Where to go from the M3 Stuart?

While I was grinding my French Light and German Medium lines I played my M3 stuart in between battles, and now I'm working on the first skill set for the crew. Looking at the tech tree and posts on the subreddit, though, it seems as if the M48A1 isn't a very good choice, so what would r/worldoftanks suggest I move onto? Should I shaft into the T82 and go for the turreted TD, switch from the Tier 6 Sherman onto the nonturreted TD line or abandon the stuart's derivative and move the crew onto the heavy or spg line altogether?