by Loremaster Doove71
Best TV Shows of 2025: Community and Critic Rankings
It's the end of another fantastic year of TV, and the Lorehounds are back with our annual rankings of the Top Ten Shows of the Year! 2025 delivered more good telly than we knew what to do with for those of us who love to get lost in great storytelling. Whether you were after sci-fi that leaves you staring at the ceiling in the wee small hours questioning everything, fantasy worlds you'd happily emigrate to, or prestige drama that feels uncomfortably relevant to the state of things, this year delivered.
For those new to this tradition, each year the Lorehounds, David, John, and Elysia, our self-styled 'Triarchy', compile their individual Top Ten lists. We also invite our community to submit their own rankings, which we then aggregate into a collective voice. It's become one of our favourite annual rituals, a chance to reflect on the stories that moved us, challenged us, and kept us glued to our screens.
The Lorehounds all agreed that 2025 was something special for TV. Elysia called it "a year of abundance, maybe too much abundance," admitting she was surprised by her own number one "for the first time ever." John, who deliberately watched fewer shows this year, found it liberating: "I stopped mourning the shows I wasn't watching" and declared it "an A-plus year in television, just genuine enjoyment." David noted how many series were "in conversation with each other," exploring questions of humanity across Severance, Pluribus, Murderbot, and Alien Earth, calling it "a really extraordinary year of television."
Before we get cracking, there are some big thank-yous to community members who have helped the Lorehounds do what they do, especially in making this top 10 a reality. We can thank Gregsaw for analyzing and visualizing the data collected, DaveyMac who helped to process all the submissions, as always the amazing Nancy M for her comms, SubZero for managing the Show Tracker and not forgetting my Lorehounds brother, Bryan8063, for all the tireless effort in being the editor on the Loreblog, especially during Alien: Earth when it seemed a blog was getting pushed out every other day!
Groundrules and How We Rank
Before we get into it, there is a simple rule related to top ten submissions, a final episode of a season must have aired in 2025 for inclusion in the top ten, and when it comes to ranking the communities favourites Gregsaw employs that tried and trusted methodology of using Mario Kart 8's Grand Prix scoring system to weight people's top picks more (Hey that is a direct quote from them!)
Ranking our favourite shows is not an easy task, and each member of the Lorehounds brings their own methodology to the process.
Elysia, ever the professional, revealed her process to create what can only be described as the Marie Kondo approach to television ranking. Throughout the year, she maintains not one but multiple curated lists: shows to watch, currently watching, and the all-important binary split of "Eligible for the top 10" versus "Not eligible." But here's where it gets properly nerdy: rather than trusting her own gut (like John), Elysia feeds her final contenders into a ranking engine called "Pub Meeple" (I know I had to look it up!), which is an algorithm that presents head-to-head matchups until a definitive order emerges. It's like a knockout tournament, but for prestige television. Elysia has essentially gamified taste itself, and honestly? I respect that.
John primarily ranks by "vibes" (Such a Millennial), which is his tongue-in-cheek way of saying his criteria sit somewhere between personal enjoyment, the show's originality, and the production's quality. It's an approach that embraces the ‘whatever it is’, which makes certain shows hit us on a deeper level. Across the pond, we might call this "having a proper think about it," but I'll grant him his quaint colonial vernacular.
David, the true Gen X-er he is, takes a more analytical approach, combining factors like industry impact, production value, and overall enjoyment into a grading system from A through F, with the occasional "S-tier" show surpassing them all. It should come as no surprise to any long-time listener to the LoreHounds that David is a production nerd. When I say production, I mean PRODUCTION. This is a man who will happily spend ten minutes rhapsodising about the specific lens choices in Severance or why a particular lighting setup in a corridor scene is, in his words, "absolutely chef's kiss." If there's a Dutch angle or a perfectly executed rack focus, David has noticed it, catalogued it, and is ready to discuss it at length.
The Community Voice
We've been incredibly grateful for the continued growth of our community over the past year. Every year, we publish a community survey, inviting our subscribers to submit their own Top Ten lists. With some help from our dedicated community members, we analyse and publish that data to create a collective ranking that represents the broader Lorehounds family.
The Main Event: Our 2025 Rankings
And now, to the main event. As always, these lists are idiosyncratic and personal; this isn't about "industry standard" rankings or the “Definitive List,” but about what moved us individually.
Here are the complete rankings from the Lorehounds and the Community:
Show Highlights and Discussion
Andor Season 2 — The Community's Choice
It's no surprise that Andor Season 2 topped the Community list and featured prominently across all three hosts' rankings. The series has represented the very best of what Star Wars can be, a mature, politically charged examination of rebellion, resistance, and the cost of fighting tyranny. As someone who has written extensively about how this show resonates with real-world military experience (see my earlier blog post on Andor and the long echoes of conflict), the series continued to deliver the kind of nuanced storytelling that treats its audience as (gasp) intelligent adults.
The Lorehounds verdict on Andor was unanimous admiration with a tinge of "what could have been." John (who ranked it #4) felt season 2 "wasn't doing anything much new" and that Tony Gilroy "really just wanted out of the show." Elysia called it "the most important show for the moment" but wished Gilroy would "stop talking about how little he cares about Star Wars." David, who was "on fire" for season one, found the neat three-episode mini-arcs "left me a little cold, it told the story they wanted to tell" rather than the story that wanted to be told.
John's summary captured the mood perfectly: "It's great. And it could have been perfect, you know, and that is a shame." The community, however, felt no such ambivalence, and Andor scored way ahead of the second-place Severance.
Severance Season 2 — The Long-Awaited Return
After what felt like an eternity, Severance returned in 2025 and reminded us all why we'd been holding our breath. The show's exploration of identity, corporate control, and what it means to be human in a world that wants to keep us in neat little boxes landed well with all of us.
Elysia ranked Severance at #8, emphasising "anything that made the list at all is just the biggest compliment" in such a strong year. She praised Tramell Tillman as "just a gift to our screens" and valued the show for its "innovative, boundary-breaking" storytelling. John offered a useful distinction about the finale: "It's not a cliffhanger. It's a game changer, game changers are good, cliffhangers are bad." He singled out "Chikhai Bardo" as amazing and confessed he and his wife "have been quoting 'she's a f-in mole' like all year." David noted the coverage paid off commercially too: "Severance has now beaten Last of Us season one as our number one show in terms of overall downloads."
Alien: Earth — Expanding the Universe
I was super privileged to get to play in the Lorehounds sandbox this year, and I met my Lorehound bro Bryan8063 for a wild time diving deep into Noah Hawley's vision for the Alien universe. I was thrilled to see Alien: Earth receive such strong representation across our lists. John placed it at number 3, whilst both Elysia and I had it in our top ten. The show picks apart what it means to be human through the lens of hybrids, synths, and the ever-present corporate menace, and it has proven that the Alien franchise still has plenty of stories worth telling.
John praised the show's "game changer ending" that "raised more interesting questions than any other show this year," appreciating how it kept a prequel fresh rather than just being "here's what happened to this character before." His only regret: "I wish I had covered it with you." David noted Noah Hawley "got the bag" with a nine-figure overall deal, likely explaining the delay in season 2 announcements. The community agreed with John, also placing Alien: Earth at #3 with 205 points.
Pluribus — The Newcomer
David's number one pick and a strong showing across multiple lists, Pluribus emerged as one of the year's most talked-about new series and one that was in my biggest misses of the year (I still haven’t started it yet, but hey, I’m on my hols, lots of time to watch, walk the dog and listen in to the season coverage!)
The rankings varied widely on this one. John placed it at #7, acknowledging "some pacing issues" but praising Rhea Seehorn: "I've never really dug into her before, and what a fantastic job." Elysia ranked it #3, seeming to share that it’s a show that some people ‘get’ while others don't see what the fuss is. David went all in, crowning it his number one despite the season being unfinished: "It is not over, and I don't care. I do not care." He called it "a perfect season of television" and offered a bold guarantee: "If he crashes the metaphorical plane, I will be shocked. I will eat my words." (Full disclosure: I still haven't started it—but it's firmly on the holiday watchlist.)
The Wheel of Time Season 3 - A Crying Shame
The Wheel of Time continued to weave its epic tale in 2025, and the community showed its appreciation with a strong fifth-place finish. The book series STANS, Elysia placed it at number 2 on her list, and John at number 5, with the community also placing it in their top 5 shows.
John's passion was evident: "I thought every season got better. I gave it bonus points in my rankings that have no points because I am very sad that it got canceled." He singled out Josha Stradowski's performance and declared episode 4 "my episode of the year... of anything." Elysia called it "a fantastic merging of science fiction and fantasy" and urged newcomers: "If you want to watch only one episode, just watch season three, episode four." The cancellation stings because season three "was all coming to fruition, we saw the glimpse of what is to come."
#SaveWOT
Foundation Season 3 - Losing its Sparkle…?
Apple TV+'s ambitious adaptation of Isaac Asimov's seminal work continued to deliver in its third season. The show has carved out a unique space in the science fiction landscape, balancing intimate character drama with galaxy-spanning scope. Whilst perhaps not as strong as previous seasons (David dipped out this year, I think he was Markley’d out!), it ranked well with the community.
John ranked it #6, calling David Goyer's work "an amazing job adapting it" and declaring this was "Terrence Mann's season", "I thought he stole the show. And Lee Pace, of course, is always great." He also highlighted Laura Birn as Demerzel: "The way she makes you feel like she is a robot with her posture and pose feels inhuman in a way that is so impressive. Elysia, meanwhile, enjoyed the season but found the writing "too diffuse" to earn a spot on her list.
Studios/Platforms — It's Complicated
The streaming landscape in 2025 continued to be a properly tangled mess, which makes our Studios/Platforms chart more interesting than it might first appear. Apple TV+ dominated with a commanding 952 points, followed by HBO Max at 583 and Disney+ at 475. But here's where it gets messy: the platform that streams a show isn't always the studio that produces it, and depending on where you are in the world, the same programme might land on entirely different services.
What we're measuring here is where the community actually watched these shows, which gives us a decent snapshot of which platforms are winning the battle for eyeballs amongst the Lorehounds audience. Apple's dominance speaks volumes about their strategy of backing prestige sci-fi and fantasy—Severance, Foundation, and Silo all contributed heavily to that lead. As John noted, Apple has essentially become the home of sci-fi, and they're clearly coming for HBO's crown. Meanwhile, HBO Max's decent showing can't quite hide the cracks—The Last of Us Season 2 might well be a canary in the coal mine for why that crown is slipping.
The king is dead, long live the king. If you're a fan of thoughtful, high-budget genre television, Apple TV+ has apparently decided it owns you now.
Other Notable Mentions
Every year throws up some interesting disparities between hosts and the community, and 2025 was no exception. Here are the rankings that caught my attention:
The Rehearsal S2 — John's Number 1
This is a bold choice. Nathan Fielder's show is critically adored but divisive; it leans hard into cringe comedy and blurs the line between documentary and... whatever the hell it actually is. The fact that it didn't appear on David or Elysia's lists at all, nor in the Community top 10, makes this peak John: ranking on artistic ambition rather than broad appeal. David admitted he couldn't figure out whether to classify it as fiction or non-fiction, ultimately leaving it off his list entirely. His advice to the community? "Go watch this show. It will make you think about TV in an entirely different way."
Silo S2 — Lower Than Expected?
Given how beloved Season 1 was (it ranked 3rd in the 2023 Community list), S2 only hitting #7 in Community and #9-10 for John and Elysia feels like a slight cooling. The consensus from the pod was that it took a while to get going, but once it did, it delivered, and season three has serious potential. Sometimes, second seasons are just hard, especially in a year this stacked. Silo is definitely one of my hot shows for 2026.
The Bear S4 — Only on David's List
The Bear has been awards-season catnip for years now, so David having it at #3 while neither John, Elysia, nor the Community placed it in their top 10 is notable. Has the shine worn off? I thought season four was an absolute banger, with emotional catharsis coming out of its yin-yang, but neither John nor Elysia had even watched it yet. David's plea: judge it as a complete work once season five wraps, not season by season.
Adolescence — David's #5, Community's... Nowhere
This one might be a UK versus US awareness issue, or simply that it's a complex subject and a heavy watch. Either way, it didn't crack the Community list despite David ranking it highly. It's a show telling an important story and highlighting a growing issue.
White Lotus S3 — Only David
Another prestige HBO show that only appeared on one host's list. David admitted he'd forgotten it even aired this year, "it just got lost in the mix." John felt Mike White needed someone to cut his episodes more ruthlessly, while Elysia found the ending "too cynical, a little too nihilistic." Sam Rockwell's monologue, however, was declared "monologue of the year" material.
Black Mirror S7 and Common Side Effects — Elysia's Picks
Charlie Brooker's anthology landed at Elysia's #7 while no one else included it, proof that the episodic format means your mileage may vary depending on which episodes land for you. Common Side Effects at #6 is one I'll admit I know nothing about, which is the point: a hidden gem that deserved more attention.
Elysia's Runner-Ups (11-18): For those curious about what just missed the cut, Elysia's extended list included: Peacemaker S2, The Gilded Age S3, Adolescence, The Paper, Skeleton Crew, The Rehearsal S2, Abbott Elementary S4, and Gen V S2. She highlighted Skeleton Crew as "Space Goonies that really worked for me" and praised Gen V S2's character work.
Beyond the Top Ten
As always, we asked three additional questions beyond just the Top Ten rankings.
Guilty Pleasures
This category is reserved for shows we loved in our leisure time that didn't quite have a chance at making our official lists, think the television equivalent of comfort food.
David: The Diplomat (S4)
John: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (S17)
Elysia: Resident Alien (S4)
David's choice of The Diplomat had me howling; he described it as "Nashville for the international diplomacy set," a show where the CIA's London station chief casually strolls through central London, chatting on her mobile in broad daylight. His verdict? "Painful to watch at times... but hilarious. They lean way into it. Kind of delicious in a weird way." We've all got one of those shows, haven't we? Elysia went for Resident Alien, praising Alan Tudyk in a premise that sells itself: "An alien who comes from outer space to destroy humanity until he starts making friends." John, ever the diplomat himself, was torn between Doctor Who and It's Always Sunny, choosing the latter while gently suggesting Russell T Davies might consider "letting more people in the writer's room next season." Oof, he said it, not me.
Biggest Miss
With so much quality television available, even dedicated viewers can't watch everything; there are only so many hours, unless you are Elysia (she’s a superhero).
Here's what each host acknowledged they should have watched but didn't get around to:
David: It: Welcome to Derry (S1)
John: Peacemaker (S2)
Elysia: Star Wars: Visions (S3)
Elysia hasn't watched Star Wars Visions S3 "for professional reasons" (she's been previewing episodes for subscribers and has fallen behind on required reading; her commitment to her craft is frankly exhausting). Her consolation? The Ninth Jedi, her favourite from season one, is getting not just a sequel episode but an entire show next year. David keeps hearing about ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ everywhere he turns: "Everyone just keeps talking about it. And I'm like, damn, what did I miss?" The Lovecraft Country comparison intrigues him. And John? Bless him, he's watched precisely one episode of Peacemaker. Total. "I have a lot of catching up to do." Don't we all, John. Don't we all.
Most Anticipated for 2026
Looking ahead to what has us excited for the coming year:
David: The Bear (S5)
John: Elysia: The Vampire Lestat
Community: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
David's anticipation for The Bear S5 is giving him the sweats: "It gives me the most anxious nervousness, but also like, God damn it. I want that show to come back real fast." The man wants to be hurt again, and honestly? Same. John, meanwhile, went full John with his pick of The Vampire Lestat: "I think we all have our celebrity pass lists... mine is the vampire Lestat. Not the actor Sam Reid, but the vampire Lestat. It fundamentally made me change how I identify as a person." Elysia's response was perfect: "He is vampire-Lestat-ual." I have nothing to add. The bit writes itself.
What's Coming Next from the Lorehounds
The Lorehounds have an exciting slate of coverage planned. Here's what you can look forward to:
Fallout -- Round Robin coverage
Percy Jackson and the Olympains -- Oneshot?
The Pitt -- Twoshot??
Hijack -- WachaWachin?
Starfleet Academy -- Captain's Pod coverage
A Knight of Seven Kingdoms -- Full Triarchy coverage
2026 DCU vs. MCU -- It's going to be a packed year
Wonder Man -- Jean & Elysia are extremely excited (binge drop = Oneshot)
The 2026 slate is already packed. Fallout continues with Radioactive Ramblings; Percy Jackson gets a one-shot covering both seasons; The Pitt might get a midseason and end-of-season two-shot; Starfleet Academy goes to the Captain's Pod; and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms gets full Lorehounds coverage with John running point. For the Tolkien faithful, John's bringing back the Silmarillion coverage with Marilyn. Elysia teased Wonder Man and flagged the second 28 Years Later film from Nia DaCosta; apparently, test screenings were so good that Sony immediately greenlit the third film.
Final Thoughts
2025 proved once again that we're living in a golden age of television storytelling. From the intimate character studies to the vast space operas, from the horror that haunts our dreams to the science fiction that makes us question our reality, this year delivered on every front.
What strikes me most, looking at these lists, is the diversity of what resonated with our community and our hosts. There's no single 'correct' way to rank these shows because they each offer something different, and that's precisely what makes discussing them so rewarding. Whether you're here for the deep lore dives, the philosophical discussions about the “human heart in conflict with itself, or simply the joy of sharing great stories with fellow enthusiasts, the Lorehounds community continues to be a brilliant place to do precisely that.
The hosts themselves summed up the year nicely: John's summary was beautifully simple: "I think it was a great year for TV and I just want my list out now." David got a bit reflective: "We made it through the year. It's been a lot. A lot has gone on, but I think we're, as a community and as a show, and as three creators who randomly came together in this world, I'm very pleased at what we've accomplished." John wasn't having the false modesty: "I don't think it was random. I think you're like Thanos collecting people like infinity stones." Elysia's warning to the podcasting world? "His gauntlet is almost full. Fear ye, fear ye all." Consider yourselves warned.
In the end, perhaps that's what the Lorehounds have always been about: not definitive answers, but the joy of the conversation itself. The arguments over rankings, the passionate defences of beloved shows, what constitutes a ‘proper’ pie, or that moment of discovering that someone else loved that weird little series you thought only you were watching. It's less about crowning a winner and more about gathering around the fire, or in our case, the pod and the Discord, and sharing the stories that moved us.
That's what keeps bringing me back to this community. Not the lists themselves, but what they reveal about us, what we value, what moves us, what keeps us hitting "next episode" at 2 am when we really should be asleep.
So whether your number one matched ours or you're already drafting an impassioned rebuttal (please do!), we're glad you're here. The subscriber shout-outs and credits may roll, but the discussion never really ends.
If you want more details on why we chose the shows we did, subscribe and tune into our December Second Breakfast episode, which features the full discussion of our favourite shows of the year. And don't forget to check out the Boxing Day episode, where we'll be talking to our co-hosts, affiliate podcasts, and friends about their Top 3 picks.
Happy holidays to all who celebrate, and happy watching in the New Year!
With thanks to David, John, Elysia, and the entire Lorehounds community
