It’s never too early to start talking about the best shows of 2025 so far.
There’s been a ton of titles to stream from the best streaming services already this year. Because it’s my job, I’ve already streamed 24 TV shows this year.
Full disclosure, some of these shows are partial seasons that ended in 2025, like “Landman” or “Silo.” Others are still releasing new episodes like “Dope Thief” or “Daredevil: Born Again.”
But still, 24 is a good selection of shows from Netflix, Hulu, Max and more. It’s not everything — I still have yet to watch “Adolescence” — but it’s a fairly comprehensive list.
More importantly, because I’ve streamed these shows, it means you don’t have to. That means no suffering through a bad show, because I’ve already picked out the best of the best for you to watch.
So, without further ado, here are the five best shows of 2025 so far that you need to stream right now.
My top 5 shows of 2025 so far
5. ‘Severance’ season 2 (Apple TV Plus)
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I loved the “Severance” season 2 premiere; I was less thrilled with the “Severance” season 2 finale. This show seemingly promised an incredible retro-futuristic world but ultimately delivered a questionably-paced story about star-crossed lovers.
That said, there’s no denying that Apple TV Plus’s thriller show is masterfully crafted on the technical side of things. The cinematography is breathtaking and on par with Oscar-worthy filmmaking. The score is impeccable. Some scenes and episodes are some of the best you’ll ever watch on TV.
So for its unevenness, it’s fifth on this list rather than first. But I simply couldn’t leave something this well-made off my best shows of the year … yet.
Stream now on Apple TV Plus
4. ‘Shoresy’ season 4 (Hulu)
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I’ll fully concede that I’m likely the only TV critic to have “Shoresy” ranked this high on their shows of the year list. But when you’re the funniest show on TV right now, you earn a high spot in my rankings.
If you’ve never heard of “Shoresy,” you might be somewhat familiar with “Letterkenny.” The former spun off of the latter, but both Canadian comedies feature show creator Jared Keeso front and center.
In this comedy, Keeso stars as the titular Shoresy, a journeyman semi-pro Canadian hockey player who starts the show as a member of the Sudbury Bulldogs but by season 4 is forced to transition from playing hockey into something greater. What that is, he’s still discovering.
This show is surprisingly emotionally deep, but make no mistake, it’s also raunchy and hysterical. If you don’t like locker-room talk, “Shoresy” season 4 might not be for you, but otherwise, you should start streaming it right now.
Stream now on Hulu
3. ‘The Agency’ (Paramount Plus with Showtime)
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This is the lone entry on this list that didn’t have its full season air during 2025. Only the final four episodes of the 10-episode first season debuted on Paramount Plus this year.
But they were an incredible four episodes. While “The Agency” started a bit slow, it quickly picked up as the season went on and ended with a season finale that literally gave me chills.
Is “The Agency” as good as “The Bureau,” the French show it’s adapting? The jury is still out on that, but this spy thriller starring Michael Fassbender is one of the best shows I’ve watched this year. It’s one of three spy thrillers from last year that I declared a must-watch.
Stream now on Paramount Plus with Showtime
2. ‘Paradise’ (Hulu)
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“Paradise” was incredible. I’ll be shocked if it’s not still on this list by the year’s end.
Starring Sterling K. Brown as a Secret Service agent to an assassinated president, this political thriller was a masterclass in story building, layering in twist after twist while managing to pay them all off by season’s end, or at least enough to propel us into season 2.
Frankly, I’ve struggled between anointing this show or the next one as my current titleholder for the show of the year. “Paradise” episode 7, “The Day,” hits you like a nuclear bomb and will leave you feeling genuinely unsettled.
That’s followed up by a satisfying season finale that had me ready to declare “Paradise” as the show of the year. While it no longer holds that top spot, it’s still a must-watch show.
Stream now on Hulu
1. ‘The Pitt’ (Max)
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“The Pitt” is incredible.
This medical drama is part “E.R.” and part “24” and by the end of its 15-episode run, it might hold a similar spot in the greatest shows ever discussion. Starring “E.R.” vet Noah Wyle as Dr. Robby Robinavitch, the show follows him and his colleagues at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital over the course of a 15-hour shift.
If you did the math, that means that each hour covers an hour of the emergency room shift, hence the “24” comparison. But despite covering just mere hours in the lives of the characters, it manages to accomplish incredible world-building and character development.
It also excels at being realistic, something the medical worker community has praised it for, and at paying off its numerous storylines. Storylines can run throughout episodes, even taking an episode off, but then come back with devastating effect. Episode 8, “2:00 P.M.,” had me crying.
But in the most recent episode, the show shifts tone and focus, centering around a single, all-encompassing storyline. That shift produces one of the best episodes of TV I’ve seen all year, only surpassed by episode 7 of “Paradise.” If you’re not watching this show already, you need to start now before the season finale on April 10.
Stream now on Max
Malcolm McMillan
Malcolm has been with Tom’s Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He’s not one to shy away from a hot take, including that “John Wick” is one of the four greatest films ever made.
Here’s what he’s been watching lately:
