Last year had been wonderful for all of us who swear by our binge habits. Multiple brilliant shows from all genres are proof that the entire entertainment industry has now more or less accepted the fact that streaming is here to stay and is the future of audio-visual entertainment, so much so that long-standing network mammoths and studios are now shifting their focus towards their own streaming services. Regardless, with 2025 looking promising with bigger and better shows lined up, here is my first list of recommendations for the year.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

Barring the rare exceptions here and there, most shows and films that depict the horrors the Nazi regime inflicted upon the Jews and other ethnic groups of Europe during the Second World War do so while remaining true to a certain binary classification that separates the victims from the transgressors. But as history would tell you, not everything was so black and white. We often forget about the in-betweeners. People who were prisoners themselves, but took to working for the SS as a means of survival, perhaps to save themselves from the slow and absolutely brutal annihilation that awaited them at the concentration camps had they declined such questionable opportunities of employment.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz tells the story of one such man — Lali Sokolov. Based on the biographical novel of the same name written by Heather Morris, the show tells us the unbelievable and heartbreaking story of Lali, who not only survived his miserable years at the largest concentration camp by taking on the job of a tattooist but also, incredibly and against all odds, found the love of his life in that hell. In Lali’s own words, the story of his life is a love story.

Tali Shalom-Ezer’s brilliantly constructed show is by no means an easy watch, rather it’s yet another testament to just how capable of evil we are as a species. The true accounts of savagery, sadism, apathy and prejudice that are quite obviously a big part of Lali’s story not only break our hearts but also shatter our hopes. Yet incredibly and contradictorily, Lali and Gita’s love story gives us a reason to cheer, to believe that even in the midst of absolute chaos and unfathomable evil, the human heart is capable of loving and living for that love. Lali is not an easy person to sympathise with, and some of his actions may make you question his morality altogether. That is in fact the same lens that Lali saw himself through. Even after liberation, the horrors he witnessed never let him be at peace. There was never really a happily ever after for him because his conscience remained guilt-ridden till his very last breath. The monsters of his past never ever stopped tormenting him.

Apart from the expert handling of the historical subject matter at hand, the show has many more ways in which it moves you — in fact I do not remember being this affected by any series I watched in the recent past. Be it the brilliant musical score by Hans Zimmer and Kara Talve or the acting performances from the entire cast, who by the way are all absolutely brilliant, the writing by Jacquelin Perske, the editing (Nili Feller, Berny McGurk, Joe Sawyer) or David Katznelson’s wonderful cinematography, every piece comes together to create one of the best shows of the year.

However, the primary cast of the show is its biggest champion. Harvey Keitel as the old and guilt-afflicted Lali is brilliant as expected. As the young Lali, Jonah Hauer-King puts in a career-defining performance. However, it’s Anna Prochniak as Gita and Jonas Nay as the menacing and sadistic SS officer Baretzki who steal the show. I must warn you — it’s also an extremely uncomfortable and at times, depressing viewing experience.

Platform: JioHotstar

SILO

I had put off watching Silo for the longest time. To be honest, the trailer left me with the impression that it is yet another post-apocalyptic, sci-fi show similar to Fallout. I finally watched it when the original book series by Hugh Howey showed up on my read recommendations list. The synopsis got me curious and I started watching the show, and boy, am I glad I did! The premise is pretty similar — after an apocalyptic event, the last survivors of the human race are now living in massive underground bunkers known as Silos, which are essentially self-sustaining societies on their own. That is where similarities with other shows of the genre end.
How the world outside ended is unknown to them. Almost all knowledge and relics of the times before have been lost. The few remaining items from the past — books, tech or devices, are deemed to be illegal relics by the authorities and their possession is forbidden by law.

The history that is known to them has been filtered and authored by those in power. Every romantic relationship or union has to be sanctioned by the authorities and couples can only conceive if the powers that be allow them to. It is a society where the life of every citizen has to be in service of the Silo, every action is monitored and even the smallest transgressions and asking questions can lead to fatal punishments like death by exile. Perhaps the biggest dysfunctionality of the system is its enabling and encouragement towards a massive class divide. It is in times like these that a bottom-dwelling engineer, Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) rises up against the system and starts a quest for answers. Answers to many mysteries that have plagued the Silo since time immemorial.

Needless to say, the Silo is but a metaphor for the world we live in. The masterstroke is the world creation. Every single detail of the Silo is so neatly crafted that viewers feel effortlessly transported into this claustrophobia-inducing world. The suspension of disbelief is cleverly strengthened by the writing. Not only are the characters meticulously crafted and masterfully performed, but the elements of power-mongering, politicking and class divide are woven into the superficially presented plot so seamlessly that the viewing experience becomes gripping and immersive. Although certain episodes feel a little inconsistently paced, one soon realises that they are simply the calm before the storm. Silo is one of Apple’s most ambitious shows. No wonder it is one of the platform’s marquee projects.

Platform: AppleTV

PLATONIC

Most of our fiction has time and again reaffirmed this statement – a boy and a girl cannot remain platonic friends. Inevitably, love blooms; or physical attraction at the very least. But that’s fiction. In the real world, we are moving past these outdated ideologies and even our films and shows have recently started becoming more acceptant of the same. However, the notion of men and women being friends is still not widely accepted enough for it to reform our archaic social structures. For instance, a husband might not really be bothered by his wife confiding in her female bestie and making her privy to the most intimate details of their marriage, but if the bestie were to be a man, surely some degree of jealousy or suspicion would creep into the marriage. Platonic is a show that explores several such themes... the beauty is that it does so without ever taking itself too seriously.

The show stays true to its comedy genre and never sets out to make anyone a villain when misunderstandings do crop up. The amount of sensitivity and empathy Nicholas Stoller and Francesca Delbanco display in creating and directing the show is not just exemplary, they ensure that the show never crosses into preachy territory.

The plot revolves around Sylvia (Rose Byrne) and Will (Seth Rogen) and how these former best friends reunite after a fallout, almost a decade later. Sylvia is now a stay-at-home mom, having sacrificed a future in law practice to take care of her husband and three children, while Will is still mostly clueless about life and has his troubles compounded by a bitter divorce.

On learning about Will’s divorce, Sylvia decides to check up on him after not having spoken for years. Sylvia’s husband Charlie (played brilliantly by Luke Macfarlane) encourages her to meet Will. One wild meeting turns into another, the two seem to forget that they are a pair of 40-year-olds when they are together, and many misadventures and misunderstandings later, Sylvia introduces a sense of calm into Will’s otherwise chaotic life, while Will renews Sylvia’s lust for life and helps her find a purpose beyond being a good wife and a mother.

If for nothing else, watch Platonic for Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen and their chemistry. They are both absolutely brilliant although, in hindsight, Rose Byrne is asked to do most of the heavy lifting and does so with so much charm and ease that you might just fall in love with her.

Platform: AppleTV