Pubity fans have named the final season of Stranger Things as the TV show of the year, beating off strong competition to take the ‘you decide’ crown.
Believe the hype. Fans of Netflix drama Stranger Things had been eagerly anticipating the final, fifth season as soon as the fourth season had ended. But after a wait of several years, the show finally dropped in the Autumn and, thankfully, it was worth the wait, as Pubity fans have said it was their show of the year.
In the latest of Pubity’s You Decide knockout competitions, 16 of the best shows from 2025 faced off against each other in a knockout format, with fans of Pubity’s Instagram page voting for their favourites. The strength of the competition was off the scale, but the 16 finally became two, with Stranger Things defeating season 3 of Squid Game in the final.
Winner – Stranger Things s5
In the final season, the Duffer Brothers wrapped up the story of Mike, Will, Eleven and the others in their battles in the Upside Down. Viewers were promised a rollercoaster of emotions through the series – and they got it too, as the show built to its epic conclusion.
Runner-up – Squid Game s3
Another hugely popular Netflix show also ended in 2025, when the third season of Squid Game aired. The Korean dystopian drama had captivated audiences throughout its run and plenty tuned in to see how it ended. With Seong Gi-hun back in the games – now deadlier than ever – the search goes on to unmask the VIPs.
Semi-finalists – Dexter: Resurrection and IT: Welcome to Derry
Everybody’s favourite serial killer returned this year, with Michael C Hall reprising his role as Dexter. The show picks up after the events of Dexter: New Blood, with Dexter moving to New York to find Harrison, but with Captain Angel Batista hot on their trail. Good news for fans is that a second season has been commissioned.
Another show in an expanding universe scored well with Pubity fans, as IT: Welcome to Derry also made the semi-finals. This show is a prequel to the horror films IT and IT Chapter two and is set in Derry, Maine in 1962, where a series of increasingly disturbing supernatural events terrify residents – with Pennywise behind it all.
Quarter-finalists – The Studio, Severance s2, Wednesday s2, The White Lotus s3
Those beaten in the last eight of the tournament included satirical comedy The Studio, which starred Seth Rogen. It focused on a Hollywood studio head who struggles to balance corporate demands with his own desire to produce quality films. The show won 13 Emmys earlier this year and has been commissioned for a second season.
The second season of psychological thriller series Severance also fell at the last 8. It followed employees at Lumon Industries, where employees have their memories split between their work and personal life – creating two identities with no memory of the other.
The long-awaited second season of Wednesday didn’t disappoint fans. Jenna Ortega returned as the titular character who was back at Nevermore, along with brother Pugsley, with more dark mysteries to solve, along with the pressure of teenage life.
Finally, the White Lotus season 3 ended its run at this stage. The third season of the comedy/drama anthology moved the action to a wellness resort in Thailand. Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins and Parker Posey were among the ensemble cast this time as the usual shenanigans ensue.
The rest
There were some great shows that didn’t even make it past the first round. This included Star Wars-related series Andor, season 7 of horror/comedy anthology series Black Mirror, drama missing you, season two of video game adaptation The Last of Us, post-apocalyptic sci-fi series Pluribus, healthcare-based drama The Pitt, crime thriller series Dept Q and UK drama Adolescence.
