The 10 Best Network TV Shows Of 2025, Ranked

A new calendar year may have already begun, but let's not let auld acquaintance be forgot.

Indeed, we do know that it's no longer 2025. But as 2026 television gets underway, we don't feel we've properly appreciated the best of what last year had to offer on the small screen, and we're making up for that in the list below.

Our attention is turned specifically to the best of broadcast TV. Back in June, we highlighted some of our favorite broadcast performers, scenes, couples, and more via TVLine's Best in Broadcast Awards — but there were still six months left for the scripted fare of ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and The CW to turn in its best work, and the following 10 series have done just that.

Not all TV shows are created equal, of course, so we've raised the stakes a bit by ranking the 10 best broadcast shows of 2025 from worst to best — or, as we like to see it, from good to great. Do you agree with our picks? Keep scrolling for our full ranking, then hit the comments with your reactions!

We won't sugarcoat it, folks: 2025 was a rough year for the "9-1-1" fandom, which was blindsided by the unthinkable death of Peter Krause's Captain Bobby Nash. But just as people rally together in times of tragedy, the cast of the long-running drama brought their A-game to the aftermath of that tremendous loss. From Angela Bassett's performance as a grieving widow (which is becoming an unfortunate pattern in her life) to Kenneth Choi's inspiring work as a new leader with big boots to fill, we were reminded that this family, even while fractured, is forever. Other 2025 highlights included Maddie's harrowing fight for her life against a homicidal detective (Abigail Spencer? Quite the twist!), as well as the emotional birth of Robert Nash Han. And say what you will about that viral promo for the Season 9 space arc, but we were thoroughly entertained by that ridiculous endeavor. After all, why settle for jumping the shark when you can shoot for the moon? — Andy Swift

Out of all of Fox's cartoon families, we can't help but love the oddball Belchers the most. From Linda's over-the-top flamboyance and Gene's childlike enthusiasm, to Louise's penchant for mischief and rule-bending, "Bob Burgers" showed no dip in quality in 2025, despite being in the middle of its 16th (!) season. With razor-sharp writing, endearing supporting characters, and extreme levels of quirkiness, the Belchers' universe again proved to be one-of-a-kind, brought to entertaining life by H. Jon Benjamin, Kristen Schaal, Dan Mintz, and the rest of the talented voice cast. Bob may only serve fast food at his family's establishment, but sitting down to a fresh episode of "Bob's Burgers" is more akin to chowing down on a sizable filet: zero fat and tremendously satisfying. — Nick Caruso

From the reveal of Hetty's power in "St. Hetty's Day" to the introduction of another living who can see Woodstone Manor's spirits ("Kyle"), "Ghosts" continued to lean on its robust ensemble to elicit big laughs and even bigger reveals. While we never really worried for Jay's life and safety after Elias tried to doom his soul to hell, the Season 4 closer still threw us for a loop when Alberta and Pete shared the cutest of smooches. And when the comedy picked up in the fall, it didn't miss a beat thanks to excellent turns by Rebecca Wisocky, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Rose McIver, and more. Five seasons in, the show continues to serve up new scoops and backstory for its dearly departed (Alberta Haynes isn't her real name?!), while delivering big helpings of humor and charm. And with more secrets still to be disclosed (how, exactly, did Sas die?), here's hoping this delightful series still has some life ahead. — N.C.

Led by the endlessly watchable Carrie Preston in the title role, "Elsbeth" delivered a sterling sophomore season in 2025. Its strength lied in its ability to tell unique and kooky case-of-the-week stories, while also leaning into a more dramatic serialized story with higher stakes: Elsbeth's attempts to stop the nefarious Milton Crawford (played by Preston's real-life spouse, Michael Emerson) from becoming a federal judge. The ripple effects from Elsbeth's investigation, and Crawford's subsequent murder, gave Preston wonderful opportunities to show her range — but lest you worry the show might lose its fun factor, "Elsbeth" then capped Season 2 with a terrific and entertaining finale that brought back quite a few murderous guest stars from previous episodes. 

Season 3 has, admittedly, suffered a bit from the departure of Carra Patterson, whose Det. Kaya Blanke is no longer a series regular; other interesting arcs, like Elsbeth's ill-advised friendship with Judge Crawford's widow, haven't been explored as thoroughly as we'd like. But with Preston leading the cast, and showrunner Jonathan Tolins steering the ship behind the scenes, even the weakest "Elsbeth" episodes are still among broadcast TV's best. — Rebecca Luther

In 2025, "Chicago Med" delivered the best kind of broadcast-TV fodder: a compelling love triangle between three dedicated medical professionals. The Archer/Hannah/Ripley debacle kept us tuning in each week, and just when we thought the NBC drama would zig, it zagged: The series delivered shocking pregnancy news, and an even more surprising baby daddy reveal, proving that the show isn't afraid to shake things up. Plus, the series didn't put all its eggs in that three-way basket. "Chicago Med" also leaned on consistently strong performances in 2025 from Oliver Platt as Dr. Charles, who lost his mother and reconnected with his daughters, and S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin, who dealt with the aftermath of a physical attack. Amid all of that chaos, the series also introduced a life-changing diagnosis for Dr. Lenox. Though we came for the love triangle, we ultimately stayed for the complex web of personal and professional conflict being thrown at each and every one of our Gaffney docs. — Claire Franken

ABC's schoolhouse comedy, led by star and creator Quinta Brunson, is in such a strong creative groove that it's easy to take it for granted as it glides through its fifth season. But let's take a moment to give "Abbott" its flowers for another grade-A school year. Janelle James remains one of the funniest people anywhere on TV as wildly inappropriate principal Ava. (Plus, we loved seeing her express actual emotions in her romance with O'Shon.) A crossover with FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" gave the show a nice jolt of crude anarchy. The staff's outing to a karaoke lounge hit plenty of comedic high notes. And the show even shook things up by forcing the school to relocate to an abandoned mall after the furnace broke, jarring the teachers out of their comfort zones. All in all, "Abbott" remains a high achiever, and we're happy to reserve a spot for it on our personal honor roll. — Dave Nemetz

As a sequel to the prequel to "The Big Bang Theory," "Georgie & Mandy" has almost no right being as good as it is. And yet, its freshman run — which, hard as it may be to believe, marked the 20th overall season of TV set in the Sheldon Cooper Cinematic Universe — along with the first half of Season 2, have been top-notch. Coming off a superb final stretch of "Young Sheldon," and reverting from single-cam back to multi-cam, the continuation struck a near-perfect balance between carrying forward its predecessor's emotional and narrative weight — particularly in the aftermath of George Sr.'s death — while establishing an identity of its own, aided by the absence of Georgie's brainiac brother. And while viewers may adore Montana Jordan and Emily Osment's chemistry, the series smartly embraces the promise of its title, peppering in just enough warning signs that this "First Marriage" will, at some point, end poorly. — Ryan Schwartz

With Justin Spitzer among the show's creatives, "St. Denis Medical" has successfully filled the "Superstore"-shaped hole in our TV-loving hearts. Set at an underfunded and understaffed hospital in Oregon, the NBC comedy has found a deft balance — in just one-and-a-half impressive seasons — between zany characters and grounded storytelling, allowing each episode the room to be both eccentric and relatable. Whether you're here for Ron's (David Alan Grier) deadpan cynicism, Joyce's (Wendi McLendon-Covey) forever-questionable leadership decisions, or the will-they-won't-they dynamic brewing between nurses Matt (Mekki Leeper) and Serena (Kahyun Kim), "St. Denis Medical" has established itself as not only a fantastic workplace comedy, but one of the best-cast series on TV today. — R.L.

The perfect procedural for people who don't normally watch procedurals, "High Potential" became an instant hit when it premiered in Fall 2024, and it's only gotten better with time. Kaitlin Olson remains sublime in the role of Morgan Gillory, both for her breezy performance and her genuine chemistry with seemingly everyone around her. (Karadec shippers, we hear you!) In addition to the chaotic-yet-comforting cases of the week we've come to expect from "High Potential," 2025 also introduced David Giuntoli as the twisted Game Master, a worthy opponent who nearly pushed Morgan to her breaking point; effectively raised the stakes in Morgan's ongoing search for Roman; and capped off a successful year by leaving Morgan in another precarious position — is she sleeping with a killer? (Spoiler alert: She wasn't! But we'll get into that when it's time to look back on 2026.) — A.S.

When TVLine named "Will Trent" one of the 25 Best Shows of 2025, it wasn't because the ABC crime drama reinvented the procedural, but because it elevated the formula. Across three seasons, the Karin Slaughter adaptation — developed for television by Liz Heldens and Daniel Thomsen — has built a reputation for prioritizing character over case-of-the-week mechanics, and viewers have responded. Anchored by a riveting, deeply human performance from two-time Performer of the Week honoree Ramón Rodríguez, the series also boasts one of broadcast TV's strongest ensembles. In Season 3, the show trusted its audience with emotional consequences — from Will reckoning with an accidental shooting to Angie confronting the wreckage of their shared life — while standout turns from Erika Christensen, Iantha Richardson, Sonja Sohn, Jake McLaughlin, Kevin Daniels and, of course, Bluebell (aka Betty), elevated already-stellar writing. (And lest we forget, we were also treated to a delightful disco sequence.) — R.S.

Which broadcast-TV shows from 2025 would make your list of the year's best? Tell us in the comments!