Best of 2025 — TV

 Here are my top picks from our year of TV viewing. Our television viewing was not extensive but we discovered some that were pure gold. In no particular order.

I began my "Best of" lists way back in 2008. To see them, check the label cloud in the sidebar under "Best of ..." 

 

 

2025 BEST TV

Only Murders in the Building
(Seasons 4 and 5)

Most people know what to expect from this mystery series about three misfit friends and their true crime podcast. We were impressed that season 4 (a movie about the podcast?!) and season 5 (the old/new mob in New York) still hold up so solidly. This is a great team on all fronts.

Lupin

(Season 3)

Not as many people know this French series. Lupin is a French mystery thriller series starring Omar Sy in the role of Assane Diop, a man who is inspired by the adventures of master thief Arsène Lupin. As with Only Murders in the Building, the storytelling, production, and acting remain solid. It kept us running solution ideas up until the very end. And Omar Sy. Enough said.

Taskmaster

Five comedians are set tasks challenging their creativity and wit. The tasks are supervised by Alex Horne but the Taskmaster, Greg Davies, gives points based on his own personal, occasional whimsical criteria. Genuinely funny.

(My review here)

Korean Odyssey

A stylish urban fantasy about the Monkey King, a powerful immortal banished to the human world, and a young woman who can see ghosts and spirits. Tons of fun and we really grew to love the characters.

(My review here)

Beyond Evil

As a killing resembling a cold case resurfaces in a small town, the chase for the truth falls on two policemen who each harbor secrets of their own. This morphed into a multi-layered investigation into much more than a serial killer, which I didn't expect.

(My review here.)

Good Cop, Bad Cop

We love police procedurals and this is a good one — a fun, quirky show that wasn't too over-the-top while providing a murder-of-the week. Lou and Henry, an odd couple sister and brother detective team in a small Pacific Northwest police force, must contend with colorful residents, a lack of resources, and their own complicated dynamics.

(My review here.)

Devil Judge

My favorite series of the year. I was drawn in by the name but found more than I expected. Set in a dystopian version of South Korea, this multi-layered, fast paced story kept us talking about it in the days between watching episodes. At the heart of this exciting drama is justice — from a wide variety of vantage points. Is Judge Kang Batman? Or The Joker?

(My review here.)