From Adolescence to Pluribus: Top 10 TV shows of 2025 that redefined the small screen
Ten remarkable shows in 2025 showcased creativity and depth, from sharp critiques to emotional storytelling.
After years of cautious bets and formula-driven storytelling, television finally took a few real risks in 2025, and it paid off. Instead of relying on familiar IP or marquee casting to disguise thin narratives, a small but standout group of series pushed the medium forward with ambition, personality, and purpose. These shows weren't just well-made; they were curious about the world, unafraid to challenge audiences, and entertaining at the same time.
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Top 10 TV shows of 2025
From sharp industry critiques to imaginative worlds and emotional storytelling, these 10 shows, listed alphabetically, demonstrated that television's best creators are still pushing boundaries and raising the bar, according to The Rolling Stone.
Adolescence
Where to watch: Netflix
This four-part British limited series arrived on Netflix with almost no pre-release buzz, yet within days it has become the platform's most-watched show, igniting widespread conversation about youth violence and the influence of incel culture on young men. A passion project from director Philip Barantini and co-writer and star Stephen Graham, the series features a breakout lead performance from Owen Cooper and quickly proved impossible to ignore.
Andor
Where to watch: Disney+
The second and final season of Tony Gilroy's Star Wars prequel leaned fully into its radical instincts, offering a sharper, more granular look at the machinery of Rebellion. Diego Luna's Cassian Andor and his fellow freedom fighters were battling a fascist empire in a galaxy far, far away, which felt less like escapism and more like a pointed reflection of our own world. The series spans over 10 episodes.
Death by Lightning
Where to watch: Netflix
Writer Mike Makowsky, who previously made a sharp impression with HBO's Bad Education, transformed one of the strangest footnotes in American history into must-see television. Drawing from Candice Millard's Destiny of the Republic, Death by Lightning unfolds the1881 assassination of President James A Garfield across four tightly constructed yet richly textured episodes, by Charles Guiteau, an unhinged admirer turned assassin.
Dept. Q
Where to watch: Netflix
Set in Scotland, the series stars Matthew Goode as Cral Norck, a prickly detective returning to work after a shooting leaves his partner paralyzed, only to be sidelined with cold cases and an unlikely team of crimefighting wannabes.
Dying for Sex
Where to watch: FX and Hulu
In FX's provocative limited series Dying for Sex, Michelle Williams delivers a raw, compelling performance as Molly Kochan, a woman grappling with a terminal breast cancer diagnosis. Confronted with the finite nature of her life, she makes the bold choice to leave her 13-year marriage and pursue a journey of sexual exploration.
Long Story Short
Where to watch: Netflix
Long Story Short follows a middle-class Jewish family through a non-linear narrative that shifts between past and present. The story centers on three siblings, Avi (Ben Feldman), Shira (Abbi Jacobson), and Yoshi (Max Greenfield), as they navigate everyday adult challenges while reflecting on the moments that shaped their childhoods.
Pluribus
Where to watch: Apple TV
Pluribus centers on Albuquerque author Carol Sturka, one of just 13 people worldwide who remain untouched by the "Joining," a mysterious extraterrestrial virus that has turned the rest of humanity into a serene, collective hive mind called the “Others."
Severance
Where to watch: Apple TV
Severance returned with a second season that more than justified the anticipation after a nearly three-year wait since its 2022 debut. The new episodes deepened the mysteries surrounding Lumon, the company at the story's heart, while also intensifying the emotional stakes for Mark (Adam Scott), Helly (Britt Lower), and the rest of the employees.
Task
Where to watch: HBO
Mark Ruffalo stars as Tom Brandis, an FBI agent leading a task force investigating a string of violent robberies in rural Pennsylvania. That crimes are orchestrated by Robbie Prendergrast, a seemingly ordinary garbage collector and family man, brought to life by Tom Pelphrey.
The Chair Company
Where to watch: HBO
Tim Robinson returns with another darkly absurdist comedy, this time following William Ronald Trosper, aka Ron, an Ohio man involved in developing a new mall complex. The pilot kicks off with a painfully awkward mishap when Ron's office chair collapses mid-presentation, sending him down a spiraling, bizarre journey. Along the way, he encounters a hidden little person, clashes with a man sporting a dented head at a “coke bar,” and is even pressured into a staged affair on camera, among other activities.
