Staying home this holiday season means you can dive into 2025’s most talked-about TV series without braving crowds or bad weather.
Dept. Q
Matthew Goode leads as a curmudgeonly detective who assembles a team of misfits to solve cold cases. The series is based on a Danish book series and has been renewed for a second season. Goode’s history of late-add roles includes Downton Abbey, The Crown, and The Good Wife. The show streams on Netflix.
- Matthew Goode stars as detective.
- Based on Danish book series.
- Renewed for season two.
- Available on Netflix.
Paradise
Sterling K. Brown stars as a U.S. Secret Service agent who arrives to find the president dead. The drama blends sci-fi and mystery elements and has already attracted a large audience. It was renewed for a second season and added Shailene Woodley to the cast. The series is available on Hulu.
- Sterling K. Brown leads.
- Sci-fi mystery plot.
- Renewed for season two with Shailene Woodley.
- Streams on Hulu.
Love Island USA
The seventh season of Love Island USA introduced a fresh cast of singles at a Fiji villa, with contestants pairing up, facing eliminations, and bombshell arrivals. The format split the men and women for a week of new episodes, then re-introduced them with new cast members. The season aired five nights a week and sparked widespread social media buzz. It is available on Peacock.
- New cast each season.
- Fiji villa setting.
- Weekly eliminations and bombshells.
- Streams on Peacock.
The Pitt
Noah Wyle returns to lead a Pittsburgh trauma center emergency room, a role that earned him a Primetime Emmy for acting and producing. The series won several Emmy awards this year, including best drama series. Season two is slated to premiere in early January. The show streams on HBO Max.
- Noah Wyle leads.
- Emmy-winning series.
- Season two early January.
- Available on HBO Max.
The Studio
Seth Rogen portrays Matt Remick, the head of a Hollywood studio, in a show that satirizes show business. The supporting cast features Catherine O’Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, and Chase Sui Wonders, while Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, and Olivia Wilde play heightened versions of themselves. Rogen has earned Emmys for acting, directing, producing, and writing on the series. A second season is in development and the series streams on Apple TV.
- Seth Rogen stars.
- Inside-showbiz satire.
- Rogen Emmys in multiple roles.
- Second season in works.
- Available on Apple TV.
Adolescence
This limited series follows a teenage boy accused of murder, with each of its four episodes shot in a single continuous take after extensive rehearsals. The show introduced Owen Cooper, a newcomer who had never had a professional acting job before. Cooper, Stephen Graham, and Erin Doherty all received Emmy awards for their performances. The series streams on Netflix.
- Four continuous-shot episodes.
- Owen Cooper’s breakthrough role.
- Emmy winners: Cooper, Graham, Doherty.
- Available on Netflix.
The Beast in Me
Claire Danes, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and Matthew Rhys star together in The Beast in Me. Danes plays a writer battling severe writer’s block, while Rhys portrays a real estate developer suspected of his first wife’s disappearance. The show explores their intertwined narratives. It is available on Netflix.
- Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys lead.
- Danes is Pulitzer-winning author.
- Rhys’s character a missing-wife suspect.
- Streams on Netflix.
St. Denis Medical
Debuting in November 2024, St. Denis Medical is a workplace mockumentary set at an Oregon hospital featuring Wendi McLendon-Covey, Allison Tolman, and David Alan Grier. The series has attracted renewed interest and is now considered a 2025 debut. It follows the hospital staff’s daily antics and challenges. The show streams on Peacock.
- Workplace mockumentary.
- Cast: McLendon-Covey, Tolman, Grier.
- Debuted Nov 2024, now 2025.
- Available on Peacock.
The Paper
The Paper attempts to spin off The Office by focusing on a small newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, while retaining mockumentary style. The series features Oscar Martinez, the accountant from The Office, as a recurring character, but avoids directly copying the original cast. It offers running jokes and quirky personalities that resonate with fans. A second season is in development and the series streams on Peacock.
- Mockumentary about Toledo newspaper.
- Oscar Martinez returns.
- Distinct from The Office characters.
- Second season in works.
- Available on Peacock.
Forever
Forever adapts the 1975 Judy Blume novel into a contemporary series about a young couple navigating first love in Los Angeles. Lead actors Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. deliver strong performances, supported by Karen Pittman. The storyline follows the couple’s highs and lows, mirroring the original novel’s themes. A second season is confirmed and the series streams on Netflix.
- Contemporary take on Judy Blume novel.
- Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. lead.
- Karen Pittman supports.
- Second season confirmed.
- Available on Netflix.
Key Takeaways
- 2025 offers a mix of crime dramas, sci-fi thrillers, reality hits, and award-winning series.
- Several shows have earned Emmy recognition, from The Pitt to Adolescence.
- Renewals and new seasons keep audiences engaged across Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, HBO Max, and Apple TV.
The year’s standout series showcase fresh storytelling, stellar performances, and a variety of formats that keep viewers hooked from the comfort of their own homes.
