ᴛᴇɴ ᴛᴠ sʜᴏᴡs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ 2025 ᴜɴꜰᴏʀɢᴇᴛᴛᴀʙʟᴇ
Every year ends with critics trying to distill a massive TV landscape into neat lists, even though great stories rarely fit into tidy categories. Still, these lists help us figure out what’s worth catching up on, revisiting, or debating with friends.
2025 gave us a wide mix of bold ideas, returning favourites, and a few surprises that stuck long after the credits rolled.
Here are 10 TV shows you should watch before the year runs out and why each one mattered.
10. Such Brave Girls (Hulu / BBC)
A razor-sharp British dark comedy that turns dysfunction into something strangely heartfelt.
The series leans into chaos, awkwardness, and the uncomfortable truth that family can be your greatest source of support and destruction.
It’s intentionally messy, painfully funny, and unmistakably unique, the kind of series that earns its cult following rather than chasing one.
Pull-Quote:
“It’s the small, daring shows like this that remind us why oddball comedy still matters.”
9. The Pitt (HBO Max)
What looks like a nostalgia play quickly becomes one of the most grounded dramas of the year.
Noah Wyle returns to hospital chaos with a series that channels the energy of classic network dramas but stitches in issues that hit close to home today public health strain, violence, and everyday heroics.
It’s comforting without feeling shallow, dramatic without being manipulative, and driven by characters that feel lived-in.
8. Mo (Netflix)
Mo Amer expands his semi-autobiographical story with a season that’s tender, politically sharp, and sometimes unexpectedly funny.
The show jumps from Mexico City to Houston to border checkpoints, all while keeping its heart focused on family, survival, and identity.
It’s easy to forget how rare it is to see Palestinian-American stories on U.S. television. Mo makes that visibility feel personal and warm, not heavy-handed.
7. The Studio (Apple TV+)
Seth Rogen, Catherine O’Hara, Kathryn Hahn, and an excellent supporting cast deliver a Hollywood satire that cuts deep while staying affectionate.
The Studio pokes fun at the industry’s panic, ego, and culture wars, but the show’s secret strength is its love for filmmaking.
It’s packed with clever references, sharp writing, and guest stars who actually enhance the story.
Pull-Quote:
“Under the jokes is a real question: can art survive corporate chaos?”
6. The Lowdown (FX)
Sterlin Harjo shifts from Reservation Dogs to a gritty, soulful noir set in Tulsa.
Ethan Hawke leads a story full of late-night diners, juke joints, long-buried histories, and characters whose quirks feel too specific to be invented.
The Lowdown becomes a mystery, a character study, and a lesson in how communities carry their past. The ending ties everything together with a gut punch that rewards anyone who stuck around.
5. Severance (Apple TV+)
The long-awaited second season had a lot to prove and it delivered.
Severance deepens its world instead of blowing it open, exploring the loneliness, power struggles, and moral questions behind Lumon’s walls.
Britt Lower and Tramell Tillman’s performances stand out even in a cast full of quiet brilliance.
The show is still weird, still patient, still haunting and still one of television’s most original offerings.
4. Mussolini: Son of the Century (Mubi / Sky)
An uncomfortably gripping portrait of a dictator’s rise.
Joe Wright leans into shadows, paranoia, and psychological detail, while Luca Marinelli gives a performance that’s unsettling in its confidence.
It’s not cozy viewing, and it’s not meant to be. The series strips away myth and charisma, leaving behind the raw machinery of power.
Pull-Quote:
“A chilling reminder that history isn’t distant; it repeats when ambition goes unchecked.”
3. Pluribus (Apple TV+)
What happens when the world suddenly stops fighting except for one person?
Vince Gilligan takes a huge swing with a sci-fi premise that’s both philosophical and human.
Rhea Seehorn carries entire episodes on her own, grounding the story in emotion even when the concept edges toward cosmic.
Ambitious, thoughtful, and beautifully acted, Pluribus is one of the rare shows that feels like a conversation starter all on its own.
2. Forever (Netflix)
Mara Brock Akil reimagines Judy Blume’s classic, turning it into a modern story about young Black love across a sharp L.A. class divide.
The show treats first love with warmth and seriousness, giving space to both teens and their parents while honoring the emotional honesty of the original book.
Lovie Simone shines, delivering a performance that feels gentle and wise at the same time.
1. Dying for Sex (FX / Hulu)
No show in 2025 blended humor, heartbreak, intimacy, and bravery quite like this one.
Based on the real-life podcast, the series follows Molly, a terminally ill woman who decides to chase pleasure and connection while she still can.
Michelle Williams is extraordinary, bringing depth and vulnerability to a story that could have easily turned sentimental.
The show refuses clichés. Instead, it chooses honest, messy, funny, painful honesty and that’s what makes it unforgettable.
Pull-Quote:
“A rare story about mortality that feels alive in every scene.”
Honorable Mentions
These titles didn’t make the top ten but absolutely deserve space on your watchlist:
Adolescence, Alien: Earth, Andor, Asura, Best Interests, Common Side Effects, Étoile, Long Story Short, Mr. Scorsese, Mythic Quest, Outrageous, Pee-wee as Himself, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, The Rehearsal, Squid Game, Task, The Traitors, Wayward, The White Lotus, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light.
Before You Go Let’s Talk TV...
Lists like this are never the final word, and that’s the fun part.
Everyone watches through their own lens, with their own favourites, guilty pleasures, and hidden gems.
So I want to hear from you:
Which series from 2025 stayed with you long after the finale?
Did I rank something too high or too low?
What show do you think deserved a place in the top ten?
And which hidden gem are you recommending to everyone you know?
Drop your thoughts in the comments your picks might end up shaping the next list.
Let’s build a watchlist together☺️🍿
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