<div id="readability-page-1">If you would rather stay in this festive season than brave the elements or deal with holiday crowds, it is a great time to catch up on the year’s stand-out television shows.\nSeveral titles got people watching and talking. In no particular order, here are seven shows that broke out in 2025.\n1. Dept. Q\nWhen it comes to his television credits, Matthew Goode has a history of being a “late add” to shows.\nHe swept in to be Mary’s love interest on Downton Abbey after the death of Matthew Crawley. He joined season two of The Crown as Antony Armstrong-Jones, known as Earl Snowdon. He was also added to The Good Wife during Josh Charles’ shocking final episode in the show’s fifth season.\n\n\nIn Dept. Q, Goode leads as a curmudgeonly detective who assembles a team of misfits to solve cold cases. The show is based on a Danish book series and was renewed for a second season.\nAccording to Goode, producer Scott Frank transposed the story from the original Danish setting, Copenhagen, to Edinburgh.\n“He made the character English. But we haven’t given too much detail yet as to his past, which I love, because we’re aiming to be able to keep doing this because there are 10 books,” the actor said.\nStreaming on Netflix\n2. Paradise\nSterling K. Brown stars in this drama as a US Secret Service agent who arrives to work one day and finds the president is dead. It gets crazier from there.\n\n\nThe show is part sci-fi, part drama, and definitely a mystery. It has been renewed for a second season, with Shailene Woodley added to the cast, so now is a good time to catch up.\nStreaming on Disney+\n3. The Pitt\nNoah Wyle revived his leading man status this year by once again portraying a doctor. This time, he is not an intern but leads a Pittsburgh trauma centre emergency department.\n\n\nThe Pitt won a number of Primetime Emmy Awards this year, including best drama series and an acting and producing win for Wyle. Watch before season two premieres in early January.\nStreaming on HBO Max\n4. The Studio\nIn The Studio, Seth Rogen plays Matt Remick, the newly elevated head of a Hollywood studio.\nSome critics say the show is too niche about showbiz, but if you liked cringey comedies like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Episodes or The Comeback, this one is for you.\nIt also has a great supporting cast, including Catherine O’Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn and Chase Sui Wonders.\n\n\nIt also has real Hollywood players like Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese and Olivia Wilde playing heightened versions of themselves.\nRogen won Emmys for acting, directing, producing and writing on the series. A second season is in the works.\nStreaming on Apple TV\n5. Adolescence\nA teenage boy accused of murder is a disturbing premise, but watching this limited series is like watching great theatre or even live music.\nWhy? Each of the four episodes was filmed in a single continuous shot after extensive rehearsals.\n\n\nThe show also introduced us to Owen Cooper, who had never had a professional acting job before. Cooper, Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty all won Emmys for their performances.\nStreaming on Netflix\n6. The Beast in Me\nTwo of today’s best television actors, Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys, grace the screen together in The Beast in Me. Danes is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, while Rhys plays a real estate developer suspected of the disappearance of his first wife.\n\n\nDanes’ character has a severe case of writer’s block as she is working on her second book, so she pivots to writing a biography of Rhys’ character.\nStreaming on Netflix\n7. Forever\nThis contemporary spin on the controversial Judy Blume novel from 1975 follows a young couple in Los Angeles as they experience first love.\nLead actors Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jnr both turned in strong performances, as did Karen Pittman.\n\n\nLike most young lovers, the couple’s relationship has highs and lows. A second season is confirmed, so there is more story to tell.\nStreaming on Netflix\n</div>

NFLX

<p>The article highlights seven standout TV shows from 2025, including Netflix's Adolescence and award-winning The Pitt. Other notable shows are Dept. Q, Paradise, The Studio, The Beast in Me, and Forever. These shows feature prominent actors and have received critical acclaim, with several renewed for second seasons. Streaming platforms include Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Apple TV.</p>

- The article highlights seven standout television shows from 2025, emphasizing their unique plots and performances.  
- Notable titles include "Dept. Q," starring Matthew Goode; "Paradise," featuring Sterling K. Brown; and "The Pitt," with Noah Wyle, all of which have been renewed for additional seasons.  
- Streaming platforms include Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Apple TV, showcasing a mix of genres and notable actors.

7 of the best TV shows from 2025, from Netflix’s Adolescence to award-winning The Pitt