The shows you can watch with Friends.
I haven’t seen every show and I’m kind of a late bloomers with some, but I still manage to find the time to check some things out. And my favorite show this year is a love letter to movies.
10.) “Stick” (AppleTV+)
Created by Jason Keller
I’m told Owen Wilson took up golfing lessons to prepare for the lead role as a former pro hitting hard times, but gets a second chance when he decides to train a young golfer. It’s a simple, but sweet and goodhearted spirit to the world of golf and the people either looking for a comeback or wanting to give somebody else their shot.
9.) “Your Friends & Neighbors” (AppleTV+)
Created by Jonathan Trooper
Jon Hamm, who has helped make a TV name for himself with “Mad Men,” delivers another memorable TV performance as a family man and businessman resorting to a life of a crime after losing his job. And you can start with the first episode which set things in motion.
8.) “Big Mouth” (8th and Final Season) (Netflix)
Created by Andrew Goldberg, Nick Kroll, Mark Levin, and Jennifer Flackett
What a hilarious and fitting way to end this Netflix adult animated series. These kids are preparing for a new year of high school, and they still have a lot of challenges, sexual fantasies, and vulnerabilities to deal with. I think we can agree we all need a little Compassion Pachyderm in our lives. And the final scene is equally funny and equally emotional.
7.) “Poker Face” (Season 2) (Peacock)
Created by Rian Johnson
I heard Rian Johnson’s howcatchem series is moving forward somewhere else with possibly Peter Dinklage talking on the future lead role. But until then, Natasha Lyonne owns this show as a woman who knows when people are lying. The new guest stars include Cynthia Erivo, John Mulaney, Sam Richardson, and John Cho.
6.) “Daredevil: Born Again” (Disney+)
Created by Dario Scardapane and Matt Corman & Chris Ord
Years after the Charlie Cox series got cancelled, he got his cameo in “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” and a new series continuing his portrayal of Matt Murdock, who thinks he can call it quits with his Daredevil persona, but can’t. How can he? Especially with the evil Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) winning the election for the mayor of New York. This is not only entertaining with the carnage and fights, but it also represents our reality of crimes and our polarizing reactions against politicians.
5.) “Andor” (2nd and Final Season) (Disney+)
Created by Tony Gilroy
As I mentioned in my review, “There’s a lot for us fans to digest, but there’s a story and challenges for the characters to deal with. “Andor” has already proven itself to be the best “Star Wars” series since “The Mandalorian,” and Season 2 is no different.” This is the second and final season and everything comes in full circle, at least until Andor’s death in “Rogue One.”
4.) “The Last of Us” (Season 2) (HBO Max)
Created by Craig Mazin
The zombie series based on the video game continues to push itself to new limits. In this season, Joel (Pedro Pascal) gets murdered, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and her girlfriend (Isabela Merced) both travel through a dangerous land to get revenge. We also get terrific guest appearances from Jeffrey Wright, Alanna Ubach, Catherine O’Hara, and Joe Pantoliano, and a cliffhanger that goes BOOM!
3.) “King of the Hill” (Season 14) (Hulu)
Created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels
Mike Judge and Greg Daniels both bring Strickland Propane’s best employee Hank Hill in the 2020s, in which his son Bobby is now a young adult, and times are changing for everyone and everything. It’s nice to see these characters adapting to the times and moving forward with their lives, instead of having that exhausting “Simpsons” frozen in time scenario.
2.) “Dying for Sex” (Hulu)
Created by Kim Rosenstock and Elizabeth Meriwether
Inspired by the real life experiences of Molly Kochan (1973-2019), Michelle Williams plays a dying woman who wants to score before it’s too late, while Jenny Slate plays her best friend who helps her see her pathos through. It’s funny, it’s sad, and it’s sexy, all the qualities that makes this series one of the year’s very best.
1.) “The Studio” (AppleTV+)
Created by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez
Seth Rogen is a genius as the co-creator and star of this Emmy winning series about the movie world. The fake studio is Continental Studios, which is more concerned about blockbusters than artisan features (they want Ice Cube as the voice of the Kool Aid guy and they kill Martin Scorsese’s script). As a film critic, I admire the energy of what’s wrong with the movie world, and I like how it goes for that “1917” one shot camera angles. And with a brilliant supporting cast including Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, and Ike Barinholtz, this is the best TV show I’ve watched all year.
My Least Favorite (if not Worst) Show of 2025
“Ironheart”
Created by Chinaka Hodge
Sorry, but as much as I loved the original “Iron Man,” there’s just no gadgets here that could make me appreciate his series. I liked A Tony Ramos as the villain, but I stick to the classics. And plus, I was already going to skip “All’s Fair” the minute I heard Kim Kardashian was starring in it.
