There is no denying the behemoth that Netflix’s Stranger Things has become. Nearly a decade ago, the little show about friendship in 1980s Indiana spawned a wave of nostalgia for Dungeons & Dragons, newspaper TV guides, and Eggo waffles. And yet, the irony is not lost that the show about yesteryear will have its series finale not only stream on any Wi-Fi-enabled device, but is coming to a theater near you.
The Duffer Brothers’ commercially acclaimed franchise is a perfect timeline of how TV’s trajectory has changed since streaming launched in 2013. Rarely ever consumed on television sets, our viewing habits have impacted how content (for lack of a better term) is made and distributed. TV seasons are years apart, episodes are haphazardly released, and the monolithic live viewing experience seems to be no more. However, vestiges of TV’s past seem to want to merge like the Upside-Down. HBO Max found success with a weekly procedural. Each streaming service has an ad option, looking more like regular TV than ever before. And the battle for live events, network TV’s final stand, is being fought as Netflix, Peacock, and Prime Video all struck deals with the NBA, NFL, and WWE.
This year’s best-of list represents the current push and pull of the past and present, toward a wild frontier where stranger things are bound to happen (here’s looking at you, Warner Bros. Discovery).
Honorable Mentions:
Wednesday
This past year has been dull. Lots of excitement in Hollywood, from David Ellison’s company buying Paramount to the recent Netflix-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. Plus, the current U.S. economy is something not to mention. One thing is for certain: we all need entertainment more than ever. That’s where the terrifically deranged mind of Wednesday Addams comes in.
Netflix’s hit show Wednesday continues to draw audiences. The second season premiered on August 14, and followed the eldest Addams family sibling, Wednesday (Jenna Ortega), as she navigated her second year at Nevermore and her psychic powers. With an all-star cast that includes Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzman, and Steve Bescumi, the end of season two found Wednesday exploring a new mystery: her long-thought-deceased aunt. With a third season on its way, Aunt Ophelia Frump will be portrayed by Eva Green.
– Laura Diamond
Daredevil: Born Again
Based on the Marvel comic character Daredevil, Daredevil: Born Again follows Matt Murdock, a blind man who by day works as a lawyer and by night fights crime as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. While he is out protecting individuals, former mob boss Wilson Fisk pursues his own political endeavors. When their past identities begin to coexist, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course.
The series aired years after its previous live-action adaptation, Daredevil, concluded. The new series brought back together one of Marvel’s best rivalries as we see the hero Daredevil not only tackle Hell’s Kitchen but also his enemy, Wilson Fisk. Although the series is now part of Disney+, the new installment is heavier on crime, moral ambiguity and psychological tension than your typical superhero story.
The cast of the series includes Charlie Cox (Stardust, The Theory of Everything) as Matt Murdock, Vincent D’Onofrio (Men in Black, The Cell) as Wilson Fisk, Margarita Levieva (Spread, Task) as Heather Glenn, Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood, The Punisher) As Karen Page, Elden Henson (The Mighty, Idle Hands) as Foggy Nelson, Zabryna Guevara (3 lbs, The Guilt Trip) as Sheila Rivera, Nikki James (BrainDead, Lucky Stiff) as Kristen Mcduffie, Genneya Walton (Dead Sea, Project Mc) as BB Urich, Arty Froushan (Carnival Row, H Is for Hawk) as Buck Cashman, Clark Johnson (The Sentinel, Percy) as Cherry, Michael Gandolfini (Warfare, Beau Is Afraid) as Daniel Blake and many others.
The series has been nominated for a couple of awards, including Critics’ Choice Super Awards Best Actor in a Superhero Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie by Cox and Best Villain in a Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie by D’Onofrio. D’Onofrio was also nominated for Astra Television Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Daredevil: Born Again is available to stream on Disney+. The second season of the series is scheduled to premiere on the streamer in March 2026.
– Jordany Martinez
Hazbin Hotel S2
Many factors qualify Prime Video’s immensely popular adult animated series, Hazbin Hotel, as a top series. One of those factors is its unique narrative. Fans around the world agreed that the second season only elevated the production value of the series and aided in exploring the fallout of the first season, in which viewers find out that Sir Pentious, voiced by Alex Brightman (Dead End: Paranormal Park, Helluva Boss Boss), was redeemed.
Another factor that makes Hazbin Hotel one of this year’s best series is the music numbers, which are a core component of it. The series is well known for really catchy lyrics and, combined with the lovely voices of the cast, really captures the viewers’ attention and helps portray their characters’ feelings. The finale truly captures the atmosphere of the series with Charlie, voiced by Erika Henningsen (Girls5Eva, Harlem), and her friends overcoming any obstacle in their way and gathering all of Hell to stop Vox, voiced by Christian Borle (Tangled: The Series, Lucky Duck), and finally bringing the war to an end.
Season two ends on a bittersweet note, with most characters recovering from the battle. However, Angeldust, voiced by Blake Roman, chooses to leave the hotel, as he feels he cannot trust himself around the others, leaving Husk, voiced by Keith David (The Princess and the Frog, Rick and Morty), and Cherri, voiced by Krystina Alabado (Tyrant, Reform), distraught. The final scene concludes on a cliffhanger, with Charlie finally receiving a callback from her mother, Lilith, who fans know is in heaven, leaving fans wondering what awaits within the series.
– Noah Tate
10. Stranger Things (Netflix)
With the release of Season 5, Volume 1 on November 26, 2025, Netflix’s Stranger Things establishes itself as one of this year’s best series. The show expertly captures the nostalgia of the 1980s while delivering captivating mysteries and a powerful theme of overcoming adversity. Each season deepens our understanding of the Upside Down and highlights its ongoing evolution, making Stranger Things an unmistakable hit that continues to resonate with audiences.
This season truly gives each of the characters of the main cast a mission to help stop the merging of the two worlds and stop any creatures, including Vecna, played by Jamie Campbell Bower (Camelot, Witchboards). The last volume ended with Will, played by Noah Schnapp (Hubie Halloween, The Tutor), awakening psychic abilities and Eleven, played by Millie Bobbie Brown (The Electric State, Damsel) and Hopper, played by David Harbour (Thunderbolts, Black Widow), discovering that Kali aka Eight, played by Linnea Berthelsen (Teenland, Devs), alive and being used by the army.
There is still more to come in the final season as the second volume is scheduled for December 25 and the final one for December 31. Even more formidable obstacles will emerge, and the team will take on new opponents with determination, all while amplifying the show’s already soaring popularity.
– Noah Tate
9. Nobody Wants This (Netflix)
The highly anticipated season two of Nobody Wants This returned to Netflix this fall. Following the same will they, won’t they pattern, fans were on the edge of their seat to see if Rabbi Noah (Adam Brody – The OC, Gilmore Girls) and Joanne (Kristin Bell – The Good Place, Frozen) would finally work out their interfaith relationship and have the happy ending everyone wanted.
This season featured many Jewish rituals, including a Purim party, a brit bat, and the introduction to conversion. They seemed to modernize events like the baby naming ceremony of a popular influencer’s child, but keep some things traditional, like Friday night shabbos at Rabbi Noah’s house. Although there were several inaccuracies, the show was able to highlight the cultural and deeper aspects of Judaism. Joanne spoke with Ester toward the end of the finale about missing Shabbat and other traditions once she parts with Noah. Ester notes that being Jewish is a feeling. She has all of the character traits that will be welcomed with open arms into the community. The finale ends with the couple getting their happy ending in front of the famous lampposts in Los Angeles.
– Sarah Sarkin
8. Alien: Earth
If you are a fan of the Alien franchise, then you should check out FX’s Alien: Earth. The series premiered in August and focuses on the franchise’s monster, the Xenomorph. The Xenomorph is a formidable creature that cannot be killed so easily. The creature bleeds acid, and to make matters worse, the characters had to fight and evade this creature in space. With Alien: Earth, not only was the Xenomorph an antagonist, but other creatures from space caused problems. Set on Earth in the year 2120, the series follows two companies, Prodigy and Weyland Yutani, that appear to be at odds with each other. Yutani went to space to retrieve some extraterrestrials and stumbled upon a Xenomorph egg. However, something went wrong on the ship, causing it to crash land on Earth and into a Prodigy building, where they captured the extraterrestrials along with the Xenomorph eggs.
This show not only offers suspense and action, but it also has many hidden messages and motifs that paint a picture of what is going on in the series. The series has a great cast consisting of Sydney Chandler (Don’t Worry Darling, Pistol), Alex Lawther (Black Mirror, Andor), Essie Davis (The Babadook, Girl with a Pearl Earring), Samuel Blenkin (Mickey 17, Atlanta), Babou Ceesay (The Best of Enemies, Free Fire), Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger, My Name is Khan), Erana James (The Wilds, Bad Behaviour), Lily Newmark (Solo: A Star Wars Story, Juliet, Naked), Jonathan Ajayi (The Man in My Basement, Chief of Station), David Rysdahl (No Exit, Nine Days), Diêm Camile (Washington Black, The Wheel of Time), Moe Bar-el (The Bureau, Honour), Adrian Edomondson (Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story, 3 Body Problem), Timothy Olyphant (Stick, Havoc), Sandra Yi Secindiver (Geek Girl, Foundation), and Kit Young (Shadow and Bone, The School for Good and Evil).
The series has been renewed for a second season, meaning there will be more action, suspense, and drama for the characters. The show isn’t shy when it comes to using practical effects. In fact, the titular Xenomorph is a suit worn by trained professionals, along with the Facehuggers being wearable props. The show is available for streaming on Hulu and Disney+ if you bundle the two. The show has eight episodes and can be binged at your own leisure.
– Asa Jackson
7. The Bear (FX)
FX’s The Bear stands out as one of the best series in the 2025 lineup. Created by Christopher Storer (Ramy, Eighth Grade), The Bear follows the story of a young classically trained chef who returns to his home in Chicago to run his family’s Italian beef sandwich shop after the passing of
his brother. The series aired its fourth season in June, continuing to bring the high pressure and chaotic struggles that come with managing a restaurant as the crew balances strong intensity with emotional precision.
Carmy, played by Jeremy Allen White (Shameless, The Iron Claw), attempts to reconcile the pressures of his elite culinary training with the emotional toll of his family’s past, which is handled with restraint and sensitivity. The supporting characters of the series are given the space and time to evolve, transforming them from generic characters to fully realized individuals whose personal growth feels earned.
Joining White in the cast of the series includes Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Punisher, John Adams), Ayo Edebiri (What We Do in the Shadows, Everybody Still Hates Chris), Lionel Boyce (Loiter Squad, The Jellies!), Liza Colon-Zayas (In Treatment, David Makes Man), Edwin Lee
Gibson (Fargo, She Taught Love), Corey Hendrix (Chicago P.D., Let Us Make Eve), Richard Esteras (South Side, Seven Cemeteries), Jose M. Cervantes (Chicago Med, Shining Girls), Abby Elliot (Fun Size, No Strings Attached), Matty Matheson (It’s Suppertime!, Dead Set on Life), and
many others.
Finally, The Bear keeps viewers on their feet by giving meaning to regular day-to-day. Past all the shouting and arguing while trying to beat the clocks, the series takes time to show the moments of humanity. From the crew sharing meals family style, to small kindnesses that they all share to build hard-earned trust with one another.
– Jordany Martinez
6. Task (HBO)
Task is not a date-night show. It is gritty and brutal, with themes surrounding the darkness of human nature. Within that darkness, there is just enough compassion to paint the melancholy with tinges of hope. The series, originally planned as a limited series, took audiences with such vigor that it is now being renewed for another season, albeit likely in an anthology format.
Task features Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight, Avengers), who gives another astonishing performance in what has been an illustrious career. Ruffalo plays former priest turned FBI agent Tom Brandies, who heads a joint task force charged with solving the case of a missing child. Although the series has plenty of twists and turns, it would not be classified as a mystery. It weaves the criminals’ storylines into the narrative as well. Tom Pelphrey (Mank, Ozark) plays Robbie, the often buffoonish but ultimately kind-hearted garbageman who finds himself in way over his head after a burglary gone awry.
Task is full of action and suspense, but it’s at its best during its moments of vulnerability. The series doubles as both a crime thriller and a family drama. The relationships even among the villains constantly threaten to fracture and are just as enthralling as any of the gunfights. The series knows when to ease off the gas and allow for contemplative moments. In the end, Task lingers in one’s mind long after the credits have rolled, leaving plenty of room for reflection on both the brutality and the compassion.
– Patrick Feeney
5. Pluribus (Apple TV)
Pluribus stands out as one of the year’s most daring and thought-provoking programs, pushing the boundaries of modern television narrative. The series, created by Vince Gilligan, is a captivating blend of psychological tension, moral ambiguity, and high-concept drama that presents viewers with dilemmas at every step. Rather than focusing solely on spectacle, Pluribus thrives on layered writing, sharp dialogue, and very human problems, making each episode both intimate and disturbing. The show’s tempo allows its concepts to breathe, drawing viewers into a universe that feels unsettlingly similar to reality.
What actually marks Pluribus is its strong commitment to character-driven narrative. The performances are constantly nuanced and compelling, with emotion emerging naturally through small gestures and wordless moments. The series approaches complex themes of identity, power, and consequence with an uncommon level of maturity for genre television, never settling for easy answers. Every twist feels justified, propelling its characters into ethically difficult areas that leave viewers thinking about intentions and consequences long after the episode concludes.
Visually, Pluribus embraces a realistic, cinematic design that supports its serious subjects without overpowering them. Every frame feels deliberate, enhancing the tension and discomfort that define the series’s tone. Pluribus establishes itself as not only one of the sharpest programs of the year, but also one of the most profoundly moving. It’s the kind of series that stays in the cultural debate long beyond the season finale.
– Atar Aregabi
4. Severance (Apple TV)
Apple TV smash-hit Severance returned earlier this year with its highly anticipated second season, and it definitely did not disappoint. Continuing its dark, mind-bending plot, the series delved further into Lumon’s horrifying underbelly. Returning talent Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, John Turturro, and Patricia Arquette delivered standout performances that brought creator Dan Erikson’s unique characters to life while constructing a world that feels intricately natural, yet so unreal. That world, so full and yet so empty of color, and so close, yet so distant from our own, is what has made the series so unique.
Severance was never going to be ordinary. With its combination of retrofuturism, unsettling sets, and mysterious corporate machinations, the series is not only one of the most compelling of a generation, but one of its most original. If everything in the show feels intentional, that’s because it is. No detail is too small for the craftsmanship of Erickson and co., evidenced by the production design complete with Lumon-branded computers that lack escape keys, labyrinthine hallways, and a mashup of technologies from different eras, all resulting in an incredibly immersive, disorienting experience.
The attention to detail showcased by Erickson’s team cannot be overstated. Viewers could return to the series more than ten times, and still catch enlightening minutiae that they’ve never noticed before. That rewatchability, in addition to its urgently allegorical story and gorgeous cinematography, is why Severance has established a new standard for what makes great television. And with a third season in the works, the series has given audiences much to look forward to.
– Ryan Bemben
3. The Pitt (HBO Max)
HBO Max delivered exactly what the TV doctor ordered with the throwback brilliance of The Pitt. From the minds who brought us ER and The West Wing, the weekly medical drama harkened to a time when viewership was a monolithic activity. Across fifteen episodes, in one main setting, viewers laughed, cried, cringed and cheered for the medical staff of a trauma center in Pittsburgh. Led by Noah Wyle in an Emmy-winning performance, The Pitt embodied the golden era of television. Full, complicated characters experiencing growth over time, and returning within a year to continue the story.
While Grey’s may stand as the longest-running medical drama in TV history, The Pitt supercedes the spectacle of the ABC megahit with a quiet strength of relatability. Janurary 8, the doctor will see you for season two.
– Lorin Williams
2. Adolescence (Netflix)
British limited series Adolescence received a lot of attention for its unusual production, with each episode consisting of one unbroken take. And while at first this seemed like a cheap Netflix ploy to get more users on the platform, the series proved to be much more than that. Exploring the intersection of sex-based violence and masculinity, Adolescence refuses to shy away from a topic that is ever-present in the modern context, yet so neglected at the same time.
Indeed, the show’s use of single, unedited takes for each episode bears out that relentless focus. Just as creators Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham don’t let viewers look away from the real-time action of the disturbing crime that sets off the events in the series, they remind viewers that they must not look away from the ugly, terrifying, and dehumanizing way in which young men are expected to behave. Fortunately, Adolescence makes a fully fleshed human out of each of its characters, from a lamenting father to a workaholic cop and a relatably outcast young boy whose crime doesn’t end one life, but two.
That’s not to mention the performances of Adolescence’s small, yet powerful cast. Owen Cooper, who plays protagonist Jamie, Graham, who plays Jamie’s father, and Erin Doherty, portraying a forensic psychologist, each deliver uniquely heartwrenching performances, with the 16-year-old Cooper in particular holding up incredibly well during episode three’s 52-minute runtime across from Doherty. Having done an incredible job at bringing the issue into the sunlight, one can only hope that Adolescence continues to spawn honest conversations around violence and abuse of all kinds.
– Ryan Bemben
1. Andor (Disney+)
The word mature comes to mind when you think of Andor‘s latest season. An incredibly enticing narrative, complemented through noteworthy performance after noteworthy performance, Andor has received countless amounts of praise. We have never seen the world of Star Wars throughout these heights of profoundness, which creates a captivating experience for a majority of viewers.
There is no exaggerating the depths that Andor season two explores in its 12 incredible episodes. Diego Luna’s performance in particular stands out as one of the best of the year, which was recognized at the Golden Globes through his nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series. There is no doubt that Andor is worth a watch at the very least, especially considering its heavy-hitting themes as the season progresses. It isn’t often that we see such unique spectacles hit the screen, especially ones as ambitious as Andor season two.
– Jorge Arreola