What to Watch: F ZINE’s Top TV Series of 2025
From quick-witted humour to hard-hitting commentaries on social issues, here’s a roundup of all the TV series the team has been hooked on this year.
2025 has been a big year for television and streaming. We saw the return of highly anticipated series like HBO’s The White Lotus and Apple TV’s Severance early in the year, while Netflix’s sci-fi horror series Stranger Things has just begun releasing episodes from its fifth season.
With so many binge-worthy shows to put on your list, here are the F ZINE team’s top picks of the year.
The Studio by Apple TV
“At its heart, The Studio by Apple TV is a sly little paean to old Hollywood’s fading glamour and the integrity of craft – filtered through sharp satire, goofball chaos, and the sun-kissed sheen of modern LA. Thoroughly entertaining for when your brain has fully checked out, but your standards haven’t. Watch for the cameos alone.” – Noelle Loh, Editor-in-Chief
THE STUDIO STILL
Boots by Netflix
“My top show this year is Boots. It’s a funny, honest look at growing up, relationships, and modern masculinity.” – Jonathan Chia, Senior Art Director
“My favourite show this year is Boots — it honestly deserves all the hype. It really put me through all the emotions that come with navigating masculinity, and it’s hard to watch without feeling angry and ashamed at how soldiers were treated. The way it captures the toxic military culture of the early ’90s feels spot-on, and it just hits you with so many layered feelings.” – Pang Jia Wei, Content Producer
BOOTS STILL
The Summer Hikaru Died on Netflix
“One of the most unique anime I’ve watched this year is The Summer Hikaru Died. The titular Hikaru is dead, and yet he’s somehow still here, walking around like nothing happened. His best friend Yoshiki is the only one who senses the truth, and he can’t bring himself to let go. What follows is this beautifully eerie, small-town story about grief, love and the kind of cosmic horror that creeps up on you. It’s tender, it’s unsettling, and it basically asks: what do you do when the person you love isn’t the person you remember anymore?” – Carlos Keng, Features Editor
THE SUMMER HIKARU DIED STILL
When Life Gives You Tangerines by Netflix
“I know this may come as a surprise to my close friends who know me, but I actually enjoyed the Korean drama series When Life Gives You Tangerines. The storyline offers significant depth, featuring an engaging plot and compelling character arcs that are deeply moving. I find myself sobbing quietly to myself on a plane ride home whilst watching one of the episodes. It’s truly that engaging!” – Reta Lee, Contributing Digital Editor
“When Life Gives You Tangerines easily tops my list for 2025! Beyond the fact that the leads are some of my all-time favourite celebrities, the storyline was so good that I cried every episode. The scene I loved most was when Gwan-sik (played by Park Bo-gum) jumped off a cruise to swim towards Ae-sun (played by IU), which has been living rent-free in my head ever since. I can’t find another drama that has a plot as good as this, so I’ve just been rewatching this series every now and then.” – Germaine Khoo, Social Media Producer
WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU TANGERINES STILL
Adults on Disney+
“Adults was the funniest show I’ve seen this year — the third episode had me pausing after every scene so I could catch my breath. The cast has amazing comedic timing and the humour is so quick yet zany, I couldn’t get enough. Honestly, I haven’t loved a sitcom this much since Modern Family ended. Seriously looking forward to Season 2.” — Lucy Lauron, Contributing Writer
ADULTS STILL
Adolescence by Netflix
“My pick of this year has to be Adolescence, a four-episode Netflix series where a young teenager Jamie is arrested for murdering his schoolmate. The episodes are all one-shot, which I imagine must’ve been both a logistical nightmare and a huge accomplishment to the production team. The show tackles toxic masculinity and incel culture in Gen Z and Gen Alpha. No spoilers, but my favourite episode was the one with the psychiatrist. Definitely one of those shows that leave you just speechless and wanting to dig in deeper.” – Tsoi Fong Wing, Contributing Content Producer
ADOLESCENCE STILL
Severance by Apple TV
“As someone who can’t handle anything even mildly creepy, I was really surprised that I came to love Severance so much. It’s a psychological thriller that’s got the perfect mix of comedy, suspense and social commentary on work-life balance. Every single episode – especially Season 2, which was released this year – had me on the edge of my seat and running to Reddit to trawl through fan theories right after.” – Kenme Lam, Editorial Intern
SEVERANCE STILL