It’s been an exciting year of television so far in 2025. It’s seen the of long-awaited return of shows like Severance, and Charlie Cox as Daredevil in Daredevil: Born Again seven years after Netflix canceled the original series. It also seemingly revived medical dramas with The Pitt (or maybe The Pitt is just so good it revived the genre anyway). No matter what happened in television this year so far, whether it crushed you or comforted you, there’s no question that television is killing it this year. Below, InBetweenDrafts staff breaks down the best shows of 2025 … so far.
Adults
Aw, adulthood. A destination everyone aspires to only to find it’s hell when you get there. But in FX’s Adults, the trials and tribulations of adulthood — from healthcare, jobs, dating, house maintenance, checking the mail – is all endurable with a group of quirky barely hanging on friends. Anton, Issa, Paul Baker, Samir, and Billie adjust to their mid-twenties together over the course of the show’s increasingly funny eight episodes, ending in a sure-to-be-messy premise for a possible season two.
The show’s only downside is the short episode count. There’s clearly more room to get to know these characters and watch them hilariously fumble through all sorts of situations together, but what Adults showcases in its first season is a sharp wit and a reminder that adulthood sucks, but it sucks a little less with your friends. — Katey Stoetzel
Andor Season 2
After a fantastic first season, Andor Season 2 had to speed-run to the start of Rogue One. But Andor handled the quick timeline amazingly while pacing out the necessary parts of Cassian Andor’s climb to the rebel cause. As a result, the second season is told across four three-episode arcs, detailing a moment in time each year until Rogue One. While some arcs were more interesting than others, Andor’s unflinching gaze into the rise of fascism certainly grounded the show in reality even more. Its strongest entry were episodes seven through nine, a masterclass in crafting tension not just across one episode, but across arcs.
Usually described as the Star Wars show that doesn’t feel like a Star Wars show, Andor always carried moments of hope, and never moreso than in Season 2’s darkest hours. Knowing Cassian’s fate in Rogue One doesn’t undermine that hope either. At the end of the day, Andor makes the case for exploring the regular people fighting against the Empire. And in that, Andor is the most “Star Wars” show of all. — Katey Stoetzel
Daredevil: Born Again
Marvel’s “Man Without Fear” returned in March with a bang. Daredevil: Born Again shows no mercy to beloved characters. Matt Murdock spends much of the season out of the Daredevil suit, determined to never return to vigilante life after an earth-shattering loss. But even the original Daredevil‘s cancellation in 2018 (and an MCU cameo in 2021) couldn’t keep Daredevil, or the fans, away.
The first season in Daredevil‘s new era is violent and gripping, anchored by Cox’s dynamic, multilayered performance. Determined to honor its predecessor while forging its own tone and path, Daredevil: Born Again is an exciting new entry in Marvel’s hit-or-miss television landscape. It’s good to have you back, Daredevil. — Claire Di Maio
Deli Boys
One of the most unexpectedly enjoyable comedy series of this year was Deli Boys. The pilot episode follows two brothers who witness the murder of their successful businessman father only to find out that he was part of a criminal organization. The brothers are thrown into the chaotic world of money laundering and crime.
The way that it brings in elements of Pakistani culture while exploring the complicated family dynamics is very well done. If you’re looking for a fun (and sometimes darkly comedic) show, Deli Boys is worth the watch. — Tyler Carlsen
Dying for Sex
Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate star in the life-affirming, sex-positive story about one woman’s journey with a terminal illness in Dying For Sex. Loosely based on a true story and written by Liz Meriwether and Kim Rosenstock, the series finds the right balance of emotional complexities and broad comedy.
Wickedly, laugh-out-loud funny and just as capable as rendering us into ugly crying piles of mush, the series understands the fundamentals of life – it’s messy, no matter what end of it you’re on. A heart-aching, tender, and compassionate look at the chaotic depth of life, death, and orgasms, the series delivers tremendous performances and a heartfelt ode to our best, most authentic selves. – Ally Johnson
High Potential
Smart. Heartwarming. Unabashedly fun. High Potential on ABC is the surprise hit we all needed from broadcast TV. High Potential’s 13-episode freshman run was jam-packed with plenty of exciting stories that balanced crime drama with campy fun. It’s in that blend where the series sets itself apart from other serious cop stories in the TV world.
You’re going to have a blast following this ragtag group of investigators. Kaitlin Olson as Morgan Gilroy, a high-potential intellectual cleaning lady turned consultant, steals the show. Her chemistry with the rest of the cast, from her new squad at the precinct to her family, adds plenty of heart and comedic antics to the case of the week. If you’re looking for a new show to add to your binge list, High Potential has all the potential and more. — Justin Carriero
Murderbot
Based on The Murderbot Diaries book series, Apple TV+ released Murderbot, it’s most unique and strangely funny sci-fi shows to date. With Alexander Skarsgård as the titular Murderbot, the story follows a humanoid security robot who has figured out how to give himself full autonomy and decides to hide it from his human clients. Murderbot goes from defending the humans from alien creatures to binge-watching intergalactic soap operas and learning how humans are supposed to interact.
Exploring what it means to be human through the eyes of a robot who just gained his freedom and free will is both awkward and hilarious at times while also being somewhat heartwarming. I enjoyed this show more than I expected and I can’t wait for the recently announced second season. — Tyler Carlsen
Phineas & Ferb
Ten years after going off the air, Phineas & Ferb returned with its same lovable zaniness. Marketing itself as the series’ fifth season (instead of a reboot), Phineas & Ferb doesn’t change what came before, but it builds upon it. Throwaway gags and storylines (Buford has creepy full-size molds of everyone! Stacy knows Perry the Platypus is a secret agent!) get their own episodes, creating a world that’s about more than just the titular characters.
In an era of reboots trying to reinvent themselves, Phineas & Ferb‘s new episodes feel as wonderfully fun and escapist as its original run did. If this is just the beginning of Phineas & Ferb‘s next 104 days of summer, we’re happy to be along for the ride. — Claire Di Maio
Sirens
On the surface, Netflix’s coastal miniseries Sirens may seem like another guilty pleasure watch about the scandals of the ultra-rich. But in reality, the series held more than meets the eye. What came to be was a gripping story between sisters dealing with their past and the lengths they would go to achieve the future they wanted.
We came for the juicy drama, but we stayed for the dynamic performances and complex character beats. In five episodes, Sirens will take you on a roller coaster of your expectations and emotions. One minute, you’ll be rooting for the sisters to mend their fences, but then the next, their decisions will throw you off. And that’s not even including all the mysterious and strange happenings of the rich people on the island! — Justin Carreiro
Severance Season 2
After a near-impossible wait, it was off to the races when Severance Season 2 returned — literally. Despite the show’s cold, static, and rigid visual identity, Severance Season 2 doubled-down on love as a core theme. In the face of corporate evil, the resilience of the innies to gain freedom and autonomy over their lives, and to love even stronger than ever, makes Season 2 so compelling.
At the same time, love drives the outties as well, complicating the fight for autonomy in a severed world. It would be easy for Severance to side with cynicism, but love as the driving force gives Severance such a punk rock feeling to it. That’s all you can ask for with science fiction. — Katey Stoetzel
The Bear Season 4
Few shows manage to juggle the sublime and the stressful quite like The Bear, and with Season 4, it somehow juggles all its various plates with newfound ease. Christopher Storer’s culinary pressure cooker of a series has always been about time: running out of it, chasing it, cursing it, and so on. But this season slows down just enough to let the emotion breathe. And breathe it does, in haunting, beautiful, sometimes hilarious gasps. Take the nearly wordless scallop sequence, set to three minutes of pure visual poetry, a moment of grace before the clock restarts. That’s the magic of The Bear at its best: letting stillness hit as hard as screaming matches.
The writing still sings (and slices), the ensemble remains electric, and the direction swings from theatrical tension to tavern warmth with masterful control. Season 4 is lighter, yes, but not without weight. It’s joyful in bursts, devastating in flickers, and anchored by characters who feel more like family than fiction. In fact, no other series in 2025 has served up something this raw, this human, and this perfectly plated. So by all means, let Bear cook. — Jon Negroni
The Pitt
In the age of prestige television, The Pitt exists happily in the middle between old school procedural and shows like Severance or Succession. It’s got all the makings of any good medical procedural with the execution of prestige, serialized television. The Pitt is probably on the more accurate side of medical shows, but it’s real-time format throws viewers directly in the chaos of an emergency department and into the minds of the doctors, nurses, and patients experiencing this 15-hour shift.
With so many moving parts, The Pitt often times feels like a dance of words and people. And like any dance, the movements ebb and flow, but are no less engaging or emotionally resonant in the quiet moments. Though the format of the show means the personal lives of the characters are not at the forefront, The Pitt adds so many layers to them in both the little and big moments, which is why it’s one of the best shows of the year. — Katey Stoetzel
The Rehearsal Season 2
Nathan Fielder has created something so strange, uncomfortable, smart, cringe-worthy, and fantastic with The Rehearsal. While the first season focused more on basic human interactions, this season focuses on a major issue in our world today: the airline industry.
I’m not going to say anything more about what happens, and you wouldn’t believe me even if I did, but I will tell you that you need to just ignore the good and bad comments about this show and just watch it for yourself. — Tyler Carlsen
The Studio
Seth Rogen delivers expertly paced and artfully shot cringe-comedy in the blisteringly funny The Studio. Aided by a tremendous, ever-expanding ensemble, the Apple TV comedy takes a peak behind the curtain of “movie magic.” Or, in reality, the ties whose lives are dedicated to presenting content as cinema.
With it’s frantic, live-wire energy, and one shot direction and editing style, the series fully submerges us in the frenzied pace of the industry, relentlessly mocking our leads while pushing them over the edge time and time again. — Ally Johnson
The Traitors Season 3
Reality TV’s newest juggernaut served up another delicious season of intrigue and accusations. The Traitors Season 3 on Peacock matched the wits and energy of Season 2 by bringing together another dynamic cast of former reality TV stars to hunt down the Traitors. We got all the fun of intense round table votes, hidden schemes, and surprising murders.
You know, everything The Traitors does greatly. But where this season stands out is in its chaos. The Faithfuls were messy, but the Traitors were downright vicious in their schemes. Even in its third season (and plenty of international versions), this season of The Traitors found a way to keep us on our toes with gameplay we hadn’t seen yet. It was a must-watch for reality TV fans. — Justin Carrerio
Katey is co-founder and tv editor for InBetweenDrafts. She hosts the “House of the Dragon After Show” and “Between TV” podcasts and can be read in various other places like Inverse and Screen Speck. She wishes desperately the binge model of tv watching would die, but still gets mad when she runs out of episodes of tv to watch.
