17 Best Shows of 2025 (So Far), Ranked

If you want to know your favorite reality TV stars’ favorite reality TV show, look no further than Love on the Spectrum U.S.. Featuring vibrant series newbies, Madison Marilla and Pari Kim, alongside returning favorites Abbey Romeo, Tanner Smith, Connor Tomlinson, Dani Bowman, James Jones, and more, Season 3 takes the Netflix docuseries to the next level, exploring love on the most authentic, genuine level. In a sea of gamified dating competitions, Cian O’Cleary’s Love on the Spectrum U.S. rises above as romance reality TV at its best. — Rebecca Perlmutter

After an eight-year hiatus from TV, Too Much is a return to form for Girls creator Lena Dunham. The director pulls from her own life experiences to create a different kind of rom-com. There’s plenty of clichés, tropes, and bits of optimism, but it also bears a certain realism and insightfulness that’s rare for the genre. At the heart of it is Megan Stalter’s Jessica, who flits between moments of exaggerated comedy and gut-punching heartbreak. It may not be the most revelatory show of the year, but Stalter’s performance and Dunham’s clever-as-ever writing make for a love story that we won’t forget any time soon. — Morgan Pryor

Is this the best season of The White Lotus? No. But is it still better than a lot of other television on this year? Absolutely. The weekly viewing and chatter about this show after every episode brings me back to the early 2000s, which is a feeling that’s not often replicated these days. The cast is so lovable and absolutely crushes their performances, even if the storylines are a bit underwhelming at times. Plus, the rumors about what was going on behind-the-scenes only adds to the intrigue. — Alyssa Norwin

Viewers tuning into AMC‘s ‘70s-set noir know that Dark Winds is high-quality television, and Season 3 is no exception to the show’s streak of delivering great episodes. Along with a stellar and standout performance by leading man Zahn McClarnon, who heads up the Navajo police as Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, Season 3 features fun cameos from executive producers Robert Redford and George R. R. Martin, as well as guest appearances from Jenna Elfman and Bruce Greenwood that aren’t to be missed. Dark Winds continues to break the mold of the crime TV genre by including depictions of Navajo traditions while incorporating familiar cop plots at an elevated scale. It’s can’t-miss TV. – Meaghan Darwish

The conceit of this apocalyptic drama reveals itself at the end of the premiere episode: After the president of the United States (James Marsden) is murdered, his top Secret Service agent (Sterling K. Brown) rushes to find out who was responsible… with the kicker being that this happens in an otherwise utopian bunker built for a select few thousand people to survive a global catastrophe. That initial framework reveal isn’t what makes this series such a sensation, though; instead, it’s the glimpses back to the lives (and deaths) that lead up to the premiere events that solidifies the series as a seminal piece of the small screen this year. — Amanda Bell

The Righteous Gemstones was consistently one of the funniest shows on television throughout its four-season run, and the final season is the show at its best. It’s vulgar, hilarious, and moving, with pitch-perfect line readings (especially from fan favorite Edi Patterson). The show goes out with a literal bang with the long-awaited wedding between Kelvin (Adam DeVine) and Keefe (Tony Cavalero). We’ll miss you, Gemstones. — Leah Williams

The show known for making high drama out of Christine Baranski crossing a street has leveled up the stakes without jumping the shark in its third season. Divorce, lost fortunes, past secrets, and ambitious social climbing within (relatively) limited means in 1883 New York are a threat to all. And just like the show’s critique of union busting in Season 2 unintentionally aired in time with the real-life Hollywood strikes, Season 3 has its finger on the pulse yet again with its look at American capitalism. Episode 7, in which a millionaire is gunned down by someone with a grudge, just so happened to be written around the time Luigi Mangione shot the United Healthcare CEO. But where the show really sings is in its depiction of the Black elite of the era, which deftly explores how colorism, Women’s Suffrage, and the legacy of slavery impact this community without excessively traumatizing its characters. — Kelli Boyle

The third season of Will Trent sees the crime drama explore so many new facets of the title detective’s character, with emotionally resonant and sometimes even hilarious results. The season begins with Will (Ramon Rodriguez) being pulled back to work from a self-imposed isolation — after that consequential breakup with Angie (Erika Christensen), he’d skipped town altogether — by a crime boss who was also a consequential part of his past, which reveals itself throughout the season. Will also engages in a meaningful new romance, grapples with a devastating shooting incident, and finds solace in a hallucinogen-induced disco dance scene that won’t soon be forgotten. Meanwhile, Angie deals with her own trauma and new beginnings, and the rest of the GBI team gets into some engaging adventures as well. The first two seasons are fun, but the third truly examines what lies within each of the characters in surprising ways that elevate the series to the top of the broadcast bunch. — Amanda Bell

There’s nothing quite like that all-consuming experience of first love. Mara Brock Akil took Judy Blume’s timeless young adult classic Forever and created one of the best shows of not just the year, but the decade. Through Keisha and Justin’s relationship, the series showcases young Black love in all its beauty, the intricacies (and confusion) of navigating your feelings, the anxieties of high school, the pressures of parental expectations, and the tenderness of falling in love for the first time. Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. are revelations as Keisha and Justin. Forever is a show that lingers long after you’ve finished watching. Like any core memory from childhood, Forever takes up a permanent place in your heart. — Avery Thompson

Season 4 of The Traitors gives us Gabby Windey‘s one-liners, Dylan Efron and Rob Mariano‘s bromance, and oh so much more. This show just keeps getting better. Even though Dolores Catania and Lord Ivar Mountbatten are underwhelming as two of the four faithful winners, there are so many exciting roundtables and some epic betrayals that no one sees coming. — Alyssa Norwin

Although only four episodes long, each hour-long installment is a tour de force in acting, camerawork, and storytelling, creating a narrative blow to the chest. The use of long takes creates immersive storytelling, as the horror surrounding a young boy who brutally kills a classmate unfolds in real time, forcing the audience to witness every moment without looking away. As the mystery of why surfaces, a cautionary tale emerges, one more terrifying than any horror film and more shocking than a jump scare. Episode 3 stands out as the best of the series — a powerhouse moment in television — as accused 13-year-old murderer Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is assessed by clinical psychologist Dr. Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty) in a one-on-one session that slowly escalates into rage, contempt, and a dark descent into the manosphere. Unrelenting in its realism and camerawork, Adolescence compels the audience to confront the monsters shaped by culture, no matter what form they take. — Erin Maxwell

Bold, meta, and artistic in its writing and technical work, The Studio stormed onto the scene as an inside-baseball satire of what it takes to make a movie and — as Seth Rogen‘s Matt Remmick swears he’s trying to do — keep art alive in Hollywood. Critiquing the business is a time-honored tradition for us outsiders. The Studio takes our critiques and says, “Oh, you have no idea how insane it really is,” and then gives us a look inside with a staggeringly star-studded cast. It’s hyperbolic, but beneath every joke there lies a spark of truth. With this frugal format of shining a hilariously embarrassing light on a different issue plaguing their industry in each episode, The Studio has unlocked a concept that could run for as long as they (and Apple TV+) want. — Kelli Boyle

Overcompensating is a millennial masterpiece. Created by Benito Skinner, the Prime Video comedy series follows Benny, a closeted high school football star, as he navigates the chaotic new world of college. The show seamlessly balances raunchy humor, razor-sharp dialogue, and heartfelt emotional arcs as Benny and his friends deal with the highs and lows of love and friendship. Episode 5, in particular, is a standout. Skinner is the beating heart of the show, but he’s surrounded by an incredible ensemble of actors: Wally Baram, Adam DiMarco, Mary Beth Barone, and Holmes, to name a few. The first season feels like the first time you listened to Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” (inside joke) at the club in 2010. Overcompensating is a much-needed burst of energy in the TV landscape, a glitter bomb of charm and relatability. — Avery Thompson

Season 2 of Andor continues to follow Cassian Andor’s (Diego Luna) evolution from rebel outsider to dedicated operative, proving that masterful storytelling can thrive through character-driven drama and political tension in the Star Wars universe. We know how it ends — after all, all roads lead to Rogue One and Cassian’s eventual demise — but the path there is anything but predictable. Along the way, Andor leans into gritty storytelling and fan nostalgia, delivering a gripping political thriller and a rich character study through memorable moments, such as the tragic tale of Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), the Ghorman Massacre, and Mon Mothma’s (Genevieve O’Reilly) arc. The result is a genre-elevating entry in the Star Wars universe that stands above most due to its grounded tone, complex characters, and more mature themes that resonate with both longtime fans and contemporary audiences who may or may not be in tune with the Force. — Erin Maxwell

It will be difficult to look back on 2025 without remembering the long-awaited second season of Apple TV+’s hit drama Severance. Entrancing from the very first episode, Severance‘s latest chapter provides some much-desired answers, while raising new questions, expanding the universe first introduced to viewers in 2022, and offering unlimited twists for viewers to chew on week to week. Whether it’s Helena’s (Britt Lower) infiltration of the Severed floor, Gemma’s (Dichen Lachman) origin story episode, or Outie and Innie Mark’s conversation, we are utterly riveted. — Meaghan Darwish

Can a perfect show get more perfect? That’s the question Hacks Season 4 seems to answer, which is, yes, it can get more perfect. Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder are as electric as ever, taking on Deborah Vance’s late-night TV ascension with Ava Daniels helming the head writer gig she blackmailed her way into. Managers Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) and Kayla (Megan Stalter) remain a highlight alongside new guest stars, client Dance Mom (Julianne Nicholson) and new assistant Randi (Robby Hoffman). To put it simply, Hacks is the best it’s ever been. — Meaghan Darwish

This show not only reinvents the medical drama, it also brings back appointment viewing. The real-time format (with each season one shift, each episode one hour) allows for both non-stop action, moving from patient to patient during the mass casualty incident (a shooting at a musical festival), and the quiet moments (an honor walk for a teen who overdosed) to breathe, with every minute used wisely. Its outstanding cast is led by Noah Wyle, delivering the best performance of his career by portraying the true weight Robby carries as lead provider. It brings attention to the effects of the job on the doctors and nurses, through Robby and his breakdown (as he continued to deal with the death of his mentor during COVID, then the losses stacking up) and charge nurse Dana (Katherine LaNasa) after a frustrated patient punched her. It feels real, raw, and grounded in a way that few series do these days, and there’s a reason it received 13 Emmy nominations: It’s the best show on TV this year. — Meredith Jacobs