The summer TV schedule has definitely slowed down a little, but there are still a few of new series arriving this week. There’s a competition series bringing two NSYNC favorites back together, a Swedish crime drama making its U.S. debut, and a nature documentary stuck in the middle. So, the week of August 17-23 has a some new options for viewers to check out.
Yep, this isn’t the busiest week for new TV premieres, but it seems like these shows offer something a little different. Honestly, fans of reality TV, crime dramas, and the animal kingdom have very different reasons to add something new to the watchlist. Let’s be real, sometimes a shorter premiere schedule is exactly what viewers need to catch up on everything else.
2 NSYNC Members Are Back in ‘Cocktail Wars’
Reality TV fans have a new competition to check out on Tuesday with “Cocktail Wars,” which premieres on E!.
According to IMDb, the series “follows mixologists competing for $10,000 per episode, judged on flavor combinations and technique by Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, celebrities and an expert judge.”
Yep, that’s right: Lance Bass and Joey Fatone are teaming up again, but this time they’re not taking the stage as part of NSYNC. Instead, the two ’90s boy band favorites are bringing their personalities to a completely different format as judges on the new reality competition.
“Cocktail Wars” premieres on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 10:00pm ET on E!.
Honestly, seeing Bass and Fatone together in a new setting could be a fun reason for NSYNC fans to check this one out. It seems like the series is also giving them a chance to show off a side of themselves that viewers don’t typically get to see when they’re performing together.
Jon Favreau Brings ‘LION’ to Life
“Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton chronicle lion cub Kio’s four-year rise to kingship, from vulnerable cub to powerful leader, navigating loss, exile and rivals through cinematic natural history storytelling,” according to IMDb.
O.J. Lynch narrates the series throughout Kio’s quest to become the king.
“LION” premieres on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at 12:00pm ET on Nat Geo, streaming next day on Disney+/Hulu.
Yep, this series gives viewers something completely different from the other new premieres this week. And with Favreau (who fans might know from Marvel) and Gunton behind the project and Kio’s journey at the center of the story, “LION” could be an interesting choice for anyone looking for a new natural history series.
Netflix’s New Show Premieres: ‘Blood Sacrifice’
Thursday brings something completely different with “Blood Sacrifice,” a Swedish crime drama that was originally billed as “Blodsoffer.”
The series follows “a Stockholm detective must team up with his estranged ex-cop father to catch a serial killer targeting police officers, forcing them to resolve their differences during the investigation,” according to IMDb.
And it stars mostly Swedish actors with Jakob Oftebro and Peter Andersson leading a cast that includes Irina Björklund, Henrik Norlén, Alexander Abdallah, Anders Mossling, Electra Hallman, Alva Peedu Järmén, and Jakob Fahlstedt.
“Blood Sacrifice” premieres on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at 3:00am ET on Netflix.
Let’s be real, the combination of a serial killer investigation and a complicated father-son relationship gives this crime drama plenty to work with. The two detectives will have to put their personal differences aside if they’re going to solve the case, which could make for an interesting dynamic throughout the series.
A Quieter Week for New TV
There aren’t new series premiering every day this week, with Monday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday all remaining quiet. That means viewers have plenty of time to catch up on their current favorites before checking out the week’s new arrivals.
Yep, the lineup may be small, but honestly, there are still three very different shows to put on the radar. Whether a new reality competition, a darker international crime drama, or an adorable lion growing up sounds more appealing, it seems like there’s something new to discover before the week comes to an end.
Want to know what is premiering next week? Stay tuned. EntertainmentNow will be posting a lineup every Sunday night going into the new week.
