While movies continue to eke out their existence, TV has remained a reliable outlet for creatives, with streaming platforms often stealing away some of our best modern storytellers. We obviously could not watch every show this year, but these are the ones that grabbed our attention and did not let go.
Plur1bus
Rhea Seehorn in “Pluribus,” premiering November 7, 2025 on Apple TV+.
As of this writing, Plur1bus is just over halfway through its first season, and yet the powerhouse duo of Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn have already delivered another captivating experience. This time they’ve given us a strange, slow-burning science fiction story that could be about any number of things, and probably is. Gilligan has teased a five-season plan, and while his trademark pacing means the big answers are still ahead, every moment of character development and world-building so far has been deeply rewarding.
Death by Lightning
Michael Shannon as President James Garfield in Netflix’s Death by Lightning (Credit: Larry Horricks/Netflix)
In a timeline many would call the worst one, it’s heartbreaking to revisit moments when a better future might have been possible. Death by Lightning explores just such a crossroads, where desperation, mental illness, and fleeting idealism collided in an era defined by corruption. The series mirrors our present day with uncomfortable precision, revealing how often the well-intentioned fall while the corrupt survive and thrive.
Toxic Town
Toby Eden as Connor and Jodie Whittaker as Susan. (Photo Credit:
Ben Blackall/Netflix)
If you put Jodie Whittaker at the center of a series, chances are I’ll love it, even more so when the show has as much to say as Toxic Town. Based on a real case, the series follows a group of mothers whose children were born with severe limb deformities as they gradually realize that the ongoing reclamation of a nearby factory is the likely cause of their suffering. Even if you know how the series ends from the beginning, watching these women come together in their fight is no less impactful. The reminder that this battle, and the progress born from it, is so recent makes the story resonate all the more.
With You and the Rain
With You and the Rain (Source: https://amekimi-anime.com/)
As an older anime viewer, it can be hard to see yourself in the endless parade of young shonen heroes, especially with isekai still dominating the landscape. Every so often, though, a quiet and unexpected series arrives that offers not just a mirror but also a small pocket of peace you want to stay in.
With You and the Rain is exactly that. The show follows Fuji, a shy young writer who gives up her umbrella and decides to embrace the rain. Soon after, she meets an abandoned dog with surprisingly articulate note-writing skills. She adopts him, names him You, and from there the story unfolds in a series of gentle, low-stakes adventures. There are no twists, battles, or melodrama — only Fuji and You existing together in a calm, rain-soaked world.
If Polar Bear Café is the closest comparison, With You and the Rain is even softer, less focused on comedy and more on atmosphere. The show feels like the quiet serenity of sitting in a warm bath with your pet nearby while the rain falls outside.
Task
Mark Ruffalo and Alison Oliver in Task on HBO Max (Photograph by Peter Kramer/HBO)
Brad Ingelsby created a vivid sense of place in Mare of Easttown, blending a grounded character study with gripping crime drama. Task continues that approach, but here the story unfolds with the weight and inevitability of a Shakespearean tragedy. We may not know exactly how events will develop, but the sense of fate circling every character is unmistakable.
Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey give standout performances, supported by an excellent ensemble. The series pulls you through each episode not with shock twists but with the inescapable consequences of choices its characters are fated to make.
Murderbot
Alexander Skarsgård in “Murderbot,” now streaming on Apple TV.
Despite its ominous title, Murderbot is one of the funniest shows of the year. Alexander Skarsgård’s dry, understated performance as the titular bot is a delight, and the friction between him and the almost hippie-like science crew he’s assigned to protect creates unexpectedly warm chemistry. Paired with a mysterious, possibly corporate threat, the show feels like a peculiar mix of Alien and something far more playful, almost as if the Muppets wandered into a James Cameron world.
Dept. Q
Matthew Goode as DCI Carl Morck in Dept. Q (Photo Credit: Justin Downing/Netflix)
Dept. Q feels unmistakably like a novel brought to life, with rich characters, deliberate pacing, and an engrossing central mystery. It’s elevated by striking cinematography, sharp writing, and a strong cast.
Matthew Goode anchors the series as DCI Carl Morck, a man not as broken as many Nordic noir detectives but certainly not whole. Alexej Manvelov, Jamie Sives, Leah Byrne, and Kelly Macdonald all excel in their supporting roles. With a bleak and compelling case at its core, it’s no surprise viewers are already eager for a second season.
Lazarus
Lazarus (Source: Adult Swim/HBO Max)
When anime fans hear that Shinichirō Watanabe — creator of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo — has released a new series about a crew of rogues searching for an antidote to a humanity-threatening drug, excitement should be immediate. Yet Lazarus, which debuted quietly on HBO Max this summer, has flown under the radar.
With one of the largest casts Watanabe has ever handled, the show still finds room for the archetypes fans expect: a lead blending elements of Spike, Dandy, and Mugen, a lively supporting crew, and richly textured world-building. While some viewers may avoid pandemic-adjacent themes, Lazarus deserves the same attention normally given to top-tier anime of its kind.
Adolescence
Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller, Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, in Adolescence (Photo Credit: Ben Blackall/Netflix)
Few series this year hit as hard as Adolescence. Even without its striking visual style, the performances and timely narrative would make it essential viewing. Stephen Graham, who co-created the show, doesn’t give himself an easy role as a father grappling with the crimes his son may have committed, and the show’s bold camera work mirrors that emotional intensity.
The breakout, however, is Owen Cooper as young Jamie, the alleged perpetrator at the center of the story. With long takes and emotionally raw scenes, Cooper proves he can command the screen both on his own and opposite seasoned actors like Graham. Though it’s perhaps one of the toughest watches of the year, these performances — and the incredible writing — demonstrate why it’s a must-watch.
Andor: Season 2
Andor Season 2 (Source: Disney+)
After what I felt was an incredibly slow first five episodes in Season 1, Andor quickly evolved into a show that could do no wrong. Its cast rose to astounding heights, its writing sharpened into something unmistakably urgent, and its eerie reflections of our own world made every episode resonate more deeply. Ghorman, though fictional, should serve as much a rallying cry in Andor’s universe as it does in ours, especially as we confront our own encroaching authoritarian tendencies.
