I started doing reviews on this site in 2025, and now that the year has wrapped up, it seems like a good time to look back and do a roundup. I typically watch about four episodes before writing up a review, though sometimes I push through the full season before putting my opinions and analysis down. Below are my final thoughts as to which of these shows still stick with me, and whether I am looking forward to more seasons.
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You may notice that most of my reviews are positive, and that is because I typically don’t stick with a show long if I don’t care for it, and I usually will not do a review if I have only watched one or two episodes. So for the ones below, I got through at least four episodes, and most of them I finished the season at some point. You can click on the links below to see the full review, and you can chime in with your own thoughts on these shows in the comments below. These are ordered from the most recent reviews to the oldest.
Pluribus Season 1, Apple TV: This Vince Gilligan series is the last one I reviewed in 2025, and it’s still buzzing around in my head. I’ve seen plenty of online backlash claiming that nothing really happened during the first season, but I loved this one pretty much from start to finish. It has an excellent sci-fi concept and explores what an everyday, fairly normal person might do when placed in an extraordinary situation (keeping things as spoiler-free as possible here). It’s perfectly acted by an immaculate cast, and the dialogue verges on brilliance at times. This is definitely a slow burn, but that works because the show throws out a lot of interesting ideas even when it seems like not much is happening. I’m very much looking forward to the second season—which may not be for a while, according to Gilligan—and I consider this yet another excellent Apple TV+ genre entry, alongside Severance and For All Mankind.
The Mighty Nein Season 1, Prime Video: This animated fantasy series from Critical Role—set in the same world as The Legend of Vox Machina—proved to be a bit of a challenge early on. The viewer is thrown into the middle of the action with little context, and things get confusing quickly. Still, I liked the characters enough to stick with it, and the season steadily improved as it went along. By the end, the story comes together nicely and sets up a second season I’m very much looking forward to. While fantasy entries like The Rings of Power, The Witcher, and House of the Dragon assault viewers with CGI overload, The Mighty Nein and The Legend of Vox Machina do a fantastic job of delivering more sustainable genre entries on modest budgets, and they are a ton of fun.
Demascus Season 1, Tubi: I absolutely loved the first episode of this sci-fi comedy, though I found most of rest of the season uneven at first. The finale was strong, however, and I ended up rewatching the entire series (it’s only six half-hour episodes). On a second viewing, I really began to appreciate the intricacies of the story, and episodes that initially felt slow became much more engaging. And I came to realize that this is an innovative show that explores racial identity and self-discovery without feeling blunt or heavy-handed. Unfortunately, it was cancelled by AMC before it even aired, and Tubi appears to have picked it up only for a burn-off run. That’s a shame, because there was clearly more story to tell, and this stands out as a strong sci fi entry, even if it doesn’t seem very sci fi at all across most of its episodes.
Peacemaker Season 2, HBO Max: What’s to say about this show? I love me some Chris Smith/Peacemaker, and John Cena seems born to play the role (if only we could somehow team him up with Patrick Warburton’s The Tick). The first season was borderline genius, so season two had a lot to live up to, and it mostly succeeded. Things get a bit tedious early on, with everyone angry at each other most of the time, but the season really comes together about halfway through. Like the first season, this isn’t really a superhero show, it’s sci-fi at its core that just happens to include some heroes. While there are no plans for a third year, characters from the series will appear in upcoming DC films, which should help bring some closure. I’ll be watching those, but I’d still love more Peacemaker.
Alien: Earth Season 1, FX/Hulu: This Alien prequel series was a frustratingly uneven experience. It started strong but eventually meandered and occasionally felt like a rehash of familiar territory. Still, it introduced some interesting twists, and I stuck with it through the season. Overall reactions have been mixed, which I understand, but it remains a decent sci-fi entry that explores a rarely seen corner of the Alien universe: Earth. I’ll definitely tune in for season two because I believe it still has the potential to become a notable genre entry.
Twisted Metal Season 2, Peacock: I loved the first season of this show, which makes sense given that it comes from the creators of Zombieland, one of my all-time favorite sci-fi horror comedies. Season two maintains that same reckless energy, though it does bog down at times, likely due to having too many characters to juggle. Still, I enjoyed it all the way through and am looking forward to more. This isn’t intellectual sci-fi with a grand message (though it has a few surprisingly poignant moments); it’s pure mayhem and a whole lot of fun.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3, Paramount+: What is there to say about this Star Trek prequel series? It got off to a solid start, but like much of Nu Trek, it leans heavily into CGI overload. That trend continued in season three, along with some bold experiments with the Trek formula that, for this longtime fan, miss more often than they hit. Maybe I’m just an old fuddy-duddy, but I didn’t finish the third season and honestly don’t know if I will. The creative team has acknowledged that some of their big swings didn’t land, so perhaps I’ll give season four a try. For now, though, I’m getting much more enjoyment out of a Deep Space Nine rewatch. (I also did a Q-a-thon which was a ton of fun. Watch for an upcoming post on that.)
Nautilus Season 1, AMC: If you’re nostalgic for grand adventure sci-fi/fantasy in the vein of Indiana Jones or Jumanji or classics like Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Nautilus is for you. The series explores the backstory of Jules Verne’s Captain Nemo with style, colorful characters, conflicted antagonists, and exotic locations, and the action bursts off the screen without excessive CGI (though it is still rather effects-heavy). It’s a show with broad appeal, and viewers of all ages should find something to enjoy. And while it has its leaps of logic and plot holes, the pacing is brisk enough that you barely notice them. Sadly, Disney+ abandoned the show before it even aired, leaving it to burn-off runs on AMC in the U.S. and Prime Video in the UK and Australia. So enjoy the lone season because it’s unlikely this version of Captain Nemo will continue.
The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1, TNT: Speaking of grand adventure, this is another show that delivers along those lines, though on more of a budget. This franchise began as TV movies, then expanded into a four-season series, and now returns with a new group of Librarians tasked with protecting powerful magical artifacts. I like the new characters and appreciated that it retained the same sense of fun as earlier installments. I didn’t finish the first season due to competing viewing priorities, but I plan to catch up before season two arrives later this year. It’s not groundbreaking genre television, and it does cover familiar ground, but it’s an enjoyable watch.
Revival Season 1, Syfy: This quasi-zombie series wasn’t initially on my radar until I started hearing positive buzz about it. Once I tuned in, I was hooked and finished the season wanting more. It takes a familiar concept—seen in shows like The Returned and Resurrection—and adds a fresh twist. And while it may look like a supernatural drama at first, it veers into sci-fi territory in interesting ways. Melanie Scrofano delivers the expected strong performance, and she is surrounded by a good cast as well. And the show ended on a rather large cliffhanger, so fans (including myself) are hoping that Syfy greenlights a second season of this one. Or if not, perhaps another venue will pick it up because the show seems to have developed a notable following.
Andor Season 2, Disney+: For those who feel like the third Star Wars trilogy of films ruined that franchise, I advise forgetting them and following the saga of Andor. This series is a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which was itself a prequel and a stand-out movie. Andor takes a darker turn than most of the other Star Wars movies and series as it looks at the underside of the rebellion in its early days. But it also delivers a powerful story driven by Diego Luna’s wonderful performance as the title character. The second season carries on straight from the first, and it wraps up just prior to the events of Rogue One. So you can watch both seasons followed by the movie, and you will have one excellent story that will revive your faith in the franchise (and hopefully they will be doing more shows and movies along these lines that better develop the Star Wars universe).
The Rig Season 2, Prime Video: This series has not received much attention but it definitely counts as a sleeper genre entry. It has an eco-horror theme that starts out with its very creepy first season, and that carries over into its second year. The focus shifted more to understanding and controlling the “Ancestor” in the second season, and it did not have quite the impact of the first year. But it did do a good job of carrying on the story and setting up what will hopefully be a grand third act to wrap things up. The renewal has not been confirmed yet, but I have heard that work has begun, and hopefully this one will get a proper conclusion.
The Bondsman Season 1, Prime Video: This was a fun little supernatural drama driven by a great performance from Kevin Bacon and a well-selected supporting cast. It ventures into territory that has been covered before by shows like Brimstone and Reaper, but neither of those stuck around for long, so why not give the concept another chance? The Bondsman mixes humor and drama along with some pathos, but sadly, it got no support from Amazon. It was cancelled after one season, and it seems unlikely that it will continue at another venue. But it is still worth a look.
Batman: Caped Crusader Season 1, Prime Video: If you are a fan of Batman: The Animated Series, then you need to check this one out. Bruce Timm returns to the Caped Crusader, and the updated version borrows heavily from TAS. It is not set in the same universe, seemingly taking place in a nebulous 1940s/1950s era and redefining some of the mythos along with some of the characters. And while some Batman fans may balk at yet another version of the character, Bruce Timm does this so effortlessly that you’ve got to love it. I definitely found the first season entertaining, and I am looking forward to the upcoming second year of the show.
SurrealEstate Season 3, Syfy: This supernatural dramedy has flown under the radar since it premiered in 2021, but it is definitely a show worth seeking out. It diverges from the typical series centering on the supernatural, though it does borrow generously from genre entries that preceded it. And it manages to deliver a fresh spin, and even though the concept of dealing with houses for sale troubled by spooks seems limiting. The third season did have a few bumps, and it seemed to waste one of its characters, but overall it was an enjoyable continuation of the series. Sadly, it appears that Syfy will not be moving forward with this one, but the three seasons completed are certainly worth a watch.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Disney+: I consider 2015’s Daredevil to be one of the greatest superhero shows of all time–if not the greatest–so the revival had a lot to live up to, especially after it was originally announced that it would be a soft reboot. But Born Again picked up quite well from where the prior series left off and continued a strong run for this franchise. Sadly, some of the main characters got less exposure, and there is one death that comes as a shock, but Daredevil is back and as good as ever. And upcoming seasons will have more familiar faces from the Netflix shows, so perhaps we will have a full return of the Defenders at some point.
Paradise Season 1, Hulu: At first glance, this mystery-box series doesn’t appear to be sci-fi at all, but a twist at the end of the initial episode reveals its genre roots and hooks the viewer. It verges into Lost territory with its mysteries on top of mysteries, but it actually started to answer some of its questions in its first season, and it does not look like the overall mystery will get too far out of control. Sterling K. Brown gives a strong performance in the lead role, and he is surrounded by a good cast that helps to keep things moving along. Some people thought the story derailed at times, but I enjoyed the show throughout, and I am looking forward to the second season (which will hopefully arrive in 2026).
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