The Best TV Shows of 2025
From ghostly lore to mind-bending thrillers, the writers of Pop Culture Planet are sharing the Best Of 2025.
Abbott Elementary Seasons 4 and 5
Our favorite teachers at Abbott Elementary are still a delight to watch, especially with season 5 currently airing. I have loved watching this series since the beginning and the characters feel like family. When you think they can't possibly think of new stories solely based on being educators, you’re proven wrong and, amidst all the humor, the show has so much heart.
Abbott Elementary is available on Hulu.
- Paola Cardenas
Building The Band
Netflix gave us a brand new music competition series with Building The Band. I adored watching all the talented musicians create a band out of thin air and test their connections throughout the competition. Throughout every stage, each band owned their songs and entertained the hell out of the audience and judges. Music and a cash prize, what’s not to love?
Building The Band is currently streaming on Netflix.
- Paola Cardenas
Ghosts Seasons 4 and 5
This year brought us seasons 4 and 5 of Ghosts, which continues to dive even deeper into the lovable spirits living at Woodstone Manor. From new ghost powers to saving Jay from a Hell-ish fate, it’s always fun to see what shenanigans this found family gets up to. A top tier cast that continues to deliver!
Ghosts is streaming on Paramount+.
- Kristen Maldonado
Haunted Hotel
In Haunted Hotel, a single mom and her two kids inherit a haunted hotel from her late brother. Along with her brother’s ghost and a demon named Abaddon, they deal with evil demons, possessed hotel suites, and other entities while trying to make a living running the hotel.
Haunted Hotel is funny, spooky, and even heartfelt as these various hauntings bring the dysfunctional family together. The animation style is simple and clean, but they do really fun things with the monsters and creatures. There’s tons of Easter eggs and references to horror movies we all know and love. What I love most is the surprisingly solid world building that opens up endless possibilities to explore in Haunted Hotel.
Streaming now on Netflix.
- Kristen Maldonado
I Love LA
Thank you, Rachel Sennott! Her series I Love LA has been a joy to watch and was something I anticipated every Sunday. The whole cast is amazing, their chemistry is undeniable, and the humor is scarily relatable. Even cameos from pop culture icons like Quenlin Blackwell, Elijah Wood, and Ayo Edebiri make the series that much better.
I Love LA is available on HBO Max.
- Paola Cardenas
Matlock Season 2
It’s official, I’m addicted to Matlock! Kathy Bates plays Matty Matlock, a clever lawyer who lands a job at a prestigious law firm under false pretenses. While handling high-stakes cases, she’s secretly investigating her own personal mission to get justice for her late daughter.
Led by a strong cast, Matlock is equal parts funny and emotional. The show’s genuinely shocking twists and turns will keep you hooked. The cases often hit a personal note for the lawyers, but it’s Matty’s secret plot that keeps you on edge as each episode reveals how she digs deeper into her investigation without getting caught.
Matlock is streaming on Paramount+, with new episodes returning February 2026.
- Kristen Maldonado
Motorheads
In Motorheads, two siblings form an unlikely friendship with fellow high school outsiders as they bond over a love of cars and street racing. What they don’t expect is to uncover deep family secrets as they learn their missing father is the town’s racing urban legend.
It may not reinvent the wheel, but it’s full of heart, mystery, and legacy. Melissa Collazo’s stand out performance and the family secrets that permeate this small-town make it worth the ride.
Motorheads is streaming on Prime Video.
- Kristen Maldonado
On Brand With Jimmy Fallon
I was absolutely addicted to On Brand With Jimmy Fallon! On the competition show, Jimmy Fallon and Bozoma Saint John joined forces to challenge 10 creatives to bring original marketing campaigns to brands like Marshalls, Pillsbury, and Dunkin.’ You got to see each competitor pitch and execute fun and innovative ideas that then appeared in the world in real time, while sharing their own personal connections to the brands. As an award-winning social strategist *wink wink,* my new bucket list dream is to compete on season 2!
On Brand With Jimmy Fallon is streaming on Peacock.
- Kristen Maldonado
Overcompensating
Benito Skinner’s Overcompensating was my ultimate favorite series this year! It followed closeted college freshman Benny and his awkward yet hilarious journey. I can’t even put to words how hard I laughed this entire season. Every episode has its own charm, the main plot is so interesting to watch unfold, the side characters are campy, and the cast is one hilarious bunch. My personal favorite standout was Holmes portraying the raunchy Hailee.
Watch Overcompensating on Prime Video.
- Paola Cardenas
Paradise
Sterling K. Brown absolutely killed it in this year’s political thriller series Paradise. As someone who loves a mystery, Paradise kept me on my toes the entire way. I loved watching Sarah Shahi, James Marsden, and Julianne Nicholson portray their respective characters. The emotional scenes, the plot twists, and the betrayal made the show very enticing.
Paradise is on Hulu.
- Paola Cardenas
Pluribus
Rhea Seehorn’s Carol is the reluctant hero of Pluribus, which finds her as one of 12 “survivors” after an alien virus turns everyone on Earth into a happy mind hive.
The addictive new series does a brilliant job tackling questions of individuality, consent, and culture as it asks if a true utopia is even possible. A polarizing character, Carol isn’t always easy to like, but you understand her as she moves through anger, loneliness, and even romance. These emotional steps ultimately set the stage for her to accept the role she must play in saving the world.
Pluribus is streaming on Apple TV+.
- Kristen Maldonado
Running Point
Netflix brings together the girl boss talents of Mindy Kaling and Kate Hudson in Running Point. This charming comedy ambitiously blends together family dynamics, workplace shenanigans, and sports grit. With clever writing, high energy, and plenty of standout performances, you’ll fall in love with this world that is equal parts Ted Lasso and Succession — but with a Kaling twist. This may be Kaling’s best and most consistent TV show.
- Kristen Maldonado
School Spirits Season 2
The first season of School Spirits hooked us with its captivating mystery, ghostly lore, and shocking cliffhanger and it’s clear this is a show that hasn’t suffered a sophomore slump.
The introduction of the metaphysical space that is the ghost scars through a key item they died with was truly brilliant. It allowed us to learn more about the pasts and traumas of our ghostly characters, while also offering up hope that they could move past these emotional landscapes to go into the light. The intriguing ghost lore and teases that there are more secrets to uncover tied to Split River High have us all on the edge of our seats, but it’s the friendships that are the heart of the show.
The first two seasons of School Spirits are streaming on Paramount+.
- Kristen Maldonado
Severance Season 2
Work-life balance takes on a whole new meaning in Severance. The chilling second season dives even deeper into questions of identity and the strange, unsettling work going on at Lumon Industries.
Season 2 highlights include the fascinating switcheroo of Britt Lower’s characters Helly R and Helena, as well as the emotionally devastating “Chikhai Bardo” episode. It unravels Ms. Casey’s true origins, while giving Dichen Lachman the space to truly shine.
Severance is streaming on Apple TV+.
- Kristen Maldonado
The Studio
From the brilliant minds of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg comes The Studio, offering a satirical look at Hollywood’s elite and the world of moviemaking.
From its visuals to its self-referential commentary, the attention to detail in The Studio is impressive. You don’t know whether to root for the cast or cover your eyes over the messes they get into. With witty commentary and biting charm, this is clearly a show by cinephiles who have something to say and aren’t afraid to poke fun at the industry they love.
The Studio is streaming on Apple TV+.
The Way Home Season 3
The Way Home delivers reunions, romance, and plenty more time travel in its third season. I love that each season explores the ripples of history for the Landry family and Port Haven as a whole. We see how their actions affect each other, but also how patterns repeat. Beyond the time travel and mystery, the show is filled with heart. Each season dives deeper into the Landry family, showing how these women get closer, learn to communicate better, and uncover secrets that lead them to generational healing.
The Way Home remains an underrated gem as it delivers a masterful combination of time travel adventure and poignant family drama. With its emotional depth, complex characters, and unpredictable twists that keep viewers on the edge of their seats, Hallmark Channel has succeeded in making this show can’t miss television.
All three seasons of The Way Home are available on Hallmark+.
- Kristen Maldonado
Wednesday Season 2
The long-awaited season two of Wednesday had all of us shook at the finale. Continuing on the mysteries of Nevermore Academy and Wednesday’s family secrets, this season was so fun to watch. From Aunt Ophelia’s appearance to the deadpan humor, I can’t get enough of Wednesday and, yes, I’m still thinking about the Enid-Wednesday switch scene.
Wednesday is out now on Netflix.
- Paola Cardenas
You Season 5
The serial killer mystery You came to an end and we were in for a ride. As we say goodbye to Penn Badgley’s Joe Goldberg, we witness his last attempt at executing his twisted desires. It was enjoyable to watch Joe go back to his New York City roots and ultimately be punished for his actions in the end. The cherry on top? Having the tables turned on us for entertaining his story and desires.
All five seasons of You are streaming on Netflix.
- Paola Cardenas
