With every new year comes a newtelevisionseason, bringing the latest shows on network television andstreamingplatforms. With so many shows, it’s hard not to notice the biggest ones, likeAdolescence,The Pitt, orThe Last of Us. But there are so many more shows than just those. While these shows are strong and great to watch, they can overshadow the smaller and lesser-known shows that are still worth watching.
We are notentirely through 2025 yet, but plentyof underrated TV showsalready exist. Of course, some of thebest shows of 2024have returned, but there are also plenty of new shows this year. Many of which have made us laugh, cry, or question the meaning of our existence.
10’Grosse Pointe Garden Society' (2025–)
Rotten Tomatoes: 71% | IMDb: 6.9/10
Before diving intoGrosse Pointe Garden Society’splot, let’s appreciate its star-studded cast:Melissa Fumero(Brooklyn Nine-Nine),Aja Naomi King(Lessons in ChemistryandHow to Get Away With Murder),AnnaSophia Robb(Bridge to Terabithia), andMatthew Davis(The Vampire Diaries). It’s incredible to see so many fan favorites on one primetime series. TheNBCdrama is filled with twists and turns and follows a group of friends involved in a murder.
Critical reception so far suggests that the plot isn’t the strongest, but the excellent cast keeps the series interesting. In a potentially bad sign,Grosse Pointe Garden Societywas moved by NBCto Friday Nights, which can be an early sign of cancellation. However, the series has gained a following on streaming but struggles with getting views on-air. Regardless, the strong cast gives enough reason for viewers to check the show out.
Grosse Pointe Garden Society
9’Clean Slate' (2025)
Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 6.6/10
Clean Slateis one of the last shows executive-produced by the late iconNorman Lear. The series followsGeorge Wallace’s Harry SlateandLaverne Cox’sDesiree. Following 23 years of estrangement, Harry welcomes his son, who is now a trans woman.Clean Slatehas become the first sitcom led by a transgender character. The series wasinitially set for Amazon’s Freevee, but eventually premiered onAmazon Prime. Overall, the critical reception forClean Slatewas positive, and it received an89% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The series has Wallace’s character come to terms with his daughter’s new identity, and Cox’s Desiree gets reacclimated to living in the South. Although the show challenges many of the stereotypes we associate with Alabama. Despite the positive critical reception, Amazon Prime canceled the series two months after it premiered.
Clean Slate
8’Happy Face' (2025)
Rotten Tomatoes: 57% | IMDb: 6.5/10
Met with mixed reviews,Happy Facepremiered onParamount+on July 21, 2025. The true-crime series joins the ever-expanding and ultra-populartrue crimeniche.Happy Faceis based on a podcast of the same name hosted byMelissa Moore, the real-life daughterof the serial killer. Moore spoke about wanting to present a different perspective to the world and how these individuals' crimes affect their loved ones' lives.
The series strongly opposes the glorification of serial killers.Dennis Quaidplays the Happy Face Killer, andAnnaleigh Ashfordplays his daughter Melissa. The series explores Melissa’s continuing struggle with the burden of shame she feels by being associated with her father. Ashford has to carefully craft a very complex character dealing with complicated trauma.Happy Facetakes a fascinating approach to the true crime genre and is worth watching.
Happy Face
7’Boarders' (2024–)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 6.7/10
While the series did premiere in 2024, the second season of British dramedyBoardersreturned in 2025. ThisBBCThree dramedy airs onTubiin the U.S. and was created byDaniel Lawrence Taylor. With little awareness of it in the states, the show has grown a fan base in the U.K.including Alan Cumming who has a small rolein the second season. The series follows a group of five Black teenagers who get a scholarship to a predominantly white boarding school. The move is a publicity stunt by the school, but the five students take the opportunity and run with it.
Boardersis critically acclaimed and has crafted five individual stories for each student that showcase their different experiences in this prestigious boarding school. The second season continues to build upon the foundation established in its first season. This is ahigh-quality teen comedyabout five students, their environment, and their struggles in trying to learn and survive in such a space.
6’Prime Target' (2025–)
Rotten Tomatoes: 45% | IMDb: 6.3/10
Leo Woodallhas carefully chosen projects that could showcase his broad range of talent. After starring in the second season ofThe White Lotus, he also played the role of Dexter in one of thebest Netflix romance shows,One Day. In both of these shows, he plays a playboy of the story (although this changes in theNetflixseries), but inAmazon Prime’sPrime Target, Woodall plays an awkward and quiet mathematicalgenius.
AlongsideQuintessa Swindell, Woodall and the castcreate a compelling and exciting thriller series that always keeps things unexpected. While it’s not clear if the logic of the complicated mathematics actually makes sense, Woodall and Swindell ground the story that would otherwise feel over the top at times. While some parts of the show were sluggish,Prime Targetis a fun and great addition to this year’s television shows.
Prime Target
5’North of North' (2025–)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 7.7/10
North of Northisthe latest Canadian comedythat has premiered on Netflix. Like many small-town comedies,North of Northfeatures a cast of townspeople who all know each other’s business and gossip about everything. However, for many series like this, the setting isnothing more than a small town. In this Netflix comedy, the setting is a small Inuit town called Ice Cove. The series' writers have brilliantly threaded together the universal struggles of a young woman trying to discover herself with the cultural foundation of the Inuit people.
But this doesn’t mean that the show doesn’t enjoy using this unique culture to create hilarious moments for the series, including a traditional community game of walrus dick baseball (yes, you read that right). The series also explores the mother-daughter dynamics between Siaja (Anna Lambe) and Neevee (Maika Harper).Despite Netflix’s notorious reputation,North of Northhas beenrenewed for a second season.
North of North
4’Survival of the Thickest' (2023–)
Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 7.5/10
Survival of the Thickestis back for a second season of the brilliantly hilarious Netflix sitcom. Co-created, written, produced, and starringMichelle Buteau, the multi-talented comedian returns for the sophomore season of her comedy based on her memoir. The series follows Mavis Beaumont, who has to rebuild her life after being newly single and unknowingly putting all her eggs in one boyfriend’s basket.Survival of the Thickestfeatures the ridiculous situations Mavis gets herself into, including working for a self-centered bossplayed by Garcelle Beauvais.
The series briefly reached the Top 10 leaderboards on Netflix but is criminally underrated. From the body diversity storylines to the exploration of romance and self-love, the series is so strong because of Buteau’s real bond with the rest of the ensemble cast.
Survival of the Thickest
3’Deli Boys' (2025–)
Rotten Tomatoes: 96% | IMDb: 7.2/10
There are so many comedies out there, but the best ones experiment and cross into different genres, presenting unique and funny stories that only comedy can do. WithDeliBoys, the Hulu seriescombinescrime and comedy drama. After their wealthy father’s funeral, brothers Mir (Asif Ali) and Raj (Saagar Shaikh) face an entirely new reality. The seemingly innocent business their father ran is actually a front for a drug empire.
The brothers must learn how to juggle the front-facing public company with its criminal underbelly. The cherry on top isNever I Have Ever’sPoorna Jagannathan, who brilliantly plays Lucky, one of their father’s closest allies.Deli Boysis a great addition to this year’s television shows because it is an excellent example of synthesizing the crime and comedy genres in a half-hour episode.
2’Dying for Sex' (2025)
Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 7.5/10
FX’slatest series,Dying for Sex, starsMichelle Williamsas Molly, a woman diagnosed with stage four cancer, who is dealing with years of sexual boredom. After discovering her diagnosis, Molly leaves her husband and goes on a journey of sexual discovery, whichdebunks the idea of “normal sex.”With the support of her best friend Nikki (Jenny Slate), we follow Molly’s path and exploration of her pleasures while also dealing with the chemotherapy and survival aspects of her diagnosis.
Beyond depicting various kinks,Dying for Sexexplores trauma and how that can be closely linked to our bodies and how we can be so limited by it. However, aside from the heavier topics,the series is sexy, charming, and funny, thanks to Williams’ portrayal of vulnerability. Loosely based onMolly Kochan’s podcast of the same name, the series doesn’t get scared of showing Molly’s journey, no matter how beautiful and difficult it may be to watch.
1’Common Side Effects' (2024–)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.6/10
Adult Swim is often overlookedbut has spawned many strong projects that we know and love, such asRick and MortyandRobot Chicken.Common Side Effectsis Adult Swim’s latest critical success. The series follows mushroom expert Marshall Cuso (Dave King), who has discovered a cure-all mushroom. Now, Marshall spends the series running away from pharmaceutical companies, the DEA, and a whole load of others trying to claim the mushrooms for themselves or keep the cure a secret.
Among the series' producers isGreg Daniels, the mind behind the American version ofThe Officeand co-creatorParks and Recreation.Mike Judgevoices one of the characters and is a producer of the series, and you might know Judge for being the creator ofBeavis and Butt-Head. The series isco-created by Joseph BennettandSteve Hely, and has been renewedfor a second season. Given the brilliant minds behindCommon Side Effects, it’s not surprising that this a massive success, but it deserves more attention.
Common Side Effects
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