It’s that time of the year again when I hand out my famous Chatter on the Box Awards for 2025. I hope you enjoy…
Best Aussie Reality Show
‘Big Brother’. I don’t think anyone could’ve predicted that the return of ‘Big Brother’ on 10 would be the smash hit that it was! From live evictions to diverse housemates and being back at its traditional home of Dreamworld, this season of ‘Big Brother’ had it all. New host Mel Tracina was perfect for the role, I only wish it went for longer!
Best Aussie Comedy Series
‘Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers’ / ‘The List’. It was hard to split these two Inspired Unemployed offerings, so they both win for funniest shows of the year. From travelling around the world doing crazy challenges to hilarious pranks at fast-food outlets with unassuming customers, these boys continue to elevate the game. I just hope we see more from the lads next year on our TV screens!
Best Aussie Drama
‘NCIS: Sydney’. While the final season of ABC’s ‘The Newsreader’ was a close second, I couldn’t go past ‘NCIS: Sydney’, which continues to go from strength to strength, for this award. Fans were treated to not one but two seasons of this huge hit this year, such was its success on Paramount+ here and overseas. The cast is the perfect mix of serious and comedic, and I just love seeing our great city on the small screen.
Best Streaming Service
HBO Max. What a debut year for HBO Max in Australia. I found myself watching this streaming service more than any other in 2025 and it’s not hard to see why. HBO Max delivered blockbuster after blockbuster this year including ‘The Last of Us’, ‘The White Lotus’, ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’, ‘Task’, ‘And Just Like That…’, ‘The Pitt’, and ‘The Rehearsal’. Let’s hope Netflix keeps its pesky hands off it next year!
Best Limited Series
‘Adolescence’. I’ve never seen a series quite like ‘Adolescence’ on Netflix. Each episode of this acclaimed UK drama about a 13-year-old boy accused of killing his teenage classmate was filmed in a single, unbroken shot, immersing viewers in the unfolding events and characters’ real-time confusion. It dominated the 2025 Emmys and it’ll no doubt do the same at the Golden Globes early next year. Bravo!
Best International Drama Series
‘The Pitt’. I’ve never been a fan of medical dramas but ‘The Pitt’ changed the game. Starring Noah Wyle of ‘ER’ fame, this series had me enthralled the entire way. ‘The Pitt’ follows the intense, day-in-the-life struggles of healthcare heroes at a struggling Pittsburgh hospital. What draws you in is that the entire 15-episode series is set across just 15 hours – showing just how chaotic a major hospital can be each day. I can’t wait for season two in January!
Best International Comedy Series
‘The Studio’. Apple TV nailed it with Seth Rogan’s ‘The Studio’, which follows a movie-loving studio executive who unexpectedly gets the top job at Hollywood’s fictional Continental Studios. This series, which won a stack of Emmys recently, is satirical comedy at its best. The cast is also elite, and the celebrity cameos blew me away too!
Best Documentary
‘John Candy: I Like Me’. One of my favourite actors of all-time, John Candy, died unexpectedly in 1994 and this Prime Video documentary by director Colin Hanks and producer Ryan Reynolds showcases the Canadian comedian’s beautiful but tragic story. Through unseen home videos and interviews with famous friends and family, I couldn’t help but shed a tear or two.
