Series Snapshot ~ 10/23/25

Welcome to the Series Snapshot, a weekly deep dive into the shows topping the streaming charts.

At Netflix this week, the new season of The Diplomat has taken the most watched spot, ahead of Boots and Monster: The Ed Gein Story. The Diplomat has received widespread acclaim and commendation for its nuanced portrayal of politics and foreign affairs against an alternate timeline, and season three is no exception, receiving glowing reviews from fans and critics. Particular points of praise include the performances of Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell and David Gyasi, as well as the strong writing, and cliffhanger episode endings that keep audiences hooked. The Diplomat was created by Debora Cahn, and all eight episodes of the new season are available to stream now. 

A new true crime limited series, Murdaugh: Death in the Family, is the streaming winner over at Hulu, as shows like Chad Powers, Only Murders in the Building, and High Potential, dip a bit on the platform. Murdaugh is based on Mandy Matney’s Murdaugh Murders Podcast, which examined the real life Murdaugh family and their tortuous web of crimes and scandals. Rated slightly higher by audiences than critics, the series is getting fairly positive reviews, and fans shout out excellent performances from Jason Clarke, Patricia Arquette and Brittany Snow. Murdaugh: Death in the Family was created by Michael D. Fuller and Erin Lee Carr. 

Task has taken first place for another consecutive week, establishing itself as one of HBO’s most successful series of the year. Fans are fully invested in the gripping thriller, and with each new episode viewership increases substantially. Task’s finale aired on Sunday, and was met with high marks almost unanimously. Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey are championed as the show’s strongest element, with calls for Emmy award consideration. While Task is a limited series, Brad Ingelsby, the show’s creator, has said he’s interested in continuing the project somehow, and there are even rumors of a potential crossover with Mare of Easttown. 

Amazon’s youth-culture phenomenon The Summer I Turned Pretty, makes room for Gen V this week. Gen V is a spinoff of The Boys and takes place at a college for students with superpowers, focusing on honing their abilities to become legitimate superheroes. The satirical series loosely parodies X-Men but stays fresh with new ideas and explores moral dilemmas with nuance. Season two is wrapping up now, but despite being outshined by Summer I Turned Pretty, has found a strong audience base, and receives generally better scores from critics, though season one is rated higher in general. Gen V stars Jaz Sinclair, Hamish Linklater, and Lizze Broadway, and comes from creator Eric Kripke. 

At AppleTV, despite lukewarm reception, The Last Frontier is once again most watched, just ahead of The Morning Show. While most agree The Last Frontier has a solid premise with a lot of potential, the execution has left much to be desired. Slow pacing, convoluted subplots, and predictable cliches all dilute what otherwise had the makings of a great man vs. man vs. nature thriller. Despite technical pain points, Jason Clarke’s performance as U.S. Marshall Frank Remnick, and a strong supporting cast keep the show afloat. The Last Frontier also stars Dominic Cooper and Haley Bennett and was created by Jon Bokenkamp. 

ABC original High Potential takes Disney’s most watched spot again this week, continuing its streak of high ratings. The police dramedy’s second season is doing quite well with audiences and critics, who can’t get enough of Kaitlin Olson’s superb performance as Morgan Gillory. Viewers love the nostalgia of a strong network procedural, and High Potential ticks every box for comfort and bingeability. Quick pacing and witty dialogue keep each episode engaging, and there’s no shortage of praise for the show’s supporting cast of Daniel Sunjata and Javicia Leslie, whose chemistry with Olson have particular charm. High Potential was created by Drew Goddard, and its second season will conclude on October 28th. 

Netflix 

The Diplomat - Season three

Premiered October 16, 2025

Starring Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell and David Gyasi

Created by Debora Cahn

Hulu 

Murdaugh: Death in the Family

Premiered October 15, 2025

Starring Jason Clarke, Patricia Arquette, and Brittany Snow

Created by Michael D. Fuller  and Erin Lee Carr

HBO Max

Task

Premiered September 7, 2025

Starring Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey, and Emilia Jones

Created by Brad Ingelsby

Amazon

Gen V - Season two

Premiered September 17, 2025

Starring Jaz Sinclair, Hamish Linklater, and Lizze Broadway

Created by Eric Kripke

AppleTV

The Last Frontier 

Premiered October 10, 2025

Starring Jason Clarke, Dominic Cooper and Haley Bennett

Created by Jon Bokenkamp

Disney Plus

High Potential - Season two

Premiered September 17, 2025

Starring Kaitlin Olson, Daniel Sunjata and Javicia Leslie

Created by Drew Goddard