IMDb typically announces the “Best of the year” list, including the hottest movies, TV shows, and stars, during the first two weeks of December. The best TV shows of 2025 list, which may not be the best recognized but is the most popular, is the “definitive data” based on the actual page views of over 250 million global visitors each month. Even if you haven’t seen it, you must have at least heard of some of the episodes.
It seems that the 10 most popular shows of 2025 include half dark comedy shows, with “The White Lotus” topping the list. Its third season broke series records, with 2.4 million viewers for the premiere and 6.2 million by the finale.
Among these 10 hit shows, 5 are from Netflix, 2 are HBO Originals, and the other 3 are from Disney+, Apple TV, and Paramount+. If you’re considering a subscription to these platforms, check out our guide on Netflix plans, Paramount+ subscriptions, and save money by bundling HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu.
| Show Name | Genre | Rating (IMDb/RT) | Where to Watch | New Season Expected |
| The White Lotus | Dark Comedy, Psychological Drama, Satire | 8.0 / 90% | HBO Max | Season 4 is filming in France; expected in 2027. |
| The Last of Us | Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian Sci-Fi, Psychological Drama, Quest | 8.5 / 94% | HBO Max | Season 3 starts filming in March/April 2026 in Vancouver, Canada; expected in 2027. |
| Severance | Conspiracy Thriller, Dystopian Sci-Fi, Psychological Drama | 8.6 / 95% | Apple TV | Season 3 filming starts in July 2026 for a late 2027 release. |
| Wednesday | Supernatural, Coming-of-Age, Dark Comedy, Dark Fantasy | 8.0 / 80% | Netflix | Season 3 began filming in Paris in April 2026; expected in 2027. |
| Squid Game | Social Thriller, Korean, Conspiracy Thriller, Dark Comedy | 7.9 / 85% | Netflix | Series finale (3 seasons) |
| Dexter: Resurrection | Crime, Dark Comedy, Psychological Drama, Psychological Thriller | 9.0/ 95% | Paramount+ | Season 2 filming kicked off in New York City around April 22, 2026, aiming for release in October 2026 |
| Monster | True Crime, Docudrama, Psychological Thriller, Serial Killer | 7.7 / 41% | Netflix | Season 4, centering on Lizzie Borden, is expected to premiere in Fall 2026. |
| Dept. Q | Mystery, Noir, Cop Drama, Crime | 8.1 / 88% | Netflix | Season 2 plans to start filming in Edinburgh, Scotland, in July 2026 and is expected to be released in late 2027 or early 2028. |
| Andor | Action Epic, Adventure Epic, Dystopian Sci-Fi | 8.6 / 96% | Disney+ | Series finale (2 seasons) |
| Black Mirror | Sci-Fi Anthology, Cyber Thiller, Dark Comedy, Dystopian Sci-Fi | 8.7 / 83% | Netflix | Season 8 is in the early stages of development, likely to launch in late 2026 or 2027. |
Watch on HBO Max with a subscription or with the HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu bundle
Luxury with a Bite: A sharp, aesthetic satire that combines high-end travel escapism with uncomfortable class commentary.
Each season of the show follows a new group of wealthy vacationers as they visit one of the White Lotus resorts around the world, with the first season set in Hawaii, the second in Sicily, Italy, the third in Thailand, and season 4 heading to France. However, it’s more than just a travelogue; it serves as a sharp, aesthetic satire that deconstructs the “vacation” as a stage for human dysfunction.
Watch on HBO Max with a subscription or with the HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu bundle
Emotional Survival: A rare video game adaptation that prioritizes deep character development and human grief over typical zombie action.
While most post-apocalyptic stories focus on the “how” of survival, The Last of Us focuses on the “why.” The series explores the heavy toll of love in a world of loss, asking if the connections we make are worth the grief they inevitably bring.
Watch on Apple TV
The Corporate Mystery: A mind-bending workplace thriller that perfectly captures modern “burnout” through a chilling, retro-future lens. It sells the viewer on a simple but haunting question: How much of your soul are you willing to sign away for an eight-hour shift of peace?
Watch on Netflix
Modern Gothic Charm: A stylish, Gen-Z reimagining of a classic character that blends high-school drama with supernatural “whodunnit” mystery. With its sharp wit and Tim Burton-inspired visual palette, it offers an appealing character, Wednesday Addams, who proves that being “weird” isn’t just a trait, it’s a superpower in a world of clones.
Watch on Netflix
High-Stakes Satire: A brutal, operatic critique of capitalism that turns innocent childhood games into a global cultural phenomenon. It forces the audience to participate as “VIPs,” watching and judging the morality of the players from the safety of their own couches.
Watch on Paramount+ with Paramount+ Premium. Dexter (8 seasons) and Dexter®: New Blood are available to any Paramount+ plan. While Dexter®: Resurrection and Dexter®: Original Sin are limited to Paramount+ Premium, according to Parmount+ Sneak Peak.
The Return of the Anti-Hero: A high-tension revival that pits an iconic serial killer against modern NYC, featuring elite talent like Brian Cox and Uma Thurman.
Watch on Netflix
The True Crime Deep-Dive: A transformative anthology that uses meta-commentary and high-caliber acting to explore the psychology of history’s most infamous figures. This series moves beyond the lurid headlines of high-profile criminal cases to explore the systemic failures and community trauma they leave behind.
Watch on Netflix
The Scandi-Noir Evolution: A gritty, Edinburgh-set adaptation that delivers a sophisticated “cold case” mystery with a dry, cynical wit. The selling point here is the atmospheric, slow-burn tension and the dry, often dark wit shared between the leads. It’s a series for viewers who prefer a complex, intellectual puzzle over a simple shootout.
Watch on Disney+, with Disney+ and Hulu bundle, or HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu bundle
Mature Rebellion: Andor is a grounded, political spy-thriller that represents the most “grown-up” corner of the Star Wars universe. It trades lightsabers and “Force” magic for a gritty, realistic look at the birth of a revolution, telling viewers that heroes aren’t born but grind. It’s one of the most respected sci-fi dramas of the decade.
Watch on Netflix
Technological Anxiety: An ever-evolving anthology that holds a terrifying mirror to our relationship with innovation and the darker side of human nature. Whether it’s exploring data privacy, virtual reality, or the gamification of social status, the show’s “half-inch-into-the-future” setting makes its warnings feel disturbingly plausible.
Pazu video downloader tools allow you to download any movies and TV shows from most video streaming services to MP4, such as Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video, and Hulu.
Here we will take Pazu Netflix Video Downloader as an example.
Pazu Netflix Video Downloader is a desktop program for Netflix users to download videos without the Netflix app. It can bypass the DRM from Netflix and download movies and TV shows to MP4 and MKV. The converted music can be preserved in high-quality 1080p after a fast download process. Also, subtitles and audio tracks can be kept 100% the same as the original video.
Download Netflix movies & TV shows to MP4 with HD quality.
Select the Netflix icon and log in to your Netflix account. Click the three-line icon > Register and enter your registration code to unlock the full version if you have purchased a registration. If you haven’t, go ahead with the free trial version.
For movies or shows leaving Netflix, downloading them with Pazu Netflix Video Downloader can save them to MP4 on your local drive and preserve them forever. Click the Search tab at the top and enter the title of a movie/TV show in the search field, and click the search icon. You will see all the shows in the list.
Click on the Settings button in the upper right corner and select “Preferences” to change:
Click the Download icon on the right side.
As you can see from the screenshot, all episodes are checked by default. Netflix Video Downloader will help you download them, no need to tap one by one.
Then click the Download button in the bottom right corner. The downloading begins.
After downloading, click History and find the video in MP4 format. You can now transfer the downloaded videos to a USB drive. Insert the USB drive into your TV’s USB port and watch them whenever you want.
Here is the complete list for IMDb’s Most Popular Series 2022. Netflix alone accounted for four. Let’s see what the world’s fans love to watch.
1. Stranger Things Season 4 – Netflix
The series has now confirmed the fifth season as the final season, probably in 2024, when the probability will again refresh the new viewing hours. The series “Stranger Things” is the rightful king of the show.
2. House of the Dragon – HBO Max
NO.2 is the spin-off of “Game of Thrones” – “House of the Dragon”. Based on “Blood and Fire: History of the Targaryen Dynasty”, the series sets 300 years before the timeline of the main series, focusing on the story of the Targaryen family. Although “Family of Dragons” was constantly panned, after comparing it to “The Lord of the Rings”, you will find that the script is the key to victory. HBO MAX also refreshed the number of subscribers on the platform again with this show.
3. Better Call Saul – Netflix
The trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer Jimmy McGill in the years leading up to his fateful run-in with Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. Better Call Saul is recognized as the top masterpiece “Sassy Lawyer”, which gets an IMDb score of 9.8.
4. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power – Prime Video
With the influence of top IP, the premiere day of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” attracted more than 25 million global viewers, becoming the grandest premiere in the history of Amazon Prime Video. In just one week, IMDb scored 100,000+ reviews. However, word of mouth is also unexpectedly low, with a passing score of 6.9 at the moment.
This Epic American drama set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’ follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.
5. Euphoria – HBO Max
A look at life for a group of high school students as they grapple with issues of drugs, sex, and violence.
7. Moon Knight – Disney+
8. The Sandman – Netflix
9. Ozark – Netflix
10. Inventing Anna – Netflix
Download Netflix movies and TV shows to MP4/MKV on your PC/Mac