2025 has been a big year for entertainment, with some truly exceptional shows having been released over the past 12 months. TV shows of all shapes, sizes, and styles have found their way onto screens around the world over the course of the year, earning considerable attention from audiences and often leaving their own mark on pop culture. Earlier in the year, we looked at some of the best TV shows of 2025, exploring which small-screen releases had impressed the most over the first part of the year. With 2025 now coming to a close, it’s time to again consider which of the year’s shows were the best.
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From comedies to high-stakes dramas, from the outlandish to the understated yet powerful TV character story arcs, there have been some great shows in 2025. Working out which should be considered the best wasn’t easy, and of course, it will be hugely subjective. However, the following shows managed to prove hugely impactful in one way or another, and stand out as some of the year’s most noteworthy TV titles.
10) Daredevil: Born Again
While it may not quite be one of the best MCU TV shows, Daredevil: Born Again was one of Marvel’s most exciting releases of 2025. Following Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock as he once again dons the mantle of the titular hero, forced out of retirement by a personal tragedy that pits him against his old nemesis, Wilson Fisk. Born Again marked Daredevil’s first official solo project in the MCU proper, retroactively tying in the continuity of the previous show.
Dardevil: Born Again gave Marvel fans everything they wanted from the show. As well as fully welcoming Daredevil into the MCU, it managed to keep the same dramatic and violent tone of the Netflix show, dispelling concerns that Marvel would clean up his stories for the franchise. Edge-of-the-seat tension and some incredible fight sequences made it one of 2025’s best action shows.
9) Murderbot
Murderbot is one of 2025’s new shows that didn’t get a huge amount of attention, but still earned considerable success. Starring Alexander Skarsgård as the titular robot, Murderbot follows a private security construct made up of mechanical parts and cloned human tissue that gains sentience and begins acting of his own free will. An action comedy sci-fi series, Murderbot premiered in May 2025, with a second season announced in July.
Managing to brilliantly balance comedy, action, and sci-fi isn’t easy, but Murderbot manages it. In many ways, Murderbot is a hugely relatable hero, with his quasi-humanity a key factor in the show’s undeniable charm. The scope of its sci-fi story is offset by its personal reflection on identity, making Murderbot one of 2025’s best — and most overlooked — TV shows.
8) The Chair Company
Tim Robinson’s rise to fame has been pretty monumental, with his uniquely absurd sense of humor delivering some of the best sketch comedy of recent years. His starring role in The Chair Company, which he co-created with Zach Kanin, was one of 2025’s most unexpected hits. It follows Ron Trosper (Robinson), a businessman whose professional life is threatened by a strange and elaborate conspiracy following an embarrassing incident at work.
Airing between October 12 and November 30, The Chair Company is one of 2025’s funniest shows. It’s a great HBO TV show that defies all expectations, somehow blending Robinson’s singularly bizarre sketch comedy with an equally absurdist mystery element. Earning widespread acclaim for its use of cringeworthy humor and surreal moments, The Chair Company is strengthened by a hugely comedic performance from Robinson to deliver a truly hilarious and entertaining palate-cleanser.
7) The Pitt
Executive producers John Wells and Noah Wyle reunited for The Pitt, a medical drama that brought the two ER creatives back together. Premiering on HBO Max, The Pitt follows Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavtich, an attending physician at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center’s emergency room, as he begins a gruelling 15-hour shift. Following a real-time format, The Pitt‘s first season all played out over the course of that single shift.
The Pitt is one of 2025’s most acclaimed new shows. Praised not just by critics but also by the medical community for its accuracy, The Pitt captures the hard-hitting and chaotic drama of the modern emergency room, with particular focus on the psychological stress it places on healthcare workers. The Pitt is a powerful show, and one of 2025’s most exciting new releases that may just enjoy a fruitful future.
6) The Studio
Released on Apple TV on March 26, The Studio is another of 2025’s TV shows that flew under the radar for many. It stars Seth Rogen as Matt Remick, the newly-appointed head of a movie studio, who is forced to balance his own passion for making quality cinema against the complexities of modern corporate interests in Hollywood. A satirical cringe comedy series, The Studio has been renewed for a second season.
The Studio qualifies as one of Apple TV’s must-watch shows, especially for those who love movies and have an interest in the filmmaking process. It’s a lightly cynical, often insightful, and ultimately loving look at Hollywood and the challenges faced by modern cinema. The Studio manages to perfectly toe the line between satire and outright disrespect, capturing the paradox of the movie industry in the modern age without ever spilling over into bitterness, making it one of the best shows of 2025.
5) IT: Welcome to Derry
While there are many TV shows with Stephen King connections, there aren’t that many directly based on the legendary author’s work. IT: Welcome to Derry takes the brief interlude chapters from King’s original novel and flesh them out into a wider TV format, offering an insight into the backstory of one of his most iconic villains. A prequel to the IT movies, Welcome to Derry chronicles how Pennywise came to have such a grip on the titular Maine town.
IT: Welcome to Derry captures everything one expects to see in a Stephen King adaptation. A distinctly nostalgic feel of Middle America, plenty of scares, and some nifty King Easter eggs all contribute to make Welcome to Derry one of 2025’s best horror TV shows. Developed by Andy Muschietti and others directly involved with the recent IT movies, Welcome to Derry feels like the beginning of a cohesive Stephen King movie and TV continuity, potentially ushering the author’s work into a whole new era.
4) Alien: Earth
2025 saw the release of a whole new entry into the beloved Alien franchise with the TV show Alien: Earth. The show broke new ground for the franchise, as it serves as the first TV series in the continuity, also serving as a prequel outside the main movie canon. Its story sees the xenomorphs of the franchise find their way to Earth, and also better explores the nature of the Alien movies’ many cyborgs, synthetics, and hybrid beings.
Not only did Alien: Earth make changes to the franchise’s established format, but it also broke some of its rules. In that sense, it’s a pretty bold series from a creative perspective, with new species introduced in Alien: Earth as well as new ideas explored over its story. Having earned considerable praise from critics regarding its style, visuals, and ability to scare the pants off its audience, Alien: Earth qualifies as one of the best TV releases of 2025.
3) Pluribus
Hailed as one of 2025’s essential sci-fi shows, Pluribus became one of the year’s most acclaimed shows even after only a few episodes. Created by Vince Gilligan of Breaking Bad fame, Pluribus follows an author who is isolated after an alien virus transforms the majority of the human race into a peaceful hive mind. Faced with the sinister prospect of eventually being assimilated herself, Carol and the 12 other immune individuals are forced to navigate an increasingly lonely existence.
Almost every aspect of the show has been praised by critics, from the performances of its cast to its writing and direction. Pluribus is the perfect blend of a great sci-fi concept and appropriately competent storytelling, making it one of the best and most thought-provoking releases of the year. It’s exactly that quality that has made it a late but important addition to 2025’s best TV shows.
2) Severance
Heading into 2025, Severance was already one of the best-loved TV shows in the world. Its story, which follows fictional biotech giant Lumon Industries and its titular process, which separates its employees’ work consciousness from their personal life, had already gripped audiences around the world after season 1 first aired in 2022. 2025 saw the release of Severance season 2, and it stands out as one of the best shows of the year.
Season 2 was able to double down on everything that made season 1 so successful. It better explores the personal lives of Lumon’s employees while also continuing to unravel the central mystery of the company, deepening both its emotional impact and its ability to firmly grip its audience. After three years of waiting, fans of Severance were rewarded with one of the best shows of 2025, which expanded the series’ sci-fi concept in the best way possible.
1) Adolescence
British crime drama Adolescence took the world by storm after being released in March 2025. The Netflix show tells the story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller after he is arrested in connection with the murder of a girl at his school. Starring Owen Cooper as Jamie and Stephen Graham as his father, Eddie, Adolescence went on to win a host of awards throughout the year.
As well as its gripping and hard-hitting story that tackles issues in modern society, Adolescence is extremely well-crafted. With each episode shot in one continuous take, it’s a truly mesmerizing show that firmly captured the world’s collective imagination. As a result, it stands out as the best TV show of 2025, with incredible performances from its cast bringing to life a story that is cutting, insightful, and deeply resonant with audiences around the world.
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