I Watched 53 TV Shows This Year, And Streamed My Two Clear Favorites On HBO Max (But They Couldn't Be More Different)

To be frank, I got my money’s worth from my HBO Max subscription this year. Overall, I watched 53 TV shows (most of which aired on the 2025 TV schedule), and quite a few of them live on HBO or HBO Max. Now, I’m not surprised that my two favorite series of the year came from this platform. That makes a lot of sense, as the prestige around this network and streamer exists for a good reason. However, what did surprise me was the two specific shows I picked, because they couldn’t be more different.

So with that being said, let's talk about why the outrageous megachurch comedy The Righteous Gemstones and the hardcore medical drama The Pitt were my two favorite TV shows of 2025.

The Righteous Gemstones Was Hands Down The Funniest And Most Outrageous Show I Watched This Year

On a whim, my friend and I started watching The Righteous Gemstones. I had seen clips of the song “Misbehavin’” on TikTok, and at the time, the final season of Danny McBride’s comedy was airing. So, we started from the beginning and dove into this world of Southern megachurches and the Gemstone family.

I sincerely think that one of the reasons this show works so well is that it leans into the absurdity of everything with full force. McBride’s Jesse, Edi Patterson’s Judy and Adam DeVine's Kelvin are ridiculous characters. However, because they were being played by comedic geniuses, I couldn't help but laugh with them as they said some of the wildest lines of dialogue I’ve ever heard.

Tony Cavalero and Tim Baltz, who played Keefe and BJ, respectively, were also kings of physical comedy, and almost any time they were in a shot simply reacting to what was going on, I was laughing. Not to mention, Walton Goggins’ Uncle Baby Billy had me laughing so hard I was crying on numerous occasions.

Literally, this entire cast understood the assignment of Gemstones, and they gave it 110% the whole time.

The final season, which aired in 2025, was particularly excellent. Along with bringing the classic and crude Gemstone humor we know and love, it also shocked audiences with a full-on Civil War flashback episode that starred Bradley Cooper. What this proved, alongside the classic interlude episode in the middle of the season, was how well-developed the lore of this show was, and how fascinating the history surrounding the Gemstones is.

Overall, I think what really makes The Righteous Gemstones the best is that it's utterly creative and original. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen on television, it has such a distinct, shocking and brilliantly dumb sense of humor, and it was all around one of the most joyous TV watching experiences I had in 2025.

The Pitt Is The Heaviest And Most Grounded Series Of 2025

If you are looking for the exact opposite of The Righteous Gemstones, look no further than The Pitt. It’s not a comedy, it’s a drama. And instead of being an outlandish and hilarious take on the world we live in, it’s a very serious and very realistic take on what's going on in the medical world right now.

Taking place over the course of one day, each episode of The Pitt shows us one hour of a shift, and that goes on for 15 episodes. It feels like we’re working alongside Noah Wyle’s Dr. Robby, Katherine LaNasa’s charge nurse Dana and the group of doctors and nurses who make the ER click every day.

With each episode, I found myself holding my breath and hanging on tight, hoping that these employees and their patients could make it through the day. While I felt like I couldn’t handle more than one episode at a time because of how intense it was, I also couldn’t get enough. My friend and I were so enthralled, in fact, that we watched the final four episodes of the show, which follows the hospital after a mass casualty event, in one go.

We were able to do that because while the situations and injuries are scary and intense, the show does a brilliant job of telling beautiful stories with the patients that also highlight more and more about the doctors helping them. That creates a wonderful and complex tapestry of this ER, and it made me care so much for everyone there. Therefore, it was impossible to look away.

Overall, The Pitt masterfully balances heartfelt storytelling with no-nonsense medical issues. It’s a painfully and beautifully human show that I sincerely cannot get enough of, and you better believe I’ll be ready to clock in when Season 2 of The Pitt premieres.

One Common Reason Why I Loved Both These Shows

Now, in almost every single way, The Pitt and The Righteous Gemstones have nothing in common. However, I did realize that they share a reason why I love them. That reason lies in the details both shows use to create immersive experiences.

In The Righteous Gemstones, Danny McBride and his team built the wild world of this very rich and religious family. From the absolutely incredible Civil War flashback episode that immersed us in a battlefield where the Gemstone scheme began, to the over-the-top megachurch, the sets were jaw-droppingly detailed, precise and (at times) hilarious. Pair that with the jewel-toned costumes and silly looks they all rocked, and the knockout performances from the cast, and you get a 100% immersive television experience.

The Pitt is also incredibly immersive. It takes the medical details so seriously that healthcare workers praise the show, and thanks to its format, we get to spend every minute of a shift with these workers. It’s so immersive that I feel like I’m clocking in for a shift in the ER.

While both these watching experiences couldn’t be more different, they are equally immersive, and that’s where common ground is found. The Pitt and The Righteous Gemstones were my favorite shows of the year because they both transported me to these places and made me feel like I was part of these characters’ worlds.

So now you should go watch these HBO shows that got the world talking on HBO Max. All four seasons of The Righteous Gemstones live there, and so does Season 1 of The Pitt, with Season 2 set to premiere January 8 on the 2026 TV schedule.