2025 TV Scholar Awards

My totally biased recognitions for outstanding shows and performances in 2025.

“So, why television?” is a question I’ve been asked a lot since I pivoted to writing about (mostly) television full-time. My canned response is usually to somehow quickly convey my love of the long-term nature of television and the episodic structure; that years later, I’m still tuning into shows that I began watching when I was a completely different version of myself.

Television makes me reflect on the passage of time, the power of storytelling, the meaning of my own life via performances that have profoundly moved me. It occupies a sacred space in my life, quite literally: There is almost always a show on at home, while I cook or fold my laundry, on my couch and in my bed, first thing in the morning and last thing at night. It is the most intimate and long-term relationship I’ve ever had.

The TV Scholar Awards — the fifth consecutive edition — is my way of honouring another year with television at the centre of my life. I have all the usual caveats (I don’t watch everything; I try to nominate underrated performances), but I think these feel very me. Thank you, as always, for tuning in.

Eligibility: December 1, 2024 to December 1, 2025. Any show that has not aired the majority of its season by December 1 is not eligible. Shows not distributed to the US not eligible (will be eligible in the year they are distributed).

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TV Scholar Queer Representation Award
Adults
Big Boys
Black Doves
Clean Slate
Hal & Harper
I Love LA
Lost Boys and Fairies
Survival of the Thickest
***Mid-Century Modern*** WINNER
Mr Loverman
Overcompensating
Settle Down
Such Brave Girls
Women Wearing Shoulder Pads

Best Ensemble
Abbott Elementary
Andor
Common Side Effects
The Diplomat
The Pitt
***The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City*** WINNER
Severance
Shrinking

Best Drama
Alien: Earth
***Andor*** WINNER
The Diplomat
Matlock
Pluribus
The Pitt
Severance
The Summer I Turned Pretty

Best Lead Performance in a Drama
Anthony Boyle, House of Guinness
Diego Luna, Andor
Ethan Hawke, The Lowdown
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Rebecca Ferguson, Silo
Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
***Skye P. Marshall, Matlock*** WINNER
Zoe Saldaña, Lioness

Best Supporting Performance in a Drama
Ali Ahn, The Diplomat
***Dichen Lachman, Severance*** WINNER
Genevieve O’Reilly, Andor
Natasha Rothwell, The White Lotus
Nicole Beharie, The Morning Show
Steve Zahn, Silo
Supriya Ganesh, The Pitt
Tom Pelphrey, Task

Best Guest Performance in a Drama
Andrea Martin, The Gilded Age
Greta Lee, The Morning Show
James Callis, Slow Horses
Nana Mensah, The Diplomat
*** Peter Dinklage, The Lowdown *** WINNER
Sydney Cole Alexander, Severance
Tanya Moodie, Silo
Tati Gabrielle, You

Best Comedy
Big Boys
Hacks
Mid-Century Modern
Mo
Platonic
***The Rehearsal*** WINNER
Such Brave Girls
Survival of the Thickest

Best Lead Performance in a Comedy
Anna Lambe, North of North
Jean Smart, Hacks
Laverne Cox, Clean Slate
Lizzie Davidson, Such Brave Girls
Michelle Buteau, Survival of the Thickest
***Mohammed Amer, Mo*** WINNER
Nathan Lane, Mid-Century Modern
Rose Byrne, Platonic

Best Supporting Performance in a Comedy
***Hannah Einbinder, Hacks*** WINNER
Holmes, Overcompensating
Lilah Richcreek Estrada, A Man on the Inside
Michael Urie, Shrinking
Omar Elba, Mo
Owen Thiele, Adults
Poorna Jagannathan, Deli Boys
Vanessa Bell Calloway, The Vince Staples Show

Best Guest Performance in a Comedy
Aidy Bryant, Platonic
Alia Shawkat, Poker Face
Anna Konkle, Murderbot
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Only Murders in the Building
Joanna Lumley, Wednesday
Kate Fleetwood, Such Brave Girls
Michaela Watkins, Hacks
***Sarah Polley, The Studio*** WINNER

Best Limited Series
Asura
***Dying for Sex*** WINNER
The Girlfriend
Lost Boys and Fairies
Mr Loverman
Too Much
Sirens
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox

Best Lead Performance in a Limited Series
Brian Tyree Henry, Dope Thief
Claire Danes, The Beast in Me
Grace Van Patten, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox
Kaitlyn Dever, Apple Cider Vinegar
Lili Reinhart, Hal & Harper
***Meg Stalter, Too Much*** WINNER
Siôn Daniel Young, Lost Boys and Fairies
Tamara Lawrance, Get Millie Black

Best Supporting Performance in a Limited Series
Chyna McQueen, Get Millie Black
Daniel Monks, All Her Fault
Elizabeth Berrington, Lost Boys and Fairies
Erin Doherty, Adolescence
Marin Ireland, Dope Thief
***Sharon D. Clarke, Mr Loverman*** WINNER
Toni Collette, Wayward
Jenny Slate, Dying for Sex

Nominations per US network:
Netflix: 27
Hulu (13) + Disney+ (5) + FX (6) + ABC (1): 25
Apple TV: 22
HBO (7) + HBO Max (8) + Adult Swim (2): 17
Britbox: 7
Prime Video: 6
Mubi, Peacock: 2 each
OutTV, Paramount+, Bravo: 1 each