TV shows that defined summer 2025
Last updated: August 7, 2025
This summer's TV hit us differently. We got crime shows that had us texting theories to friends at midnight and reality series that made us yell at our screens. These weren't just background noise while scrolling our phones – they actually grabbed us.
Dept. Q – A new benchmark for British crime drama
Released on 29 May, Netflix’s Dept. Q arrived just ahead of the summer rush and it wasted no time setting the tone. Based on Jussi Adler-Olsen’s best-selling Danish novels but reimagined in Edinburgh, the series follows DCI Carl Mørck (played by Matthew Goode) as he investigates cold cases with a mismatched team of detectives. With its dark atmosphere, tight plotting, and emotional depth, Dept. Q proved that crime drama can still surprise even in a saturated genre. It became one of the most discussed shows of the season.
Reality TV that sparked conversation
If Dept. Q was the summer’s critical darling, reality TV was its emotional heartbeat.
Love Island UK wrapped its twelfth season with a dramatic finale on 4 August, crowning Toni Laites and Cach Mercer as winners. Toni became the show’s first-ever American winner – a symbolic twist in a season filled with international flair, tearful exits, and more drama than ever before.
Then there was Virgin Island – Channel 4 dropped twelve virgins into a Croatian retreat back in May, and you'd think it would be a disaster. But somehow they didn't turn it into a cruel joke. Instead of making fun of these people, the show actually cared about them. These weren't people to laugh at – just regular folks trying to navigate something most of us take for granted. And honestly? People walked away feeling something real instead of just getting their usual reality TV fix.
Shifty – Adam Curtis goes deep on British disillusionment
When Shifty hit BBC iPlayer in June, you knew within minutes this wasn't your typical documentary. Adam Curtis was back doing what he does best – throwing weird archive footage at you with this haunting soundtrack that gets under your skin. Five episodes of him basically explaining how Britain completely lost the plot after the war. He's showing you all these forgotten moments, these little cracks where everything started falling apart, and suddenly you're understanding why everything feels so broken now.
And summer isn’t done yet…
With Wednesday Season 2 just dropped, and Suranne Jones returning in the Netflix thriller Hostage later this month, the second half of summer is looking just as bold. More drama. More risk-taking. More reasons to stay glued to the screen.
