Sunday Special: The Best TV of 2025

The gist

After a lackluster 2024, television found its footing in 2025 with a stronger distribution of quality shows. Critics noted a return to entertaining television that doesn't sacrifice depth, with particular strength in shows that balance comedy with dramatic weight, explore character-driven narratives, and tackle contemporary anxieties around conspiracy and collective identity. The year proved that prestige television can still be fun while engaging with serious subjects.

Key takeaways

• Conspiracy as a dominant theme: Shows like Severance, Common Side Effects, The Lowdown, and Pluribus tapped into contemporary paranoia, often following lone protagonists uncovering vast conspiracies that reflect real-world anxieties about pharmaceutical companies, government surveillance, and loss of individual autonomy.

• Severance season 2 delivered after a 3-year wait: The mystery-box drama returned with compelling character relationships alongside its central conspiracy, earning placement on multiple critics' best-of lists despite some frustration with the prolonged mystery elements.

• Romantic comedies made a genuine comeback: Shows like Too Much (starring Megan Stalter), Nobody Wants This season 2 (Adam Brody and Kristen Bell), and Heated Rivalry (hockey-themed limited series on HBO) successfully revived the rom-com format by focusing on character baggage and desire rather than external obstacles.

• Long Story Short won Jim Panawazek's top spot: This animated family dramedy from the BoJack Horseman creator tells a Jewish family's story across time with specificity, humor, and emotional depth—praised for detailed character work and avoiding melodramatic twists.

• Andor season 2 was "grown-up" Star Wars: This spy thriller about galactic rebellion succeeded as both exceptional IP storytelling and standalone drama, exploring sacrifice, autocracy, and anonymous heroism—a rare prestige entry in franchise television.

• Hangout shows and character-driven comedies thrived: Platonic (Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen), The Lowdown (Ethan Hawke as a "truth storian" investigating Oklahoma politics), Adults, and I Love LA prioritized spending time with well-drawn characters over plot mechanics.

• Sex and death merged in Dying for Sex: Michelle Williams starred in this limited series about a terminally ill woman seeking her first orgasm, balancing frank discussions of mortality with unexpected humor and emotional catharsis.

• "Rich people with secrets" remained a dominant genre: Shows like The Hunting Wives, The Perfect Couple, and The White Lotus season 3 continued the trend, though critics noted diminishing returns and yearned for shows that prioritize entertainment and fun alongside drama.

Notable quotes

• "Funny is not the opposite of serious. You often can and frankly often need to use humor in the service of kind of deep and powerful ideas." — Jim Panawazek, on Dying for Sex

• "The sex does not feel gratuitous because the sex is text. It is about sex. It is about their desire for each other." — Alexis Soloski, on Heated Rivalry

• "This was an actual moment when, for one brief shining moment, Star Wars was a grown up thing." — Alexis Soloski, on Andor season 2

Worth a full listen?

Listen if you want detailed recommendations across multiple genres, critical context for major 2025 shows, or enjoy hearing television critics debate which shows balanced entertainment with substance—otherwise, this TLDR captures the essential takeaways about the year's standout programs.