Sunday Special: The Best TV of 2025

December 21, 2025

60 min episode · 2 min read

Jim Panawazek,Alexis Soloski,Gilbert Cruz

Episode

60 min

Read time

2 min

AI-Generated Summary

Published Dec 21, 2025

Key Takeaways

✓Conspiracy Drama Trend: Shows like Severance, Common Side Effects, and The Lowdown dominated 2025, featuring lone protagonists unraveling mysteries that extend far beyond their initial scope, reflecting current cultural anxieties about hidden powers and institutional distrust.
✓Romantic Comedy Revival: Television successfully adapted film romantic comedy formats through shows like Too Much and Nobody Wants This, focusing on character baggage and personal growth rather than external obstacles like class or religion differences.
✓Specificity Over Universality: The most successful shows like Long Story Short and The Lowdown created deeply specific cultural worlds rather than generic settings, with Jewish family dynamics and Tulsa journalism providing authentic texture that resonates universally.
✓Adult-Oriented Franchise Content: Andor demonstrated how intellectual property can mature beyond target demographics, treating Star Wars as serious political drama about rebellion and sacrifice rather than adventure entertainment, proving franchise potential for grown-up storytelling.
✓Entertainment Value Balance: Shows like The Hunting Wives succeeded by prioritizing fun over prestige, with critics noting that television works best when it remembers to be entertaining while addressing serious themes, avoiding excessive dourness.

What It Covers

New York Times critics review 2025's best television shows, analyzing trends like conspiracy thrillers, romantic comedies, and standout series including Severance, Andor, and Long Story Short.

Key Questions Answered

•Conspiracy Drama Trend: Shows like Severance, Common Side Effects, and The Lowdown dominated 2025, featuring lone protagonists unraveling mysteries that extend far beyond their initial scope, reflecting current cultural anxieties about hidden powers and institutional distrust.
•Romantic Comedy Revival: Television successfully adapted film romantic comedy formats through shows like Too Much and Nobody Wants This, focusing on character baggage and personal growth rather than external obstacles like class or religion differences.
•Specificity Over Universality: The most successful shows like Long Story Short and The Lowdown created deeply specific cultural worlds rather than generic settings, with Jewish family dynamics and Tulsa journalism providing authentic texture that resonates universally.
•Adult-Oriented Franchise Content: Andor demonstrated how intellectual property can mature beyond target demographics, treating Star Wars as serious political drama about rebellion and sacrifice rather than adventure entertainment, proving franchise potential for grown-up storytelling.
•Entertainment Value Balance: Shows like The Hunting Wives succeeded by prioritizing fun over prestige, with critics noting that television works best when it remembers to be entertaining while addressing serious themes, avoiding excessive dourness.

Notable Moment

Critics revealed that animated series Common Side Effects appeals to both Luigi Mangione supporters and RFK Junior followers, suggesting the show captures broad cultural anxieties about pharmaceutical companies and societal health.

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