The TV year really begins in October. As temperatures drop and daylight hours shrink, so does the time spent outdoors. Streaming providers take advantage of this change by packing their fall lineups with programming designed to be watched at once.
October will be a particularly good month for action lovers as we see the return of a Navy SEAL revenge story, an organized crime boss continues to cause trouble across the Midwest, a drifter with a knack for locating lost persons returns for his fourth season, and two cosmic police officers have completed what is being touted as one of HBO’s largest launches ever.
Here are the five action-oriented shows that will be available to view during October, along with release information for each show, so you will be able to determine both when and where you can see them.
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Tracker (Season 4) — CBS and Paramount+
Premiere Date: October 4, 2026
The show Tracker doesn’t try to change how television works; rather, it allows the television wheel to spin naturally, which can provide an enjoyable experience. Justin Hartley portrays Colter Shaw, a solitary survivalist traveling throughout America, locating individuals who are missing and receiving monetary incentives for doing so.
While he typically enters situations that appear to be less hazardous than what they actually become, every episode places Colter Shaw into a different town, a different disaster, and a different group of individuals that require immediate assistance. Most episodes conclude with Colter Shaw engaging in either a physical altercation, a foot pursuit, or a standoff.
On October 4th, Season 4 was released, meaning that you will only be a couple of episodes into the season and therefore able to easily catch up. Fiona Rene has returned as Reenie Greene, and Chris Lee has returned as Randy. Therefore, the supporting cast that has developed around Shaw continues to exist. This series is the complete opposite of a slow-burn prestige drama. It is a case-of-the-week format with an ongoing mystery regarding Shaw’s family that will help keep you interested.
The Diplomat (Season 4) — Netflix
Premiere Date: October 15, 2026 (all eight episodes)
While strictly speaking, The Diplomat is a political thriller rather than an action series, anyone who watches it will tell you that the pacing of the show is reminiscent of an action series. Keri Russell portrays Kate Wyler, the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, and for three seasons.
The Diplomat has been unraveling a web of international intrigue that started after a British aircraft carrier was attacked in the Middle East. Each season the stakes increase, and the pace of the show seldom slows down.
This show works because of its tension. It does not have fast-paced chase scenes or shootout sequences. Instead, it has crisis rooms, behind-the-scenes deals, unexpected betrayals, and an overall feeling that each word said could trigger a conflict.
Russell does an amazing job portraying a character that has both the qualifications to do the job well but also lacks the preparation and energy needed to succeed. All eight episodes will be released on October 15.
Therefore, this is an excellent choice for a weekend binge for those people who enjoy their action-filled television with intelligent dialogue.
Tulsa King (Season 4) — Paramount+
Premiere Date: October 16, 2026
Taylor Sheridan’s crime series features Sylvester Stallone in a role that fits him like a glove. Stallone portrays Dwight Manfredi, a New York mob capo who was just released from prison and discovers his world has changed.
He is immediately dispatched to establish a criminal enterprise in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the first three years of the series, Manfredi has had conflicts with bikers, business owners, and rival gangs. However, he also fell in love with a federal agent — a complication that only adds to the messiness of being a mob boss.
The show is focused primarily on crime and character, not on continuous action. However, the show provides many tense encounters, which include short bursts of violence when negotiations fail. Most of the enjoyment in watching this series is seeing how an old-school gangster deals with the contemporary world through both threats and charisma.
For fans of Sylvester Stallone in some of his most weathered and charismatic performances, Season 4 will provide you with another opportunity to watch him.
The Terminal List (Season 2) — Prime Video
Premiere Date: October 21, 2026 (all eight episodes)
The biggest action-filled show of the month will be released as well. Season Two of The Terminal List has been adapted from the sequel to the first book titled True Believer. Prime Video will release all eight episodes of season two on October 21.
Season One of the show focused on Navy SEAL James Reece and how he was able to unravel a conspiracy that led to the ambush of his platoon. Season Two will continue with the same theme but will take place on a larger scale.
The supporting cast is also what draws me to this show. Constance Wu and Tom Hopper are back for the second season, and the international cast now includes Olga Kurylenko and Yul Vazquez.
You will find that this second season contains military-grade combat, covert operations, and the same dark and determined feel that made the first season such a success. This second season is released all at once, so it is the one you should make time for. Set aside a weekend, turn off your phone, and enjoy.
Lanterns (Season 1) — HBO and HBO Max
Premiere Date August 16 to October 4, 2026
If you’re looking for a show about people who have superpowers, then this is the right choice for you, and it has the added benefit of being complete, which means that you’ll be able to view the entire series at your leisure.
Lanterns is the first major HBO series based on the DC Universe, with veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre). Both of them become involved in a murder investigation on Earth in the middle of America, only to find out that the case has larger implications throughout the universe. Kelly Macdonald plays a local sheriff.
The show was presented as True Detective meets Green Lanterns. This type of setting makes this program different from most of the other television shows based on comic books. The tone of the show was much darker and had a stronger focus on solving mysteries rather than showing off the space cop aspect of the character.
The show did well: the final episode of the first season aired on October 4 and drew in the largest crowd ever for the series (estimated at 10.5 million people watching the final episode). As of right now, there is no official word from HBO regarding whether or not they will be producing another season of the show. However, Pierre’s character, John Stewart, is scheduled to appear in the Superman movie sequel Man of Tomorrow in 2027.
