As I pointed out in my personal blog, I don't have Apple TV+, so none of their programming will show up on this list. A lot of people consider Apple's programming is some of the best or at least critically acclaimed. That being said, I did compile 26 series or programs that I absolutely loved. Whittling that group down to a top ten wasn't easy and indeed I cheated with some of them. I will say that I do have honorable mentions that I'd like to share first. Beyond the Gates (2025) is the brand new soap opera, which began this year on CBS. It's the first to have a predominantly African American cast. It's also the first daytime drama to be created in decades and has quickly become a must-watch. The Gilded Age (2022) is the successor to Downton Abbey (2010) but set in America in the late 19th century. Bullet Train Explosion (2025) is a Japanese film on Netflix that's a sequel to one from 1975 and it's crazier version of Speed (1994). Franklin (2025) is a feature directed by Donta Morrison and producer Anthony Bawn
10. COBRA KAI: SEASON 6 (Netflix) - The final season of the hit TV series posted its last episodes earlier this year. Arguably, the success of the show inspired a feature film that hit theaters for the Memorial Day weekend. The only problem is that the film didn't continue any of the story lines from the show. It was a totally separate thing that wasn't as good. Yet, the last episodes gave us more drama and interesting fight choreography than the movie. If you know the initial premise of the show from the very start, the ending was practically perfect.
9. AND JUST LIKE THAT...: SEASON 3 (HBO) / HARLEM: SEASON 3 (Prime Video) - These two shows tied because they're twin shows. One of them is a sequel to Sex and the City (1998). The other is a clone of Sex and the City but predominantly African American. Both are sweet and lovely in their own ways. One leans more silly than the other, but both are good tonics for anyone looking for brightness.
8. THE RECRUIT: SEASON 2 (Netflix) / THE NIGHT AGENT: SEASON 2 (Netflix) - These two shows also tied because these are also twin shows. Instead of competing television or streaming services, these twin shows were put out by the same service. Both are action shows centering on young men being pulled into international espionage, being in over their heads and being on the run. Some might argue they're redundant, but they also perfectly complement each other.
7. THE BEAR: SEASON 4 (Hulu) - The show is about a family restaurant in Chicago that was a beef sandwich shop that got converted into a fine dining establishment. The man running it is an ambitious chef who wants it to be the best and he wants to be the best chef in the world. This passion causes issues with the people around him. This season has a ticking clock till the restaurant runs out of money. The series really has a vibe that I dig and really does well with its supporting cast, including Ayo Edebiri who plays Sidney. She has to make a big decision of whether to stay or leave the business.
6. THE LAST OF US: SEASON 2 (HBO) - The reactions to this second season haven't been the best. The ratings haven't been the best either. The video game adaptation got rid of a major character, which was expected for those who are familiar with the Sony multiplayer. However, it seems some take issue with certain dynamics. Being someone who never played the game, I didn't have any preconceived notions about how it should or shouldn't play out. The series has become one focused on revenge and how a human seeking revenge can be a lot more dangerous or the consequences of which can be a lot more disastrous than the so-called zombie apocalypse.
5. MR LOVERMAN (BritBox) - Going from one zombie show to another, that of The Walking Dead (2010), Lennie James played the character of "Morgan Jones" on that show. He's a British actor who has been working since the 80's. This past year, he starred in this romantic drama about a closeted man from the Caribbean who is married with children. This series focuses on his decision to leave and end his marriage of 50 years. Yet, he struggles to admit who he really is and with who he's really in love.
4. A THOUSAND BLOWS (Hulu) - Most people are praising the series Adolescence (2025), co-created and co-starring Stephen Graham. However, most people have overlooked the fact that Graham was also a part of this series that was pitched by Graham's wife, Hannah Walters. It's historical fiction that tells the story of the real-life Forty Elephants, an all-female criminal organization in 1880's London, England. It also tells the story of the end of bare-knuckle boxing, centering on Graham who plays a bare-knuckle boxer named "Sugar" who is pitted against a Jamaican immigrant, played by Malachi Kirby. Erin Doherty also co-stars and Ashley Walters has a small role. Both Doherty and Walters were in Adolescence as well.
3. PARADISE (Hulu) - Oscar nominee and two-time Emmy winner, Sterling K. Brown stars as a Secret Service agent assigned to the President of the United States, played by Emmy nominee, James Marsden. Brown's character of Xavier Collins has to solve a murder mystery that takes place, basically in the White House. Emmy winner, Julianne Nicholson plays "Sinatra," an Elon Musk-type character who uses her wealth to influence, manipulate and even control the government. Xavier learns of Sinatra's manipulations and tries to stop her, but she may be too powerful for him. It's a very thrilling and crazy show, which has become a new TV addiction.
2. MO: SEASON 2 (Netflix) - There is no other show on American television that tells the story of a Palestinian immigrant and a Palestinian family. The comedian Mo Amer created the show with Emmy nominee, Ramy Youssef. It joins Fantasmas (2024), as another show about the difficulties of being an immigrant in this country, even a legal one. Fantasmas is a surrealist comedy. Amer's show is more straightforward in his comedy. His character wants to be an American and is probably the most Texas person in Texas, but he has roots in Palestine and maintains the love of his country, particularly his father. Showing his love of Palestine because an important theme in this season and he accomplishes that in very poignant ways.
1. FOREVER (Netflix) - There are probably a ton of teen dramas or teen romance programs out there. The last half-decade have seen more stories focused on African American protagonists. Euphoria (2019) probably has been the most outstanding, but there have been others like All American (2018). There were was one that focused on a young teen like The Wonder Years (2021), which was a remake of the 1988 series. Often, shows with a Black lead will have some kind of hook or be a part of some kind of genre. This series doesn't do that. It simply depicts the lives of these two Black teens in a realistic and modern-way that was so refreshing and lovely.