When your job is watching TV shows (and movies), you have to watch a lot of TV shows. And at this point in the year ... I've arguably watched too many.
Earlier in the year, I gave you my best and worst shows of 2024 out of the 30 shows I had watched so far. Now, a few months later, I've watched over 40 seasons of new TV.
Yes, that's right. I've watched 44 seasons of new television this year. For those keeping score at home, that is currently a rate of one season of TV per week.
Thankfully, most of it was at least decent, if not good. And some of it was even great. However, with that much TV to watch, a few shows are inevitably quite bad. I've currently got quite a few shows I will be recommending you to not even watch for any reason.
So without further ado, here are my nine best — and seven worst — TV shows of 2024 so far. I even included links so you can stream the bad ones in case you're a glutton for punishment.
For more recommendations, check out the best (and worst) movies of 2024 so far from my colleague Rory Mellon. He's seen 84 movies so far, so it's safe to say that his list is fairly comprehensive.
My 9 favorite shows of 2024 (so far)
9. 'The Penguin' (HBO/Max)
Full disclosure: I've actually seen the season finale of "The Penguin," and it's very much a part of why this DC Comics show made the cut here. There are also admittedly two shows currently under embargo that I'm watching right now that could bump "The Penguin" from this spot, but I'm not including them since I literally can't talk about them.
But even if I could talk about those shows, I'd still rate this show very highly. Part "The Batman" and part "The Godfather" — or more accurately, "The Sopranos" — "The Penguin works as both a gritty show about Gotham and as a mob show. And while Colin Farrell's performance as the titular crime boss is a big reason why I called this show a "must-watch on Max," it's Cristin Milioti that steals the show as Sofia Falcone. Her performance is one of the best I've seen this year.
Stream now on Max
8. 'Fallout' season 1 (Prime Video)
"Fallout" season 1 was a bit of a slow burn. It was a good adaptation and never had a down episode. It really brought Bethesda's nuclear wasteland to life in a way that impressed me, both in terms of the visuals and in expanding upon an already existing world in a way that felt largely seamless.
But it never quite blew me away — until episode 8. "The Beginning" is an incredible episode and by the end of season 1, the bombs this show drops literally and figuratively will leave you staggered and wanting more. I cannot wait for season 2 and more of Walton Goggins as The Ghoul and Ella Purnell as the no-longer-naive vault-dweller Lucy as they journey through the Wasteland to New Vegas
Stream now on Prime Video
7. 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' season 1 (Prime Video)
"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine as the titular couple. Theoretically existing in the same universe as the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie movie of the same name, it was one of my most anticipated new shows of 2024.
And honestly, it lived up to the hype. In my review of the first season, I called it "the most enjoyable show I've watched so far in 2024." It still might be, though that honor now might go to the next movie on this list. The mission of the week structure works and has broad appeal. It's as much "Suits" as it is James Bond. Plus, the episode "Couples Therapy (Naked & Afraid)" is still one of the best episodes of TV I've seen all year, and I've watched more episodes than I can count.
Stream now on Prime Video
6. 'English Teacher
Not to be confused with English Teacher the band (who are also excellent), "English Teacher" is a comedy-drama starring Brian Jordan Alvarez as Evan Marquez. Evan is an openly gay teacher at Morrison-Hensley High School in the Austin, Texas suburbs, which isn't always the easiest. Whether it's open relationships, gun safety training in schools, or so many other complicated issues, "English Teacher" isn't afraid to touch any subject.
It isn't preachy though. You'd expect the show to be firmly to the left on the political spectrum, and it's clear that Alvarez, who also created and wrote the show isn't exactly a conservative. But one of his fellow teachers, Markie (Sean Patton) is, and the show makes it clear that honestly, everyone has some valid — and invalid — points regardless of their politics. It's no surprise that it debuted with 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, a number that's only climbed upward since then. This is the best comedy I've seen since season 2 of "Hacks," and that's not faint praise.
Stream now on Hulu
5. 'Ripley' (Netflix)
"Ripley" is a complicated viewing experience. This adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's "The Talented Mr. Ripley" starts slow. Starring Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley, a con man who goes to Italy to find an old classmate for cash, the first two and a half episodes were arguably boring and potentially weren't helped by the show's black-and-white aesthetic. It was beautifully made, but it struggled to keep my attention.
But then that happens in episode 3 (no spoilers!) and for the remaining five-and-a-half episodes it is quite possibly the best TV show of the year. It'd certainly be in the conversation. It's still the best limited series I've seen this year, and while the choice to film in black-and-white is initially puzzling, by the end of the show you couldn't imagine it being filmed any other way.
Stream now on Netflix
4. 'Tokyo Vice' season 2 (Max)
"Tokyo Vice" is a crime drama set in Japan and is based on the real-life experience of journalist Jake Adelstein, an American reporter for a Japanese publication (played by Ansel Elgort in the show).
I initially had no interest in this show and then over parental leave, I binged the whole series within two weeks. Elgort's performance is fine as Adelstein, but the Japanese cast members of "Tokyo Vice" steal the show. Ken Watanabe as Hiroto Katagiri, a veteran detective in the organized crime division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is fantastic, as is Sho Kasamatsu as Akiro Sato, the young enforcer in the Chihara-kai yakuza clan who Jake befriends in season 1.
The star of the show, though, is undoubtedly Ayumi Tanida as Shinzo Tozawa, leader of the Tozawa yakuza. A periphery character in season 1, he is the villain of season 2 and gives a memorable performance from start to finish, hitting his apex in episode 8 — "The Noble Path" — which is the best episode of the series and one of the best episodes I've seen all year.
Stream now on Max
3. 'Slow Horses' season 4
In any other year, "Slow Horses" would hold the top spot on this list. And honestly, season 3 might have still managed to beat out my top 2 shows of the year so far, despite both being all-time great seasons of TV. But this season was a bit of a down season for "Slow Horses." It often struggled a bit with pacing in a way it hadn't in seasons past.
Still, a down season of this show is still an incredible show. For those who are unfamiliar with "Slow Horses," it stars Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb, a washed-up MI5 agent who oversees Slough House, a wayward home for what others in the agency not-so-lovingly call "The rejects."
But one of the rejects is River Cartwright (Jack Lowden), whose grandfather David (Jonathan Pyrce) was an MI5 legend during the Cold War. This season, that connection takes River to France to hunt down a mysterious man who tried to kill his grandfather, before his grandfather's senility causes problems that River can no longer fix. Watch all six episodes now, including "Hello Goodbye," which may be the best season finale of the show so far.
Stream now on Apple TV Plus
2. 'Industry' season 3
"Industry" is incredible. In any other year, it'd be the clear top show. It was the best HBO show of the year so far and I have it and the next show in a tier all on their own. The show revolves around a group of young new hires at the investment bank Pierpoint, though this cast fluctuates from season to season and not everyone remains at the bank.
This season, Rob (Harry Lawtey) and Yasmin (Marisa Abela) are still at Pierpoint, whose trading floor in London is led by Eric (Ken Leung), whose been promoted to partner at the bank. However, things take a dramatic turn fast, as a botched IPO of Lumi, a new energy company led by Sir Henry Muck (Kit Harrington), entices Pierpoint's former rising star Harper (Myha'la) to short the company into oblivion.
This show is addicting, and once you start watching you won't be able to stop. Just brace yourself for the season finale, which was originally intended as a potential series finale in case the show wasn't picked up for season 4 — which thankfully it was.
Stream now on Max
1. 'Shogun' season 1 (FX/Hulu)
No matter how many great shows I watch this year, I can't find anything that manages to unseat "Shogun" from the top spot.
This show was incredible. It'll be remembered in the same breath as shows like "Breaking Bad" or "Game of Thrones," and despite a lack of dragons, it has a lot of similarities to the latter. This show is all about dialogue and character building and excels when its cast throws jabs at each other from across the room rather than when they attack each other with swords.
That said, the combat is great. Honestly, everything about "Shogun"" was great, including the episode "Ladies of the Willow World," which is the best episode of TV I've seen all year. Watch it now, then get ready for season 2 in 2026 (hopefully).
Stream now on Hulu or Disney Plus
My 7 worst shows of 2024 (so far)
Full disclosure: Since I last wrote about the best and worst shows of the year, there haven't been any shows worse than the seven I laid out in that article. Or at least, there haven't been any that I've seen.
That's not to say everything has been amazing. There have been some shows I've seen that were "meh," like "Bad Monkey." Some shows have been funny but left me unconvinced that they were actually good. like "Tires." And some just infuriated the heck out of me but ultimately weren't technically bad, like "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" season 2.
So the blurbs below are largely unchanged from my earlier article, which you can check out here. Just know that I still very much think these shows are not worth your time to watch.
7. 'Star Wars: The Acolyte' (Disney Plus)
I think that the expectations surrounding this show were always going to lead to its downfall. There was talk of this being disconnected from the Skywalker Saga (it isn't) and how it was going to be more of a detective show (it was that for maybe an episode or two).
But even if we hadn't had high expectations, I'd have still been disappointed. "The Acolyte" has its moments — Manny Jacinto's performance as the Sith warrior Qimir featuring in all of them — but it largely missed the mark. The writing wasn't great, the acting was not much better and it featured what is still the worst episode of TV I've watched all year.
Ultimately, I think this show was never able to be what it wanted and therefore it was never going to work. This is a shame because there are parts of "Star Wars: The Acolyte" that showed real promise.
Stream now on Disney Plus
'Masters of the Air' (Apple TV Plus)
The problem with adapting a story from real life is deciding what parts are good for TV and which parts just don't work on the smaller screen. "Masters of the Air," unfortunately, never quite figured out that balance. While the first few episodes showed off the show's large budget and some great action sequences, subsequent episodes got lost in storylines that didn't properly resolve and sometimes lacked any sort of aerial combat.
This follow-up to the beloved war drama miniseries "Band of Brothers" and "The Pacific" also made a baffling decision in episode 4 that frankly lost me for the rest of the show. You can read more about it in the mid-season check-in for "Masters of the Air" hat I wrote earlier in the year, but suffice it to say the show hit some turbulence and never managed to land the plane.
Stream now on Apple TV Plus
5. 'The Sympathizer' (Max)
This show had my attention when I saw the trailer. A TV show based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning book? On HBO? Starring Robert Downey Jr. in multiple roles? Sign me up!
Unfortunately, the show just never found its footing. Some episodes were good, particularly episodes 4-5. At times, "The Sympathizer" felt like a compelling TV show with high production value and a talented cast. But for the most part, the show was discordant, confusing and — worst of all — boring. By the end, I wasn't entirely sure what I had even watched. So while I've seen some shows this year that weren't as well made as "The Sympathizer" I've watched very few that I enjoyed less.
Stream now on Max
4. 'Sugar' (Apple TV Plus)
Spoiler alert: I'm going to spoil the show in the next few paragraphs.
I'm sorry, but there's a choice made in this show that is critical to understanding why it's one of the worst shows I've watched this year. If you don't want to know, skip on to the next show in the list. Here's a link to the show in case you still want to watch it.
Final spoiler warning for "Sugar"
Okay, ready? Here it goes. So, "Sugar" is, presumably, about John Sugar (Colin Farrell), a private eye in Los Angeles who is incredible at his job. He's hired to find the daughter of a Hollywood legend and the twists and turns of the case lead to a bittersweet, tragic ending.
Oh, and he's an alien.
Yes, you read that correctly. Turns out that our private eye is also an alien who is here to observe humanity but finds out that some of his fellow aliens are working with the bad guys.
Now here's the thing: either of these premises could work. The problem is it doesn't work when you do the first premise for most of the show and then the second premise for the final three episodes. The show creators may have thought this was really clever and edgy but ultimately it just wasted Colin Farrell's acting talent. This show wasn't nearly as clever as it thought it was. And yet, inexplicably, it has been renewed for a second season.
Stream now on Apple TV Plus
3. 'Palm Royale' (Apple TV Plus)
When Apple announced its 2024 lineup, "Palm Royale" was a show that had me excited. Set in 1960s Palm Beach, it looked like a gorgeous period piece with a talented cast that would artfully balance drama and comedy.
But after watching 10 episodes, including a season finale that frustratingly ended on a cliffhanger, I wish I hadn't pressed play on episode 1.
To be fair, it is still a gorgeous period piece. I don't have a problem with many of the show's 11 Emmy nominations, as they're for costumes, makeup, music, etc. However, I don't see how anyone watched all 10 episodes of this show and felt it merited a nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, as well as acting nominations for Kristen Wiig's uneven lead performance and Carol Burnett's supporting performance, especially given Burnett doesn't even talk for a majority of the season. At one point the show literally jumps the shark (okay, it's a CGI whale).
To sum up my thoughts on this show, I'll just leave you with my review of episode 8. "This show has completely lost its mind."
Stream now on Apple TV Plus
2. 'Manhunt' (Apple TV Plus)
If you read/listen/watch a lot of TV criticism, a complaint that will sometimes come up about a show is that it feels like reading a Wikipedia article. I would have rather read the Wikipedia articles about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the subsequent manhunt for John Wilkes Booth than watch "Manhunt."
This show has to be the most boring show I've ever seen. There was little engaging about the acting performances of the show, led by Tobias Menzies as U.S. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. And the show seemed more focused on lionizing Stanton than it did on the titular manhunt for Lincoln's killer. I would not recommend it to anyone, for any reason.
Stream now on Apple TV Plus
1. 'The Regime' (Max)
Have you ever asked yourself, "What if "Veep" wasn't funny?" Well, if you watch "The Regime," you'll no longer need to ask that question.
Created by "Succession" writer Will Tracy, this HBO show stars Kate Winslet as Elena Vernham, the dictator of a fictional Central European country. Winslet is one of many talented actors on this show, none of whose performances I enjoyed.
I'm not entirely sure why this show didn't work, other than it failed to lean into being a dark comedy or a gripping drama. Instead, it just portrayed the sad reality of life in an authoritarian state with an unqualified leader. Regardless, I watched the first two episodes and as of this writing, have failed to convince myself to watch a third.
Stream now on Max
More from Tom's Guide
