Best TV Shows of 2025: New Series to Watch Now
(Photo by Apple/Courtesy Everett Collection. STICK.)
The latest: Week 2 of June brings us the Owen Wilson wow to TV with Stick: Season 1.
June kicks off with Adults S1(FX), And Just Like That…: Season 3 (Max), and Dept Q S1 (Netflix).
We close off May with these Certified Fresh new additions: Forever: Season 1 (Netflix), Murderbot: Season 1 (Apple TV+), Miss Austen: Limited Series (BBC), Duster: Season 1 (Max), Sirens: Season 1 (Netflix), Pee-wee as Himself S1 (Max), The Morning Show S3 (Apple).
Welcome to our guide of the Best TV Shows of 2025, featuring every Certified Fresh series as they come in week by week! (If you were looking for the previous edition to this list featuring the best of 2024, see its new home as every 2024 Certified Fresh series.)
#1
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90%
Critics Consensus: Blessed to have the late Paul Reubens feature in candid conversation, Pee-wee as Himself is a revelatory glimpse at the complicated man behind a beloved comic creation.
#2
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89%
Critics Consensus: An addictive mix of expressive animation, heady concepts, and an offbeat sense of humor, Common Side Effects is a must-have prescription.
#3
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78%
Critics Consensus: Wolf Hall returns after a decade away without missing a beat, retaining its razor-sharp intelligence along with the irresistible alchemy of Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis’ performances.
#4
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70%
Critics Consensus: A difficult watch made riveting by director Justin Kurzel and star Jacob Elordi’s sterling work, The Narrow Road to the Deep North chronicles the inhumanity of war with fierce intelligence.
#5
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75%
Critics Consensus: Layering cultural specificity over its gripping mystery, Get Millie Black is an addictive procedural with a breakout performance by Tamara Lawrance as its center.
#6
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79%
Critics Consensus: Warm as a winter coat and full of lovable characters from an interesting milieu, North of North is a sweet example of a show that doesn’t need high drama to be addictive.
#7
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83%
Critics Consensus: Expertly paced and given a rich emotional core by its outstanding ensemble, Toxic Town dramatizes an inspiring true story with compelling conviction.
#8
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73%
Critics Consensus: Stylistically bold and beautifully acted from top to bottom, Adolescence is a masterclass in televisual storytelling and a searing viewing experience that scars.
#9
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80%
Critics Consensus: Jaunty and sweet but never flippant, Dying for Sex leverages wonderful performances from Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate to present a bittersweet ode to living life to its fullest.
#10
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73%
Critics Consensus: Jack Reacher finally picks a fight with someone his own size in this crunchy third season, reliably doling out justice to foes and satisfaction to viewers.
#11
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95%
Critics Consensus: Never fear, Nathan Fielder is here to solve air travel safety and further his frustrated quest for human connection in a second Rehearsal that’s just as audacious, cringey, and uproariously funny as the first.
#12
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89%
Critics Consensus: Investing startling conviction and gravity into the Star Wars sandbox, Andor‘s superb second season lights a fire of rebellion that heats up the screen.
#13
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80%
Critics Consensus: Alexander Skarsgård’s superbly dry wit brings a lot of heart to Murderbot, making for a refreshingly jaunty sci-fi saga about finally coming out of one’s shell.
#14
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62%
Critics Consensus: Embracing the wholesome aesthetics of the webslinger’s original comic run while adding some fresh plot wrinkles, this family-friendly Spider-Man is a lovable incarnation of the Marvel superhero.
#15
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67%
Critics Consensus: Pitting Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder’s dynamic duo against each other on the mountaintop of success, Hacks finds fresh ways to mine comedic gold from one of television’s most compelling relationships.
#16
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86%
Critics Consensus: Cleverly plotted and a wonderful showcase for star David Mitchell’s brainy charm, Ludwig is a thoroughly pleasant mystery series that stays light on its feet.
#17
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89%
Critics Consensus: A thoroughly modern adaptation of Judy Blume’s novel that retains its insight into young love, Forever is an effervescent romance that’ll put an everlasting smile on viewers’ faces.
#18
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83%
Critics Consensus: Growing more confident in its execution while putting its best elements front and center, The Wheel of Time‘s third season is its best yet.
#19
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81%
Critics Consensus: With the ineffable Kaitlin Olson on hand to inject some spiky personality into a familiar formula, High Potential is a solid procedural with plenty of upside.
#20
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85%
Critics Consensus: A tasty crime caper where the laughs come first, Deli Boys busts a gut with Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh’s bumbling chemistry and Poorna Jagannathan’s scene-stealing turn.
#21
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Critics Consensus: Packed with keen insights into the Arab American experience and even more off-color jokes, #1 Happy Family USA is a riotously funny animated comedy that might not be fit for the whole family but is a worthwhile tribute to it.
#22
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91%
Critics Consensus: Mo is still full of mirth even as world events weigh heavily on its shoulders in this second and final season, carrying the load with characteristic grace.
#23
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78%
Critics Consensus: As ribald as any self-respecting campus comedy but with a disarmingly sweet core, Overcompensating has nothing to make up for as it proves creator-star Benito Skinner to be the real deal.
#24
94%
84%
Critics Consensus: Setting the trials and tribulations of hospital life on a timer, The Pitt combines multiple tried-and-true formulas to create a bracingly fresh medical drama.
#25
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57%
Critics Consensus: Ncuti Gatwa’s sly Time Lord has an excellent new foil in Varada Sethu, helping steer this latest slate of Doctor Who adventures on a starry path.
#26
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74%
Critics Consensus: Savvy enough to impress even the most studious of film buffs, The Studio fights the good fight for a better Hollywood while eliciting huge laughs at its expense.
#27
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37%
Critics Consensus: Grabbing onto thorny moral questions with its bare hands, The Last of Us‘ second season is a challenging expansion that retains its predecessor’s superb performances and verisimilitude.
#28
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84%
Critics Consensus: Making great use of Josh Holloway’s rugged charm and a retro aesthetic that recalls 1970s television, Duster slaps a fresh coat of paint on a vintage vehicle.
#29
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Critics Consensus: Blessed with a terrific ensemble, Miss Austen does right by the celebrated author even as it lives in the shadow of her most accomplished works.
#30
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59%
Critics Consensus: Instead of reshuffling its winning formula, Poker Face‘s second season doubles down on the winning virtues of its predecessor and scores a jackpot.
#31
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78%
Critics Consensus: Punching up an intriguing era of British history with creator Steven Knight’s flare for genre grit, A Thousand Blows is riveting entertainment that leaves a bruise.
#32
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73%
Critics Consensus: The prognosis is promising for St. Denis Medical, a tart and well-cast addition to the tried-and-true mockumentary sitcom genre.
#33
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43%
Critics Consensus: Setting its characters on a collision course with their own personal reckonings amid a desperate push against fascism, The Handmaid’s Tale concludes on a high note.
#34
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83%
Critics Consensus: Like the sitcoms of yore, this new age Norman Lear production boasts an uplifting, heart-filled world in tune with the stylish workings of the one and only, Laverne Cox.
#35
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80%
Critics Consensus: Harkening back to the classic sitcom formula while unafraid to have a contemporary, risqué sense of humor, Mid-Century Modern is endearingly old-fashioned.
#36
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80%
Critics Consensus: Resurrecting Charlie Cox’s Daredevil with his virtues intact — namely Vincent D’Onofrio as his terrifying adversary — Born Again is an ambitious and at times ungainly crime saga that marks a mature tonal shift for the MCU.
#37
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83%
Critics Consensus: Teeming with heady concepts and themes, Paradise is an overstuffed but addictively ambitious reunion of Sterling K. Brown and creator Dan Fogelman.
#38
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91%
Critics Consensus: By giving each member of its ragtag team of lovable kids their time to shine, Win or Lose bats close to a perfect game.
#39
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85%
Critics Consensus: Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura might be punching below their weight with Dope Thief‘s derivative story, but that doesn’t stop them from making this thriller a riveting ride.
#40
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38%
Critics Consensus: Growing more assured in its second season, The Night Agent executes its mission to entertain with no muss or fuss.
#41
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76%
Critics Consensus: Darker and more patient with its storytelling than previous seasons while brandishing a superb new ensemble full of acidic performances, The White Lotus‘ third season offers a spiritual respite that shivs the soul.
#42
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78%
Critics Consensus: The Residence situates itself in the White House for a lighthearted murder mystery that won’t tax the brain, but Uzo Aduba’s eccentric sleuth brings a welcome level of sophistication to proceedings.
#43
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74%
Critics Consensus: Responding to a world that’s become just as technologically anxious as one of its speculative horror stories, Black Mirror refreshingly tacks toward more humanistic and hopeful tales in a superb return to form.
#44
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77%
Critics Consensus: An affectionate ode to the beauty of ballet and the difficult personalities behind it, Étoile isn’t as tonally nimble as previous Sherman-Palladino series but packs plenty of the same charms.
#45
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73%
Critics Consensus: Coating its tart tale in a sugary veneer, Apple Cider Vinegar‘s indictment of snake oil influencers finds a memorable avatar in Kaitlyn Dever’s crisp performance.
#46
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50%
Critics Consensus: You wisely wraps things up just before Joe Goldberg’s murderous machinations become stale, delivering a final season that ought to satisfy most viewers’ morbid curiosity.
#47
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77%
Critics Consensus: Gruesome enough to induce giggles and riding on Kevin Bacon’s devilish charm, The Bondsman tracks down the horror comedy goods in scruffy style.
#48
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94%
Critics Consensus: In a sea of generic crime dramas, Dept. Q stakes it’s claim amongst the thrilling, enthralling, and sublime thanks to a winning cast and veteran creative Scott Frank.
#49
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81%
Critics Consensus: An acidly witty riff on breaking bad, Your Friends & Neighbors‘ class commentary occasionally stumbles but has an endlessly watchable avatar in star Jon Hamm.
#50
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81%
Critics Consensus: Kate Hudson continuously makes three-pointer shots with her dynamite charisma in Running Point, carrying this amusing series while it straightens out its game strategy.
#51
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87%
Critics Consensus: Often as maddening as the true story it dramatizes, Lockerbie‘s labyrinthine journey through complicated history is given a compelling center by Colin Firth.
#52
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28%
Critics Consensus: Having finally shaken off the rust while beginning to act its own age, And Just Like That… gets comfortable in its own skin in this much-improved third season.
#53
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59%
Critics Consensus: Welcoming as a lakeside vista and occasionally just as placid, The Four Seasons isn’t as breezily funny as creator Tina Fey’s best work but often just as witty and wise.
#54
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68%
Critics Consensus: While this satire’s scattershot aim at thorny topics doesn’t hit every target, Hugh Bonneville’s expertly hapless performance makes it a squirmy pleasure to watch.
#55
75%
60%
Critics Consensus: Sirens sings a tune tried and true thanks to laudable performances by Julianne Moore, Meghann Fahy, and Milly Alcock.
#56
75%
13%
Critics Consensus: Leaning into its soapier elements while bolstering an already star-studded cast with some welcome additions, The Morning Show upgrades from a shaky prestige program into an addictive guilty pleasure.
#57
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77%
Critics Consensus: Tom Hardy’s gruff charisma is put to good use in MobLand, a gangster saga that hardly reinvents the genre but nails its conventions with crunchy style and memorable performances.
#58
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83%
Critics Consensus: Every generation deserves its own sitcom of likable screwups, and Adults more or less delivers one for Gen-Z with its ensemble of funny and maddening strivers.
