The Best TV Shows The Handbook Team Has Watched This Year (So Far)

With it now being just over halfway through the year, it’s time to take a pause and look back at some of the great TV that’s aired in 2025 so far. And it’s not premature either: it’s been an incredible year for streaming binges and must-watch event TV, with the likes of The White Lotus, Adolescence and Severance, plus many more. There’s plenty more to come, but we asked The Handbook team what their fave shows have been:

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6

The sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale finally arrived on our screens this year, bringing the story of June (Elisabeth Moss) and her struggle against Gilead to a close. Season 6 sees June and Luke working closely with Mayday and the revolution looking stronger than ever.

“I’ve ignored The Handmaid’s Tale for the past decade because it looked terrifying. But when Season 6 came out last month, I decided to give it a shot and got completely hooked. The show is intense with plenty of gore and death, but it’s also about the power of female friendship and the strength of maternal love, and there are some sweet, tender moments between the brutality. In my opinion, it’s one of the best shows on modern TV.”

“It’s become a Saturday tradition to tune in to the new episodes, it really keeps you hooked, and every character grows and progresses each episode. Even though it does get a tad too *real* sometimes.” – Kitty, Social Media Manager.

The Handmaid’s Tale is available on Amazon Prime

Clarkson’s Farm Season 4

Love him, hate him: Jeremy Clarkson knows how to put on a show. The veteran presenter swapped out motoring for farming several years ago with the launch of Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon Prime, and just like his Top Gear days, made the show a hit, in part due to the surprisingly honest spotlight it gives to British agriculture in the modern age.

“This is *almost* a guilty pleasure as I don’t want to rate this show, but I can’t help myself. Love or loathe Jeremy, he has screen presence, and his farming team all complement his self-admonished buffoonery. Plus, the lens this series offers on the hardships of our British farmers can only be a positive one. I have laughed about fence pegging, cried about cows and am very partial to a pint of Hawkstone cider. Roll on series 5!”

Clarkson’s Farm is available on Amazon prime

Britain’s Got Talent

Britain’s Got Talent is approaching its 20th year on ITV, and doesn’t show much signs of slowing, with Ant & Dec still on hosting duties (and likely contributing to their unbroken streak at the National Television Awards). Series 18 saw a new crop of singers, dancers, magicians, comedians and more, with Simon Cowell, Bruno Tonioli, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and KSI judging.

“I love Britain’s Got Talent because it’s the ultimate feel-good show, something the whole family genuinely enjoys together. There’s something for every age, whether it’s the awe-inspiring acts, the laugh-out-loud moments, or the heartwarming stories that unfold on stage. Even my two-year-old is completely entertained (usually a near-impossible feat), which makes it one of the rare shows we can all sit down and watch as a family without reaching for separate screens. It’s wholesome, joyful, and always full of surprises.”

Britain’s Got Talent is available on ITVX

The White Lotus Season 3

One of the shows that really entered the zeitgeist so far this year is The White Lotus’ third season, which took the hugely popular show to Thailand. With a new crop of memorable characters and cast members including Walton Goggins, Aimee Lou Wood, Carrie Coon, Jason Isaacs, Leslie Bibb, Michelle Monaghan, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sarah Catherine Hook and Parker Posey, it focused on spirituality, family and death. It also became a social media sensation with countless memes and quotable lines (“Piper no!”)

“Probably it’s the weakest season so far, but it still has me more hooked than any other show at the moment. I will happily watch 20 more seasons of it in different exotic locations.”

I will happily watch 20 more seasons of it in different exotic locations.

the White Lotus Is available on Sky atlantic And NOW

Pulse

A new medical drama on Netflix that runs in the vein of Grey’s Anatomy, Pulse follows a group of ER medics working at a fictional hospital in Miami. It follows both their professional lives- dealing with patients with severe injuries and illness, and the toll their shifts take on them, and their personal lives away from the operating table. This first season also deals with a sexual harassment storyline and the aftermath of a devastating hurricane.

“I’ve recently finished watching Pulse on Netflix. The best way to think of it is like Grey’s Anatomy, but with a lower budget (think: AI-generated-esque storm and scenery footage) and less intense vibes. It’s an easy watch – it won’t change your life, but it fit the bill when I was at a loose end for shows and, well, then I finished it.”

Pulse is available on Netflix

Adolescence

A series that broke into public consciousness and would even end up being discussed by the prime minister, Adolescence became a hit show on Netflix for its depiction of pre-teens growing up in a digital age. When a schoolgirl is found murdered, suspicion is pointed at her classmate Jamie, resulting in the police smashing into his home to arrest him. With his parents both horrified and trying to come to terms with everything, it features an excellent portrayal from Stephen Graham as the boy’s father, and an amazing performance from 15-year-old Owen Cooper.

“This intense four-part British crime drama dropped earlier this year and immediately took over my weekend binge schedule. Filmed entirely in single takes, it follows the arrest of a 13-year-old boy accused of murder. It gripped the nation and sparked huge conversations around youth violence and responsibility—every parent, teacher, and teenager who watched it felt the impact. This wasn’t just a binge—it was a gut punch.”

Adolescence is available on Netflix

Little Disasters

An adaptation of the book of the same name, Little Disasters stars Diane Kruger and Jo Joyner in a drama about a group of new mothers who are torn apart when an accusation is made against one of them. An A&E doctor (played by Joyner) treats the head injury of her close friend Jess (Kruger) when she begins to suspect that the parents were responsible. Her consideration of calling child social services to intervene on her as the consequences threaten to totally tear their friendship group apart.

“Based on the book by the brilliant Sarah Vaughan, Little Disasters is both a compelling and heart-wrenching watch. As is often the case, I preferred the book, but this telly adaptation is so good. Starring Diane Kruger as a frazzled (yet beautiful) mum accused of seriously harming her baby, it deals with the fallout and the fragility and overwhelm of those early days of parenthood. But is she capable of hurting her child?”

Little disasters is available on Paramount+ and Amazon Prime

The Last of Us Season 2

The apocalyptic TV series based on the hit video game franchise, The Last of Us was back this year with Season 2, promising bigger and better things than the highly successful first season. Picking up several years after Season 1’s finale, this outing focuses more on Ellie (Bella Ramsey), with Joel (Pedro Pascal) also returning. Ellie juggles her growing responsibilities as a young adult with her growing relationship with Dina (Isabela Merced) in the town of Jackson, Wyoming. But trouble, including the arrival of Abby (Kaitlin Dever), is not far behind.

The Last of Us is available on Sky and NOW

The Studio

[profile-link]Seth Rogen[/profile-link]’s Hollywood satire, The Studio, arrived on Apple TV+ to glowing praise earlier this year, in part due to its accurate skewering of the film industry. Rogen plays a newly appointed Hollywood studio head who has a love and passion for filmmaking, but finds that what should be a dream job is highly stressful and frustrating.

“A total satirical mess created by and starring Seth Rogen. It’s a complete train-wreck (in a good way!), and I love how he brought in A-list stars (Martin Scorsese, Zoe Kravitz, etc.) to play elevated versions of themselves. Everyone really leans into making fun of themselves and Hollywood, and it’s a super funny, chaotic ride. Genuinely could not stop watching!”

The Studio is available on Apple tv and Amazon Prime Video