The 2020 quarantine shifted the trajectory of how we consume content. The rise of social media brought the downfall of the TV industry. We grew accustomed to quick videos that shortened our attention spans, taking away our ability to sit through an in depth-storyline.
However, the summer of 2025 brought forth a promising line up of new and recurring TV shows. This line up has increased viewership from the past years and is potentially preparing us for a television comeback. Here are ten of the most noteworthy releases.
1: “The Better Sister”
Starting off strong, Prime Video’s new release is thriving in the thriller category. This series is inspired by a novel by Alafair Burke with the same name; the plot of the show, however, has more suspects and twists, making it more detailed and intense than the novel. The supporting characters of this show have a detailed storyline that affects the plot equally as the main family character, unlike the novel.
2: “Countdown”
Prime Video strikes again with another summer crime drama that has a riveting cast of Jensen Ackles, Jessica Camacho, Eric Dane and Violett Beane. Many people are excited to see the pairing of Dean Winchester from “Supernatural,” and Gypsy from “The Flash.” Interestingly enough, Camacho was actually born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago herself.
3: “The Bear”
Jeremy Allen White, famous for his role in “Shameless,” is back on our screens with another show that takes place in Chicago. White went through culinary training to be able to play a professional chef in the series, along with his co-star, Ayo Edebri, who plays Sydney Adamu in the show.
“Watching a show gives a more immersive experience than you get when scrolling through TikTok, which is why people enjoy in-depth content more,” Senior Aria Risley said. Risley enjoyed watching “The Bear” because it was “intriguing with the more dramatic scenes and developing characters.” She also liked that it took place in Chicago, the plot was unique and kept her attention.
4: “The Summer I Turned Pretty”
For its third and final season, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is ready to say goodbye on Sept. 10, 2025. The messy love triangle is finally coming to an end. Find out on Amazon Prime who Belly chooses: Jeremiah, Conrad or herself because Cousins’ Beach sure sounds like the perfect place to escape reality.
5: “Eyes of Wakanda”
For those who prefer animated stories, Disney+ has come out with a prequel anthology that explores the history of Wakanda. Fans of the “Iron Fist,” stay tuned because the character is being introduced with a previous story compared to the Netflix version.
6: “My Life with the Walter Boys”
Netflix has joined the competition by bringing back season two of the country version of “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” If you enjoy watching the relationship dynamic between an older brother and younger brother who like the same girl, then add this to your list of shows for this year because a touch of country sure adds flavor to your TV palette.
7: “The Runarounds”
“The Runarounds” on Prime Video is actually written by Jonas Pate and Josh Pate, who also wrote “Outer Banks” on Netflix and the two series actually exist in the same universe. If you look closely, the band playing at Mike and Anna’s anniversary party in Season 3 Episode 7 of “Outer Banks” is actually the cast of “The Runarounds,” who are also a real life band. Nothing hits better than watching a bunch of teenagers find familial bonds with strangers.
8: “Wednesday”
Netflix’s teen supernatural banger is back with season two. Ironically enough, more people were made aware of this show through a viral TikTok dance sequence from season one. Jenna Ortega, the leading actress playing the character Wednesday, is actually the one who choreographed this sequence for the show.
Senior Lyia Zhang agrees that there was an increase in the amount of TV watchers these last few months, she was also recently invested in this show. Zhang said, “Following the story of Wednesday was fun. I liked looking forward to something that’s going to be long instead of a quick watch.”
9: “The Paper”
For those who missed the vibe of “The Office,” Peacock has come out with an amusing sitcom. Similar to “The Office” setting, “The Paper” follows a newsroom, exploring the career of journalists. It also features the same fictional documentary crew and a recurring cast member, Oscar Nuñez from “The Office.”
10:
“Only Murders in the Building”
The show is back with its fifth season, first airing on Sept 9, 2025. Steve Martin, the creator of “Only Murders in the Building,” always wanted Selena Gomez to star in the show, even though he never saw her act on Disney channel. Gomez also enjoys true crime in real life, which led to her acceptance of this role.
With these 10 awesome, new releases, you can spend your summer away from doomscrolling and sabotaging your attention spans. Even though social media has reshaped our viewing habits, these in-depth plotlines are reintroducing complex characters and themes into our lives.
So next time when you find yourself reaching for your phone to pass time, try one of these amazing shows instead.
