There’s a wealth of fun new TV series currently streaming, and while it seems like there always are in these times of multiple streaming platforms, there are a special few worth seeking out, if only for their stars, who have returned to the medium that made them famous.

In the ascent of what they call “Peak TV,” there were a few standout series that proved what the medium could do, and that continue to loom large in the cultural imagination. And the stars of those shows, who were launched into movie stardom and beyond, now return to the fold of the scripted series with some daring new entries that once again push the boundaries of the form.

First up, Seth Rogen, whose new Apple TV+ series “The Studio” playfully parodies the inner workings of Hollywood, with some throwback flair. Rogen plays newly minted studio head Matt Remick, who’s in way over his head with the nefarious machinations of scheming creative executives, producers and directors. It’s a very fun, very silly skewering of Hollywood, and ultimately, a celebration of this business we call show. Stream “The Studio” on Apple TV+

You may recall that Rogen’s very first role back in 1999 was on the short-lived but much beloved TV series “Freaks and Geeks,” created by Paul Feig (“A Simple Favor”) and executive produced by Judd Apatow (too many comedy credits to count), which also launched the careers of Linda Cardellini, Jason Segel, Busy Philipps, James Franco, Martin Starr and John Francis Daley, now a successful filmmaker. This wry high school comedy showcased a different way to do teen TV, and though it only ran for one season, it made a huge impact on the landscape. Stream “Freaks and Geeks” on Paramount+ and Prime Video.

Speaking of teen TV, the iconic “Dawson’s Creek” was the kind of show that “Freaks and Geeks” was setting itself against, the kind of angsty teen drama filled with twists, turns and romantic intrigue. Created by “Scream” king Kevin Williamson, the show launched James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and previously unknown actor Michelle Williams, who has now been nominated for five Oscars (she won an Emmy and Golden Globe for the series “Fosse/Verdon”). “Dawson’s Creek” is streaming on Hulu if you need a dose of late ‘90s nostalgia.

Williams has had an illustrious big-screen career in the movies, but she’s back on the small screen with the Hulu series “Dying for Sex,” based on the podcast by Molly Kochan and Nikki Boyer. Williams plays Molly, who receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, and upends her life in pursuit of pleasure before it’s too late; Jenny Slate plays her best friend Nikki, who walks her through the end of her life. This daring series about pursuing sexual pleasure in its many different forms is also a touching tribute to platonic love, with Williams and Slate delivering performances that swing from comedy to tragedy and back again. Stream “Dying for Sex” on Hulu.

Finally, one of the figureheads of the prestige/Peak TV movement is also back on the small screen, with a series that goes hand in hand with the TV show that made him a star. Jon Hamm made “Mad Men,” and “Mad Men” made him, it’s impossible to extricate the two from each other. The show, which launched in 2007, about 1960s-era advertising execs, was a searing exploration of suburban ennui in a period setting, embodied almost entirely by Hamm’s Don Draper (the entire run is streaming on AMC+ if you need a refresher).

His new series, “Your Friends & Neighbors” is also a portrait of suburban ennui, in a contemporary setting. The more things change, the more they stay the same. People are still hiding their secrets and flaunting their wealth; keeping up with the Joneses and cheating on their spouses. Hamm plays the recently divorced Andrew Cooper, who has also recently lost his job; he trades in on his white male privilege and knowledge of the inner workings of his wealthy neighborhood and turns to petty theft in order to fund his lifestyle. The show works because of Hamm, and his unique ability to display discontent, the quality that made him a star on “Mad Men.” Stream “Your Friends & Neighbors” on Apple TV+

———

©2025 Tribune Content Agency, LLC