Pluribus to Alien: Earth: The 25 best TV shows of 2025
BBCFrom the Breaking Bad creator's smart new sci-fi to the Alien franchise's first small-screen outing and the new season of Severance, we pick the year's greatest programmes to stream.
Shane Brown/ FX1. The Lowdown
Sterlin Harjo (Reservation Dogs) has a gift for creating shows full of texture, and Ethan Hawke lets intelligence shine through every character he plays. That inspired combination has given us the dusty Tulsa, Oklahoma setting of The Lowdown and Lee Raybon, Hawke's vibrant, complex, unique character. Raybon's life is shambolic – he lives in a messy room above his used-bookshop – but he is passionate as a part-time muckraking journalist whose investigation of a powerful family, the Washburns, lands him in a web of corruption, casual violence and murder. Jim Thompson, famous for hard-boiled detective fiction, is one of Raybon's favourite authors and Harjo brings a noir feel to the story while making it utterly contemporary, complete with suspicion of journalists and a plot in which Indigenous characters are still, after centuries, being cheated out of their land. The gripping plot puts Raybon in danger at every turn yet even when he needs dark glasses to hide his black eyes, he still convincingly exudes idealism and wit in an ambitious series that reinforces Harjo's standing as a true creative original. (CJ)
Available on Hulu in the US
Patrick Brown/ FX2. Alien: Earth
The diminishing returns of Disney's Star Wars shows have shown the pitfalls of extending a blockbuster film series to another medium. And certainly, there was doubt about whether the Alien franchise – at its best, in many respects, when providing straightforward horror – really needed the kind of world-building TV could provide. But Noah Hawley – the man behind another great film-to-TV spin-off, Fargo – really came up trumps with this eight-parter. Combining two central storylines – about a spaceship crash-landing with many horrifying critters on board, and the creation of a new breed of "synthetic" super-humans – it hit a sweet spot between proper scares and more cerebral pleasures. In fact, horror has rarely if ever been done so well on the small screen: see, in particular, the self-enclosed episode five – a sure contender for TV episode of the year – which flashed back to what happened on the doomed alien-carrying vessel, and played like a top-flight Alien film in itself. And given its great cliffhanger ending (no spoilers), the good news is that it was recently renewed for a second run, which will arrive on screens in 2027. (HM)
Available on Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally
Apple TV+3. Mr Scorsese
Few film-makers are as articulate about what they do and as personally self-aware as Martin Scorsese, and Rebecca Miller's lively six-part documentary smartly gives him full rein to talk. He is witty, thoughtful, and reflective about everything from religion to his personal failings, his career and the film industry. Miller had access to a wealth of eye-popping archival material, including photos and video of his family and childhood neighbourhood in Little Italy, scenes that would translate beautifully into his 1973 breakthrough, Mean Streets. She judiciously weaves in that material as well as perceptive interviews with Scorsese's closest collaborators, including Robert De Niro, his ex-wife Isabella Rossellini and others. It's relatively easy to make a series about a film-maker – just string some clips together – but rare to do what Miller (an elegant film-maker herself) does so deftly here. She delivers a portrait of one of the greatest living directors that is so captivating and insightful you might wish it was even longer. (CJ)
Available on Apple TV+ internationally
Netflix4. Long Story Short
No one is creating TV animation with more emotional depth than Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the US writer best known for Bojack Horseman, a cartoon about a horse actor that turned out to be a profound and, amid the humour, pretty bleak meditation on everything from celebrity culture to confronting trauma. His latest series is lighter in some respects than Bojack but no less well-observed and emotionally arresting: founded on a relatively simple premise, it tells the story of one middle-class Jewish family through from the 1950s to the present day. It's the way it tells the story that is ingenious: hopping about between the decades to zone in on particular, significant episodes in each family member's life, the resulting collage of experiences feels novelistic in its intricacy. Plus Bob-Waksberg's humour is as on-point as ever, and rich in brilliantly idiosyncratic detail, from wayward son Yoshi starting a company selling mattresses-in-a-tube to a modish "potato ice cream" stall. (HM)
Available on Netflix internationally
Apple TV+5. Pluribus
Vince Gilligan could have done anything after the success of his hit shows Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. What he came up with was utterly unexpected (except for the Albuquerque, New Mexico setting) but just as brilliant – a bold mix of sci-fi and social commentary with a prickly but sympathetic heroine. Rhea Seehorn gives a perfectly balanced performance as Carol, a cynical romance novelist who finds herself in a world where a virus has left almost everyone else not only happy all the time, but the same, locked into a single, collective hive-mind that denies individual identity and is linked to an authoritarian government. As we follow her insistent attempts to prevent the planet from becoming a realm of Invasion of the Body Snatchers-style pod people, the film creates a suspenseful narrative full of unexpected twists that include a hilariously repurposed Air Force One, a character who dangerously treks through a jungle and Carol commandeering a state police car. Through it all, Gilligan shifts tones fluidly while keeping sight of the story's chilling Orwellian warning about the loss of free thought and expression. Pluribus is the best proof that a light-handed sci-fi show can also be serious, timely and artful. (CJ)
Available on Apple TV+ internationally
Sarah Shatz/ HBO6. The Chair Company
It's not an exaggeration to say that Tim Robinson is a genius. Through works including the Netflix sketch show I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson and the film Friendship, he has developed his own very particular strain of humour, which combines the social awkwardnesses and foibles of "cringe comedy" with a darkly surreal edge. His latest project, maybe his best yet, throws in yet another element – the conspiracy thriller – in a way that leaves your mind boggling over exactly what it is you're watching. It centres on a very typically Robinson-ian protagonist: Ron Trosper, a seemingly ordinary but in fact dangerously neurotic corporate middle-manager, whose big moment giving a work presentation is ruined when a chair gives away underneath him. An attempt to complain then leads him down an investigative rabbit hole, in which, he believes at least, he is being targeted by the makers of said seat to keep quiet. Unlike anything else out there in the 2025 TV landscape, the show masterfully balances absurdity with genuine suspense, while its many strange, incidental details and scenes give it a bracingly Lynchian feel. (HM)
Available on HBO Max in the US and NOW in the UK
Two Cities Television7. Blue Lights
Over its three seasons, this Belfast-set police drama, winner of this year's Bafta TV Award for best drama series, has quietly become one of the most astute and consistent series on television. It masterfully employs the tropes of the genre – the newbie officers have gained experience, some veterans have been lost – but is distinguished by a realistic sense that crime often does pay and the criminals will win. And it gains heft by being steeped in its Northern Ireland location, where the residue of the Troubles at its worst still lingers in the tension and violence all around. That bleakness is offset by the heart of its characters, notably Siân Brooke as Grace, the former social worker who brings her old profession's empathy to her new job. But the entire cast of characters, police and criminals, is vividly drawn, especially this season's crime lords (refreshingly, both women), played with convincing, sly ruthlessness by Abigail McGibbon and Cathy Tyson. If The Pitt emerged as this year's best medical drama, Blue Lights does something similar for police shows, making a familiar genre feel fresh. (CJ)
Available on BritBox in the US and BBC iPlayer in the UK
Christopher Raphael/ Amazon Prime Video8. The Girlfriend
Ever since Big Little Lies, there has been an explosion of domestic thriller series about rich people with dark secrets, a lot of which have proved mediocre at best. But this Prime Video potboiler managed to stand out from the crowd with its gleefully over-the-top sensibility. An adaptation of a novel by British writer Michelle Frances, it stars Robin Wright as an art gallery owner with a distinctly Oedipal relationship with her son, and Olivia Cooke as his mysterious and menacing new partner. Amid the requisite showcasing of various luxurious homes and interiors, the glorious central performances really keep you gripped: as with her turn in House of Cards, Wright serves up an electric depiction of entitled ruthlessness, while Cooke (the rising star best known for House of the Dragon) matches her charisma as the slippery Cherry. As the series goes on, the plot becomes ever more ludicrous, but the implausibility is forgivable for the gloriously fierce face-off between these two firing-on-all-cylinders performers. (HM)
Available on Prime Video internationally
Justin Downing/ Netflix9. Dept. Q
A brilliant, cranky detective traumatised by a previous case may be a cliché, but Matthew Goode brings such depth and mordant wit to his role of Carl Morck, now relegated to cold cases and a basement office, that it gives the concept new life. The series' creators, Scott Frank (The Queen's Gambit and the underrated Monsieur Spade) and Chandni Lakhani, know that the characters are more important than the years-old cases in Edinburgh that Morck is handed, and they have surrounded him with sharply drawn colleagues who are more than their labels as misfits. The standout, and a sign of the show's boldness, is the enigmatic Akram Salim (Alexej Manvelov), who joins Morck's department as an IT expert and proves to have exceptional detecting skills of his own, as well as a mysterious past in Syria. Was he on the side of the good guys or the bad guys back home, Morck asks him – a pretty good question given Salim's rough tactics. The series is sometimes creepy – because we see the captive woman whom Morck's team hasn't yet discovered – but it is always smart and absorbing. (CJ)
Available on Netflix internationally
Sarah Shatz/ FX10. Dying for Sex
Based on the podcast of the same name, this eight-part miniseries tells an extraordinary story – that of the late Molly Kochan, who received a stage IV breast cancer diagnosis, and decided to leave her husband and embark on a sexual odyssey to find physical fulfilment before it was too late. Yet the brilliance of the adaptation lies in just how understated it is. You can imagine this tale being told in ways that were both mawkish and self-consciously provocative, but instead creators Liz Meriwether and Kim Rosenstock, and their typically excellent star Michelle Williams, give Molly's journey a matter-of-factness that ultimately make it both more authentic and more affecting. What Molly enjoys in her final stretch is not some grand epiphany, but instead simply a finer appreciation of the variety of human connections that can really enrich existence – from her ride-or-die friendship with the chaotic Nikki (played wonderfully by Jenny Slate) to her kinky encounters with a neighbour (Rob Delaney) who wants to be kicked in the genitalia. And then, at a point where it feels like she is only just getting started on her new life journey, the end comes suddenly, in a finale which offers one of the most intimate portraits of death ever committed to the screen. Yes, there may be tears – and they are very well earned. (HM)
Available on Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally
11. Mr Loverman
Few series are grounded in as stirring, complex and distinctive a character as this drama, with Lennie James as the always dapper Barrington Loverman. Now in his 70s, Barry is a husband, father and grandfather, and has secretly been in a loving relationship with Morris (Ariyon Bakare) since the two men were adolescents. In his rich, Bafta-winning performance, James thoroughly inhabits his character, revealing how deeply Barry loves Morris, how difficult his choices have been, and how much he was shaped by what his generation considered respectable. Sharon D Clarke is equally moving and sympathetic as Barry's wife, Carmel, who learns her husband's secret and is outraged at the dishonesty that has shaped her 50-year marriage. There are no villains in this series, based on Bernardine Evaristo's novel. As Barry comes to a turning point in his life, the series is clear-sighted about the compromises in long-term relationships and deeply humane in its refusal to demonize anyone. (CJ)
Available on BritBox in the US and BBC iPlayer in the UK
Netflix12. Too Much
It's been nearly a decade since Lena Dunham's era-defining comedy drama Girls ended, and while she's kept busy with subsequent projects – including making a couple of films, and directing the pilot of Industry – they've flown relatively under the radar. So it's great to have her back creating conversation again with this well-pitched Netflix rom-com, which is loosely inspired by her own move to the UK. Megan Stalter (best known for Hacks) plays Jessica, a burnt-out advertising executive who decides to cross the Atlantic after a bad break-up – but her first mistake is assuming her new digs in an "estate" will be in a countryside manor, not an urban tower block. Thankfully, though, such obvious fish-out-of-water japes aren't really the focus here, but rather the dissection of her burgeoning relationship with a struggling musician, played by White Lotus star Will Sharpe. What's great about their romance, written with nuance and compassion by Dunham, is that there's very little time spent on "will they won't they?" – they're essentially a couple by the end of the second episode – and much more on whether they can really make a long-term relationship work, given the emotional scars they both bear. In the lead roles, Stalter is too broad and sitcom-ish at first, but she settles into the role, and Sharpe is exquisitely naturalistic and charming from the off. A host of guest stars, including Richard E Grant, Naomi Watts and Andrew Scott, add some comic sparkle. It's certainly a flawed work, with some weaker episodes than others – but then again, as the story proves, there's beauty in imperfection. (HM)
Available on Netflix internationally
ITV13. Code of Silence
This drama makes the bracing point that a bright young woman who happens to be deaf shouldn't be underestimated, but smoothly wraps that message in a crime thriller with a captivating heroine. Rose Ayling-Ellis brings fierce but understated energy to the role of Alison Brooks, who works in the cafeteria of a police station, and is recruited to help detectives because she can lip-read the video of a criminal gang they have been surveilling. As she watches the video, text appears in partial form on the television screen, offering a visual sense of how challenging Alison's life is without the ability to hear. Her deafness is crucial to the series, but instead of delivering a heavy-handed theme, the skilfully executed plot draws us in as Alison goes undercover; she puts herself in situations more dangerous than the actual detectives (sharply played by Andrew Buchan and Charlotte Ritchie) expect, and finds herself attracted to one of the men they are tracking down. Through it all, Ayling-Ellis let us see that Alison is determined to be part of the investigation to prove just how capable she is. (CJ)
Available on BritBox in the US and ITVX in the UK
HBO14. The Rehearsal
The first series of this show from cerebral comedian Nathan Fielder, in which he helped people "rehearse" future life situations, complete with teams of actors and ever-more layers of reality intruding, was a remarkable achievement – truly unlike anything else on TV. But the question with a second series was always going to be: when you've created something so singular, how can you hope to retain its creative freshness? Well, lo and behold, Fielder has managed to do that with this follow-up, which applies his equally absurd and awe-inspiring simulation techniques to one particular problem: the miscommunication that can occur between pilots in the cockpit which, Fielder posits, is a key cause behind many commercial aviation accidents. In order to analyse this theory, Fielder again pushes the boundaries of the form in spectacular style, creating a replica of a Houston airport terminal and devising a special singing contest called Wings of Voice, among other things. With detours galore through the six episodes – including a deeply uncomfortable revelation about Paramount+'s alleged censoring of his old show Nathan for You – it's another dizzying, surreal study of human behaviour. It climaxes with Fielder himself taking to the skies, a true coup-de-theatre which is also truly, unexpectedly moving. (HM)
Available on HBO Max in the US and Now in the UK
15. Such Brave Girls
Few series are indeed as brave as this brutally honest British sitcom, which centres on two adult sisters and their mother living together as they battle with each other, their own plentiful neuroses, and looming penury. If you were to analyse its DNA, you might say it mixed the cringe farce of Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain's Peep Show with the camp viciousness and hateful barbs of British comedy pioneer Julia Davis's Nighty Night: writer-star Kat Sadler, who plays older sibling Josie, deals with subjects from mental illness to abortion with absolutely no holds barred. This second series is even better than the first, beginning with a classically chaotic wedding episode, in which mum Deb forces Josie to marry her dull-as-ditchwater boyfriend Seb, despite the fact that she is a lesbian. Meanwhile, younger sister Billie, desperate for male validation, embarks on a misbegotten affair with a much older married man, on the basis that he's "so grateful to be with me, he's like a competition winner", and Deb desperately hopes her own exceedingly banal other half, Dev, will pop the question so that she can finally settle into a life of suburban affluence. All in all, it's a breathtakingly savage portrait of inherited dysfunction, beautifully performed by its central trio, which, alongside Sadler, includes her real-life sister Lizzie Davidson and Sherlock star Louise Brealey. (HM)
Available on Hulu in the US and BBC iPlayer in thew UK
Apple TV+16. The Studio
Hollywood is an easy target, but this satire is so sharp, astute and sometimes absurd that it may be the funniest show of the year. Seth Rogen, who co-created the show, plays Matt Remick, the newly appointed head of Continental Studios, a lover of high-art films with a mandate to make commercial hits based on IP including Kool-Aid. A flood of actors and directors – including Ron Howard, Olivia Wilde and Zoe Kravitz – make cameo appearances, gleefully spoofing their own images, none funnier than Martin Scorsese in the hilarious opening episode. The series regulars are ideally cast, with Ike Barniholtz as Sal Saperstein, Matt's second-in-command, Catherine O'Hara as the previous studio head and Kathryn Hahn as the loud, wackily-dressed head of publicity. Taking us into the Golden Globes and marketing meetings, The Studio suggests that everyone is just bumbling along at a moment when the entire movie industry is in crisis. The industry might not know where it's going, but this behind-the-scenes comedy is a pure delight. (CJ)
Available on Apple TV+ internationally
Fabio Lovino/ HBO17. The White Lotus
One thing's for sure: if Mike White's first-world-problems satire about rich holidaymakers was admired by many for its first two seasons, it broke out to become a true cultural phenomenon in its third, with a huge ratings boost. This time round, it sent its dysfunctional groupings – a corrupt financier and his family, three clashing female friends, a vengeful man and his younger girlfriend – to a Thai wellness retreat, and every week, you could not move online (metaphorically) for the discourse it generated and debate it stirred. Some complained that this season was too slow and lacked suitable plot momentum, while others pointed out, sagely, that the problem was that it was a character-led drama that was never meant to be dissected like Game of Thrones, but for its unexpected blockbuster popularity. Personally? I enjoyed it as both the darkest and most reflective series so far, but one which again thrived off a magisterially cast ensemble, in which Parker Posey, Carrie Coon, Aimee Lou Wood and Patrick Schwarzenegger were standouts, but no one was a weak link. (HM)
Available on HBO Max in the US and Now in the UK
Ben Blackall/ Netflix18. Adolescence
It's no wonder that this uncompromising British series about a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a girl in his school has become a cultural flashpoint, praised by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, made available to be shown in schools and sparking conversations about young men and the toxic influence of social media. The social issue is wrapped in a drama brilliantly personalized and brought to life by the actors. Stephen Graham, who created the show with Jack Thorne, plays the boy's father and conveys the shock and grief of a parent forced to consider the unthinkable possibility that his son might be a killer. Owen Cooper gives a remarkably sophisticated performance as the accused boy, who seems guileless until he explodes in anger. And Ashley Waters plays a detective who struggles to understand his own teenage son, expanding the theme beyond one family. Each episode was shot in a single, real-time take, which sounds like a gimmick, but director Philip Barantini handles that approach so smoothly that it fades into the background, even while adding intensity to a piercing drama that offers no comfortable resolution. (CJ)
Available on Netflix internationally
Apple TV+19. Severance
Fairly or not, Apple TV+ has become a streamer known for ploughing huge resources (over $20bn, reportedly) into a range of starry shows that not very many people watch – but with the second series of this dystopian workplace drama, it became clear it had a genuine watercooler hit on its hands. Which is even more surprising, when you consider just how strange Severance is. Its compelling high-concept premise – in which employees of the sinister Lumon corporation have their consciousness separated into office selves, or "innies", and home selves, or "outies" – is one thing, but beyond that, it is constantly taking the story down surreal rabbit holes, involving for example, mysterious "macrodata refinement" work or a herd of goats. In truth, as this series progressed through its second half, it felt a little too meandering for its own good, and its climactic payoff couldn't match that from the first season. But it's still an exquisite work in all areas, from the clever dual-identity acting (especially from shining star Britt Lower) to the stark visuals. Bring on season three, and perhaps a few more solid answers as to what's really going on at Lumon. (HM)
Available on Apple TV+ internationally
Warrick Page/ Max20. The Pitt
It might sound like just another medical drama, but this show about a trauma centre in Pittsburgh revitalises the genre with its attention to the psychological stress on caregivers. Noah Wyle gives a shattering performance as the department head, the dedicated, harried, emotionally wracked Dr Robbie, still traumatised after failing to save his mentor during the Covid-19 pandemic. He is surrounded by other doctors and a group of students and interns, each adding a different dimension, from Supriya Ganesh as a brilliant medical prodigy to Isa Briones as an abrasive intern and Taylor Dearden as the caring Dr Mel, whose neurodivergence makes her especially empathetic with her patients. Unlike most medical shows, The Pitt never lets their personal melodrama overwhelm the focus on their work. Each absorbing, fast-paced episode takes place in real time during one 15-hour-long shift, and each veers between the devastation of losing patients and the relief of saving them. You'd think a series so blunt about death would be depressing, but instead The Pitt is exhilarating in its focus on people for whom life and death are everyday events. (CJ)
Available on HBO Max in the US
Disney/ Brian Roedel21. Paradise
It's difficult to discuss the power of this show without giving away the key twist that comes at the end of episode one. But safe to say, it turns what starts as a relatively conventional political thriller on its head. Sterling K Brown is the head of the US president's security detail, who finds himself accused of murder of his boss – but above and beyond the killing itself, not everything seems quite right with the world. Created by Dan Fogelman, the man behind the equally rug-pulling TV weepie This is Us, this is solid entertainment in the very best sense, with sharp plotting matched by some strong performances, from Brown’s tortured hero to Julianne Nicholson as a sinister tech billionaire. Plus, later on in the series, one particular episode which deals with truly monumental matters is simply breathtaking – but again, that's all that can be said without spoiling things for those yet to watch. The good news for those that have is that it's already been recommissioned. (HM)
Available on Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally
BBC/ Playground Entertainment22. Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light
The sumptuous conclusion to this adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy blends a beautifully shot escape into the luxurious past of Henry VIII's court with an evergreen depiction of the high personal cost of manoeuvring for power and influence. Mark Rylance is poignant as the king's advisor, Thomas Cromwell, who questions his own decisions, while the mercurial Henry is losing confidence in him. And Damian Lewis's fresh interpretation of Henry is dazzling, his voice and manner chillingly subdued even as he issues the most ruthless commands. Henry's wives come and go, but the unravelling bond between these men, and their opposite trajectories – Cromwell's self-doubts and decline and Henry's iron will that eliminates anyone in his way – shape the story. Written by Peter Straughn, a recent Oscar winner for his screenplay of Conclave, The Mirror and the Light is more resonant today than the original Mantel book was when it was published in 2020. It feels entirely relevant in a world where creeping authoritarianism is a global concern. (CJ)
Available on PBS in the US and BBC iPlayer in the UK
Ingvar Kenne/ Curio/ Sony Pictures Television23. The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Since breaking out in HBO teen drama Euphoria, rising star Jacob Elordi has chosen his roles well – but perhaps nothing has served him better so far than returning to his home country of Australia to play the protagonist in this searing war drama. An adaptation of Richard Flanagan's Booker Prize-winning novel, it explores the life of World War Two army surgeon Dorrigo Evans across three time periods: his stint stationed in Adelaide for military training, his hellish experiences as a prisoner of war in the Thai jungle, and then his existence as a professionally successful but emotionally deeply troubled veteran (now played by Ciarán Hinds), still unable to truly process the events of decades ago. Brought to impactful visual life by Justin Kurzel, known for his visceral studies of male violence on the big screen like Snowtown and The Order, it is simply one of the best evocations of the horrors of conflict that has been committed to screen. But at the same time, it takes as much care in its exploration of passion as violence, with the chemistry between Elordi's young Dorrigo and his uncle's wife Amy (a superb Odessa Young) burning up the screen. Given some of the scenes of sadistic brutality, it is of course a difficult watch, as it should be, but also one whose sheer artistry offers a kind of transcendence. (HM)
Available on Prime Video in the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada and BBC iPlayer in the UK
Apple TV+24. Your Friends and Neighbors
Jon Hamm has never been better, expertly mixing comedy and drama in this series about a hedge-fund manager called Coop, who loses his job. He schemes to keep up appearances in his wealthy community, only to discover a new sense of himself. The show has a broad comic element, as Coop turns cat burglar, solving his financial problems by stealing luxury items from his neighbours. But the series is best in its bold take on what he calls in one of his mordant voiceovers, "the quiet desperation of rich middle-aged men", and in its depiction of his complicated relationships. He is still emotionally attached to his ex-wife (Amanda Peet), who left him for one of his friends, and struggles to connect with his two teenage children. He has a tender, supportive bond with his emotionally fragile sister (Lena Hall, a standout in the cast). Hamm hasn't had a role this rich since Don Draper in Mad Men, another flawed but sympathetic charmer who makes some wildly bad decisions, and defines the character so perfectly that it's hard to imagine anyone else at the centre of this sleek but penetrating series. (CJ)
Available on AppleTV+ internationally
Channel 425. Big Boys
It might have created a little less noise than Adolescence, but here is another British show about masculinity that really deserves to be seen. Jack Rooke's semi-autobiographical show about two university students who form an odd-couple friendship – nerdy gay man Jack and straight jack-the-lad Dan – has been an incredibly deft mix of laugh-out-loud humour, complete with delightfully niche pop culture references, and poignant drama – covering sexual awakening, depression, dementia and more besides – since it started in 2022. But this third and final series was undoubtedly its most powerful, kicking off with a hilarious episode on a package holiday in Greece but getting more serious as it continued, and handling Danny's spiralling mental health problems with particular skill. And boy, does Rooke know how to shatter audience hearts – the final episode is an emotional masterclass, including a significant cameo from the man himself. Here's hoping that it launches its extremely talented creator into the big time. (HM)
Available on Hulu in the US and Channel 4 in the UK
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