Postpone your weekend plans and binge-watch these amazing series.
You hear people sounding the death knell for TV ever so often. Whether it’s the rise of AI-generated content or algorithm-influenced stories, there are certainly forces that are dulling human imagination and creativity on the silver screen.
But when you look away from the doomsaying and focus on the best that TV has to offer, the picture couldn’t be any more different. From returning fan favourites and boundary-pushing sophomore seasons to bold new originals and one-of-a-kind limited series, 2025 has given us plenty of engrossing reasons to cancel plans and stay home and binge-watch.
And the best shows don’t just entertain — they often spark conversations about power, relationships, identity, and everything in between. Here are five standout series from the first half of 2025 that prove the golden age of television is still going strong.
The White Lotus S3
The luxury resort of The White Lotus checks in new guests — this time in sun-drenched Thailand — and checks off another killer season. With sacred temples, wellness retreats, and a healthy dose of satire, Season 3 digs into what happens when the ultra-wealthy go searching for spiritual meaning … and maybe just a great foot massage. Along the way, it sprinkles in intrigue with its whodunit aspect — it does, after all, start with a literal bang (we’re talking a gunshot).
A fresh new cast grace the series: BLACKPINK’s Lisa shines in her acting debut as Mook, a health mentor at the resort, while Aimee Lou Wood charms as a starry-eyed astrology girl tangled up in a questionable romance. Familiar faces like Jon Gries and Natasha Rothwell reprise their roles as Greg ‘Gary’ Hunt and spa manager Belinda Lindsey, respectively.
Throw all the winning elements together, and you get a star-studded drama with a juicy mystery simmering under the surface.
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This satire is set at a Thai resort and follows various guests and employees.
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The Last of Us S2
Five years after Season 1, Joel and Ellie are back — and things are more emotionally charged than ever. Their world is still the same: a civilisation left in ruins due to a fungus-based pandemic. But their dynamic — a surrogate father-daughter relationship — is forever changed. Ellie’s now 19 and still wrestling with the lie Joel told her about what really went down at the Firefly hospital at the end of Season 1. As their fragile bond is tested, a vengeful new character, Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), steps in with a personal mission that turns everything upside down. Staying true to its source material, The Last of Us S2 doubles down on what made Season 1 so compelling — heartache, horror, empathy, and moral murkiness — and dares you to ask a tough question: Who’s really the hero in this story?
Joel is hired to smuggle Ellie out of an oppressive quarantine zone.
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Joel is hired to smuggle Ellie out of an oppressive quarantine zone.
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The Studio
Hollywood takes a long, hard, and hilarious look in the mirror in The Studio. This biting satire takes a swing at the modern movie industry, where every executive decision is driven by data, intellectual property (IP), and the desperate hope of going viral.
Seth Rogen is at his comedic best as Matt Remick, a celebrity-obsessed film nerd who lands the job of studio head by pitching a blockbuster about … Kool-Aid (yes, really). As Matt stumbles through pitch meetings, ego clashes, and absurd corporate demands, The Studio pokes fun at the chaos behind the camera with long takes, A-list cameos (Martin Scorsese! Charlize Theron! Zoë Kravitz!), and surprisingly sharp questions about art vs commerce. It’s clever, chaotic, and a love letter to the movies — even the ridiculous ones.
With 23 Emmy noms and rave reviews, The Studio has earned its place as the most entertaining Hollywood roast in years.
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Seth Rogen leads this all-star comedy as a movie studio head trying to keep filmmaking alive and relevant.
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Severance S2
Three years after its mind-bending debut, Severance returns — and it’s even more unsettling. The employees of Lumon Industries are back to uncover more truths about the twisted company that lets them live two completely compartmentalised lives: one at work (which they call their ‘innie’), and one in the outside world (‘outie’).
The show’s Kubrickian cinematography and hauntingly discordant score contribute to its surreal atmosphere. Season 2 also dials up the existential horror to 11, as Mark (Adam Scott) and his colleagues begin to question what it really means to share a body with someone you’ll never meet. It’s eerie, emotional, and totally addictive — and fans are still debating what Lumon is really up to.
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The Pitt
No music. No glamour. Just 15 straight hours in a high-stress Pittsburgh emergency room (ER). The Pitt is a gripping medical drama that trades soapiness for surgical precision, with each episode of its 15-episode season representing one hour in a relentless trauma shift. Noah Wyle makes a triumphant return to TV as Dr Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch, leading a new team through chaos and heartbreak. Shot with brutal realism and praised for its authenticity (the actors worked with medical professionals to make sure they were portraying them accurately), The Pitt is raw, riveting, and Wyle’s Emmy-worthy comeback.
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A realistic examination of the challenges facing healthcare workers today.
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