My Top 20 TV Shows of 2024
I saw 101 TV shows from 2024. Everything from comedy, drama, limited series, documentaries, stand-up, travel & nature, specials, reality & game shows, and more. These were my favorites.
1. MONSTERS: THE LYLE & ERIK MENENDEZ STORY (S2)
This is the second season of the anthology series Monster. They are separate stories and you don’t need to have watched S1, though you should. Based on the true story of the Menendez brothers’ murders of their parents, this Ryan Murphy created series keeps you on the edge. It barely gives you any time to breathe, in a good way. Javier Bardem, Chloe Sevigny, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, and Cooper Koch lead the brilliant cast of actors.
2. BABY REINDEER (Limited)
This miniseries has won six Emmys and is poised to win SAG awards. Based on Richard Gadd’s true story, who also created and starred in the show. It is an eye-popping tale where Martha, played by Jessica Gunning, begins to stalk the aspiring comedian Donny, played by Gadd. The story is so shocking that at times I could not believe what I was watching as it unfolded.
3. HACKS (S3)
Jean Smart and Hanna Einbinder return as Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels ready to go at each other’s throats as they navigate the comedy scene in Las Vegas. This is the funniest and most believable comedy series running on TV now. By far MAX’s best current show. The moments feel reel, raw, endearing. The comedic timing from the entire cast is as sharp as a knife.
4. SQUID GAME (S2)
Do yourself a favor, watch this show. Yes, there is a lot of killing. But it’s done in a way that even the squeamish can handle. You’ll get so involved in the stories and the cliffhangers that you will have no choice but to binge. Seong Gi-hun, played by Lee Jung-jae, comes back to the game with the intent of taking it down. What he is not prepared for is that the game has evolved, and the unexpected is the only thing you can expect.
5. RIPLEY (Limited)
Andrew Scott plays the title character of this suspenseful thriller based on the 1955 novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. Shot in black and white in beautiful Italian landscapes, the cinematography dazzles. The direction is on point, the script is grippingly adapted, and the acting held my attention at all times. I hesitated to watch this since I loved the 1999 movie adaptation so much. But this show’s insight into the fictional serial killer Ripley is even more in-depth.
6. OUR OCEANS (Limited)
Narrated by former U.S. president Barack Obama, this stunning Netflix limited series uses the very best technology to catch amazing sights from nature. Did you know that there is a global ocean current so big that it takes approximately 1,000 years for water to journey through its entirety? I didn’t. But I learned watching this show. Each episode follows the flow of one of Earth’s majestic oceans.
7. ADAM SANDLER: LOVE YOU (Special)
Netflix is killing it with stand-up specials. Adam Sandler shows how it’s done in this hilarious special that is unhinged and yet focused. You can never guess what he’ll do or say next. Will he play an instrument, sing a song, tell a personal story of his struggles, or have something go “unexpectedly” wrong? You gotta watch this master of comedy at work.
8. THE BEAR (S3)
The entire crew returns to The Bear restaurant to more insanity and flavorful delights. This time Carny, played by Jeremy Allen White, has the idea to entirely change the menu up daily. The unsustainable maddening idea pushes everyone to a boiling point unlike any other previous season.
9. FEUD: CAPOTE VS. THE SWANS (S2)
This anthology series with an all-star cast is led by Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Demi Moore, Chloe Sevigny, Calista Flockhart, and Tom Hollander is a testament to divas delivering great acting at every turn. It follows the true story of Truman Capote, a New York writer who got deeply involved one of the most famous and impactful socialite families of the city. Their love for one another turned to hate turned to love created an unforgettable feud.
10. CHIMP CRAZY (Limited)
This documentary series created by Eric Goode, who also created the smash-hit Tiger King, is jaw-dropping. Centered around animal broker and chimp owner Tonia Haddix, who will do anything to protect Tonka, her chimpanzee. Animal rights activists from PETA sweeps in creating a game of cat-and-mouse that will turn your mind upside down.
11. AGATHA ALL ALONG (Limited)
Disney+ delivers what I considered to be the best Marvel series since Wandavision, the original show this spin-off is based on. Kathryn Hahn reprises her role as Agatha, a witch that can steal powers from other witches. When she is put under a spell that makes her forget who she is, help comes knocking and the awakening is disastrously exciting. Co-starring Patti LuPone in her best TV role yet as a time-travel witch.
12. NO GOOD DEED (S1)
Ray Romano and Lisa Kudrow play homeowners who are desperately trying to sell their Los Angeles home. But when they put the house on the market, the array of buyers will do anything to get what they want. The house’s buried dark secrets resurface in this suspenseful and laugh-out-loud comedy-drama.
13. ALI WONG: SINGLE LADY (Special)
This all-new special has won the Golden Globe for best stand-up. Ali Wong does not miss a beat in this eye-opening special. The jokes pour out one after another effortlessly. Ali can makes her rich bitch persona so likable and relatable, which is not easy to do.
14. LOOT (S2)
Maya Rudolph plays the billionaire Molly Wells, a divorced woman who decides to go to work at a foundation that she owns. While learning the job, she has many existential crises and lessons in what the real world is like. Rudolph plays this role with such an interesting take that you fall in love with her brilliant comedic talent over and over again.
15. ABBOTT ELEMENTARY (S3)
The entire cast is back for more shenanigans in this ground-breaking comedy series. This time, Abbott is shorter than its previous seasons because of the actor’s strike. But that doesn’t mean that it’s lesser than. The episodes are packed full of laughs and surprises with recurring and new characters.
16. THE GENTLEMEN (S1)
Guy Ritche created, wrote, and directed this feast for the eyes. A direct spin-off from the movie of the same name, the show is a love letter to drug-dealing criminal masterminds all over. Set in the posh English countryside, the series stars Theo James as a former Army captain who finds himself involved with a drug empire when he inherits his father’s estate.
17. NOBODY WANTS THIS (S1)
Was I in the mood to watch a romantic drama about a rabbi and an agnostic woman? Hell, no! But Kristen Bell can do no wrong leading this cast through this love at first sight comedy. Adam Brody, Justine Lupe, and Timothy Simons round up the cast with edgy and fresh humor.
18. CABIN IN THE WOODS (S1)
This documentary series follows dramatic events that have occurred in a number of different cabins in the United States. The stories are packed full of crazy, chaotic murders and stories that will leaved you stunned. Being secluded in a cabin in the woods is a fear of mine, I must confess. But they say face your fears, right? So I did, though under a blanket and with a racing heart.
19. ALEX EDELMAN: JUST FOR US (Special)
Alex Edelman won the Emmy for this special. He has a tale to tell as he finds his Jewish self attending a Nazi meeting in Queens. A stand-up like I’ve never seen before, the story is funny while giving insight into discrimination and racism in America. Surprisingly, it’s right in Queens, dead smack in the middle of one of the most progressive cities in the world.
20. ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING (S4)
This was my favorite season of this show yet. I wasn’t sure I would return to it after season 3, but I’m glad I did. Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomes are back trying to solve yet another murder in Manhattan’s the Arconia. This time they investigate the demise of Sazz Paraki, played by Jane Lynch.