Breeze Riley’s Top 5 TV Shows of 2025

For TV lovers, there was no shortage of new and returning shows to dive into. We said our final goodbyes to characters we’ve loved for years and met new ones to cherish.

My list includes stories of rebellion from a galaxy far, far away and stories of people trying their best much closer to home. They made me laugh and cry, sometimes both at the same time.

In no particular order, here are the five TV shows that I loved most in 2025:

1. Dept. Q

A story about an English detective stuck in Scotland, based on a Danish book series, turned out to be a delightful surprise from Netflix this year. Dept. Q kept viewers on the edge of their seats while managing a dual timeline story.

Matthew Goode as the irascible DCI Carl Morck brings enough charm to make you care about him and his band of misfits, while the mystery of Merritt Lingard’s disappearance keeps the cold case hot. The show benefits from a stellar ensemble of faces new to American audiences, including Leah Byrne as DC Rose Dickson and Jamie Sives as DCI James Hardy

There are high stakes for every episode as Morck and team get involved in the corrupt underbelly of Edinburgh. He’s also forced to confront his own trauma in therapy sessions, and Kelly Macdonald as Dr Rachel Irving provides an excellent foil to Morck.

Dept. Q Season 1 leaves just enough mystery left on the table, plus the promise of more cold cases to make sure you want to keep watching, which is fortunate because it’s been renewed for a second season.

2. Andor

“Rebellions are built on hope,” has been a rallying cry for Star Wars fans for almost a decade now, and that line came full circle in Andor Season 2. Following Cassian Andor’s deeper involvement in the rebellion and the development of the Rebel Alliance, Season 2 is a must-watch political thriller full of timely messaging.

Divided into four three-episode arcs, Andor brings you into a more grounded but equally exciting version of the Star Wars universe. The plot on Ghorman is a horrifying, captivating look at how easily authoritarianism takes root and silences dissent.

It’s hard to spotlight just one performance in a cast led by the magnetic Diego Luna and Adria Arjona. Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma at the wedding, spiraling out literally, or giving her rousing speech to the Senate denouncing genocide, will be hard to forget.

The season is anchored in Cassian and Bix’s love story and what they’re willing to sacrifice for the greater cause. Knowing how things end in Rogue One makes it all the more bittersweet and emotional.

3. The Righteous Gemstones

It’s hard to say goodbye to the Gemstone family, but The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 is a great send-off for those crazy kids (by which I mean full-grown adults). As Eli took his retirement seriously, the trio had to step up as leaders while also dealing with another wacky plot involving their complicated family history.

The show took big swings in its final season, including an entire Civil War flashback episode about ancestor Elijah Gemstone, played by Bradley Cooper. The Gemstones may love money, but there’s something authentic and endearing about their faith and love of family that makes them likable despite their many, many flaws.

Don’t worry, there are still plenty of musical performances and antics by Uncle Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) too this season, including the debut of Teen Jesus aka Teenjus. Megan Mullally joins as old family friend Lori Milsap and adds a fun new character for the Gemstone children to torment.

I’ll miss the many laughs The Righteous Gemstones provided, but I am glad to see the show go out on a high note.

4. Chad Powers

If you were expecting Chad Powers to be another awe-shucks, feel-good show, you were probably severely disappointed. Instead, the comedy provides something much fresher and more interesting, combining bawdy humor with an introspective look at cancel culture.

Glen Powell shines in the dual roles of Russ Holliday, a cancelled quarterback, and Chad Powers, his walk-on alter ego who gives him a second chance at playing football. The show also includes a breakout performance from Perry Mattfeld as Chad’s would-be love interest and coach Ricky Hudson.

The jokes aren’t afraid to be strange or off-putting, but the characters are fully formed with emotional depth. Chad Powers is a story of redemption that’s vulnerable enough to show the worst and best of a person and prove they can’t just be defined by one or the other. 

5. Task

I can’t be the only one who lives for the HBO Sunday-night tradition, and the drama Task is a new addition that lives up to the hype. Starring Mark Ruffalo as priest-turned-FBI Agent Tom Brandis, it is a story about family, forgiveness, and a healthy dose of organized crime.

The tension increases with every episode in this cat-and-mouse game of Tom and criminal Robbie (Tom Pelphrey). On the surface, they couldn’t be more different, but they are both haunted by their pasts and seek a philosophical understanding of life.

Their decisions reverberate through the younger generations played with aplomb by Emilia Jones as Maeve, Robbie’s niece, and Silvia Dionicio as Emily, Tom’s youngest daughter.

The show is set in Delco, the same setting as predecessor Mare of Easttown, and provides a lived-in story rich with accents and regional quirks that feels authentic without ever diving too far into cliches. Despite its very international cast, you’ll feel immersed in every “o.”

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What were your favorite TV shows of 2025? Let us know in the comments!

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