“I’m A TV Writer & These Were The Best Shows Of 2025”
2025 is almost at an end, and what a year it’s been for TV. It feels like there’s been plenty of shows this year that have captured the zeitgeist and been endlessly discussed and dissected on social media, and there have been a few standouts that have had us all glued to our screens. That being said, here’s the list of my favourite shows of the year, as a TV writer:
Severance
Possibly the buzziest Apple show of the year, Severance took a step up with season 2 and broke into the mainstream. Continuing in the unpredictable world of “innies” (employees at Lumon who’ve split their memories and consciousness to only remember what happens at work) and “outies” (employees who only know the world outside the office), it was another nerve-wracking season. This time around, Mark S (Adam Scott) is determined to save his wife Gemma, who he discovers is alive and under the name Mrs Casey on the severed floor. Helly (Britt Lower), meanwhile, continues to struggle in her life at Lumon as an Innie and remains rebellious, forming an ever-closer bond with Mark, which proves critical in the final episodes. With clever plotting, excellent acting (including John Tuturro, Patricia Arquette and Tramell Tillman) of this outing, we can only hope Season 3 doesn’t take as long to arrive.
Pluribus
With only six episodes released at the time of writing, things could still go wrong for Pluribus, but it certainly doesn’t feel that way so far. Coming from the creator of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul (though unconnected to those), it was understandably one of the most anticipated shows of the year, and managed to live up to expectations. Starring Better Call Saul’s Rhea Seehorn, it follows Carol, a miserable and misanthropic writer who is just about done with everything and everyone. When a mysterious virus of extraterrestrial origin spreads rapidly across humanity, Carol is one of a tiny group of people who are unaffected. Much like in Better Call Saul, Rhea Seehorn gives a phenomenal performance, one that will almost certainly see her land an Emmy nomination. Switching effortlessly between drama and comedy, Pluribus is one of 2025’s best new shows.
The Studio
The Studio somewhat falls under the genre “about Hollywood, for Hollywood”, so it’s not surprising it has won plenty of awards so far- but it’s also good fun and often needling of modern filmmaking. Matt Remick (Seth Rogen, who also created and co-directs) is a newly appointed Hollywood studio chief, given what should be his dream job. He soon finds, however, that running a film studio that’s past its glory days is not as fun as it sounds, as he’s forced to tread the line between pleasing cast and crew and pleasing the higher-up suits who are keen to turn a profit. He might have a passion for movies, but the Hollywood machine proves ruthless. Kathryn Hahn, Bryan Cranston and Catherine O’Hara join him in the cast, while the likes of Martin Scorsese, Charlie Theron, Olivia Wilde, Paul Dano and Steve Buscemi cameo as themselves.
Adolescence
Surely the biggest British hit of the year (and one of the most talked about in years), Adolescence arrived earlier this year to not much fanfare, and only has four episodes. Shortly after its premiere, however, chatter about the show exploded, and it was discussed in depth everywhere from social media to 10 Downing Street. It centres on a young schoolboy (played by Owen Cooper in a breakout performance) who, aged just 13, is arrested and questioned following the murder of a female classmate. His parents, Eddie (Stephen Miller) and Manda (Christine Tremarco), are left stunned and distraught, questioning how this could have happened to their family. Each episode is shot as a continuous take and discusses violence and the influence of the internet on young men, as well as the “manosphere” and how it has taken shape.
The White Lotus
Sun, sea, sand: The White Lotus has had a permanent appeal ever since it first arrived on our screens, with its analytic lives at the rich and privileged staying at various holiday resorts. But, as always, there’s a murder at the heart of Season 3’s plot, and The White Lotus’ Thai resort is no exception to the crime and drama of every season. We get to know the Ratcliffes (played by Sarah Catherine Hook, Parker Posey, Jason Isaacs, Sam Nivola and Patrick Schwarzenegger), Rick and Chelsea (Walton Goggins and Amiee Lou Wood), Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) and Kate, Laurie and Jaclyn (Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon and Michelle Monaghan). There’s plenty of great performances and character writing, and some interesting meditations on spirituality. Some consider Season 3 to be a bit weaker than the previous two, but Mike White’s drama anthology is still one of the most entertaining things on TV.
The Beast In Me
Chances are, if you’ve got Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys in your show, it’s going to be pretty good. The Beast in Me stars Danes as an author, Aggie Wiggs, coping with grief and experiencing writer’s block while trying to come up with ideas for her next book. A new neighbour moves in next door, with whom she has a disagreement, and is a multimillionaire real estate developer, Nile Jarvis, who was once accused of murdering his wife. His demeanour and shadowy past certainly seem off-putting, but Aggie decides that he would make a great inspiration for her writing work. But when odd events start occurring, Aggie begins to wonder what she’s got herself into, and what the truth is behind the death of Niles’ wife. Both lead performances are great as you’d expect, and the way everything unfolds makes The Beast in Me one of the year’s best thrillers.
