The ten best TV series of 2025 | Artribune

2025 was a particularly fertile year for television series: a panorama in which the platforms have continued to multiply the offer – even in a bulimic way -, and in which only some series have really managed to stand out. Not just for numbers or media hype, but for vision, writing and ability to tell the present from different and unexpected angles. The following is not a ranking of the series which, however artistic ambition, thematic strength or originality of languagehave been able to resist the background noise and establish themselves as memorable television experiences.

The Studio (AppleTV+)

In The StudioSeth Rogen plays Matt Remick, the new head of Continental Studios, a production house in full crisis. In an industry where movies struggle to survive, Matt and his team of insecure executives find themselves up against narcissistic artists and unscrupulous owners as they chase the ever-elusive goal of making great films. Behind the elegant dress that hides a constant sense of panic, every party, set visit, casting call, marketing meeting or awards night can turn into a glittering triumph or a career-destroying debacle. For Matt, who lives and breathes cinema and has chased this job all his life, this opportunity could be the opportunity he’s always dreamed of, or the risk that will ruin him for good.

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The art of joy (Sky / NOW)

Produced by Sky Studios and Viola Prestieri for HT Film and directed by Valeria Golino, it is freely inspired by the posthumous novel of the same name by Goliarda Sapienza (Einaudi) — long rejected by Italian publishers before becoming a success abroad. Modesta, born on January 1, 1900 into a very poor family, is the protagonist of this dramatic and adventurous story. Since childhood, driven by an unstoppable need for knowledge, love and freedom, she refuses to bend to the oppressive rules of the patriarchal society to which she seems destined. After a tragic event that separates her from her family, she is welcomed into a convent, where thanks to her intelligence she becomes the Mother Superior’s favorite. His journey continues in the villa of Princess Brandiforti, where he acquires an increasingly central and influential role. Her incessant journey of emancipation is intertwined with a profound personal and sexual growth, which leads her to move on the thin border between licit and illicit, claiming her right to pleasure and joy day after day.

Dying for sex (Disney+)

The FX series Dying for Sex is inspired by the real story of Molly Kochan, told by herself in the Wondery podcast created together with her best friend Nikki Boyer. After a diagnosis of stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, Molly (Michelle Williams) decides to leave her husband Steve (Jay Duplass) and explore for the first time the complexity of his sexual desires. With little time ahead of her, Molly has no room for moralizing or judgment: what people think of her bucket list matters less and less to her. Supporting her in this adventure is the faithful Nikki (Jenny Slate), an affectionate and tireless traveling companion. The cast also includes Rob Delaney, Kelvin Yu, David Rasche, Esco Jouléy and Sissy Spacek.

M – The son of the century (Sky / NOW)

M – The Son of the Century tells the political rise of Benito Mussolini and the birth of fascism: first a movement, then a party that the future Duce will lead to the top of the government, subverting democracy and establishing a dictatorship. With a contemporary language — in which Mussolini breaks the fourth wall and addresses the viewer directly to reveal unspeakable thoughts and comment on the turning points of history — the series offers an original, almost “pop” portrait, steeped in black humor. It shows the man capable of betraying ideals, people and institutions, and responsible for extreme violence, but who still managed to conquer Italy to the point of becoming its undisputed leader. The series, consisting of eight episodes and directed by Joe Wright (The darkest hour, Atonement, Cyrano), has as its protagonist Luca Marinelli.

Adolescence (Netflix)

Adolescencewritten by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne and directed by Philip Barantini, is a miniseries in four episodes entirely shot in a single take. The story opens in a quiet British town shocked by the discovery, in a park, of the body of a well-known and well-liked fourteen-year-old girl. Shortly thereafter, Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), a thirteen-year-old boy, is arrested on suspicion of murder. The series follows the Miller family – Eddie (Stephen Graham), Manda (Christine Tremarco) and Lisa – as they deal with the shock of the accusation against Jamie and the devastating consequences on their daily lives. Halfway between detective story and psychological thriller, Adolescence it is also a stark sociological examination of male angercyberbullying and a British school system in crisis. A contemporary tragedy emerges that shows how, in the 21st century, a child’s bedroom can become the most dangerous place in the world.

All her fault (Sky / NOW)

After the acclaimed performance in Succession – which earned her an Emmy and two Golden Globes – Sarah Snook returns to television as the star and executive producer of All Her Fault, new thriller series available on Sky and streaming on NOW. Snook plays Marissa Irvine, a woman who seems to have achieved everything: a successful career, a perfect family and a comfortable life. But when little Milo disappearsthe community begins to suspect her, accusing her of failing to protect him. In an environment full of secrets, it becomes increasingly difficult to understand who is really guilty and whether someone can claim to be innocent. All Her Fault And based on the novel of the same name by Andrea Mara, bestseller in the United Kingdom and still unpublished in Italy, known for its plot full of suspense, surprises and emotional tension.

More (AppleTV+)

Series created by writer and director Vince Gilligan, creator of Breaking Bad and co-creator of Better Call Saul, To many stars Rhea Seehorn and is an original project that mixes multiple genres: it tells of a person considered the unhappiest on Earth, paradoxically called to save the world from happiness. Gilligan explained, in a podcast interview The WatchThat “Anyone who watches the first hour of the first episode wouldn’t really understand what kind of series it is.” because the story takes unexpected directions. The idea dates back to about ten years ago, during the writing of Better Call Saul. During his long lunch breaks, walking around Toluca Lake in Los Angeles, an image came to mind of a person (initially imagined as a man) immersed in a world where everyone is happy and extraordinarily kind to him, to the point of being willing to die for him. He hadn’t yet defined the rest, but that conceptual core was enough for him to want to fully explore the situation and its narrative implications.

The Pitt (Sky / NOW)

Signed by R. Scott Gemmill, already the author of the success of ER – Doctors on the front line e NCIS: Los Angeles, THE PITT is an HBO Max Original series in the United States and Sky Exclusive in Italy. Set in a contemporary Pittsburgh emergency room, talks about emergency medicine with realism and intensity through fifteen episodes that closely follow the work of healthcare workers: professionals who, between overcrowded wards and decisions to be made in a few moments, fight to save lives every day. The series gives voice to the silent heroes of healthcare and conveys all the complexity of frontline work. At the center of the story is Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch (played by Noah Wyle, also executive producer), still feeling the effects of the pandemic and the loss of his mentor. The arrival of a new group of residents in the overloaded and understaffed emergency room of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center – known to all as “The Pitt” – introduces a diverse team of doctors, surgeons, nurses and paramedics, united by the same determination and humanity. As Robby faces management more focused on budget cuts than patient care, the young doctors discover firsthand the challenges, emotions and daily pressures of emergency medicine.

The Lowdown (Disney+)

The Lowdown, an FX series, follows the exploits of Lee Raybon, a citizen journalist from Tulsa who defines himself as arealistic“and whose obsession with the truth constantly gets him into trouble. While not an idealist, Lee is determined to expose corruption and bring to light the hidden rot of the city, even when doing so means exposing yourself to serious personal risks. The publication of his latest report – an in-depth investigation into the powerful Washberg family – is followed by the suspected suicide of Dale Washberg, an event that convinces Lee that he has stumbled onto something much bigger. Following the traces left by Dale, which seem to invite us to delve deeper into the real circumstances of his death, the journalist discovers that Betty Jo, the grieving widow, appears more interested in her brother-in-law than in her missing husband. Meanwhile, powerful forces try in every way to prevent Lee from moving forward and bringing out the truth.

Star (Prime Video)

Étoile is the new comedy series set in the world of dancecreated by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino. Set between New York and Paris, the Original series follows dancers and artistic staff of two prestigious dance companies who, in an attempt to save their historic institutions, undertake a move as ambitious as it is risky: exchanging the most talented students. The cast of Étoile, unfortunately not renewed for a second season, includes Emmy Award winner Luke Kirby (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Charlotte Gainsbourg (The Pale Blue Eye – I delitti di West Point, Antichrist, Nymphomaniac), Lou de Laage (The Innocents), Gideon Glick (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Master), David Alvarez (West Side Story)Ivan du Pontavice (Rupture)Taïs Vinolo (The Show Must Go On), David Haig (Four weddings and a funeral), LaMay Zhang, together with Simon Callow (Outlander) e Yanic Truesdale (Gilmore Girls) in recurring roles.

Margherita Bordino