With Oscar season over and warm weather on the way, many of our favorite shows are coming back. This month was rough because I’m looking forward to many shows returning soon (especially The Last of Us) but it still ended up being a great month for some limited series and to finally check out some shows that were released earlier, but I hadn’t gotten around to yet. These were some of my favorites this month:
Netflix: Adolescence (2025)
Netflix originals are certainly a mixed bag, but many of their limited series knock it out of the park. These shows are typically independently produced, telling deeply personal and thoughtful stories, often depictions of real-life tragedy. Adolescence is a poignant and upsetting story about a 13-year-old boy accused of murder. Each episode is shot in a breathtaking single take, which really increases the discomfort and claustrophobia of watching a literal child being processed through a system of incarceration. The acting, despite being mostly unknown actors, is some of the best I’ve seen in a long time. Owen Cooper’s performance as Jamie Miller is equal parts sympathetic and horrific, showing how children absorb information in the most banal of ways. It’s a quick watch with only four episodes, but it will stick with you. I found episode 3, which takes place in a single room between two characters, to be particularly harrowing and thought-proving. If I need to be critical of it, maybe some moments are a bit preachy, but it’s excellent overall.
FOR FANS OF: Baby Reindeer; The Sinner
Hulu: Tell Me Lies (2022 – present)
I’m an apologist for this show. As far as I’m aware, it went under people’s radar and despite having two really solid seasons, it hasn’t gotten much hype. Tell Me Lies is a biting soapy drama about a toxic college relationship, and boy is it toxic. Unlike other shows in this genre, it lingers not on the sexy fun and instead on the conversations. Both Stephen and Lucy are deeply flawed characters, clawing for control in a frustrating spiral that sabotages both their lives in different ways. The show doesn’t ask us to forgive them however, instead it has us rooting for them to get out and listen to the wiser voices around them. It’s riveting and feels fresh in a genre full of CW slop. If you’re looking for something that makes you feel like the original Gossip Girl felt in season one, definitely check this one out.
FOR FANS OF: Cruel Summer; Big Little Lies
CrunchyRoll: Apothecary Diaries (2023 – present)
As you can probably tell by this list so far, I’m not exactly a wholesome show aficionado. I do find myself drawn in though when I find a show with interesting characters that is genuinely doing something new, and Apothecary Diaries fit that bill to a T. Apothecary Diaries is set in a fictionalized version of the Tang Dynasty in China, and follows Mao Mao, a apothecary’s apprentice who finds herself as an indentured servant in the Imperial Palace. This show rejects the immediate pull anime has towards a romance subplot, and is structured more like House M.D: a mystery ailment afflicts someone in the Palace and Mao Mao uses her skills to investigate. It hits the perfect balance between court intrigue, mystery and cozy, making a great show to put on at the end of a long day. Best of all, you can watch it with a free CrunchyRoll account (no subscription required). Check this one out and bring some good vibes back into your life.
FOR FANS OF: House; Downton Abbey; Sherlock (BBC)
Netflix: Apple Cider Vinegar (2025)
Back to Netflix, and this is another really good one. Apple Cider Vinegar depicts the mostly true story of Belle Gibson, an influencer who faked brain cancer to sell her “healing” recipes as a treatment alternative. What struck me about this show was the way it depicted cancer treatment, and how it refused to dehumanize cancer patients themselves, even when they fell for scams. As someone who lost a parent to cancer, the way chemo and operations were depicted felt almost too real at times, but it still manages to stay away from wallowing in despair or hopelessness. Kaitlyn Dever is so good in this, and I’m glad folks are seeing just how crazy her range is before The Last Of Us season two premieres next month. Though it may be a tough watch for some, it’s a great mix of humanizing drama and visceral schadenfreude. Definitely worth a watch!
FOR FANS OF: Inventing Anna; Scamanda
Max: Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (2021 – 2022)
I would say this is a guilty pleasure show, but I feel no guilt about this one. The premise is simple: Stanley Tucci, an Italian-American actor, goes through the different regions of Italy examining the art, culture, and history of each area. Oh, and eating food. A lot of food. There’s something so delightful about watching someone genuinely excited to learn and try new things, and this show echoes the masterpiece of Bourdain’s No Reservations in its local-led approach to travel. While Bourdain leaves massive shoes to fill, Tucci is still a fun host, chatting with the locals in Italian and joyfully releasing a string of expletives about just how good the food is. If you’ve never been to Italy, watching this will definitely make you want to go but if you can’t, this show is the next best thing.
FOR FANS OF: Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations; Rick Steves’ Europe