The first week of January is kicking off with a solid mix of new premieres, returning favorites, and a few wildcard picks. While it’s a lighter week for movies, TV is definitely pulling its weight — especially in the drama, documentary, and competition lanes. Here’s what’s hitting screens during the first official week of 2026 and what I’m most excited to dive into.
📺 First-Week Premieres
January 1
- Run Away (Netflix)
- The Cult of the Real Housewife (Bravo)
January 2
- No new premieres
January 3
- Tamon’s B-Side (Crunchyroll)
January 4
- Hana-Kimi (Crunchyroll)
- Ikoku Nikki (Crunchyroll)
- Dateline NBC — Season 34B
January 5
- St. Denis Medical — Season 2 (NBC, Episode 9)
- The Paper — Season 1B (NBC, new episodes)
- Brilliant Minds — Season 2B (NBC, new episodes)
- Baking Championship: Next Gen (Food Network)
January 6
- Will Trent — Season 4 (ABC)
- High Potential — Season 2B (ABC, Episode 8)
- Best Medicine (FOX)
- Doc — Season 1B (FOX, Episode 10)
- WWE Raw — Season 2 (Netflix)
January 7
- Shifting Gears — Season 2B (ABC, Episode 9)
- Abbott Elementary — Season 5B (ABC, Episode 9)
- Harlan Coben’s Final Twist (CBS)
- Beast Games — Season 2 (Prime Video)
- Neighborhood Watch (HGTV)
🌟 The Shows I’m Most Excited About
Run Away is easily my number one pick for the week. From the trailer alone, it hits everything I love in a drama/thriller — tension, mystery, and that slow-burn “something is off” energy.
The Cult of the Real Housewife immediately grabbed my attention too. I love a good documentary, but this one had me pausing the trailer to do research. Because… what do you mean she married her step-grandfather? I’m already invested.
Beast Games — Season 2 is another standout. Me and my boys absolutely love MrBeast, so this one is exciting not just as a viewer but as something we can watch together. The special guests alone make it feel like a must-watch.
👀 The Ones I’m Curious About
Ikoku Nikki is firmly in my “curious” category. The trailer intrigued me, but the animation style isn’t one I usually gravitate toward. Still, I love anime and I’m willing to give it a shot — sometimes those are the shows that surprise you the most.
⏸️ The Ones I’m Skipping (For Now)
Neighborhood Watch is likely a later watch for me. From what I found, it seems like something I’d enjoy eventually, but not something I’m rushing to start. The show relies heavily on Ring camera footage and similar sources, so it’s not high on my priority list this week.
▶️ What I’ll Be Watching First
Without question, Run Away.
It’s the show that got the biggest reaction from me right away, and it’s where my attention is going first.
✨ Notable Mentions
- Tamon’s B-Side looks really cute and feels like something I’d genuinely enjoy.
- Best Medicine caught my interest purely from the trailer — I wasn’t expecting to be intrigued, but here we are.
- Harlan Coben’s Final Twist is also on my radar. A documentary centered around one of my favorite thriller writers? Absolutely. His work has inspired so many shows I love, so I’ll definitely be tuning in.
🌱 Final Thoughts
The first week of January may not be packed with movie releases, but TV is setting a strong foundation for the year. This lineup has a little bit of everything — drama, documentary, competition, and comfort watches — which makes it a great way to ease into 2026 viewing.
The Rooted Lens 
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