Each year, television shows deliver memorable moments and scenes that get viewers talking, but 2025 felt particularly electric. Several series, delayed by the Hollywood strikes, made their long-awaited return, and new, exciting shows also made their debut. But it was also a year that saw newsmaking events unfold involving TV personalities — unprecedented is the appropriate term here.
While it’s hard to capture every watercooler moment, here are some of the year’s most unforgettable TV moments, according to Times staff.
Our picks for this year’s best in arts and entertainment.
Griffin Mill off his head in ‘The Studio’
(Season 1, Episode 9 and 10)
An extremely high Griffin Mill (Bryan Cranston) in “The Studio.”
(Apple)
The two-episode conclusion to Seth Rogen’s cockeyed salute to Hollywood on Apple TV transports the entire cast to CinemaCon, a Las Vegas convention, where Continental Studios is scheduled to present its upcoming slate to an audience of theater owners. The news that the 100-year-old studio might be absorbed by Amazon — prescient shades of Warner Bros. and Netflix — threatens their jobs, a feeling amplified by a crippling over-consumption of drugs, intentional or inadvertent, and launches the Continental team into a farcical frenzy set at a Mack Sennett pace. The farceurs include Rogen, Kathryn Hahn, Ike Barinholtz, Catherine O’Hara and, as themselves, Dave Franco and Zoë Kravitz; each is brilliant. But Bryan Cranston, as CEO Griffin Mill, in a performance entirely without vanity, is incomparably hilarious — blasted out of his mind, bodily askew, like a marionette with tangled strings, and utterly disheveled, discovered at the top of the final episode, high in a fountain in front of the Venetian Hotel, performing rude acts on the statues. I laughed all the way through. — Robert Lloyd
The birth of a child on ‘The Pitt’
(Season 1, Episode 11)
Enuka Okuma, left, Mason McCulley and Tracy Ifeachor in “The Pitt.”
(John Johnson / HBO Max)
The Noah Wyle-led HBO Max medical series spent much of its first season establishing a realistic look at a hospital staff working a shift in the emergency department. And its medical procedures, which are often graphic, have been a key element. When it was time to depict a childbirth — standard fare in medical dramas — the drama brought a level of detail to the scene that made viewers feel like they were scrubbed in, assisting in the complicated birth. The story involved Natalie (Enuka Okuma), the birth mother, who was a surrogate for her best friend and his husband. According to an interview with Vulture, a custom rig was used that included a gurney with a silicone prosthetic of a pregnant belly, legs and a vaginal canal anchored on top of it. Okuma, the actor playing the woman giving birth, sat in a chair directly behind the rig, her legs hidden by medical draping. That draping also hid two puppeteers, one who added blood and other fluids during the scene through a tubing system, while the other placed their arm inside the hollow belly to push the fake baby out of the vaginal canal. But it wasn’t just the hyperrealism of the scene that made it so striking. It reminded us that pregnancy doesn’t have one outcome; there are dangers in labor and delivery that are gruesome, scary and traumatic, even fatal. — Yvonne Villarreal
The mental load on ‘All Her Fault’
(Episode 1)
Jenny (Dakota Fanning), left, and Marissa (Sarah Snook) speaking for all tired moms in “All Her Fault.”
(Peacock)
The scathing second-shift commentary that laces this otherwise traditional crime-drama on Peacock made many of its a-ha moments go viral. But none are as powerful as the first episode, in which working moms Marissa (Sarah Snook) and Jenny (Dakota Fanning) commiserate over the uneven division of parental labor. Jenny confesses to learning just enough sign language to swear at her husband to his face. “I do it now when he tells me that I’m … amazing,” she says. “‘I don’t know how you do it all,’” Marissa mimics with a wry look. “‘You’re amazing.’” “I’m tired of being amazing,” Jenny says. And a million “amazing” mothers lifted their exhausted heads and cheered. — Mary McNamara
Jimmy Kimmel’s return to ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
(Sept. 23 episode)
Late-night TV hosts have long held the ire of President Trump, having repeatedly denounced him and his administration over the years. But since returning to the Oval Office, Trump’s missives toward the hosts have been more pronounced than ever, leading some to believe the cancellation of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” had just as much to do with politics as its financials. So when Kimmel was suspended in September by Disney, the parent company of ABC, where “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs, it set off a firestorm of debate about First Amendment rights, government malfeasance and corporate overreach. In the end, Kimmel prevailed, returning to his show with an emotional monologue that detailed his suspension, how he felt his words were misconstrued and the importance of free speech. Kimmel on Trump: “He tried his best to cancel me; instead he forced millions of people to watch me. That fired back bigly.” (Kimmel’s contract was extended, by the way.) — Maira Garcia
The bat baby birthed in ‘It: Welcome to Derry’
(Season 1, Episode 1)
The creepy bat baby from “IT: Welcome to Derry.”
(HBO)
“It” and “It: Chapter Two,” the adaptations of Stephen King’s epic 1986 novel, featured numerous horrific moments courtesy of the deadly clown Pennywise. But even fans of those movies may have found themselves covering their eyes during the opening scene of HBO‘s prequel series “It: Welcome to Derry.” A young boy named Matty (Miles Ekhardt) seeking to escape his unhappy life hitches a ride out of town with a seemingly friendly family. But it isn’t long before Matty realizes something is very wrong, particularly with the pregnant mother in the front seat. Within minutes, the woman goes into labor, giving birth to a mutant baby with wings. The bat baby starts flying around the vehicle, terrifying Matty before breaking the window and flying off. Cue the nightmares. — Greg Braxton
Milchick telling Mr. Drummond to ‘devour feculence’ in ‘Severance’
(Season 2, Episode 9)
Seth Milchick (Tramell Tillman) and Mr. Drummond (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) before a tête-à-tête in “Severance.”
(Apple)
The Season 2 finale of Apple TV’s thriller series had us screaming, but it was the confrontation between Seth Milchick (Tramell Tillman) and Mr. Drummond (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) in the penultimate episode that I could not stop thinking about. Drummond blames Milchick for Mark’s disappearance, and though Milchick insists he’s “followed protocol,” he thanks Drummond for his “remonstration.” Drummond tells Milchick to apologize for using “a needlessly complex word for a simple idea.” Milchick complies, but Drummond tells him to use smaller words. It pushes Milchick over the edge; he retorts with the exquisite phrase: “Devour feculence.” Tillman’s delivery of his lines is simultaneously restrained and seething: “I am owed a measure of respect, even by my superiors.” It sent chills down my spine — this is why Tillman won an Emmy! — M.G.
A jaw-dropping lie in ‘The Girlfriend’
(Episode 3)
Cherry (Olivia Cooke), who gets lied to, in “The Girlfriend.”
(Christopher Raphael / Prime)
Much of Prime Video’s thriller series is stunning, often rewarding a rewind. That’s partly because the plot can veer into far-fetched territory, but also because we see the story unfold from two different viewpoints, muddling the truth. Laura (Robin Wright, who also directs) reels as her prized son Daniel (Laurie Davidson) brings home a girlfriend, Cherry (Olivia Cooke), whom Laura is suspicious of. The story toys with paranoia and the power of perspective. And halfway through the six-episode miniseries comes a jolting turn. After a rock climbing accident puts Daniel into a coma, Laura convinces Cherry that he’s dead. It’s truly a shocking moment — even Laura herself seems surprised by the cruel words coming out of her mouth when she doubles down on the lie. Some intriguing irony plays out in the aftermath as the rest of the characters, knowing Daniel is alive, believe Cherry callously left him after the accident. The lie itself was shocking, but what might be even more interesting is the sweet satisfaction that comes when it unravels. — Kaitlyn Huamani
The rally on ‘Dying for Sex’
(Episode 8)
Nikki (Jenny Slate), left, Gail (Sissy Spacek) and Molly (Michelle Williams) in “Dying For Sex.”
(Sarah Shatz/FX)
The process of dying is not something we like to think about, nor has it been depicted very often onscreen — not the long-term illness version of death anyway. FX’s miniseries, however, explores this through Molly (Michelle Williams), a woman who chooses to sexually liberate herself before terminal cancer ends her life. As the series comes to a close, Molly enters hospice care. There, Nurse Amy (played by the inimitable and hilarious Paula Pell) explains to Molly, her best friend Nikki (Jenny Slate) and her mom Gail (Sissy Spacek) how the body prepares for death. As she enthusiastically finishes describing the stages, Amy exclaims, “Wait, I forgot to tell you about the rally … It’s this just surge of energy and mental clarity. So enjoy the rally.” While Nikki is verklempt, Molly embraces Amy’s energy: “I f— love your vibe, Amy. You’re nuts, man.” — M.G.
Kleya bidding Luthen farewell in ‘Andor’
(Season 2, Episode 10)
Kleya Marki (Elizabeth Dulau) and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) in “Andor” Season 2.
(Lucasfilm Ltd.)
In the final minutes of “Make It Stop,” the 10th episode of Disney+’s “Andor” Season 2, Kleya Marki (Elizabeth Dulau) calmly detaches the machine that is keeping her mentor Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) alive, watches him take his last breaths and tenderly kisses him on his forehead before quickly making her escape. It’s a quietly devastating moment that conveys everything you need to know about the pair, their relationship and their commitment to the Rebellion — even if you hadn’t watched everything that preceded it. Among the core themes in “Andor” is how and why people are willing to make sacrifices to further the cause they believe in. The episode sheds some light on Luthen and Kleya’s shared past and how they became the cunning spymaster and capable right hand that audiences have come to know in the series. And while it’s been abundantly clear that both of them are willing to do whatever is needed for the sake of the greater good, Kleya’s final moment with Luthen shows that it doesn’t mean that it’s easy for them. The stakes can get monumental in “Star Wars,” but it’s when it gets personal that it really resonates. — Tracy Brown
Nathan Fielder flying a full plane in ‘The Rehearsal’
(Season 2, Episode 6)
Nathan Fielder in the finale of “The Rehearsal.”
(John P. Johnson / HBO)
In what he calls the “Miracle over the Mojave,” comedian Nathan Fielder successfully flew a full passenger plane from San Bernardino to just over the Nevada border and back in the Season 2 finale. Fielder’s HBO series, as with his previous show “Nathan For You,” relies on the extreme (and often expensive) lengths he will go to for a bit. But those lengths got more outrageous and more unbelievable in the close of “The Rehearsal.” To test his theory about aviation safety breakdowns stemming from communication issues, Fielder spent two years training as a pilot, bought a Boeing 737, hired nearly 150 actors to be the passengers on his flight and flew for about 2 hours before landing safely. He also manages to pose some larger questions about the fitness tests for pilots that discourage them from disclosing mental health conditions. Still, the most miraculous thing Fielder did with “The Rehearsal” might not be the flight itself, but convincing the HBO legal team, surely wary, to let him pull this off. — K.H.
Aidan calling Carrie for phone sex on ‘… And Just like That’
(Season 3, Episode 1)
Aidan (John Corbett) in the truck where said act happened in “… And Just Like That.”
(Craig Blankenhorn / HBO Max)
It was a phone call more chilling than the iconic opening scene from “Scream.” Just ask Carrie Bradshaw. Keeping the romance alive in a long-distance relationship is already its own challenge, but adding a bizarre five-year “no contact” rule in the fine print to suit a man’s warped logic about being an effective parent, it turns out, is quite the mood killer. After she reluctantly agreed to put her relationship with Aidan on pause so he could stay home in Virginia with his three sons, namely to ensure his youngest son, Wyatt, makes it out of his troubled teenage years, they resort to sending each other blank postcards as a misguided attempt at attachment. Then came the call. Carrie is woken late at night by Aidan; he’s in a truck parked outside his home with a beer and he’s on a horny mission. But it’s hardly hot and steamy. After he instructs Carrie to touch herself, Aidan accidentally honks his horn with his knee before declaring, “I think I s— my pants a little.” I’m still waiting to be financially compensated for the ick of having to see Aidan lick his hand. Let’s just say, by the end, I couldn’t help but wonder if our ears and eyes would have been safer if Carrie‘s phone was on Do Not Disturb mode. — Y.V.
Goth Kid on a Jamaican vacation on ‘Saturday Night Live’
(Season 50, Episode 16)
Like many elder millennials, my teenage years were spent listening to punk, emo and other variations of those genres, wearing a black hoodie and band T-shirts, sullenly writing messages on my LiveJournal and MySpace pages (it was never a phase). That’s why this nostalgic pre-taped “SNL” skit featuring Michael Longfellow as the titular goth kid tickled my black heart pink, with its catchy reggae number sung by Ego Nwodim and Kenan Thompson, and an interlude that was a take on My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade,” sung by guest host Jack Black. The show’s historic 50th season on NBC had plenty of standout moments, and this skit was a prime reminder of what makes “SNL” great. — M.G.
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