The Best Series To Watch If You Want More Than Entertainment
- 01. The Best Series to Watch: Critics' and Educators' Top Picks for Values-Driven Viewing
- 02. Top 10 Series Critics and Educators Recommend
- 03. Faith-Based Series Aligned with Marist Educational Values
- 04. Educational Series with Proven Classroom Impact
- 05. Can TV series be used in Marist pedagogy?
- 06. 2025 Critical Consensus on Best TV Series
The Best Series to Watch: Critics' and Educators' Top Picks for Values-Driven Viewing
The best series to watch that critics and educators value include The Chosen for its faith-based storytelling, Ted Lasso for its leadership and empathy lessons, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey for science education, Breaking Bad with a 96% Tomatometer score for moral complexity, and Father Brown for Catholic mystery content that aligns with Marist educational values.
Top 10 Series Critics and Educators Recommend
Based on Rotten Tomatoes' 25th-anniversary critics' poll and educational value assessments, these series combine critical acclaim with meaningful content suitable for Catholic and Marist educational contexts.
| Series Title | Tomatometer Score | Educational Value | Values Alignment | Streaming Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Chosen | N/A (Crowdfunded) | Biblical literacy, historical context | High - Catholic faith | VidAngel |
| Ted Lasso | 90% | Leadership, empathy, growth mindset | High - optimism, kindness | Apple TV+ |
| Breaking Bad | 96% | Moral ethics, consequences | Moderate - cautionary tale | Netflix |
| Father Brown | N/A | Catholic theology, moral reasoning | High - Catholic priest protagonist | Amazon Prime/BritBox |
| Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey | N/A | Science, universe, critical thinking | High - educational rigor | National Geographic |
| All American | N/A | Social justice, education access | High - family, perseverance | Netflix |
| The Wire | 94% | Systemic inequality, institutions | Moderate - complex ethics | HBO Max |
| Succession | 95% | Corporate ethics, family dynamics | Moderate - cautionary | HBO Max |
| Dance Academy | N/A | Artistic discipline, teamwork | High - youth-focused | Amazon Prime |
| Alexa & Katie | N/A | Health challenges, friendship | High - teen-friendly | Netflix |
Faith-Based Series Aligned with Marist Educational Values
For Catholic and Marist schools across Brazil and Latin America, faith-aligned content provides powerful teaching moments that reinforce spiritual and social mission while maintaining educational rigor.
- The Chosen - The first multi-season series about Jesus Christ, crowdsourced with $70+ million in donations, reaching 40+ million viewers globally by 2024; educators value its humanizing portrayal of biblical figures for religious education
- Father Brown - Based on G.K. Chesterton's book series, featuring a 1950s English priest solving mysteries through psychological insight and Catholic moral reasoning; Season 9 entered production in 2024
- Sister Boniface Mysteries - Set in 1960s England, a nun with scientific training solves mysteries; debuted on BritBox in February 2022, appealing to fans of intellectual faith-based storytelling
- Living Biblically - CBS sitcom about a man living according to Bible after personal tragedy; features genuine faith witness in counter-cultural contexts
- Blue Bloods - Irish-American Catholic Reagan family with faith woven throughout; CBS procedural focusing on family values and public service
Educational Series with Proven Classroom Impact
Research shows students remember twice as much when seeing and hearing content versus audio or text alone, making visual series powerful pedagogical tools.
- Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey - Hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, this visually stunning series explores universe mysteries; National Geographic broadcasts include bonus footage and behind-the-scenes content, with free lesson plans available for all subjects and age levels
- Ted Lasso - The NEA (National Education Association) published "Follow the Wisdom of Ted Lasso" on August 7, 2025, recommending the series for new teachers; key quotes like "Be curious, not judgmental" and "Be a goldfish" (move on from mistakes) directly apply to classroom management and student engagement
- All American - CW-to-Netflix series following a football player from South Central LA to Beverly Hills High; explores racism, family life, and education access with authentic teen perspectives
- Alexa & Katie - Netflix sitcom about two freshman friends, one finishing chemotherapy; addresses health challenges, friendship loyalty, and adolescent identity with age-appropriate humor
- Dance Academy - Australian Amazon Prime series (2010-2013) about teens at Sydney's National Dance Academy; presents familiar teen challenges while emphasizing artistic discipline and perseverance
Can TV series be used in Marist pedagogy?
2025 Critical Consensus on Best TV Series
The Hollywood Reporter's December 12, 2025 critics' poll identified 2025 as a remarkable year for dramas cautioning against fascism and exploring ordinary evil, with sci-fi series like Pluribus from Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad creator) defying norms at every turn.
Mashable's December 17, 2025 list of 10 best TV shows of 2025 includes Long Story Short on Netflix, with editor Belen Edwards (Tomatometer-approved critic) emphasizing careful selection for media-savvy students. The New Yorker's December 8, 2025 review noted that while Hollywood's decline was evident, conversation-starting shows made critics crave the return of water cooler moments.
"TV shows offer a unique and engaging way to enhance learning by turning complex subjects into accessible and entertaining narratives. Adding series like Cosmos, Breaking Bad, and The Crown to school curriculum could change how kids learn ethics, science, history, and technology."
This perspective from educational media analysis supports strategic integration of must-watch series into lesson plans for media-literate, engaged learning environments.
Expert answers to The Best Series To Watch If You Want More Than Entertainment queries
Which series are best for Catholic schools?
The Chosen, Father Brown, and Sister Boniface Mysteries are top choices for Catholic schools, offering faith-aligned content that reinforces Catholic theology while maintaining high production quality and engagement for students.
What series have the highest critic ratings?
According to Rotten Tomatoes' 25th-anniversary critics' poll, Breaking Bad leads at 96%, followed by Better Call Saul at 98%, The Wire at 94%, Mad Men at 94%, and Succession at 95%; these gold-standard dramas offer moral complexity for advanced student discussion.
Are there teen-appropriate shows for Catholic families?
Catholic News Service reviewed Alexa & Katie, All American, Dance Academy, The Letter for the King, Wildfire, and Zoe Valentine as acceptable for teens, with parental guidance suggested for content involving violence or mature themes.
How do I choose series aligned with educational goals?
Select series based on specific learning objectives: use Ted Lasso for leadership/empathy lessons, Cosmos for science inquiry, The Chosen for biblical literacy, and All American for social justice discussions; match content to student age and ensure alignment with Marist values of solidarity and service.
