Best of 2024: The Best TV Shows of the Year
There were a lot of TV shows this year. Some of them were bad, some of them were just fine, but some of them were truly great! We asked the staff at MovieJawn to write a little bit about their favorite shows from 2024, so tune in and find your next great watch!
This year had some disappointing television, especially with shows I was excited to see continue. I didn’t care for the third season of The Bear. Rings of Power season two felt like a step down, considering how much I enjoyed the first season. But Interview with the Vampire exceeded every expectation I had, and the first season was my favorite show in 2022. Second seasons are hard, and the writers did an incredible job threading the needle with Louis (Jacob Anderson) continuing the interview with Daniel (Eric Bogosian) in modern day and delving further into Louis’s memories, especially of his adventures in Paris with Claudia (Delainey Hayles, who did an amazing job taking over the role this season).
Everything about this show is aces. Jacob Anderson is doing the best lead acting on television, bar none, and I’d carve an award for him at any opportunity. The entire cast delivers on every front. The writing is lush—melodramatic at the right times, cutting and mean when Louis and Armand (Assad Zaman) argue in the ‘70s flashback episode, and contempt and tragedy overlap in the trial when Lestat (Sam Reid) reappears. They did more with eight episodes, AMC’s budget, and a dream than most shows did with more resources and time. Truly, nobody is doing it like the Interview with the Vampire team.
I don’t watch a lot of television, and most of what I watch falls into one of these four categories: Star Trek, Star Wars, sitcoms, and animation.* However, this year I fell head over heels for a British comedy-game show, Taskmaster. Over the past year, when I have been physically or mentally ill, Taskmaster is there like a gentle blanket woven from silliness and absurdity. Each series of the show, hosted by comedians Greg Davies and Alex Horne—the most recent of which is Series 18, and the cast is pictured above—brings a panel of comedians to a small house in Chiswick, West London on an individual basis, and they are filmed doing a series of tasks by themselves. The tasks are a mix of subjective—”Have the most exciting thumb war with Alex”—and objective—”Build the tallest tower out of aluminum cans while blindfolded.” Each contestant completes them without observing the others maximizing the creativity and thought processes of each comedian. The tasks are revealed during a studio segment, and it gives the show a vibe similar to that of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, but somehow even sillier. It’s gentle, hilarious, and I enjoy it even when I am not familiar with any of the comedians before the start of a particular series.
*Obviously, this makes Star Trek: Lower Decks the platonic ideal of television for me. I also loved The Acolyte this year, but if I wrote about it here, it would turn into a manifesto about how Disney is killing Star Wars because they are listening to the loudest, most conservative fans. And I wanted to be positive.
Despite the challenges of the actors’ strike and the ongoing streaming shitshow, it’s been another good year for TV. Comedy had a great year, with my favorite TV show of the year being a historical fantasy romance, but above all, absolutely hilarious, and that was Prime’s My Lady Jane (so it’s obviously been canceled after one season). Other great ones include BBC’s We Might Regret This (for more Edward Bluemel), Tubi’s Big Mood (the best Nicola Coughlan show of the year), Rivals (Hulu), and BBC’s Cheaters (10 min episodes!). Some wonderful dramedies include The Bear (unlike most, I loved S3!), The Diplomat S2 (Netflix), Industry S3 (HBO), and my favorite—One Day (Netflix), which had the best soundtrack of the year.
In the YA space, Heartstopper continued to be lovely with S3, Boarders on Tubi was fun, Percy Jackson on Disney was promising, and the best was Dead Boy Detectives (which filled the Lockwood & Co hole in our hearts and then got canceled, Netflix you will not see heaven). It was also a strong year for the spy thriller, with Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Prime), Day of the Jackal (Peacock), Black Doves (Netflix), and the best was Kleo S2 (Netflix)—with the most pleasing production design of the year.
My favorite genre is historical drama (both fiction and based on true stories). In the true crime sphere, we had The Long Shadow (Sundance Now), Mr. Bates vs The Post Office (PBS), and Until I Kill You (Britbox). We also had the masterful Say Nothing (Hulu), and the WWII dramas We Were the Lucky Ones (Hulu), and Masters of the Air (Apple) —the latter of which I watched three times. And, finally, the historical fiction I enjoyed included: Shardlake and Shogun (both on Hulu), Eric and Lidia Poet S2 (both Netflix), Funny Woman (PBS), and the sublime Interview with the Vampire S2 (AMC). I’m also immensely happy to say that all four seasons of Babylon Berlin are now available on Hoopla.
For me, Best Actress goes to Ambika Mod in One Day, Best Actor is Jacob Anderson in Interview with the Vampire, Supporting Actor is Rory Kinnear in The Diplomat and Supporting Actress is Anna Sawai in Shogun. So, there are my 30 favorite shows from 2024, covering a range of genres—so hopefully you can find something that you will enjoy!
At the beginning of 2024, several of my favourite shows either ended or went on hiatus. While I enjoyed other series throughout the year, I didn’t feel the same attachment I did to Transplant or All Creatures Great and Small. That all changed when With You I Bloom (hereafter referred to as KimiYuki) arrived this spring.
I don’t watch Japanese dramas very often, but my curiosity was piqued when I was tipped off about KimiYuki by a friend who shares my interest in portrayals of the Shinsengumi. As I watched its first, slightly cheesy, episodes I thought it would just be a fluffy diversion with colourful costumes, accessorized with dubious historical accuracy. But as the story unfolded, the show wormed its way into my heart thanks to its greatest strength: its characters. When the protagonist, Kyujurou, witnesses his father’s murder, he seeks to become a skilled swordsman who can avenge that death, so he joins the Mibu Roshigumi (later renamed the Shinsengumi). He soon befriends the enigmatic Daisaku, also his foil, along with other members of the troop, Namunosuke and Shinnojo. These four main leads are the heart of the show, in addition to characters based on some of the real-life Shinsengumi leaders.
Historical events of the setting are woven into the story, but encyclopedic knowledge of the Bakumatsu period is not required since the series largely focuses on the characters’ bonds. The revenge plot, while the inciting incident of the story, only becomes one facet of the series, which deals with themes of finding one’s place in the world and the circumstances that we may try to overcome, but not always successfully. And boy can I relate to those. We watch the characters in big moments and small as they learn who they are and who they want to be, get into sword fights, and cry when faced with heartbreak – I’m here for stories that let the men get emotional without undercutting their strength, nay, see it as a strength. I latched onto this series with an adolescent enthusiasm, watching each episode at least twice, and even watching the finale three or four times, processing what I’d seen and not wanting to let the characters go.
KimiYuki isn’t for everyone, and yet it also makes me want to shout from the rooftops about it to anyone who will listen.
Thursday nights in 2024 were for cuddling with my pets and being glued to my TV watching 9-1-1. Yes, the first responder procedural that originally premiered in 2018 is more popular than ever. While it’s not a new show, its move to ABC back in April brought fresh energy and introduced new fans to the heartfelt, chaotic, and captivating world of the 118. I had been a casual fan for a while, but this year my love for the show deepened. ABC feels like the home 9-1-1 was destined for all along.
When the 100th episode dropped earlier this year it was as if a tsunami had hit the pier! It was an inescapable topic of conversation when the fan-favorite character, Evan “Buck” Buckley (Oliver Stark) finally came out as bisexual. Although Buck has not said the words himself, Stark has referred to the character as bisexual and has shown incredible care and respect for the community that loves Buck so fiercely. Stark’s thoughtful approach to portraying Buck has made the journey more meaningful.
Looking back, season seven stands out as a clear transitional period for the series. It served to reintroduce 9-1-1 to a new audience on a new network while finding its footing. Season eight, however, hits the ground running. It wasted no time picking up where things left off, confidently declaring to its audience, “You’re caught up? Great, we’re off!” When you center an opening arc around powerhouse actors like Angela Bassett, who plays police officer Athena Grant, and Peter Krause, who plays Captain Bobby Nash, you can’t expect anything less than a stellar performance. The pacing of the first three episodes was near perfect and was able to tell a story without the confines of being limited to a shortened season like its previous season.
If there was one thing 9-1-1 is known for it was its grand-scale emergency calls. Season eight kicks that up a couple of notches. It was a cinematic event. What sets 9-1-1 apart is its ability to lean in on the ridiculousness of its emergencies with genuinely heartfelt storytelling. Season eight set the bar for a grand cinematic experience while also nurturing the stories of characters Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman), Henrietta “Hen” Wilson (Aisha Hinds) and Howard “Chimney” Han (Kenneth Choi). With moving networks, the show seems to have found the freedom to embrace its true identity. With full trust in the showrunners and allowing a show like 9-1-1 to breathe, it can lean into their quirks and can be unapologetically network TV.
There’s always good TV being made, but as the current peak TV era fades away and streamers merge and split and die and begin anew, it’s not always easy to find it. 2024 was a weird year. Productions still haven’t returned to pre-strike levels, studios are becoming more cautious, and making a living in the entertainment industry seems increasingly fraught and challenging. It’s a testament to the writers, directors, performers, editors, and beyond that we ended up with as much great TV as we did this year. It’s enough that I had to declare a tie—my two favorite shows of 2024 were Interview with the Vampire and Fantasmas.
Interview with the Vampire had a good first season in 2022. A great first season, even. It beautifully set the stage for its melodramatic, operatic take on Anne Rice’s beloved novel. Season two was another animal. It felt like every single person involved in the creation of this season of television was working at the absolute top of their game. It was hilarious, campy, terrifying, and heartbreaking across eight episodes, and it didn’t waste a minute. It’s a relief to see the show land on a number of Best of 2024 lists. It feels like it’s finally getting the attention and praise it’s deserved since the pilot. With season 3 on its way, and showrunner Rolin Jones and his team tackling The Vampire Lestat this time around, the world is about to hear a lot more from these vampires.
And at the risk of becoming MovieJawn’s unofficial Julio Torres booster, I have to call Fantasmas my favorite new show of 2024. Torres was already having a great year with the release of Problemista, but he decided to bless us with a shimmering, beautiful, bizarre HBO series too. Torres plays Julio, ostensibly on a search for a golden oyster earring, but really trying to avoid getting the “proof of existence” card that would allow him to rent an apartment. The resulting journey introduces him to customer service representatives, teachers, robots, and more. With a star-studded cast including series producer Emma Stone and current Broadway darling Cole Escola, Fantasmas is another entry in Torres’s growing universe of surreal, unique creations.
I already know that Cruel Intentions is a hard sell for Millennials who had their bisexual awakening in front of their TV set in 1999. As a ‘99 baby, though, the new chapter of Cruel Intentions is a modern adaptation done well. Frankly, this is what the Gossip Girl reboot thought it was doing. The gay drama, the scandals, and the morally grey rich kid motivations will never get old. They’ll just re-invent themselves as people do. Just as Roger Kumble’s film found its target audience in teenagers, I think the Prime Original series could excel amongst today’s teens. Euphoria might be on hold. Cruel Intentions is just getting started though!
Most remakes and reboots market themselves as direct do-overs of what we’ve previously seen. The series is promoted simply as a new chapter, set in the same universe, following conniving stepsiblings Caroline (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lucien (Zac Burgess) on their college campus. Similar to the film, the target that they have their sights on is Annie (Savannah Lee Smith): daughter of the United States Vice President.
Requels (remakes that are also sequels) often bank on the return of their original stars to win our hearts as viewers. Only one original cast member returned, though. Despite my adoration for Sarah Michelle Gellar, I think her absence helped this young cast shine brighter. Several creative choices helped to maintain the original tone, however. The actors who play Caroline, Lucien, and CeCe (Sara Silva) embody the characters as they were introduced to us in the past. The most memorable iconography from Kumble’s film makes a comeback, too. We can never forget about the coked-out rosary. One of my favorite homages, though, is the season finale cue of “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by Verve. I personally love the choice they made to open the season with a cover of the song and closing it out with the original! As in, we respect the original but have more to add.
Messy TV really makes the world go ‘round. 2024 was a rough year for many people on various playing fields. There’s no better way to cope than gasping at your TV over the drama unfolding. Perhaps this will gain a cult following who loves the drama just as much as me. The critics didn’t, though. Unfortunately for them, my enjoyment isn’t dependent on their 38% Rotten Tomatoes score. Though there are a lot of remakes, I think this premiere should outshine other resurrection attempts made throughout this year and prior.
There are a lot of shows from this year that are worthy of being called “the best of 2024.” By my estimation the best American show was certainly Interview with the Vampire on AMC, but I also think it’s one of the greatest of all time, not just of the year. However, I wanted to spotlight one of the new anime series that was simulcast on Netflix (because there are a few of them from this year, actually): Delicious in Dungeon!
When I pitch this series, I usually call it “anime Dungeons & Dragons,” which generally works for the people I’m recommending the series to. But, of course, there are a few shows that can be described like that—Record of Lodoss War, Log Horizon, and Overlord, to name a few. There’s certainly no short of anime that have the feeling of a D&D campaign or are just directly inspired by the myths and lore of the Forgotten Realms. But I love Delicious in Dungeon (also known as Dungeon Meshi by many) most of all. The characters are charming, and the English voice cast is really, really good, including Emily Rudd (who is in the live-action One Piece on Netflix), SungWon Cho (who people online might know as ProZD), and Damien Haas (who’s known for his current involvement in Smosh).
The mystery of the dungeon, and how dungeons work in this world, is deeply interesting and Laios’s journey to find the dragon that ate his sister and bring her back is a worthy cause, hampered by the lack of information the characters all have at any given moment—like a real D&D campaign. Not to mention the stunning and also hilarious animation. On one hand, you have cuts and punch-ins to lower res, goofy images when characters are reacting that absolutely killed me when I was watching it. On the other hand, there’s the food! Delicious in Dungeon takes a Studio Ghibli approach to the way they animate and represent food, which is always stunning and makes me want to cook by the end of every single episode. If a D&D anime with great English voice acting, stunning animation, and actually funny humor is of interest to you, then I’d highly recommend checking out Delicious in Dungeon—come join the wait with me for season two!