1. One Piece Ep. 1169
91/100 – Crunchyroll – July 19 7:15 AM
After a break last week and a hit episode of One Piece Heroines, the Straw Hats return with the original three—Luffy, Zoro, and Nami—heading out to find the key that will free Loki and crossing paths with the “left arm” of the Pirate King, Scopper Gaban, in an installment that feels closer to the series’ earlier arcs than anything else in Elbaph so far. This nostalgic feeling and introduction to another long anticipated episode is likely what contributed to episode 1169 being one of the best episodes of the arc so far and why it sits at the top of another TV Weekly list. The series keeps steadily stacking momentum toward what’s being hyped as the biggest climax of the Elbaph arc, and arguably the biggest battle setup in the show’s history, so it’s safe to expect One Piece to hover near the top of this ranking for the foreseeable future.
2. My Adventures With Superman S3 Ep. 5
87/100 – HBO Max– Next Ep. July 18 – 12:00 AM*
My Adventures with Superman is in the middle of a really strong third season, even if the last few episodes have occasionally struggled to balance relationship drama with meaningful action. Episode 5, however, delivers what feels like the best installment in the show’s history, finally paying off the long‑building clash between Supergirl, Superman, and Superboy and the Cyborg Superman, and culminating in a final battle that lands on every level. It then pivots cleanly into yet another intriguing storyline for the rest of the season. Season 3 already seemed like the show’s best run so far, and this episode confirms it, with more coming that should push this “simple” animated HBO Max series even higher.
3. X-Men '97 Season 2 Ep. 4
86/100 – Disney Plus– Next Ep. July 15 – 3:00 AM*
X-Men ’97 Season 2 episode 5 has been blowing up on social media after its release, after it delivered another heartbreaking episode with insane animation and a storyline many fans are now pleading bleeds over into the live action movie and shows from Marvel. Professor Xavier and Magneto, along with the other X‑Men in the past, try to influence a young Apocalypse to prevent the storyline that led to destruction from ever occurring, but fail to a devastating degree as the Professor watches Magneto killed right in front of him. The show is clearly entering its climax as the X‑Men finally have to come together to stop Apocalypse, and episode 5 feels like one of its strongest entries so far.
4. House of the Dragon Season 3 Ep. 4
86/100 – HBO Max – Next Ep. July 19 – 9:00 PM*
Episode 4 delivers the lowest‑rated chapter of the season so far, but the fact that “lowest” still means an 86/100 says a lot about how strong House of the Dragon’s early run has been. As Rhaenyra edges closer to the cruelty she seems fated to embrace and Daemon discovers Sheepstealer as the dragon tied to his own daughter, the show continues to push its characters toward the brutal choices that will define the House of the Dragons. Episode 4 is slower and definitely is building again toward a larger crescendo as the layout for the rest of the season is becoming more clear. It is very well possible this could be the lowest House of the Dragon Season 3 will ever be on this list.
5. Little House on the Prairie
83.0/100 – Netflix – Season Complete
Perhaps the biggest TV surprise of the year so far, Little House on the Prairie sits much higher on this list than expected, delivering a wholesome, visually beautiful, and impressively acted new adaptation of the famous novel that feels not just justified but, in many ways, like an improvement on what came before. The storytelling here largely stays on the surface and offers a softened, family‑friendly take on the time period, but that’s also true of the original novel, and this adaptation embraces that tone in a way that helps it stand out as one of the year’s best new comfort watches. A show that was almost a skip for us, and for plenty of other viewers, has instead turned into one that demanded its own full review and now sits near the top of our TV Weekly with a huge recommendation attached.
6. Silo Season 3 Ep. 2
82/100 – Apple TV+ – Next Ep. July 16– 9:00 PM*
Silo is doing a great job of delivering an even more gripping story in its new season, as Juliette slowly begins to recover the memories erased after the events of season 2 and past storylines start to collide, making this run a clear standout. However, the story outside the silo, built around the newly introduced characters, just hasn’t been all that intriguing so far, and it’s the main thing keeping this season from sitting higher on our list or matching the original run’s overall impact. While it remains a really solid sci‑fi offering from Apple TV, the pure anticipation, mystery, and fan theories that surrounded season 1 still define the show’s highest highs, and season 3 often feels like it’s chasing that same effect rather than fully matching it.
7. Love Island USA Season 8 Ep. 31 - 35
81/100 – Peacock – Season Complete
Love Island USA season 8 closes out with its strongest stretch of episodes of the summer: warm, happy, packed with just enough extra drama, and capped by the best finale the show has ever managed — a part of the series they’ve historically struggled with. The show is packed with drama and fueled by nonstop audience and social media reactions, but a finale built on love and emotion, and executed better than any the series has managed before, gives season 8 an honestly impressive send‑off. Season 8 delivers one of the strongest runs Love Island USA has ever had, and it’s reflected in how high it lands on our TV Weekly ratings this week.
8. Trying Season 5 Ep. 1
81/100 – Apple TV+ – Next Ep. July 14 – 6:00 PM*
Trying remains one of the most wholesome and emotionally resonant shows on TV, and it returns for a fifth season on Apple TV with a premiere that picks up exactly where it should, centering on how bringing Princess and Tyler’s birth mother into the picture reshapes the family and what that balancing act means for a child growing up through their teen years. It certainly toes the line of being over‑dramatic at times, playing the big emotional strings, but this first episode strikes a really good balance of what the season to come will be and serves as a great setup. The premise for the season will definitely get more emotional as we go, but a lower‑stakes first episode at the carnival is a great way to start the return of Trying.
9. Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed Ep. 9
81/100 – Apple TV+ – Next Ep. July 15 – 9:00 PM*
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed starts to move quickly now that its finale is just a week away, with a pretty solid episode nine that brings Laura and her two coworker friends back together as they scramble to find a way to get her out of the case and refocus on the escalating custody battle for her daughter. A ton of promotion has been pouring in across social media for the show ahead of next week’s finale, signaling that Apple TV+ really has faith in this ending and in a limited series that, while a bit problematic over the last few weeks, has still been a clear success overall.
10. Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness Ep. 3
81/100 – HBO Max – Next Ep. July 17 – 9:00 PM*
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness has settled into its comedic bits easily and effectively and is really similar to the comedy of Curb Your Enthusiasm, which is certainly more of a positive than a negative, and this episode was another example of that. With a hilarious Boston Tea Party skit that certainly led the way with laugh‑out‑loud David comedy that simply never gets old. It’s not the absolute best show airing right now, but it is one of the most consistently entertaining and well‑made, and could go forever, which is why it’s a shame there are only four episodes left.
11. The Ghost in the Shell
80/100 – Prime Video – Next Ep. July 14 – 7:00 AM*
Ghost in the Shell is an anime adaptation that, similar to another show on this list, didn’t necessarily need a new version but is still very welcome, as Prime Video provides a new angle with some fun adaptation choices, complex storytelling, and a more exciting, faithful take on the original storyline. A more under‑the‑radar release for now, it’s the kind of series that should pick up real momentum as its complex sci‑fi atmosphere unfolds. It’s certainly a lighter year for anime overall, but if this show, and another new title just starting its run, can climb higher on this list as their stories develop, there’s still room for some strong late additions to our “best anime of the year” rankings.
12. That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime Season 4 Ep. 14
79/100 – Crunchyroll – Next Ep. July 16 – 7 AM*
That fight between Jaune and Blanc and Diablo begins, and the animation shifts into a more grainy look that really works, highlighting the action and giving the series a visual edge it’s been badly missing. Certainly the best episode of the season so far, and a really strong way to kick off the second cour of the arc. Although the start to season 4 has been shaky, to say the least, this new realm the main group has entered is clearly breathing some new life into the show, finally nudging the anime up from the bottom of our list.
13. Black Torch Ep. 2
79/100 – Crunchyroll – Next Ep. July 19 – 7:15 AM*
After an episode where our main character is possessed by a mononoke and recruited into the Bureau of Espionage, the relationship between him and the cat‑like creature Rago expands, as Black Torch starts to settle more comfortably into its main premise after a slower introduction in episode one. Jiro still has a lot of growth and development ahead of him before he feels like a lead who can stand alongside many of the new‑generation anime protagonists, and Black Torch as a whole likewise still needs to fully find its stride.
14. Star City Ep. 8
79/100 –Apple TV+ – Season Complete
This political thriller “what if” scenario series has been a bit of a letdown, to say the least, but its latest episode, the return to Earth, the sacrifices along the way, and a not‑so‑happy ending, delivers the show’s strongest outing ratings‑wise and lets it finish on a more positive note. Sure, the concept was certainly stronger than the execution by quite a margin, but Star City could have been much worse than it was and now sits higher on our rankings list than we initially expected.
15. Cape Fear Ep. 7
79/100 – Apple TV+ - Next Ep. July 17 - 9 PM
In a week where multiple shows are logging their highest scores of the season, Cape Fear lands lower on our list even though it fits that same pattern, with this episode’s strength resting almost entirely on Javier Bardem, who really carries the hour and elevates the series’ overall quality. Yes, this is yet another Apple TV+ show that could have been much better than it’s turned out to be, but the mystery and thriller elements do seem to be pushing toward a genuine climax, which means there’s still some intrigue left to tap into as we edge closer to the finale premiering at Fantasia Film Festival.
16. Sugar Season 2 Ep. 4
78/100 – Apple TV+ – Next Ep. July 17 – 10 PM*
Unfortunately, Sugar is the only show this week that keeps getting a bit weaker in its delivery, drifting further away from the noir‑crime‑film‑inspired mystery of its first season and into a blend of ideas and iterations that just don’t work as well as that original run. Colin Farrell is still doing a great job as Sugar, and with most of the season still ahead there’s plenty of time for him, and the writers, to pull the show back up to the heights of season one and blend the sci‑fi twist back into the noir imitation in a much more effective way.
17. Big Brother Season 28 Ep. 1 - 3
77/100 – CBS/Paramount+ – Next Ep. July 15 – 8:00 PM*
Big Brother is one of the biggest shows on television, and admittedly one we haven’t really covered or ranked before, but its first three episodes of the new season, complete with huge viewership and a cast riding the current CBS reality boom, finally make it impossible to ignore, so we’re officially adding it to our weekly rankings. Unfortunately, it still lands at the bottom of this week’s list. Perhaps it just takes a bit of adjusting, especially with showmances starting right off the bat and a more childish, hyper‑silly atmosphere compared to other, similar game shows, but there’s always a chance Big Brother will climb the ranks in the coming weeks as this season settles into its groove.
