Dizygotic 2025 and 2026 emanate powerful conclusions

2025, alongside 2026, seems to be one of the most difficult years to say goodbye to, with nearly a dozen extraordinary shows concluded in the past few months or on the trail to conclusion in the upcoming year. While some of the dozen or so pieces rate statistically higher than others, at least on IMDb and similar sources, personal connections to the prior seasons may impact the season’s critiques. Reviewing these shows and their excellence, especially ones that have blundered (or are expected to), offers viewers a sense of budget, or a way to scope their time.

Cobra Kai: Season 6 (Feb. 2025). What an ending to a 7-year show in succession of one of the largest film franchises in the world. With homages to Miyagi (Pat Morita) through CGI / AI rework and Kreese (Martin Kove), the finale of the show ends with a 9.6 rating on IMDb, with hundreds of thousands of positive reviews. The “Trinity” vibe in the latter of the season, hovering around a 9.3 average score, vehemently appeals to the senses with its action-packed scenes contrasting melancholic moments of closure for all characters (including deaths of major characters and “happy” endings for most). Kai effectively sealed the deal. LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) returns this summer with Karate Kid: Legends, starring Jackie Chan (Rush Hour) amongst other classic characters.

Dexter: Original Sin (Feb. 2025). Opening a plethora of new opportunities for the reviving franchise, Sin struck audiences by storm, averaging an 8.2 on IMDb, although fans advocate for a revisit on that score. Sin shows all of what a prequel show should be by including accurate depictions of the young versions, approaching vaguely described details from the predecessor with veracity, and evoking new perspectives otherwise unbeknownst to audiences. Brian Moser (Roby Attal), a character flying to stardom on TikTok with the influence of Sin, is completely “redeveloped,” and directorial choices amplify the character beyond anything anyone could have imagined. Despite a simple background story for returning characters, with some new additions, director Clyde Phillips took the franchise in his palms, throwing it up in the sky for Resurrection to come and effortlessly swing at.

You: Season 5 (Apr. 2025). Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley, Gossip Girl) once again runs down the path of love, this time failing to. The final season reworks the trope of the male “protagonist” winning in the end, and instead reminds viewers that the author and creative team is basing him off Caroline Kepnes’ original idea: an unlovable serial killer. Averaging a 7 with a 5.5 for the finale, ratings are not promising on IMDb’s side, due to that inversion of expectations. 

Squid Game: Season 3 (Jun. 2025). Gi-Hun left this past December on the verge of death at the hands of the deceitful Player 001, and Season 3 looks to end the arc completely (further exploration would be redundant). Season 2’s finale ended with a 7.0 on IMDb, despite its brilliant creative choices and unexpected twists, and looks to be a nice landing pad for the helicopter of Season 3. The final season has all the tools needed for a complete revival of the series, possibly killing Gi-Hun alongside others, all accelerant for a powerful conclusion.

Dexter: Resurrection (Jul. 11 2025). With everything director Phillips has done with Sin and media influence, Resurrection sharpens the knives for a multi-season conclusion to the 18-year-old original and can do so with flying colors if executed correctly. Michael C. Hall returns as Dexter, sporting a revised look analogous to the original show, alongside other original cast members. Sneak peaks of new cast ranging from Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Uma Thurman (Kill Bill), and Krysten Ritter (Breaking Bad) all prove to brilliantly spark interest to a new frequency of audiences, potentially first time viewers of the series. Resurrection’s potential to conclude the entire franchise in one season, along with its opportunity to persevere for years without stress, makes the idyllic and propitious series one to truly watch out for. 

Stranger Things: Season 5 (2025). Approaching three years since the release of Season 4, Stranger Things sustains hype by the skin of its teeth, and the final season to come appears to be losing its strength in its own momentum. With the main cast having aged approximately 10 years since the release of the show, fans critique the efficacy of the final season in delivering the same vibe of the original season, especially given the fan base has aged alongside it. Season 4 left viewers on a massive cliffhanger, with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown, Enola Holmes) on the verge of facing a new and preposterous villain, and most fans will have to rely on Netflix’s “recap” feature to fill them in, diluting the anticipation.

The Boys: Season 5 (2026). Although one of the few shows ending in 2026, The Boys has Gen V this year to amplify its arrival and provide sustenance for fans. Gen V has a difficult position to come back from, as filming for the second season began shortly before star Chance Perdomo passed away in an unfortunate vehicular accident. Despite the harrowing loss, Gen V has returned to the process full throttle with homages to be paid in both shows. Homelander’s (Antony Starr, Banshee) death has been heavily speculated, with many believing that every single character will team up, a lackluster “power of friendship” trope that has the potential to be completely inverted for a unique ending. Season 4 leaves on a 9.1 IMDb throne, setting up the next set of episodes to smoothly release with its new reveals on Butcher’s (Karl Urban, Dredd) powers, a new position of government and schisms. 

This duo set of years offers a set of shows that appeals with gamboling intent, especially at the likes of Gen X-ers, Gen Z-ers, and even Gen-Alpha. This unmatched combination of shows has something to offer all ranges of people, particularly by appalling action, gory gabs, blood-filled blows, and heinous humor that attracts any range of audiences. Despite not all of the shows mentioned above are the grasp of the entire year(s), these are most closely aligned with the likes of teenagers.

by Luis Fonseca

Published May 19th, 2025

Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue VIII