Video streaming services are releasing new originals at breakneck speeds as each one tries to capture people’s attention—and money. We keep tabs on everything that’s released from the major players each month, and I have a few tips for making sense of your watch queue, but which shows from 2025 deserve your time? I’ve rounded up some of the top originals from Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV. Some are brand-new in 2025, while others returned with must-watch seasons. Let me know if I missed any of your favorites in the comments.
The Best Dramas of 2025
These dramas prove that messy can be entertaining. From teenage angst to emotional trauma in the ER, these shows were some of the best.
The Gilded Age, Season 3
The Gilded Age comes from Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey, which should give you an idea of its tone. In this tale of high-society New Yorkers in the late 1800s, he mines similar themes of class and money, with an American twist. It debuted in 2022, but this year’s third season really ramped up the drama. For fans of period shows, it’s a must-watch.
Service: HBO Max / Director: Michael Engler / Cast: Carrie Coon, Louisa Jacobson, Morgan Spector / Genre: Period drama / Rating: TV-MA / Released: 2025 (season 3) / IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
The Pitt
The Pitt is a fast-paced drama set in an emergency room over the course of a single shift. I’m usually not one for medical shows, and there is some on-screen gore, but The Pitt is mostly about human connections. Find out why it landed Noah Wyle his first Emmy and bested Severance for best drama before the show returns for season two on Jan. 8.
Service: HBO Max / Director: Damian Marcano / Cast: Ned Brower, Noah Wyle, Patrick Ball / Genre: Drama / Rating: TV-MA / Released: 2025 / IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
The Summer I Turned Pretty, Season 3
Who doesn’t love a good will they or won’t they teenage drama? Season three of The Summer I Turned Pretty launched on Prime Video this summer, and had everyone asking if you were Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah. Fans of Dawson’s Creek or The Outer Banks who are missing the summer vibes should add this one to the watchlist.
Service: Amazon Prime Video / Director: Jesse Peretz / Cast: Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno / Genre: Drama / Rating: TV-14 / Released: 2025 (season 3) / IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Pluribus
Pluribus is a buzzy drama from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan. Here, he gives Saul star Rhea Seehorn the lead role as a grumpy writer who finds herself immune from a virus that has turned 99% of humanity into a creepy Stepford-style hive mind. It’s a unique sci-fi adventure and meditation on existence wrapped into one. It just nabbed Seehorn her first Golden Globe nomination.
Service: Apple TV / Director: Vince Gilligan / Cast: Rhea Seehorn, Karolina Wydra, Carlos-Manuel Vesga / Genre: Drama / Rating: TV-MA / Released: 2025 / IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
The Best Comedies of 2025
From light and breezy quips to laugh-out-loud gags, these are some of the best shows providing comic relief this year.
Hacks, Season 4
It’s no mystery why Hacks has cleaned up at every award show since its 2021 debut. The chemistry between legendary stand-up comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), the young writer hired to help revitalize Deborah’s act, is electric, with the two trading brutal barbs over four seasons.
Service: HBO Max / Director: Lucia Aniello / Cast: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins / Genre: Comedy / Rating: TV-MA / Released: 2025 (season 4) / IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy, Season 3
I wasn’t expecting to be captivated by a 30-minute travel show, but Eugene Levy knows how to turn awkward situations into funny moments. In season three, this (former?) homebody takes a road trip through Louisiana, explores Canada’s west coast with Michael Bublé, and gets a tour of Windsor Castle from Prince William, among other adventures. It’s the show’s best season yet, blending subtle comedy, tender moments, and notable guests.
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Service: Apple TV / Director: James Callum / Cast: Eugene Levy / Genre: Travel / Rating: TV-PG / Released: 2025 (season 3)/ IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Upload, Season 4
For anyone unaware, Upload comes from Greg Daniels, creator of The Office and Parks and Rec, among others. The show, now in its fourth and final season, is a light-hearted take on death and virtual reality. While it plays it fast and loose with the technology portion, there are genuinely funny moments.
Service: Amazon Prime Video / Director: Jeffrey Blitz / Cast: Robbie Amell, Andy Allo, Allegra Edwards / Genre: Comedy / Rating: TV-MA / Released: 2025 (season 4) / IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
The Best Thrillers of 2025
The best thrillers keep you to the edge of your seat and these shows offered mystery at every turn.
Slow Horses, Season 5
Arguably the best show of 2025, the fifth season of Slow Horses continues to refine the British spy thriller genre, this time focused on reject spies. It’s lean, with only six episodes per season, but it makes the most of its time with sharp writing and brilliant acting led by Gary Oldman. It’s best to start the series at the beginning to get the full context, and there’s plenty to watch; season six and seven already got the green light.
Recommended by Our Editors
Service: Apple TV / Director: Adam Randall / Cast: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas / Genre: Thriller / Rating: TV-MA / Released: 2025 (season 5) / IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Paradise
This show is much bigger than it seems, but the only thing to know going into it is that a Secret Service agent (Sterling K. Brown) finds the president (James Marsden) dead in the White House. By the end of the first episode, the show’s premise will be fleshed out, but try to avoid spoilers ahead of time. This show isn’t flawless, but it has a lot of cool ideas and might blow your mind.
Service: Hulu / Director: Glenn Ficarra / Cast: Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson, James Marsden / Genre: Drama, Thriller / Rating: TV-MA / Released: 2025 / IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Dept. Q
How do you even begin to investigate your own shooting? Matthew Goode plays a detective struggling to deal with the trauma of near-death, while also digging through cold cases to solve other dead ends. This is an intense show, but one that finds multiple ways to keep you engaged and guessing. It’s been renewed for season two.
Service: Netflix / Director: Scott Frank / Cast: Matthew Goode, Alexej Manvelov, Chloe Pirrie / Genre: Thriller / Rating: TV-MA / Released: 2025 / IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Severance, Season 2
The second season of Apple’s psychological thriller digs deeper into the lives of those who decided to sever themselves into two personas, one for work (their innie) and one for the rest of their lives (outie). What rights do the innies have and can you really ever escape yourself? Please enjoy the various conspiracies equally.
Service: Apple TV / Director: Ben Stiller / Cast: Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry / Genre: Thriller / Rating: TV-MA / Released: 2025 (season 2) / IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
The Last of Us, Season 2
Video games have a unique, interactive way of telling a story that doesn’t always translate to the screen. In the case of The Last of Us, it worked well in season one, and the second season this year did a fantastic job of continuing the (sometimes devastating) story holistically. Even if you never played the game or don’t care for zombie tales, this show has a knack for making you care about the characters.
Service: HBO Max / Director: / Cast: Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal, Kaitlyn Dever / Genre: Thriller / Rating: TV-MA / Released: 2025 / IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
About Our Expert
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I’ve contributed to PCMag since 2019, covering Apple, electric vehicles, and lots of other consumer electronics. If a gadget plugs into a wall or uses a battery, there’s a good chance I’ve tested it and have some thoughts about its place in our daily lives. I write featured articles, how-to guides, and daily news.
I got my first taste of writing about technology for Fast Company in 2013, mostly how it intersected with the music industry. Since then I’ve written for dozens of publications and explored all other facets of service journalism, from reviews to buying guides. At one point, I took a break from journalism for a few years to work at a technology startup and then an industry Goliath, both valuable experiences in understanding how the business of tech works from top to bottom.
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