2025 Television Diary

The best parts of my television diet in 2025 were standouts that pushed the genre, some familiar favorites getting another run, and gems that I caught up with after missing the first time around.

The shows outside my top 10 were fine or forgettable, which spoke to the sharp divide in quality this year. Looking back at my 2024 list, it feels like last year had a deeper bench of programming, but the highs were probably on par from year to year.

There are some notable shows that are absent from my diary that were in the 2025 zeitgeist. This mostly includes prestige dramas that I determined – based on their pedigree, trailers, and/or the critical reaction – that they weren’t for me, which includes The Beast in Me, Paradise and everything from Taylor Sheridan. I have also refused to get on the Nobody Wants This bandwagon.

And this year I’m stealing a technique from my dad’s list and putting an asterisk next to all the shows that I recommend, with the caveat that the recommendations might not be for everyone.

THE BEST

1. Andor* (season 2) – Serialized storytelling from a beloved cinematic universe is always a risky bet, considering that some narratives don’t translate to the small screen, it’s costly to make these worlds look compelling, and maybe there isn’t enough story to tell across multiple episodes. Tony Gilroy was able to avoid all those landmines as he delivered a show that was massive in scope and drama, unbelievably personal, and was accessible to non-Star Wars fans. This is a feat that will likely never be matched in television and will be one of the most quoted shows in my family.
2. Task* (season 1) – The specificity of place and high-caliber of acting in this crime story create an immersive experience reminiscent of The Wire. And like the best dramas it is also able to find comedy along the way.
3. The Lowdown* (limited series) – Ethan Hawke delivers a tour de force performance in a whodunnit that unfolds like a beloved crime novel, with a colorful cast of characters and page turning plot. This largely ignored Tulsa setting is a world that I want to spend more time in.
4. Shoresy* (seasons 1–4) – I dove headfirst into this much beloved world in 2025 with almost no expectations, except the recommendation of my favorite podcasters, and was completely overwhelmed by the one-liner jokes and the amount of heart packed into a 30-minute comedy with full-frontal male nudity. The fourth season, which aired this year, is a little too self-satisfied and is overly indulgent.
5. Adolescence* (limited series) – This heartbreaking drama is more of an experience than a television show. It feels like the closest thing to capturing real life on film and that can be hard to take at points.
6. Platonic* (season 1) – Rose Byrne is the hilarious standout in this largely conventional sitcom that never feels repetitive and has an amazing ratio of jokes.
7. The Rehearsal* (season 2) – If Nathan Fielder had just gone after Paramount for hiding a Holocaust awareness story that would have been enough, but he also gave us pilots judging a talent show and he flew a plane!
8. Death by Lightning* (limited series) – Imagine the movie Lincoln, but instead it’s a satirical account of a president who is less well known than a cartoon cat with the same name. Matthew Macfayden is operating at a new level as hapless con man turned forgettable assassin.
9. Slow Horses* (season 5) – One of the funniest seasons of this reliable spy thriller. I may be on an island with my slavish devotion to this series.
10. Big Mouth* (season 8) – A strong final season for this comedy about the journey we go through during the awkward pubescent years. I especially appreciated that they pushed the story forward and allowed their main characters to evolve.

THE REST

Squid Games* (season 1) – A gut punch is delivered in every episode of this class commentary that has sporadic moments of levity and hope that makes it possible to keep watching every episode. I couldn’t bring myself to start the second season.

Detroiters* (season 1-2) – The comedic sensibilities of Tim Robinson work best when boxed in by genre and his spin on a sitcom is consistently amusing and surprisingly emotional.

Somebody Somewhere* (season 1-3) – The 30-minute dramedy format has rarely been so full of laughs and heart as in this charming world seen through the auteur lens of Bridget Everett.

Severance* (season 2) – The stakes may have gone up a notch with an expanded world and deeper dive into the show’s mythology, but aside from some quiet moments with Merritt Wever it felt like watching an inaccessible piece of beautiful art.

White Lotus* (season 3) – Despite a promising cast of characters and some high highs, like Sam Rockwell’s cameo and Parker Posey’s accent, the chemistry was off in this generally reliable escape from reality.

Invincible (season 2-3) – This cartoon pushed the boundaries of storytelling in its first season and demonstrated why it’s hard to stay fresh and interesting in future seasons. The expanded comic world is rich and detailed, while the story’s hero is so cliched.

Daredevil: Born Again (season 1) – One of my biggest disappointments of the year. It tried and failed to be an interesting political and lawyer show, while the superhero elements felt like a shadow of what worked the first time around with the live-action televised Daredevil character.

Unbelievable* ^ (limited series) – A methodical and devastating look at sexual violence and the response by law enforcement, with standout performances up and down the call sheet. And just like real life, there are moments of levity sprinkled among the tragedy.

Man Seeking Woman*^ (season 1-3) – A boundary pushing sitcom that is surprisingly sentimental and personal considering the raunchy content and hyperbolic storytelling. This would have been in my Top 10 if it wasn’t my third or fourth viewing.

The Studio* (season 1) – A satirical take on Hollywood that is a funny concept with underwhelming execution and predictable plotting, except for the few screwball elements of the season that are laugh-out-loud funny.

The Last of Us (season 2) – Joel was lucky that he didn’t have to live through this entire season.

The Righteous Gemstones* (season 4) – The pacing and hit rate of the filthy dialogue and jokes makes up for the fact that the plotting is slow and kind of uninteresting in this final season. Of course, Walton Goggins always delivers as Uncle Baby Billy.

Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney* (season 1) – Your mileage may vary based on the guests and topics, but it’s generally a good hangout.

Welcome to Wrexham* (season 4) – Despite this documentary starting too feel formulaic and rehearsed, I am still having a good time on this ride and find myself getting an emotional wallop every season.

Department Q* (season 1) – If you liked the show House, you may be interested in the damaged detective at the center of this serialized cold case story that is actually still a life-and-death matter.

Dark* ^(seasons 1-3) – A tightly scripted, emotionally gripping first season is followed by two seasons with some very high highs and extreme lows as the sprawling narrative becomes unwieldy and repetitive.

Hard Knocks (Buffalo Bills) – I felt emotionally detached and unengaged this season.

Alien: Earth (season 1) – This sci-fi story would have benefited from shifting the focus away from the annoying hybrid children and directly on to the complicated robot and cyborg portrayed respectively by Timothy Olyphant and Babou Ceesay.

The Bear (season 4) – It felt like a restaurant dish that had too many components and was self-indulgent.

Peacemaker (season 2) – How I long for the first season, which avoided boring comic book tropes and was filled with dialogue that made me cackle with delight.

Colin from Accounts* (season 2) – Uneven plotting in this sophomore season, which takes a depressingly dark turn by the finale.

Eastern Gate* (season 1) – The pacing and violence of this polish version of 24 help gloss over the inability to consistently deliver on the scope of its spy world.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (season 17) – I couldn’t bring myself to finish the pilot and found the rest of the season to be a shadow of what it once was.

The Eternaut* (season 1) – A fantastic premise for an end-of-the-world story in Argentina is ultimately undone by low-quality CGI and plotting that becomes incomprehensible.

English Teacher (season 2) – A disappointing return to school after an amazing first season, with each episode jamming in predictable, overly sweet lessons and the jokes lacking their initial fire.

The Paper (season 1) – No specificity of place, overly broad characters, an uninteresting lead and flat jokes made it impossible to get all the way through this descendant of The Office.

The Newsreader (seasons 1-2) – A melodrama that feels more like a daytime soap opera because of the contained sets, small cast, and lack of worldbuilding.

The Chair Company* (season 1) – A paranoid thriller through the lens of Tim Robinson is a unique and fun ride.

Better Call Saul *^ (seasons 1-6) – The only knock against this basically perfect show is that it feels like you’re watching two different shows because of the different worlds you spend time in.

Pluribus* (season 1) – This could be a problem unique to me, but I found myself struggling to connect with this dystopian story, despite the high-levels of work on both sides of the camera. It’s also possible that the slow start is the same issue that dogged previous Vince Gilligan shows.

I Love L.A.* (season 1) – This is the spiritual child of Entourage and Girls. I prefer it when the show is leaning into the latter.

Hacks (season 4) – Quit watching after an episode. This comedy stopped being funny a while ago.

Black Rabbit (limited series) – Quit watching during the first episode.

Too Much (limited series) – This might have been good, but I stopped watching after one episode.

Zero Day (limited series) – Consumed most of this trash second hand and wish I could get the time back.

Families Like Ours* (limited series) – An all-too-real look at the implications of climate change on a 1^st world family. It’s a compelling watch, but there aren’t any laughs.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

The Pitt, Down Cemetery Road

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