The Brief

There may be only one thing more subjective than picking the best series on TV so far this year: tallying the best small screen performances yet in 2025.

That's partly because the audience's love for individual performances can be boosted by a lot of factors an actor doesn't have much control over, including great writing, audience affection for certain kinds of characters, canny directors, and the kind of lucky pop culture timing that puts people right at the zeitgeist's center just as they're ready to offer their best work.

Still, television is a medium that is mostly about spending time with performers and characters you find compelling, welcoming them into your home — or your smartphone — with an intimacy that's different from movies on a giant theater screen. And though it's been less than five months, TV this year has been packed with towering performances on programs you can still go back and savor, like a good book pulled off a library shelf.

So, to help your future viewing, here's my short list of who has triumphed on screen so far this year.

Tramell Tillman, Severance (Apple TV+)

Tramell Tillman in "Severance."

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Apple TV+

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Even before his jaw-dropping performance in this year's season finale — leading a marching band through a seriously HBCU-inspired musical number inside the offices of Lumon Industries — Tillman made his mark as devoted department manager Seth Milchick.

Milchick had a lot going on during the show's second season inside the cult-like corporate culture of Lumon: anger over constant humiliations, frustration over bizarre racial microaggressions, ambivalence over some of the extreme actions he had to commit. All of it to keep in line Lumon employees, whose work memories were "severed" from their home lives.

But Tillman often managed to communicate all this complexity with few words, emotions playing across his face as he constantly seemed to reconsider whether it was all worth it. A proud Black man struggling with the world's worst middle management job.

Carrie Coon, The White Lotus (HBO)

Carrie Coon in "The White Lotus."

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Fabio Lovino

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HBO

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To be honest, I've never been a fan of The White Lotus, which seems to celebrate as much as critique wealth with its twisty stories of privileged white folks at exotic getaways. And I didn't much buy how it resolved the storyline for Coon's character this year — leading her to decide in the season finale that spending a vacation with toxic friends, who made her feel terrible about her life choices, was somehow life-affirming.

But I do value how Coon delivered the monologue that sold this arc to viewers, telling her friends tearfully, "We started this life together. ... I look at you guys and it feels meaningful. ... I'm just happy to be at the table."

It was an amazing example of a performer's ability to turn an awkward storytelling curve into a cathartic experience with a spellbinding performance.

Uzo Aduba, The Residence (Netflix)

Uzo Aduba in "The Residence."

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Jessica Brooks

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Netflix

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Move aside Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot; ardent birder/police consultant Cordelia Cupp now stands as one of fiction's most compelling detectives, thanks to Aduba's magnetic performance in Netflix's White House-set whodunit.

The show was the surprise hit of the spring, using a mystery surrounding the murder of the head usher to explore the lives of those who work as maids, butlers, cooks, plumbers and more in the president's home.

Aduba's turn as Cupp was the quirky, stylish center for a story that rode the line between absurdist comedy and complex mystery, presenting a confident woman brashly solving the crime while waiting impatiently for everyone else to finally admit she's always been the smartest person in the room.

Noah Wyle, The Pitt (Max)

Noah Wyle in "The Pitt."

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Warrick Page

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Max

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Fans may fixate on a showy moment from the program's 13th episode, when Wyle's Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch collapses in a ball of tears and regret after failing to save the life of an important patient.

But in truth, Wyle owned just about every scene from the very first minutes of this series, which offers 15 hour-long episodes played out in real time covering a monstrous 15-hour shift in an emergency room in Pittsburgh. As the staff handled everything from a child's birth to casualties from a nearby mass shooting event, Wyle quickly outpaced any comparisons to his well-known stint decades earlier in the cast of NBC's popular drama ER — presenting "Dr. Robby" as a damaged, experienced, down-to-earth pro with little in his life but his job, facing one of the most challenging work days of his life.

Owen Cooper, Adolescence (Netflix)

Owen Cooper in "Adolescence."

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Netflix

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This show has won praise for many things — from its technique of telling every episode in a single, unbroken shot to its exploration of incel culture among high school-aged boys and the searing effectiveness of lead actor, co-creator and co-writer, Stephen Graham. But it's Cooper who sealed this show's excellence with his emotive, percolating performance as Jamie Miller, a young man accused of murdering a female classmate. (Graham plays his father, Eddie.)

In the show's third episode, when Jamie meets with a forensic psychologist seven months after the murder, Cooper masterfully renders the young man's unpredictable flips between a cagey charm and volatile anger, particularly when questioned about his feelings for girls.

Given that Cooper had no professional acting experience before this role, it's a tour-de-force that leaves your mouth open in wonder and heart torn over whether to feel sorry for Jamie or fear him. Or both.

Catherine O'Hara, The Last of Us (HBO) and The Studio (Apple TV+)

Catherine O'Hara in "The Last of Us."

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Liane Hentscher

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HBO

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She's been a towering comedic actress since her days in the mid-1970s and '80s, cracking wise with legends like Martin Short and Eugene Levy on the Canadian cult classic Second City TV series, also known as SCTV. But O'Hara has shone most recently as a powerhouse supporting actress, lending a compelling, edgy energy to roles as a post-apocalyptic therapist in HBO's The Last of Us and a deposed movie studio executive-turned-producer on Apple TV+'s The Studio.

On HBO's zombie drama, she's a wryly funny, no-nonsense figure in a massively dark story. For Apple TV+'s Hollywood satire, she's a breezily competent player who knows exactly how over his head Seth Rogen's Matt Remick — the guy who took her job — truly is.

But in both roles, she's the perfectly calibrated combination of funny and dramatic required to make things sparkle, a testament to her status as one of the best supporting players in the business.

Copyright 2025 NPR

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

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J.W. Hendricks

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The LA Local

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In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.