ally, Frances Neagley (Maria Sten), has been a major factor in Reacher's first three seasons. However, she's not set to appear in season 4, as she'll be the star of her own self-titled show, officially turning Reacher into a television franchise. Premiering on Prime Video on September 16, 2026, Neagley sees Reacher's former protégé working as a private investigator in Chicago. When a dear friend of hers is killed in what authorities deem a "suspicious accident," Neagley is determined to uncover the truth — no matter how dangerous that might be. Alan Ritchson is officially confirmed as a guest star for Neagley season 1. Though Neagley will largely be drawing on skills she learned from Reacher, don't expect her show to be a copy of his. Neagley is expected to be much darker and more psychological than Reacher and its punch-throwing, one-liner-spouting hijinks. While this change in tone could prove to be too much of a departure from what fans enjoy, it may also be a welcome change. Either way, we'll get to decide who really deserves the 2026 action TV throne come September. Reacher - Season 4 Release Date August 12, 2026 Network Prime Video Series Reacher Episodes 8 Neagley Cast Maria Sten Frances Neagley Greyston Holt Detective Hudson Riley Matthew Del Negro Pierce Woodrow