Black Love, Sci-Fi Horror And Fatal Games: 12 Most Anticipated New And Returning TV Shows

Another year, another excuse to binge on some of the most fascinating, drama-filled, intriguing and humorous TV shows — some old and some new. This year brings with it the return of some of our favorite casts as well as fresh releases for series that center on love, friendship, science, action, and more.

Here are a few new and returning shows in 2025 to add to your watch list for that cozy in-house Valentine’s Day date, that solo self-care routine, or the watch party of the month.

This four-friend phenom is back on January 23, as best friends (played by Megan Goode, Jerrie Johnson, Shoniqua Shandai, and Grace Byers) navigate new love interests, fresh breakups, New York City life, and exciting career moves. As this will be the final season of the show, the powerhouse women will go out with bang for sure.

This fictional thriller had viewers in a chokehold as main character Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae) became the final survivor and victor in a competition of childhood games with a deadly twist, winning 45.6 billion won ($31.5 million) in cash. In season 2, which premiered on Dec. 26, he returns, venturing into the backgrounds of the sadistic people who sponsored the competition, leading him back into that mysterious world.

When this sci-fi horror drama series hit Netflix in July 2016, it became a hit with its newbie stars anchored by veteran actress Winona Ryder. The fifth season, premiering this year with a specific date to be announced, will be its final with the group of 1980s teen and tween friends fighting strange and mysterious phenomenon in their small town.

This HBO series takes the wacky murder mystery to Thailand this year with a whole new cast except for the exceptional Natasha Rothwell of “Insecure,” and “How To Die Alone,” fame. (She will be reprising her quirky standout role as resort spa manager Belinda Lindsay on the series.) If it’s giving anything like the cringey but intriguing twists and subplots of last season’s romp in Italy, you’ll surely not want to miss this one, premiering in February.

Starring Hollywood vet Lela Rochon of “The Division” and “Waiting to Exhale” fame, along with Brandon T. Jackson (“Lottery Ticket”), Pooch Hall (“The Game”) and Quincy Brown (“Power Book III: Raising Kanan”), this is a spinoff of the original Carl Weber-produced series of the same name. Following the lives of the Duncan crime family line in Louisiana, is sure to be a favorite for those of us who love when a good street-lit classic turns into a TV show. (And if you’re not familiar with the Duncans, you can stream the first series on Netflix.) It premiers Jan. 23.

Any role with Jon Hamm playing a seedy character in a position of power (whether in the ad world or as a town sheriff) is a win, and this new show taps into that talent, as he portrays a disgraced newly unemployed hedge fund manager who decides to rob the wealthy. Set to premier April 11, the show includes uncovering dangerous secrets of the rich and infamous.

Premiering April 16, this new surrealist comedy stars (and was executive produced by) David Oyelowo, who’s known for his successful portrayal of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his uncanny way of effortlessly pivoting from proud chess prodigy dad (“Queen of Katwe”) to real-life pioneering deputy (“Lawmen: Bass Reeves”). It’s all about a Black family in 1960s California, facing a strange new normal after the ex-con father (Oyelowo) returns home.

If you weren’t captivated by the viral chips omelette moment from this series, you might have a huge case of FOMO right now. Nevertheless, the upcoming season, which centers on the family and work dynamic of a chef who returns to run his deceased brother’s Chicago restaurant called the Bear, will start with a major transition for chef Sydney (played by Ayo Edebiri) and the psycho matriarch Donna (played by Hollywood heavyweight Jamie Lee Curits) will return as well.

The Duchess of Sussex returns to Netflix solo with a lifestyle show, where she’ll host celebrity guests as she talks about cooking, gardening, and more elements of her everyday life and hobbies. She’s baking cakes, creating garden-to-table meals, and making homemade ice cream, further opening audiences up to refreshing personal content. This series premiers March 4.

If you love a good British period drama, this is one you definitely want to watch out for, premiering Feb 21. From the mind of the “Peaky Blinders” creator, it has similar gangster undertones, and the addition of Caribbean culture with the two main characters who are boxers in the underground scene, fighting for respect and literally for their lives while under the thumb of a women-led crime syndicate.

Based on Margaret Atwood’s award-winning book, this is another series that had watchers religiously tuning in, sparking tough conversations about violence against women, reproductive rights, religion’s place in politics, and more. The biggest draw continues to be the striking portrayal of starring handmaid and narrator June Moss (AKA Offred) by Elisabeth Moss, and this finale is set to be “big and wild,” venturing to “many different places” that are “very, very surprising all the way through,” Moss told TVLine.