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Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I've watched most of Netflix's top-streamed shows in 2025 — here are 3 to watch and 2 you should skip
I'm a streaming writer by trade — my job is to recommend television shows and films on major platforms like Netflix. Typically, my recommendations are rooted in what's trending or new to the platform, and I eagerly research new loglines every month for upcoming original releases. But the best indicator, in my eyes, is always viewer data, and Netflix has just dropped an interesting look into its most-watched television shows of 2025 so far. Netflix recently shared its latest Engagement Report, revealing the shows and movies that its subscribers binged from January to June 2025. The report details a huge 99% of all content viewing occurred in the first half of 2025, with over 95 billion hours streamed globally. The appeal of Netflix Originals remained strong throughout the report, with audiences continuing to engage in not only new productions but also older, much-loved entries in the streamer's catalogue. Netflix notes that nearly half of the viewing for Netflix Originals in this report came from titles that debuted in 2023 or earlier. That said, as a certified binge-watcher, I can attest that not everything in Netflix's original television catalogue is worth watching — even with the hours upon hours of streams that titles have received in the past six months. I've put together three of the best Netflix shows I've watched this year — and two I wouldn't recommend — to compare to the streamer's data. I've also taken into account Rotten Tomatoes scores and other reviews from fellow Tom's Guide writers. So, without further ado, here are the top three shows to watch on Netflix and two you should definitely skip. As per Netflix's report, the UK series "Adolescence" reigned supreme as the most-watched show, amassing 144.8 million views in the past six months to date. The show was released on March 13, 2025, and has been viewed globally for 555 million hours. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Over a 3.5-hour runtime, the series catapulted audiences into the chilling story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who is accused of murdering a teenage girl who went to his school. The one-shot crime drama proceeds to follow the unravelling of Jamie's family, including his dad Eddie (Stephen Graham). It also details the ins and outs of the police investigation fronted by Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters), whose son attends Jamie's school, and the harrowing assessment of Jamie's condition made by Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty), the clinical psychologist assigned to his case. The show scored a massive 98% RT score, with audiences giving it a 74% rating, securing it as a must-watch limited series. Even here at Tom's Guide, our reviewer said that it "might be the best original show Netflix has ever made". If you're a fan of gripping crime dramas, "Adolescence" is not to be missed. This cult-followed K-drama has been the most talked about Netflix Original series in years, and the entire show takes out three spots in the top ten most-streamed list. "Squid Game" season 2, which debuted late last year, beats out the final season that dropped last month, cultivating 117.3 million views and 840 million hours streamed globally. Across all three seasons, the show has received over 231 million views. The series follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-Jae) as he accepts a strange invitation to compete in a series of children's games for a share of a 45.6 billion won prize. After the first round, Gi-hun and the other 455 players learn the harsh realities of the games — the pot only grows by 100 million won once a player is eliminated (read: killed). With a solid 86% rating on RT, and a nice 66% audience score, "Squid Game" delivers on drama, mystery and nice comedic moments, courtesy of some interesting character arcs. Now that all seasons are available to stream, you could easily binge the series on a weekend… and give yourself something to talk to your colleagues about on Monday. Hilarious, easy-to-watch and stars Kate Hudson? Sign me up! After debuting in February, this basketball-based comedy has received over 41 million views and 209 million hours streamed, which is no mean feat for a Mindy Kaling production. When a scandal forces her brother to resign, Isla Gordon (Hudson) is appointed the president of the Los Angeles Waves, a prestigious basketball team and her family's business. Often overlooked by her brothers, the board and the players, Isla works to prove herself the right person for the job — and (spoiler alert), does just that. The series was renewed for a second season and has a nice 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It delves into tough topics but plays it all off with a healthy dose of tomfoolery, secret brothers and loving relationships — platonic ones, too. I cannot wait for the next instalment, and my only wish is for a LeBron James cameo. Despite performing rather well in Netflix's report, ranking in fourth after "Adolescence" and "Squid Game" seasons 2 and 3, "Zero Day" received an underwhelming response from me (and Rotten Tomatoes). The limited series follows former US President George Mullen (Robert De Niro), who, as the head of the Zero Day Commission, leads an investigation into a devastating cyberattack that wreaked havoc and caused thousands of fatalities across the country. The series was De Niro's first major television role, but even the beloved actor couldn't save it from getting a poor 53% RT critics score and 53% audience rating. Admittedly, I always try to finish a series, but I couldn't make it past the first episode for this one, and not even the appearance of Lizzy Caplan could reinvigorate my spirits for this political thriller. There's a lot to unpack here, but let's start with the figures from the report, shall we? The second season of "XO, Kitty" was released on January 16, 2025, and has since achieved 35.3 million views and 143 million hours streamed in the past six months. Comparatively, the rom-com's first season obtained 14.7 million views in that time, with eager rewatchers anticipating the new season. Starring the beloved younger sister from the "To All The Boys" movies, Katherine "Kitty" Song Covey (Anna Cathcart) takes on Seoul, Korea, as she attends the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS) alongside her long-distance boyfriend, Dae (Choi Min-young), and rediscover a connection to her mom, a former student of KISS. Now, I am a sucker for a rom-com series or film, and there's a fond place in my heart for the Netflix original movie trilogy, in which Kitty comes to life. But that's where I draw the line, unfortunately, as this spin-off seriously fell flat. The interwoven storylines and endless love triangles are often confusing, the side characters are somewhat annoying, and the only episode I thoroughly enjoyed in the latest season was when Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) came to visit — and his brief appearance didn't restore my faith in the series. I'd argue the 63% audience score may be conflated with the love for the movies, but I seriously hope season three gives fans (and Kitty) the justice they deserve.
LeMonde
28-06-2025
- LeMonde
Serge Hefez, psychiatrist: 'Our children are too alone in front of screens'
On June 10, a 14-year-old student stabbed a school assistant at Collège Françoise-Dolto in Nogent in eastern France. The student was from a stable family background, he was not under psychological care, had no criminal record, did not use drugs and had not committed any serious violence, apart from two fights with other students. An anti-bullying representative, a good student and someone involved in school life, he was described as "funny" by his classmates. He explained that he wanted to kill "a supervisor, any supervisor" after being reprimanded by one for flirting with a classmate in the schoolyard. The first findings from the investigation revealed a total lack of regret or compassion, an inability to grasp the value of human life, a fascination with violence and death in movies and TV series, as well as the regular playing of violent video games. Shift into another world The description of this teenager and the shocking brutality of his actions immediately brought to mind Jamie Miller, the complex and magnetic 14-year-old at the center of the British TV series Adolescence, which became a global success. The series cast a harsh light on toxic masculinity, violence amplified by digital technology and the vulnerability of young boys, as well as the probable role of an empathy deficit exacerbated by screen use. Like many, I was deeply shaken by the character. The hyperrealistic depiction of his frozen vulnerability, his ignorance of death, his emerging masculine humiliation and his lack of remorse echoed an inchoate feeling that increasingly permeates my consultations – one that I associate with a clear lack of empathy. This feeling is accompanied by my fear that more and more young people are slipping into another world, one where I can no longer reach them. What can be said about this lack of empathy? For nearly half a century, I have seen adolescents in distress, as well as their families, and I know just how random the very notion of "normality" is at that stage of life. Is the 15-year-old girl who weighs 32 kilos and who looks at her emaciated reflection in the mirror with disgust, exclaiming, "I am monstrously obese," out of her mind?
AU Financial Review
16-06-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
The recycling firm keeping Australia's secrets safe
Ever wondered what spies do with their old computers and hard drives? Rather than sitting abandoned in a drawer or a box of miscellaneous cords, they are sent to top secret recycling facilities and ground into dust. Destroying electronic devices that hold Australia's secrets has turned into big business for WV Technologies, an IT and e-waste recycling firm with high-security federal government contracts. Founded by Kurt Gruber and Jamie Miller in 2018, the firm is a social enterprise that employs at-risk Indigenous youth to divert e-waste from landfill.
Bloomberg
15-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
What CFOs Are Saying About Hiring Now
Welcome to CFO Briefing, a newsletter devoted to corporate finance and what leaders need to know. This week, I quiz CFOs about their views on hiring and speak with PayPal's Jamie Miller. But first, here's some other news that caught my eye:
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Showing ‘Adolescence' in schools not the answer
THE recent Netflix show Adolescence has prompted much discussion around misogyny among school age boys. The creators have been to Downing Street to discuss the issues and, as a result, many people are calling for the programme to be shown in schools. The series begins with the police bursting into 14-year-old Jamie Miller's family home and arresting him on suspicion of murdering Katie, his classmate. There are no easy answers for his motivation, no dark family secrets or abuse are disclosed, but it questions what leads one boy to commit murder when others do not. It touches on Incels (involuntary celibate), influencers, radicalisation, attitudes and behaviours towards women and girls. It also highlights how little we, as adults, understand the pressures of peer and school relationships. Recent reports show children feel less safe in school than before the pandemic. The UCL (University College London) report (2025) says only 21 per cent of girls and 31 per cent of boys in England strongly agreed they were safe at school. The teacher's union NASUWT has reported a surge in levels of violence and abuse in the classroom with over 27 per cent of female teachers reporting verbal abuse several times a week. And nearly 30 per cent of teachers from black, Caribbean or African backgrounds reported regular physical abuse from pupils — double that of their white counterparts. Something certainly needs to be done but showing 'Adolescence' in schools is not the answer. It is a brilliant and gritty drama — not an educational resource — and to show a 15-rated show to children across secondary schools is an unsafe, knee-jerk reaction. Teachers are not experts in male violence against women and girls and it is unfair to ask them to show, discuss or stop the film to ask questions to provide context or safety. The series itself shows students responding to police and teacher-led discussions with shock, dismissal, mockery and disruption, all of which are common when children are faced with traumatic, disturbing or overwhelming content. There is no specialist support provided for children who may have real-life, similar experiences who may either be further traumatised or silenced by the reaction of peers. Katie, the murdered girl, is framed throughout as a bully as if this is sufficient reason to kill her. There are several blogs citing Katie deserved to be harmed, that she 'got what was coming' and that Jamie was justified in his anger because of this. It is victim blaming. When we are already living in a society that sees one woman murdered approximately every three days is this how we need to educate children? I would suggest the focus should be on how we are teaching boys to become decent and caring men. What works is education which is safe, trauma-informed, grounded in empathy, promotes discussion and is delivered by subject matter experts in small, safe groups with access to support services. If you are a parent and your school is planning to show Adolescence please ask them what support they have put in place for your child and how any disclosures will be managed. If you are a teacher and are looking to access safe, proven resources to address these issues contact enquiries@ Our columnist Jocelyn Anderson is CEO for West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (WMRSASC).
