From Adolescence to The Beast In Me, here are the 25 best TV shows of 2025

What a year it’s been for TV — we’ve been spoilt for choice! From the technical brilliance of shows like Adolescence and The Pitt to the absurd silliness of Amandaland and Overcompensating, we’ve been given some genuinely great television this year.

Here are 25 of the best shows to grace our screens in 2025, as chosen by our in-house TV guru, Clare Rigden.

1. Adolescence (Netflix)

Not only was this searingly powerful series a feat of technical brilliance (how was each episode only one take?) it also featured three of the best TV performances of the past decade.

Stephen Graham, who co-created the series, young Owen Cooper, the teen at the centre of the story, and Erin Doherty, who played a psychiatrist, were all recognised with Emmys, and deservedly so — they were incredible, as were the rest of the ensemble cast.

This drama moved the goal posts for television on many different levels, proving to be a truly game changing piece of TV.

Dare we say it: show of the year.

2. Severance (Apple TV Plus)

Not watching Severance? We’ll bet money someone in your life has demanded you watch it immediately — and for good reason. This off-kilter series, from director Ben Stiller and starring Adam Scott, Britt Lower and John Turturro, delivered a superb second season which was even more compelling than the first.

In a world of copycat TV, this felt genuinely unique and boasted some truly top-tier performances from its A-class cast. Extra points for that propulsive final scene — it takes a LOT to genuinely shock us, and we were NOT expecting Innie Mark to make the decision he did.

3. The Pitt (HBO Max)

The performances, the tight script, that incredible premise — this compelling medical drama, starring Noah Wyle as Dr Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, a doctor working at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center (nicknamed “The Pitt”) is right up there as one of the best new series of 2025.

Each of the show’s 15 episodes covered one hour in Robby’s shift, perfectly encapsulating the tension and stress involved in being a frontline emergency doctor. The brilliance of this series was in the storylines, which seamlessly wove complex and timely real-world issues like gun violence, the drug crisis and the lingering trauma from the COVID-19 pandemic with the interconnected stories of those working at The Pitt.

This was top-tier television, done spectacularly well.

4. The Studio (Apple TV Plus)

Hollywood was always going to get behind this comedy from Seth Rogen — after all, they live and breathe the craziness of Tinseltown’s movie business on a day-to-day basis. But audiences similarly found much to love about the well-crafted and funny-as-heck series, which was all about the inner workings of a major Hollywood film studio.

Rogen as studio boss Matt Remick gave a masterclass in less-is-more comedy — can’t wait for season two.

5. The White Lotus (HBO Max)

Right from the get-go, this latest season of Mike White’s anthology series felt different. Those opening credits, the Asian location, the new crop of characters and, of course, the absence of Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya: it felt somehow skewiff. But it mattered not, and by the season’s end, we were equally invested in this season’s unfolding mystery.

The latest season delivered plenty more memorable moments and memes aplenty. Can it hold momentum in future seasons? Only time will tell.

6. Apple Cider Vinegar (Netflix)

This drama dropped early in the year, but months on, we’re still thinking about Kaitlyn Dever’s blistering performance as Aussie wellness scammer Belle Gibson. Genuinely engrossing, this was made all the more compelling by the fact it was based on an entirely true story. Special shout-out to Ashley Zukerman, who more than carried his own against a mesmeric Dever.

7. Amandaland (Stan)

This might have passed you by — rectify immediately! The six-part British series starring Lucy Punch as up-tight yummy-mummy-come-undone Amanda is technically a spin-off of the very funny Motherland (also worth a watch), but you can absolutely dive in with no prior knowledge.

You’ll want to hate Amanda, who is insufferable on many levels, but by the season’s end, you’ll end up rooting for her as she attempts to piece her life back together post-divorce. Oh, and Joanna Lumley co-stars — need we say more?

There’s a Christmas special on the way starring Jennifer Saunders, who’s reuniting with Lumley on the small screen for the first time since their Ab Fab days.

8. The Gilded Age (Paramount Plus)

You don’t have to be a fan of corsets and the archaic rules of high society to enjoy The Gilded Age, but it helps. While the show from Julian Fellows (Downtown Abby) had already won plenty of fans in its first two seasons thanks to its sharp writing, gorgeous costumes, and brilliant performances from the likes of Christine Baranski and Carrie Coon, the third season was by far its best yet.

The writers really upped their game: we had an assassination attempt, a forced marriage, a broken engagement, a marriage on the rocks, a proposal, and — hold the smelling salts — a divorcee at the ball! It’s enough to make you need to call on Mrs Astor to catch up on all the gossip!

9. The Four Seasons (Netflix)

Forget The Big Chill: nothing nailed what it means to be middle-aged and in a relationship like this eight-episode series, which starred some of comedy’s finest including Tina Fey, Will Forte, Colman Domingo and Steve Carrell.

It was heaps of fun to spend time with the three sets of couples at the centre of this story, who meet quarterly to take vacations with one another, and there were plenty of laugh-out-loud funny moments — and one very unexpected twist.

Things are set up beautifully for another season — bring it on.

10. The Handmaid’s Tale (SBS on Demand)

This drama, based on Margaret Atwell’s 1985 novel, felt more urgent than ever in a Trump 2.0 world. Those of us who stuck with the long-running series till the bitter end were rewarded with a satisfying pay-off, though it may not have been entirely what we were expecting.

There is a spin-off on the way, based on Atwell’s sequel novel, The Testaments, with Ann Dowd front and centre — cannot WAIT to see where this next instalment takes us.

11. Stranger Things (Netflix)

We’ve only seen the first four episodes, but they’re enough to convince us this fifth and final season of Stranger Things deserves a place on this list. Season five hit the ground running with our Hawkins heroes more determined than ever to take down Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). When Will (Noah Schnapp) finally stepped into his power we had actual tears.

How the story wraps up still remains to be seen, but regardless of whether they stick the landing, it’s impossible to dismiss this series’ cultural relevancy, with this final season holding its own as a compelling piece of television in its own right. Bring on the final battle!

12. Dept Q (Netflix)

This creepy thriller came out of nowhere … and scared the pants off us all. It also had us all madly googling the phrase: “how do you survive in a hyperbaric chamber?” (if you know, you know). This could easily have been a standalone series, but Netflix recently confirmed a second season is on the way, with Matthew Goode returning as DCI Carl Morck, alongside Alexej Manvelov, Leah Byrne, and Jamie Sives.

13. Andor (Disney Plus)

When is a prequel more than a prequel? When, as with the second season of Andor, it makes the source material exponentially better.

Rogue One was fine as a standalone movie but this finely drawn series, with its explorations of politics, power and sacrifice, sets up the film so brilliantly it becomes a thrilling finale.

The themes felt unsettlingly prescient to the times, and every episode was driven by incredible performances too numerous to mention (Diego Luna as our rebel hero Cassian Andor, of course, but shout out to Stellan Skarsgard, Adria Arjona, Genevieve O’Reilly, Denise Gough and a skin-crawling Ben Mendelsohn).

It’s the best Star Wars spin-off by several parsecs — and not a lightsaber in sight.

14. The Bear (Disney Plus)

Many thought this fantastic culinary drama, starring Jeremy Allen White as tortured chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, had finished up when the last episode dropped. But good news for fans: there’s another season on the way, with filming due to start in January. This latest outing felt a lot less dramatic, but it was no less affecting — there’s still plenty of gas left in the burner.

15. The Beast In Me (Netflix)

Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys headlined this twisted psychological thriller and it was truly a delight to see their characters going head-to-head over the season in an epic game of cat-and-mouse. Both delivered stunning performances, Danes as a tortured writer, and Rhys as her nefarious property developer neighbour, keeping us guessing right up to the dramatic conclusion. This was a limited series, which is a shame, as we’d have loved more from these two characters.

16. I Love LA (HBO Max)

Love yourself a bawdy Gen Z-skewing comedy? No doubt you inhaled this series from relative newcomer Rachel Sennott, who plays young talent agent Maia, trying to make it in LA. Not only was it laugh-out-loud funny, it was also a fresh, authentic and biting portrayal of what life is like for the younger generation, out there hustling to make it. Cringe-inducing and compelling all at the same time.

17. Hacks (Stan)

Critics absolutely love this series — it’s currently sitting pretty at 99 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes — and four seasons on, it keeps getting better. Audiences are still invested in this unlikely buddy comedy, which sees Jean Smart starring as ageing comedian Deborah Vance, with Hannah Einbinder as her fractious young protege, Ava Daniels.

Season five has been green-lit, and it will be interesting to see where the series goes after Deborah famously backed her young colleague and walked away from her late-night comedy show in this latest season. The only way is up — or is it?

18. Bookish (HBO Max)

This under-the-radar series belongs on the list purely for its skilful blending of the classic “cozy crime” genre with modern, layered storytelling. Creator and star Mark Gatiss has crafted a fantastic character in antiquarian bookseller Gabriel Book, who uses his phenomenal memory and literary knowledge to help solve crimes. Special mention to Bridgerton’s Polly Walker, who plays Book’s wife Trottie — they’re in a “lavender marriage”, and their dynamic is a delight.

This thoroughly charming series is a perfect “second-screen” show.

19. Dying For Sex (Disney Plus)

Oscar-nominated Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate are front and centre in this comedy/drama, based on the true story of a woman dying of terminal cancer who recorded a podcast with her bestie in the final year of her life.

It’s a heartfelt, deeply moving and often darkly hilarious look at sex, death and female friendships. It sounds heavy-going, but the beauty of this series is its lightness of touch — something that makes it a surprisingly easy watch, despite its at-times difficult subject matter. Worth it for the performances alone.

20. The Diplomat (Netflix)

Just when we thought we knew where this drama was headed, producers did an about-turn and totally upended our expectations. They did it at the end of season two, so we should have been prepared for season three, which left things on yet another precipitous cliffhanger.

Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell continue to give blistering performances, but special mention needs to be made of Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford, who were superb as the newly crowned US First Lady and her cantankerous husband — more from these two in the next season, please!

21. Down Cemetery Road (Apple TV Plus)

This is still playing out on screens, but we were lucky enough to have been given the series in its entirety before it went to air, so can confidently attest to the fact it deserves a spot on this list.

Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson are terrific as a pair of unlikely truth-seekers, determined to get to the bottom of a huge and far-reaching conspiracy. Extra kudos for those tense final two episodes — we were on the edge of our seats!

22. Overcompensating (Prime Video)

Frat humour, but make it heartfelt! This series, from relative newcomer Benito Skinner, has been “certified fresh” on critic site Rotten Tomatoes, with an overall 93 per cent approval rating — not bad for a raunchy, young-skewing comedy set on a university campus. The high score is mostly thanks to a tight script and some sensational, silly and cringeworthily great performances from the ensemble cast plus Skinner, who plays a version of his young self in the self-referential comedy.

23. Slow Horses (Apple TV Plus)

Oh how we love the “misfits and losers” of Slough House! This season, Slow Horses scaled new heights as it took a deep dive into the events from Mick Herron’s novel London Rules. This season focused on computer boffin Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung), whose background presence has always elevated this show. The season had a more overtly comedic and absurdist tone as a result.

But it worked, with many reviewers — this one included — considering the fifth season the best so far. Not only was the premise great, it also fleshed out the backstories of some of our central characters, including Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb, who remains one of TV’s most watchable anti-heroes.

Can’t wait for more.

24. Pluribus (Apple TV Plus)

Just when you think there’s no such thing as an original concept in TV land, along comes this new series from TV uber-producer Vince Gilligan, creator of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Featuring a brilliant performance from series lead Rhea Seehorn (who plays a woman immune to a mind-virus that has infected the rest of the world) it stands as a genuinely intriguing story, one which careens off in wildly unexpected directions. The whole thing feels off-kilter, which only adds to the quiet menace of the story. This is a genuinely intriguing piece of television.

25. The Penguin (HBO Max)

This series, which sees Colin Farrell don a fat suit to play Batman villain The Penguin, won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s worth a peep for Farrell’s mesmeric and masterful performance, which has been described as an “acting clinic” and a “tour de force.”

Beneath layers of prosthetics, he acts his little (big?) heart out, transforming this one-dimentional comicbook villain into something far more nuanced and layered — no mean feat. Even those with superhero fatigue will find things to connect with in this darkly cinematic series.