The nominations for the 2025 Emmys are officially out, and as expected, the internet is divided over what’s been included. Some new TV shows included are no surprise, such as Severance season 2, The Last of Us season 2 and The Pitt, with Andor season 2 and Slow Horses season 4 following behind.
Thankfully, our favourite actors have (mostly) made the cut too. Their iconic lines in The White Lotus season 3 scored Carrie Coon and Parker Posey ‘Supporting Actress’ nods, with Jean smart and Hannah Einbinder holding the fort for Hacks season 4.
But I can’t help but notice a glaring few omissions from the ‘Outstanding Drama’ category in particular, and that’s driving me up the wall. Eight shows that each have over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes (RT) from the critics aren’t there, and we should all show them some love by streaming them.
Poker Face
- US: Now available to stream on Peacock
- UK: Now available to stream on Sky Go and NOW
- Australia: Now available to stream on Stan
RT score: 97%
Natasha Lyonne as a charming yet chaotic amateur detective, a rotating roster of impeccable guest stars and a different mystery in every episode. What more did the Emmy voters want? Season 2 has been just as much fun as Poker Face’s debut in 2023, and the natural narrative mischief from Knives Out mastermind Rian Johnson doesn’t hurt either.
If anything, the stakes have been raised this time around, and the mysteries themselves are more astute than ever before. You’d be hard pressed to not be charmed by what you’re seeing on screen, and it’s honestly worth trying out Peacock just for that reason. Even if it doesn’t get renewed for a third season, we’ve had a blast with this crew regardless.
Matlock
- US: Now available to stream on Paramount+
- UK: Now available to stream on Sky and NOW
- Australia: Now available to stream on Paramount+
RT score: 100%
Kathy Bates might have broken an Emmy record for being the oldest nominee of all time in the ‘Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series’ category, but the show she’s nominated for, Matlock, has otherwise been snubbed. The fact that the CBS and Paramount+ surprise hit has got a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes might have passed you by as slyly as Bates’ version of the famous fictional detective. It would be incredibly easy for Matlock to lean into the tried and tested formula of legal procedural, but it’s Bates herself who keeps each episode on its toes.
Not only is Bates convincing, but so is the craft of the show itself. With strong writing and a high standard of overall execution, Matlock can’t be written off as generic CBS fodder trying to fill a timeslot before something more interesting comes on. It’s as generational as it is timeless, and all without seeming like it’s trying too hard.
Squid Game
- US: Now available to stream on Netflix
- UK: Now available to stream on Netflix
- Australia: Now available to stream on Netflix
RT score: 95%
I know, I can’t believe this one either. We waited for three years to get new episodes of Squid Game and then got two seasons in the space of six months, yet neither of them made the Emmy nominations cut. It was easy to write off seasons 2 and 3 before they were even released, assuming nothing could come close to the masterpiece level of the first season. However, us pessimists were soon proved wrong.
Even if you didn’t love season 3’s final scene complete with a whiplash Hollywood cameo, you can’t deny that both Squid Game season 2 and Squid Game season 3 successfully built on the stakes of what came before. We were left holding our breath until the last minute, with Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) seemingly taking on the entire twisted world single-handedly and being left alive to tell the tale. An extra shoutout goes to the heartstopping Jump Rope scene… RIP, Player 222. Gone but never forgotten.
Outlander
- US: Now available to stream on Starz
- UK: Now available to stream on MGM+
- Australia: Now available to stream on Binge and Foxtel
RT score: 90%
You know those shows that the masses might not be aware of but still have a core, incredibly dedicated fanbase? Starz’s Outlander is the perfect example of exceeding these expectations. The rather bizarre time travel element keeps you guessing from beginning to end, with the chemistry between leading stars Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan never failing to sizzle.
Outlander is a period drama, but not the kind we’ve seen before, and that’s a massive part of why it’s done so well. Unusually, we’re never in the present day, starting off against the backdrop of World War II before moving onto the hard realities of the 1700s. Was I expecting to be this invested in the drama of Scottish clans in the 18th century? No. Am I mad about how invested I am? Also no. Prequel spinoff Outlander: Blood of my Blood is set to hit screens in August, so there’s even more reason to throw caution to the wind.
Interview With the Vampire
- US: Now available to stream on Netflix and AMC+
- UK: Now available to stream on BBC iPlayer
- Australia: Now available to stream on Stan
RT score: 99%
Frankly, the idea of eternal devotion has never been sexier. However, given season 2 of Interview With the Vampire began airing in May 2024, it might have missed the cutoff date for potential nominees. Nonetheless, this faithful adaptation is in a vampiric league of its own, leaving its mark on us as an audience for good.
Season 2 gets even more extravagant, yet the plot of the original 1994 movie has been simplified, allowing the tension to do the talking instead. As you might expect, our performances, structure, and general storytelling are all well-rounded, seamlessly blending into what we’ve already seen in the first season. Season 3 is coming next year, so make sure you get caught up.
Say Nothing
- US: Now available to stream on Hulu
- UK: Now available to stream on Disney+
- Australia: Now available to stream on Disney+
RT score: 94%
A potentially surprising entry to our list, but Hulu’s fictional adaptation of The Troubles shouldn’t be discounted. Say Nothing takes place across four decades, starting with the sudden abduction of mother of ten Jean McConville in 1972. What follows is a harsh look at life in Ireland during this time, recounted from the perspectives of various Irish Republican Army members.
Unflinching and unashamed, the new TV show is daring in its boldness, not afraid to stay raw to the bone at all times. It’s messy, but intentionally messy, and that only adds to the authenticity of real lived experiences. Say Nothing is proof that good TV can be flawed, just as many of us are.
The Rehearsal
- US: Now available to stream on HBO Max
- UK: Now available to stream on NOW
- Australia: Now available to stream on Apple TV+
RT score: 96%
Is it a drama? Is it a comedy? The Rehearsal blurs the lines of everything we know about television, taking us on an absurd journey in the process. The idea itself is simple: Nathan Fielder finds out more about the lengths people will go to to reduce the uncertainties of everyday life. Mostly, this is in the form of awkward conversations or major life events, and the results are beautifully uncomfortable.
Amazingly, the chaos in season 2 gets even wilder. It’s a lot more layered than what we’ve seen before, and that makes episodes all the more delicious to unpick. Don’t get me wrong, though, you absolutely will be disturbed. But in a can’t-tear-your-eyes-away way. Nathan Fielder’s mind, man… we’re all the richer culturally for having access to it.
Industry
- US: Now available to stream on HBO Max
- UK: Now available to stream on BBC iPlayer
- Australia: Now available to stream on Apple TV+
RT score: 98%
Given it’s about the world of finance, it’s almost unreal that Industry is considered as one of the wildest shows on TV in the 2020s. We even called it one of the best TV shows of 2024. If you’re a fan, it’s easy to see why, with the opening episode of season 3 best described as complete bedlam. We’re still building the momentum of what’s happened across the previous two seasons, but just how far can Industry push the boundaries of unhinged?
There’s plot twists and backstabbings aplenty in new episodes, with a rather desolate tone running right the way through it all. Surely things are going to crash and burn soon, and given HBO has already renewed a fourth season, that moment in time is going to come sooner rather than later. It’s all addictive viewing – turns out watching other people’s lives being ruined rather than your own is a lot of fun to watch.
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