August 2025 TV Highlights: Big Battles, Dark Secrets, and Surprising Returns
Ready for a month of fresh stories and binge-worthy drama? August 2025 is delivering on all fronts, bringing heavy-hitting launches from the BBC and Netflix to your screens. Whether you're into sword-swinging history, supernatural school chaos, political intrigue, or true-life drama, there’s something on deck for everyone.
King & Conqueror leads the pack, landing on BBC One on August 24. This eight-episode drama throws you right into one of the most famous moments in British history—the 1066 Battle of Hastings. With James Norton as Harold Godwinson and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (yep, Jaime Lannister himself) as William the Conqueror, you know the throne-room scheming and intense battlefield scenes will keep you glued. Written by Michael Robert Johnson, who helped bring Sherlock Holmes to modern screens, expect this one to mix smart plotting with real punch in the action stakes. If you love shows with epic scale and political drama, don’t miss it.
Supernatural fans, it’s finally time for more Wednesday. The second season of the Addams Family spin-off is splitting its release—Netflix drops the first part on August 6, then the second on September 3. Jenna Ortega returns as the deadpan detective Wednesday Addams, but this time around, new faces join the weird party (look out for Thandiwe Newton and Joanna Lumley). With Wednesday up against new dark magic threats at Nevermore Academy, and Catherine Zeta-Jones back as Morticia, this season mixes school drama, horror, and oddball humor in perfect Addams style.
- Hostage hits Netflix on August 21. Suranne Jones stars in a tense political thriller about secrets at the highest levels. The plot? The British PM’s husband is kidnapped and the French President is blackmailed during a tense state visit. Can the two nations’ leaders work together, or will national interests tear them apart? It’s only five episodes, but expect edge-of-your-seat storytelling.
- Annika returns to the BBC sometime in August (exact date’s still under wraps). Fans of British crime drama should keep their eyes peeled—plot details are light, but the gritty tone and complex characters are real draws for anyone who likes smart mysteries.
- I Fought the Law brings true-story drama to ITV, with Sheridan Smith in the starring role. Details about the story are tight, but Smith is known for turning even tough subject matter into gripping TV. If you want a show with real-world stakes, this one deserves a look.
- Playing Nice puts James Norton right back on your screen for another BBC drama. There’s not much on what this story involves yet, but Norton’s recent run of powerful roles means it could be one of August's sleeper hits.
Why August’s TV Lineup Stands Out
If you’re browsing through streaming platforms looking for your next must-watch, August’s releases cover all the moods. Want to see medieval kings at war? Or maybe you prefer sardonic teens uncovering supernatural secrets? There’s high-level suspense, emotional drama based on real events, and showdowns that shaped the world as we know it. Historical drama fans should keep an eye out for King & Conqueror, while those craving thrills and chills should jump into the new Wednesday season. With heavy hitters like Suranne Jones and Sheridan Smith onboard in other series, expect performances that have everyone talking at work or in group chats the next day.
So, whether you schedule your evenings for battlefields, cryptic mysteries, or haunted school corridors, August's lineup is packed. Binge smart or savor each weekly drop—either way, it’s a great month to spend some time on the sofa.
