My apologies for the delay in posting this. A month late is thoroughly shameful. I’m sure my gaggle of loyal readers was wondering what had become of me. Fear not, all is well in my neck of the woods, I’ve just found myself to be a bit distracted from the world of TV.
In 2025, movies held me a bit tighter than TV. That’s happened over and over in my life, with the two nearly identical yet ever different mediums vying for my heart, but this year it felt a bit more deliberate. To level with you, I’m a bit disappointed in the state of TV.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Six Feet Under. That show is the poster child for my theory that scripted television is dependent on strong character work. I long for days when a show like that could not only grace our airwaves, but also be shockingly unremarkable; a beautiful show lost in a world full of beautiful shows. On the flip side, I am writing this between episodes of Netflix’s His & Hers, a show that thinks having a pet lizard is a character trait. There are still fantastic shows coming out all the time, but I feel that we’ve descended into an era of what I’ve been calling “prestige sameness”, an era in which every show is star-studded and visually expensive, but consistently evolves into a gross mishmash of soap operatic plot points and trendy monologues. I’m just feeling a bit discouraged.
The good news is, I’m not putting any of those shows on my end-of-year list. The twenty names below are good names, they might not be great names, but at least they are apart from the ever-growing league of prestige sameness.
I’ll explain a few things up top, in case you didn’t read last year’s edition of my list. The following twenty shows aired a season in its entirety in 2025. Shows like The Agency and Fallout, whose season runs straddled the new year, will unfortunately be absent. Also, unscripted shows will not be represented here. If they were, Survivor would be my top show every year, and that’s unfair. The line between scripted and unscripted becomes blurrier and blurrier with every passing day, and some tough cuts were made. Paramount among them was the second season of The Rehearsal, which, despite being incredible, did not jibe with my scripted requirement.
Most importantly, if there is a show you like that is not here, it means that I either did not like it or did not watch it. If you are here looking for where Stranger Things and Squid Game landed, you are going to be disappointed.
Without further ado, list time!
20. Alien: Earth (FX)
What a place to start. Here we have a case that is becoming more and more common, high-budget television that flirts with success only to crash down to earth (get it?). Timothy Olyphant and Babou Ceesay give two of the most fascinating television performances in years, but they are no match for a show that is disjointed, ineffectual, and interested in all the wrong things. Due to my completionist nature, I’ll surely be tuning into season two, but the remaining question is whether I will do so under duress, or with hope for redemption in my heart.
19. The Eastern Gate (HBO Max)
Clean until it isn’t. It’s hard these days to find a good spy show that doesn’t strain credulity or turn into a shoot-em-up action piece, but The Eastern Gate gets pretty close. A paranoia-laden spy thriller that feels current, delving into the geopolitical tension in Eastern Europe, this show flies a bit too close to the sun in its finale, but delivers a no-frills espionage story that serves as a delightful throwback. I know subtitles can feel intimidating for those of us who don’t read too good, but this show is worth a look.
18. The Lowdown (FX)
Sterlin Harjo is this close to getting me to move to Oklahoma. The Lowdown is the newest show from Harjo, known for his masterpiece series, Reservation Dogs. This time we are invited to Tulsa for a charming and cozy conspiracy mystery. Led by an unsurprisingly great performance from Ethan Hawke, this story shows you the horrible underbelly of a town you somehow still want to live in. If you want to watch a Big Lebowski-esque mystery for the modern day, this is worth a look.
17. Tires (Netflix)
I’m as shocked as you are. The first season of Tires was, to put it in industry terms, terrible. Yet here we are, as the thesis continues to be proven true that sitcoms take a while to get going. Shane Gillis shines as a comedic actor, but what is most impressive about this sophomore effort is the familiar and reliable structure that supports him. No longer is Tires the immature ravings of a standup comedian; this show is a real sitcom now, and it’s good.
16. Death by Lightning (Netflix)
A lovely surprise. A star-studded cast based on a real dad-core story felt like a snoozefest for paycheck’s sake, but the opposite became true for Death by Lightning. The most shocking aspect of this show is its heart. Matthew McFadyen’s portrayal of legendary assassin Charles Giteau is full of empathy, adrenaline, and geniality, while on the flip side Michael Shannon brings life to James Garfield, a president that is typically thought of as a punchline. Plus, Bradley Whitford’s here, whom I would pay to hear him read a menu.
15. American Primeval (Netflix)
I’ve said a lot about this show already, but American Primeval just scratches an itch for me. I find that the word “gritty” gets tossed around flippantly nowadays, but in this case the shoe fits. Fantastic performances, stunning vistas, and a journey back into a land of grueling beauty. What makes a show like this especially fun, just as Death by Lightning and The Eastern Gate do, is that they are legitimately informative on interesting topics. I know I sound like I’m a thousand years old applauding the educational value of a show, but here we are.
14. Too Much (Netflix)
Lena Dunham never left. Once again she is serving up some of the sharpest writing about modern life that you can find. Whether it’s a work dinner party gone wrong, a breakup that feels bigger than it was, or the act of eating cold leftovers over the sink, every beat in this show feels true to the lives and loves of young people today. Too Much gets nowhere near the heights that Girls reached, but if you have been feeling that your life has not been accurately rendered on TV recently, I would definitely try taking this show for a spin.
13. The Bear (FX)
I don’t know what we’re going to do. I feel as though the discussion around this show is that of reinvention. For the first two seasons of The Bear, the show continued to evolve with every episode, trying experimental episodes, depicting adrenaline, inspiration, and isolation in new and exciting ways. That trend continued in its third and fourth installments, which I would argue (in a longer piece) has damaged the show. When the show goes deeper, giving their all-star cast big scenes to chew on, everything sparkles, but in seasons like this, with an emphasis on experimentation and impressionism, it feels like diminishing returns.
12. The Last Of Us (HBO)
I can’t tell if this ranking is harsh or generous. I’ll refrain from spoiling The Last of Us, but I will acknowledge that many people bristled at the narrative shift in season two. I was not one of those people, I reveled in the opportunity to grow and evolve the story, and thoroughly enjoyed the performances that anchored the show. I will say, however, that the end of this season felt a bit disjointed and flat. While many of the emotional tethers of the show still delivered, we seemed to limp to the finish in the end. Season two was definitely a step back, but my faith in this show remains unshaken.
11. English Teacher (FX)
What a weird turn of events. English Teacher premiered last year with a solid if unspectacular first season, delivering a sharp and quick-witted sitcom that felt like it could be a new player on the scene. Unfortunately, this was all for naught, as English Teacher was cancelled after its second season, seemingly due, at least in part, to some unsavory allegations about creator and star Brian Jordan Alvarez. A tough loss for sure, but an even tougher one considering how the show had leveled up in its sophomore season. What could have been a reliable mainstay quickly turned into a footnote, as real life ruined TV for me once again.
10. The White Lotus (HBO)
Another ranking that is both too high and too low. Even in a down season, The White Lotus is some of the most gripping television we’ve ever had, but we’d be kidding ourselves not to acknowledge the disaster in pacing that took place this season. We followed four main plotlines this season, which crossed and diverged much like they had in seasons past, but this time around they didn’t feel flush with each other. Gaitok and Mook felt like they had four episodes of story, while the girls trip and Ratliff family threads had six. It was great to watch The White Lotus go to physical and emotional terrain it hadn’t before, but the structure of this season came out lopsided.
9. The Chair Company (HBO)
Something is going on with Tim Robinson and Andrew DeYoung, and I want in. If you’ve made it this far into the 2020s and you don’t find Robinson funny, you can move on to number eight, but if you’re a sicko like the rest of us, The Chair Company might change your life. An absurdist conspiracy thriller in a surrealist style, this show delivers on each one of its lofty aspirations, and consistently keeps a belly-laugh-mind-blower-gut-punch in its back pocket. I don’t know what is wrong with the guys who made this, but I’d like it bottled and delivered to my home.
8. The Studio (Apple TV+)
Entourage for smart people. The Studio, much like me, is far more appealing if you are a fast-talking cinephile, but there’s something here for everyone. It is among a rare few television comedies that manages to be both visually inventive and riotously funny. The main cast is relentless, and each episode will have you guffawing at another instance of Hollywood sycophancy. This show is pedal to the metal, chaos all the time, but still manages to slow things down enough to drop a guest star in your lap that you cannot believe agreed to be on the show. If you do not have Apple TV+, get it. This show is one of many on the streamer that is making me believe in TV love again.
7. Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
As close as we have to something reliable. Things may change for Slow Horses in the future with the departure of showrunner Will Smith, but for now our favorite dipshit spies are as good as ever. This season felt like a welcome return home, to a mystery contained to the streets of London that showcased the familiar incompetence in our bureaucracy. Most importantly, this season included what may have been the best work Gary Oldman has done in his role as Jackson Lamb. A great season as always, can’t wait for the next one.
6. The Pitt (HBO Max)
The Pitt puts us in an interesting position. Here is a show that feels like a throwback, both in its tone and its structure, but now souped up with a prestige budget and style. The biggest throwback of all is that The Pitt has already returned for a second season. While all of this feels like a perfect marriage of the best parts of the old school and the new school, it does give me pause. Hopefully The Pitt is a gift and a gift alone, and not a bellwether for a television industry that returns to its procedural focused roots out of fear of innovation.
5. Task (HBO)
I’m about as Jewish as it gets, but shows like this make me want to be Catholic. Task’s guilt-ridden focus on forgiveness and loss is potent. This is the type of morality tale that works for me, one where living by your own rules is nearly impossible, and a search for peace feels like a pipe dream. Anchored by two otherworldly performances by Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey, Task delivers on both the high-octane flows and the monastic ebbs. The family drama can feel a bit tired at times, but when you come out the other end of Task, you will feel absolved and reborn. Also, this show has the best TV trailer of all time. I’m serious, go watch it.
4. Pluribus (Apple TV+)
I forgot how badly we need Vince Gilligan. Pluribus is emotionally and visually brilliant, but Gilligan’s signature style is what makes it a top five show of the year. Gilligan’s shows are keenly focused on process, the process by which Walter White makes methamphetamine, the process Saul Goodman uses to pull off a scam, and here we are introduced to the process employed by Rhea Seehorn’s Carol Sturka as she makes sense of the ever-changing world around her. Focusing on the step by step and mundane should put the audience to sleep, but instead it is hypnotic, due in large part to Seehorn’s fantastic performance. I’ve heard from some people that this show isn’t really their thing, and I have no interest in spending time with those people.
3. Severance (Apple TV+)
High highs and low lows, but man are the highs high. Severance made a few missteps this season, most notably in its penultimate episode, which was nothing more than a stepping stool to the finale, but episodes like “Hello, Ms. Cobel” and “Chikhai Bardo” are among a rare few that are pushing TV forward as a medium. Once again Adam Scott is marvelous on screen, and the show’s manner of attacking the moral and emotional questions of the severance procedure continues to shine. If you have been a holdout because this show is “too weird” or “seems boring”, then you need to get your life together. I think I’m being meaner this year, not sure yet.
2. Adolescence (Netflix)
I feel like this show was made just for me. After dropping in mid-March, I heard scuttlebutt about Netflix’s great new show, and I’ll be honest, I was highly skeptical. Adolescence floored me. I turned on the first episode, and in the blink of an eye I had watched all four. It is by far the most visually impressive show of the year, and the visual mastery shown on screen serves the story, taking us through tense uninterrupted moments, as opposed to acting as a TV garnish. Adolescence is also one of very few shows that is centered around a topic that actually matters, and does not make any attempt to sanitize it or shield the audience from hard moments. Shows like this are very special, and they’re exactly what I’ve been waiting for.
1. Andor (Disney+)
I’m all in on Andor, and even I am tired of people ranting and raving about how it has nothing to do with Star Wars. It’s true, but I think removing Star Wars and saying Andor is “just a sci-fi political thriller” is tired and reductive. This is an incredible show, and the relationship that the TV-watching public has with Star Wars only aids the stakes and gravity on display here. Despite being a prequel with a predetermined ending, Andor feels vital and precarious every step of the way, a brutal and beautiful high-wire act that you can’t look away from. Its language is both conversational and poetic, with poignant monologues that are bright, sharp, and tastefully spartan. If this show had run for more than two seasons, I would be shouting from the rooftops that this show is what Game of Thrones wished it could be, but sadly we don’t live in the beautiful fantasy worlds of Ferrix or Mina-Rau, but instead on our own gray, terrestrial plane.
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