{"id":372657,"date":"2025-12-27T16:13:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-27T16:13:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/372657\/"},"modified":"2025-12-27T16:13:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-27T16:13:16","slug":"5-best-shows-i-watched-in-2025-on-netflix-prime-video-hbo-max-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/372657\/","title":{"rendered":"5 best shows I watched in 2025 on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

2025 has been one of the best years for TV, and I don\u2019t say that lightly as someone who watches movies and shows for a living. Between fresh originals and long-awaited returns on the best streaming services<\/a>, I found myself glued to the screen more than I expected. Not to mention I\u2019ve probably spent more time with fictional characters than real people.<\/p>\n

On top of that, two of my all-time favorite movie franchises finally made the leap to TV, giving me a whole new way to enjoy worlds I\u2019ve loved for years. These shows also sparked new obsessions that, unfortunately for my loved ones, they now have to tolerate on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

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Some of this year\u2019s shows had me laughing, some had me on the edge of my seat, and others just pulled me into stories I really didn\u2019t want to leave. So, here are the five shows I loved most in 2025, and where to stream them now.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

\u2018IT: Welcome to Derry\u2019 (HBO Max)<\/p>\n

IT: Welcome to Derry | Official Trailer | HBO Max – YouTube
\n\"IT:<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

I knew I was excited for \u201cIT: Welcome to Derry,\u201d but I didn\u2019t expect it to become my favorite show of 2025, let alone one of the best shows ever made. Andy Muschietti managed to do something original while expanding moments from Stephen King\u2019s novel, with a super talented cast, and Bill Skarsg\u00e5rd turning the fear factor up to eleven as Pennywise. It\u2019s creepy, unhinged, and every episode had my jaw on the floor. Plus the title sequence is so catchy I was practically dancing along every time.<\/p>\n

\u201cIT: Welcome to Derry\u201d is a prequel to the movies, set in 1962 in the eerie town of Derry, Maine. When a young boy mysteriously disappears, Leroy Hanlon (Jovan Adepo) and his wife Charlotte (Taylour Paige) and son Will (Blake Cameron James) move to town and soon find themselves caught up in the strange events. Young residents including Lilly (Clara Stack), Marge (Matilda Lawler), Ronnie (Amanda Christine), and Rich (Arian S. Cartaya) begin experiencing terrifying phenomena, while the shape\u2011shifting entity Pennywise lurks in the darkest corners of Derry, waiting.<\/p>\n

Stream “IT: Welcome to Derry” on HBO Max<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Alien: Earth\u2019 (Hulu)<\/p>\n

Alien: Earth | Official Trailer | FX – YouTube
\n\"Alien:<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

I feel like I\u2019m betraying the \u201cAlien\u201d franchise by putting this show second, but just because it didn\u2019t take the top spot doesn\u2019t make it any less impressive. \u201cAlien: Earth\u201d is brilliantly made, perfectly capturing the vibe of the movies with stunning Xenomorph designs, and even introducing new creatures that bring back the sense of the unknown. Noah Hawley proved this franchise can thrive on the small screen, and even after a slightly weaker finale, I\u2019m genuinely excited to see what season 2 has in store.<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlien: Earth\u201d is set in the year 2120, two years before the original 1979 \u201cAlien\u201d movie. Earth is dominated by powerful corporations and advanced technology, including cyborgs and synthetic beings. When the deep\u2011space research vessel USCSS Maginot crash\u2011lands in Prodigy City, the first hybrid prototype named Wendy (Sydney Chandler) \u2014 a humanoid with transferred human consciousness \u2014 and a group of other hybrids encounter terrifying life forms and threats following the crash. As the team and tactical forces respond to the disaster, they confront deadly alien creatures linked to the mysterious crashed ship\u2019s cargo.<\/p>\n

Stream “Alien: Earth” on Hulu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Andor\u2019 season 2 (Disney Plus)<\/p>\n

Andor | Official Trailer | Final Season Streaming April 22 on Disney+ – YouTube
\n\"Andor<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

I think most of us \u201cStar Wars\u201d fans can agree that \u201cAndor\u201d is not just a great show for the franchise, but an incredible show in its own right. Season 2 takes everything to another level, delivering storytelling that feels mature, grounded, and emotionally powerful. The series shows that the franchise isn\u2019t only about lightsabers or galaxy-spanning lore, but about the people who live in that world, the choices they make, and the sacrifices that shape them. This season wraps up character arcs in a way that will resonate with \u201cStar Wars\u201d fans for years to come.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

\u201cAndor\u201d season\u202f2 continues the story of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in the years leading up to \u201cRogue One.\u201d Picking up roughly a year after season\u202f1, the 12\u2011episode second season spans four years, with each three\u2011episode block covering a different period in Cassian\u2019s life as he deepens his involvement with the emerging Rebel Alliance. Cassian impersonates an Imperial test pilot, encounters guerilla groups, and reunites with allies like Bix (Adria Arjona), Brasso (Joplin Sibtain), and B2EMO while avoiding detection by the Empire.<\/p>\n

Stream “Andor” season 2 on Disney Plus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Stranger Things\u2019 season 5 (Netflix)<\/p>\n

Stranger Things 5 | Official Trailer | Netflix – YouTube
\n\"Stranger<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

It was almost inevitable that the final season of \u201cStranger Things\u201d would make this list. It\u2019s one of the best Netflix shows ever made, and with season 5 being the last, it really ramps up the tension and drama. The first four episodes were enough to wow me, especially with the shocking reveals from the Duffer Brothers, and it feels even more bittersweet knowing it\u2019s coming to an end. Judging by how season 5 is unfolding and what\u2019s expected in part 2 and the finale, we\u2019re in for a wild ride.<\/p>\n

\u201cStranger Things\u201d season\u202f5 picks up in the fall of 1987, after the events of season\u202f4 left Hawkins scarred and changed. The core group \u2014 Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Will (Noah Schnapp), Joyce (Winona Ryder), Hopper (David Harbour), and friends \u2014 return to confront the missing but dangerous threat of Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), whose plans are unknown. With Hawkins placed under military quarantine and Eleven forced into hiding, the team must track down Vecna and stop him once and for all.<\/p>\n

Stream “Stranger Things” season 5 on Netflix<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Fallout\u2019 season 2 (Prime Video)<\/p>\n

Fallout Season Two Official Trailer | Prime Video – YouTube
\n\"Fallout<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

I knew going back into the wasteland for round two wasn\u2019t going to disappoint, and it didn\u2019t. \u201cFallout\u201d season\u202f2 matches the high standard set by the first season, this time with an even darker and more intense edge. It\u2019s thrilling to see such a beloved franchise get the care and cinematic treatment it deserves on TV. The opening episodes make a confident return to this strange, post-apocalyptic world while capturing the unique charm and character that made New Vegas such a standout in the game series.<\/p>\n

\u201cFallout\u201d season\u202f2 picks up after the dramatic events of the first season, following Lucy (Ella\u202fPurnell) and the Ghoul (Walton\u202fGoggins) as they continue their journey across the post\u2011nuclear wasteland toward the legendary city of New Vegas. This time, they face even greater threats, and the story also splits to follow the journeys of Hank (Kyle\u202fMacLachlan), Norm (Mois\u00e9s Arias), and Maximus (Aaron\u202fMoten).<\/p>\n

Stream “Fallout” season 2 on Prime Video<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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