We are gathered here today to celebrate the lives of shows that did not make it past 2025.
As it unfortunately happens every year, many series do not get to lead the rich and fulfilling life that may have once been promised to them.
Watch With Us hates to see a good show end too soon, so we’ve curated and ranked a list of five of the best series that ended this year but deserved to keep going.
Make sure to watch them now to honor their memories.
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5. ‘The Franchise’ (2024)
From Armando Iannucci and Jim Brown — two of the creatives behind Veep — this satirical comedy series lampoons “cinematic universes” by providing a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of a superhero film. Titled “Tecto: Eye of the Storm,” the fictional film is a lower-tier and less loved installment of its overarching superhero franchise, and we follow characters such as a new producer (Aya Cash) studio executive (Darren Goldstein), first assistant director (Himesh Patel), director (Daniel Brühle) and lead actor (Billy Magnussen) all involved in the chaotic production.
Loaded with funny lines and incisive banter, The Franchise is very much a show from the guy who gave us Veep. It’s another scathing industry take-down that skewers the ineptitude of the powers that be and featuring hapless characters and caricatures blundering around and just barely doing their jobs. Despite low viewership hurting this show, if you’re a fan of biting insults and sharp parody, The Franchise is for you.
Stream The Franchise now on HBO Max.
4. ‘And Just Like That’ (2021-2025)
In the two decades since Sex and the City Ended, we rejoin with our favorite New York City women as they’ve transitioned to 30-somethings to 50-somethings, still navigating the perils of love and friendship in the city while also dealing with death, marriages, children and new beginnings. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) pursues a new relationship, Charlotte (Kristin Davis) juggles her eclectic family and Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) deals with a shocking loss (and Kim Cattrall’s absence).
While And Just Like That received extremely mixed reviews from viewers and critics throughout its three-season run, fans of the original series still tuned in for a guilty pleasure watch. While the show struggled to be current in a way that felt both insightful and fresh, its stumbles provided more humor and intrigue than the creators perhaps anticipated, and fans still loved getting to hang out with their flawed TV girlfriends.
Stream And Just Like That now on HBO Max.
3. ‘Resident Alien’ (2021-2025)
An alien sent to wipe out all life on planet Earth (Alan Tudyk) crash lands in a small Colorado town and takes on the identity of the town’s doctor, Harry Vanderspeigle. While still intent on completing his task, his mission becomes compromised when he discovers that a local boy can see his true form. Forced to assimilate with the townspeople, the new Harry finds himself becoming increasingly compassionate towards the humans he interacts with, which further complicates his deadly protocol.
An official reason for the cancellation hasn’t been confirmed, but the series was on life support when it moved to the USA Network after season 3. Regardless of why Resident Alien is leaving us, it more than succeeds as a funny blend of sci-fi and comedy with a winning performance from Tudyk.
Stream Resident Alien now on Peacock.
2. ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ (2021-2025)
At the fictional Essex College in Vermont, four 18-year-old freshmen acclimate to their new school and all the joy and drama that comes with it — in particular, their intimate ordeals. We follow Kimberly (Pauline Chalamet), Leighton (Reneé Rapp), Bela (Amrit Kaur), and Whitney (Alyah Chanelle Scott) as they navigate sexual relationships, friendships and the struggles of burgeoning adulthood.
The Sex Lives of College Girls tackles resonant themes about personal identity, sexuality and sexual assault with a gentle and tactful hand. The popular series didn’t get the ratings that HBO wanted, and while it was shopped around for a new home, it was ultimately unable to find one. It’s a shame, because the series is an incredibly warm, funny and truthful take on coming-of-age in a college environment.
Stream The Sex Lives of College Girls now on HBO Max.
1. ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ (2019-2025)
The Righteous Gemstones creator and star, Danny McBride, once quipped that he could keep making seasons of his popular televangelist satire for a long time, so it shocked fans when it was announced that season 4 would be the series’ last. While purported to be a voluntary and natural conclusion to the four-season series, some fans can’t help but think it got cut too soon.
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Regardless, The Righteous Gemstones is a hilarious, well-written and superbly acted lampoon of megachurches and celebrity preachers that will be an instant hit for anyone who’s a fan of McBride’s previous HBO series, Eastbound and Down and Vice Principals. In addition to being sharply critical of millionaire, profiteering “servants of God,” The Righteous Gemstones is also a genuinely affecting character drama, whose awful protagonists you can’t help but love
Stream The Righteous Gemstones now on HBO Max.
To be considered “the best,” these films and series can be visually engaging, intellectually stimulating or simply just fun to watch, but the one trait they must have is that they are all, in some way, entertaining. We then check which platform they are streaming on and how you can access them as a subscriber. No algorithm nonsense or paid endorsements here — our recommendations are based purely on our love and interest for the films and shows we love.
