15 Best TV Shows of 2024

After two decades stuck in the reality TV wilderness, the entertainment industry has finally emerged from the shrubbery with a swathe of new scripted series. Over the past five years, networks such as HBO, Paramount and AppleTV+ have invested heavily in original projects, birthing a new era of streaming dominance. In 2024, the trend continued with FX’s breakout series The Bear dropping a stellar third instalment, AppleTV+ tapping Jake Gyllenhaal for esteemed courtroom thriller Presumed Innocent and Taylor Sheridan finally putting neo-Western Yellowstone to rest. It was a milestone year for television and it started from the very beginning.

To recap the biggest hits of the year, we’re looking back on the most significant, well-received and expertly crafted series to hit the small screen. With a focus on both audience and critics’ reviews, this list of the best TV shows of 2024 acts as the ultimate aggregator for the year’s top picks. From action series to dramas, historical retellings and even a modern-day Mount Olympus, the best series of 2024 delivered a little something for everyone. Let’s take a look at the TV shows that defined and dominated our entertainment schedules this year.

Best TV Shows of 2024 at a Glance

• Best Overall: The Penguin
• Best Action: The Day of the Jackal
• Best Drama: Shōgun
• Best Comedy: Kaos
• Best Sci-Fi: Fallout

The Penguin

• Released: 19 September 2024
• Genre: Crime drama; Gangster; Superhero
• IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 90%
• Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Clancy Brown, Mark Strong

When it was announced that Colin Farrell’s sub-villain from the 2022 superhero film The Batman was to receive his own spin-off series, eyebrows were certainly raised. The A-list actor’s turn as the enigmatic club owner Oz Cobb was one of the film’s shining lights, but how his story would translate to the small screen was up for debate. Eight episodes later, the conjecture is over—The Penguin is a masterclass in television.

In the series, Farrell reprises his role as the disfigured former right-hand man of deceased crime boss Carmine Falcone. With his mantle now up for grabs, Gotham finds itself in a power vacuum, with Oz Cobb eager to rise from mid-level gangster to full-blown kingpin. Standing in his way, however, is Sofia Gigante, daughter of Carmine and former heiress to the crime syndicate.

Played expertly by How I Met Your Mother‘s Cristin Milioti, Sofia is the unmitigated star of The Penguin, bringing a unique sense of brutality, control and intrigue to the series. Fresh off a 10-year stint in Arkham Asylum for a string of murders she supposedly committed, Sofia provides the tentative link between Cobb and the criminal underworld; however, fractures in their relationship begin to emerge when accusations arise.

Milioti’s performance as the cold Sofia is wonderfully layered and an absolute delight to witness. The back and forth between her and Farrell is remarkable to watch and at times, you find yourself so enthralled by the toxicity you forget you’re watching a Batman spinoff, and that’s precisely the point.

What makes The Penguin work so well is that it plays up to the heightened realness of Matt Reeves’ universe. In this Gotham, supervillains are mere mortals who hold enormous power and influence, with Oz Cobb playing the perfect foil to the brooding mafiosos who run the city. At no point do you feel like this is another superhero series, but rather, it is an exploration of evil and corruption that could take place in any city anywhere in the world. More like a young Sopranos than a DC Comic, it is unlike any Batman iteration we’ve seen in the past, and for that reason alone, The Penguin deserves its dues.

Yellowstone: Season 5 Part 2

• Released: 13 November 2024
• Genre: Western drama
• IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 89%
• Starring: Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley

It’s been a long time between drinks for Yellowstone fans but this year, Taylor Sheridan finally put the much-loved Western series to rest. Across a two-part final season, which first premiered way back in 2022 before culminating in November 2024, the fate of the Dutton ranch was inevitably decided. Was the long wait worth it? Well, the jury is still out on that one.

With a swathe of off-screen troubles plaguing production, including COVID-19 filming restrictions, the writers-actors’ strike, and a highly publicised spat between Sheridan and star Kevin Costner, it was a marvel that Yellowstone finished at all. Costner’s lack of engagement in the series, coupled with his desire to film passion projects, threw his inclusion in the finale into question. When part two of the fifth and final season opened, it was clear that Costner wasn’t returning.

The final season sees the Dutton family grappling with the loss of Costner’s patriarch John Dutton, who is, somewhat unceremoniously, killed offscreen. An investigation launches, and for what feels like the first time in three seasons, Luke Grimes’ captivating yet severely underutilised Kayce actually has something to do. Elsewhere, the sibling battle heats up as Beth accuses Jamie of being involved in the death of their father, while Rip Wheeler attempts to keep the ranch alive through traditional means.

The final instalment of Yellowstone does an admirable job of continuing the neo-Western series’ legacy, but you can tell writer, creator, and actor Taylor Sheridan is spreading himself a little too thin. With Lioness, Landman and a string of other projects taking up much of his time, Yellowstone has seemingly overstayed its welcome. The writing certainly isn’t as snappy as in previous seasons and the final few episodes feel like a mad rush to tie off loose ends—a sentiment that rings especially true when you consider how little development was made during episodes 10 and 11.

That being said, when you lose your main character midway through the season, it’s always going to be a challenge to stick the landing. What Yellowstone does do remarkably well is keep you entertained throughout. It’s a solid piece of television that, despite its flaws, will satisfy even the most fervent of critics.

Dune: Prophecy

• Released: 17 November 2024
• Genre: Science fiction; Adventure
• IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 70%
• Starring: Emily Watson, Travis Fimmel, Mark Strong, Josh Heuston

Another spin-off prequel series leveraging the enormous success of a recent blockbuster, Dune: Prophecy, hasn’t enjoyed quite the level of critical acclaim that The Penguin has, but the series remains a stellar entry. Set 10,000 years before the events depicted in Denis Villeneuve’s recent films, the series details the origins of the mysterious Bene Gesserit sisterhood.

From the war between sentient machines and humans to the Sisterhood’s Mother Superior’s pronouncement, there is a lot of backstory to get through, but after a few episodes, Dune: Prophecy hits its strides. Emily Watson is captivating as Valya Harkonnen, while Aussies Travis Fimmel and Josh Heuston seamlessly slide into the Dune universe.

Importantly, Dune: Prophecy doesn’t bear the same source material as the films. While both David Lynch and Denis Villeneuve’s iterations were inspired by Frank Herbert’s 1965 literary classic, the new HBO series takes cues from a spin-off book co-written by Herbert’s son Brian in 2012. As a result, some themes are less explored, and new lores are introduced, which has caught several fans off-guard. That being said, HBO has done a terrific job in recreating Villeneuve’s look for the small screen and Prophecy serves as a solid continuation of the emerging sci-fi franchise.

Baby Reindeer

• Released: 11 April 2024
• Genre: Thriller; Drama
• IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 99%
• Starring: Richard Gadd, Maddy Hill, Indira Varma, Paul Chahidi

There were few shows this year that captured the cultural zeitgeist quite like Baby Reindeer. Richard Gadd’s dramatic adaptation of his true-to-life one-man play landed on Netflix somewhat inconspicuously in April. Within a few weeks, it was a global talking point.

In the series, Gadd plays a struggling comedian named Donny Dunn. While working at a pub in Camden, Donny meets a sympathetic woman named Martha. Sensing she is struggling, Donny buys her a drink and shows her some kindness, but this simple act instigates a dangerous relationship. Martha begins to spend hours at the pub, taking up Donny’s time, and it isn’t long before her crush turns to obsession.

Thousands of emails and text messages flood Donny’s phone and his frustrating inability to set boundaries leads Martha further down the path of stalking. In the beginning, it seems almost impossible that Donny can’t just walk away, but as the series goes on and we learn a little more about what motivates him; a painful reveal illuminates the issue.

Forewarning, the series does include graphic depictions of sexual assault and tackles challenging issues related to trauma, abuse and mental health struggles. However, Baby Reindeer approaches them with sense and care, handling the often delicate topics without being needlessly preachy. It’s a difficult watch at times, but it does confront the issue head-on, and the final scene is one of the most flawlessly crafted in recent memory. Gadd’s incredible knack for storytelling turns what should be an uncomfortable watch into one of the most enthralling series ever to hit Netflix.

The Bear: Season 3

• Released: 26 June 2024
• Genre: Comedy-drama
• IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 89%
• Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce

Hit FX series The Bear has become one of the industry’s most promising new shows. Following the beleaguered crew of restaurant The Original Beef of Chicagoland, headed up by Jeremy Allen White’s troubled chef Carmen Berzatto, the series tackles family dynamics, trauma, work-life balance and the healing nature of food. In season three, the formula remains largely unchanged, but the series doesn’t quite hit the highs of previous instalments.

This time around, the homely institution has been replaced by an upscale fine-dining restaurant named The Bear. With the endeavour to transform the restaurant in season two now complete, we hone in on the challenges of running a high-end eatery and the fractured divisions that must work in unison to overcome them.

White remains a stellar force in front of the camera and the work of regulars Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Ayo Edebiri can’t be understated. The season ebbs and flows, providing a glimpse at a world not regularly explored on television, but it must be said that not a lot really happens. The Bear season three delivers an endless barrage of character development, presumably setting up for an explosive fourth instalment, and much like an overcooked steak, it’s often dense and hard to get through. Make no mistake, there is enough meat to keep you satisfied, but fewer sides certainly would have helped.

Shōgun

• Released: 27 February 2024
• Genre: Historical drama
• IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 99%
• Starring: Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai, Cosmo Jarvis, Tadanobu Asano

A shoo-in for the best TV show of 2024, Shōgun is an absolute triumph of small-screen filmmaking. Set in Japan in the year 1600, the series follows English sailor John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), who finds himself marooned on the shores of feudal Japan. The foreigner’s appearance comes at an interesting time, with community leader Lord Yoshii Toranaga battling to retain control over his region.

The two men become invariably linked when Toranaga assigns an outcast from a notorious family named Mariko (Anna Sawai) to serve as Blackthorne’s translator. From here, we see the struggle for power, independence and tradition play out in rich detail, with the story progressing beyond the simple Western outsider’s perspective. Throughout Shōgun, we learn a little more about each character, with specific attention placed on the backstories of the Japanese characters.

Based on James Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name, Shōgun is a tremendous exploration of progress in the face of adversity. As viewers, we bear witness to the change in ideals as Japan’s Azuchi-Momoyama period closes and the dawn of the Edo period begins. A flawless adaptation that not only explains but enhances the source material, Shōgun is a powerful series that demands recognition.

The Day of the Jackal

• Released: 7 November 2024
• Genre: Thriller
• IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 86%
• Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Lashana Lynch, Eleanor Matsuura, Úrsula Corberó

A series that could well go down as the perfect Bond audition, The Day of the Jackal sees Eddie Redmayne star as a high-flying assassin with a penchant for codenames. The series follows Redmayne’s trained killer as he travels the world evading capture from the brutally efficient MI6 agent Bianca. Throw in a remarkably diverse wardrobe budget and suite of disguises that would make Glenn Powell jealous, and you’ve got one hell of an action ride.

Redmayne’s turn as the nonchalant assassin is made all the more interesting by his slightly alien-like persona. Rather than playing the Jackal with a sense of cool and charisma, Redmayne has opted for a more unnerving, apathetic approach that feels far more intriguing than the stock-standard gentleman spy we are used to. He isn’t funny or endearing; he is simply a killer with the singular goal of freedom in mind.

As a series, The Day of the Jackal delivers some absolutely incredible sequences, now the least of which being the jaw-dropping opening scene. What starts with Redmayne going incognito as an old German janitor quickly becomes an all-out assault laden with collateral damage. It’s the perfect way to dissect the audience, providing a glimpse into the callous nature of our anti-hero.

As a viewer, I love the cat-and-mouse approach, and The Day of the Jackal seems to perfectly capture the old-style charm of the thriller genre. Redmayne is spectacular and the action scenes are Hollywood film-level, so while we may never see the English star as 007, this will more than suffice.

Presumed Innocent

• Released: 12 June 2024
• Genre: Legal drama; Thriller
• IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 78%
• Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel

Jake Gyllenhaal’s first foray into television was a little underwhelming, but the AppleTV+ thriller Presumed Innocent still managed to grab our attention. The riveting courtroom mystery, which is based on Scott Turow’s 1987 legal thriller of the same name, sees Gyllenhaal as Rusty Sabich, a renowned prosecutor and family man. The loving husband and father’s perfect life gets turned upside down, however, when the body of his female colleague is found beaten, tied up, and subject to sexual violence.

As an esteemed prosecutor, Sabich is assigned to the case, but there’s one problem—he has been having a months-long affair with the deceased, making him the prime suspect in her murder trial. From here, information is drip-fed with cautious detail, taking you on a bizarre whodunnit journey that twists and turns with every episode.

The show forces you to question everything, leaving you unsure if Sabich really is behind the murder or if someone else is framing him. In desperation, hasty decisions are made, and as a viewer, you often find yourself frustrated by the failures of both law enforcement and the major characters, but somehow, Gyllenhaal ties it all together.

His nuanced acting performance bridges the gap between the two sides of Sabich’s psyche, letting you simultaneously believe his innocence while also questioning his sanity. It’s a tremendous turn in an otherwise slow-moving story, but on the whole, Presumed Innocent gets it right.

Fallout

• Released: 10 April 2024
• Genre: Science fiction; Post-apocalyptic
• IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%
• Starring: Walton Goggins, Ella Purnell, Kyle MacLachlan, Xelia Mendes-Jones

The single best video game adaptation committed to television, Fallout is charting a new course for the entertainment industry. Johnathan Nolan’s witty post-apocalyptic drama takes cues from the classic game and plunges us into a new world of discovery, adventure and intrigue, delivering a tense yet thoroughly binge-able entry.

The series follows vault dweller Lucy, played by Yellowjackets’ Ella Purnell, who, in familiar Fallout fashion, is attempting to head to the surface to find her father. Similar to classic sci-fi stories such as The Fifth Element and Tron: Legacy, Lucy’s innocent nature is slowly warped by the horrors of the outside world, and it only gets darker as she progresses.

Purnell is fantastic in her role as the young and impressionable hero, but Walton Goggins unsurprisingly steals the show. The noseless ghoul gunslinger commands attention every time he hits the screen, and even in his less-terrifying flashback sequences, the actor manages to bring a unique power to the role. It was an inspired casting choice at the time, and it has proven to be a resounding success.

For video game lovers, Fallout has a unique premise. More of an homage to the series at large rather than a dedicated adaptation of any one game, the series is a great middle-ground for new and familiar watchers. Whether you love Fallout or you’ve never heard of it, this Prime Video series will have you hooked from episode one.

Dark Matter

• Released: 8 May 2024
• Genre: Science fiction; Thriller
• IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 83%
• Starring: Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Ken Leung, Alice Braga

Joel Edgerton took a stab at TV this year, starring in the AppleTV+ sci-fi drama Dark Matter. Penned by Blake Crouch based on his novel of the same name, the series follows a physicist who is kidnapped and thrown into an alternate reality where he witnesses one potential path his life could have taken. Strangely enough, he slowly realises that the lives of his family are in jeopardy, held prisoner by an alternate version of himself.

The premise might sound confusing, and it is, but Dark Matter is a surprising delight. The opening few episodes give you just enough backstory to understand and empathise with Edgerton’s downtrodden Jason Dessen, before all hell breaks loose in the second half of the season. Confronted with two distinct yet entirely familiar versions of his life, Jason must mull over every decision, painstakingly fixated on the notion of ‘What if?’.

Dark Matter works in that it is essentially two series in one. You follow one version of Jason attempting to find his way back home, while a separate Jason ponders the existence of imposters – bringing a dark twist to the story’s exploration of identity. It’s a unique premise that shouldn’t really work, and yet AppleTV+, with the help of Edgerton and Crouch, manages to walk the tightrope of ridiculousness brilliantly.

Kaos

• Released: 29 August 2024
• Genre: Fantasy; Comedy-drama
• IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 76%
• Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Janet McTeer, David Thewlis, Aurora Perrineau

Whoever thought casting Jeff Goldblum as an ageing, vain Zeus deserves some kind of medal. Netflix series Kaos came out of nowhere this year to help reignite the internet’s love of the ’90s heartthrob and introduce a new generation to the intrigue of Greek mythology.

A modern adaptation of the classic characters, Kaos sees Goldblum as a zealous Zeus in the throes of a midlife crisis. Told from the perspective of Prometheus, the series weaves in elements of Orpheus, Eurydice, and Ariadne, adapting sections of the myths to suit the contemporary age. Goldblum’s spiteful and temperamental god is a standout, adding a new dynamic to the historical story that works unexpectedly well. It’s an ambitious premise executed surprisingly well. However, it wasn’t enough to secure a second season. Netflix has already confirmed that Kaos has been cancelled, much to the dismay of many dedicated fans.

Monsters: The Erik & Lyle Menendez Story

• Released: 19 September 2024
• Genre: True crime; Drama
• IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 47%
• Starring: Cooper Koch, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Edie Falco, Josh Charles

While it didn’t necessarily score big numbers with critics or audiences, the second season of Ryan Murphy’s serial killer anthology series Monsters had arguably the largest impact on pop culture. The show focused on the horrific murders of José and Kitty Menendez, who were killed by their sons, Lyle and Erik, in 1989. Taking a unique approach, Monsters presented the story from multiple perspectives, with the brothers’ viewpoint serving as the central narrative.

Controversially, the series explored notions of incest and drug use, which earned criticism from reporters and viewers across the globe. Trial expert and journalist Robert Rand, who authored the 2018 book The Menendez Murders, decried the implied incestuous relationship between the two brothers as “fantasy”, and pointed out that there was no credible evidence to support such claims. Even Erik Menendez spoke out, releasing a statement through his wife’s X account that accused Murphy of “bad intent”.

Nevertheless, Monsters: The Erik & Lyle Menendez Story had a significant cultural impact, with LA county district attorney George Gascón revealing in October that the legal case against Erik and Lyle was set to be reviewed in light of new evidence put forth by their lawyers.

Slow Horses: Season 4

• Released: 4 September 2024
• Genre: Spy thriller
• IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
• Starring: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Saskia Reeves

Gary Oldman’s quiet achiever spy thriller series is finally starting to get some attention, with season four among Slow Horses‘ best. The most recent instalment picked up right where the last one left off, with former MI5 leader David Cartwright slowly succumbing to senility while second desk chief Diana Taverner and outcast Jackson Lamb try to solve a suicide bomber mystery.

There is nothing revolutionary about Slow Horses—the series is an episodic thriller that contains multiple plot threads that evenutally collide—but it does so with such unassuming success. The entire series is a riveting freight train of intrigue, delivering endless mysterious and delightful payoffs that keep you coming back. With season six on the way, you can expect to see more from Oldman and co in the near future.

The Boys: Season 4

• Released: 13 June 2024
• Genre: Superhero; Black comedy; Drama
• IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 92%
• Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty

Brutal and bloodthirsty, season four of the hit superhero series The Boys, burst onto screens this year and left us feeling a little queasy in the aftermath. The long-awaited fourth instalment of the Prime Video smash took viewers on a neo-political crusade, with the beleaguered team of anti-heroes tasked with taking down an impending regime.

With the evil Vought International gunning to get one of their own supes, Victoria Neuman, into the White House, it’s up to Hughie, Annie/Starlight, and the awkwardly named Mother’s Milk to dismantle the campaign and reveal the intricate web of lies. Standing in their way, however, is Homelander and his legion of The Seven, who threaten to not only thwart their attack but destroy them in the process.

Admittedly, the political aspect of the latest season does feel like odd timing, and the overt violence stemmed into unnerving territory, but The Boys maintains its aura as an entirely unique concept. Antony Starr’s Homelander continues to be a brooding and captivating villain, while Jack Quaid established himself as a future Hollywood force to be reckoned with as Hughie.

Industry: Season 3

• Released: 11 August 2024
• Genre: Drama
• IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
• Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 98%
• Starring: Marisa Abela, Myha’la Herrold, David Jonsson, Harry Lawtey, Kit Harington

HBO’s finance-based drama series Industry was already a bonkers exploration of wealth and greed, but season three stepped things up to entirely new heights. Built around Myha’la’s Harper Stern, the series chronicles the fast-paced, drug-fuelled world of corporate finance and the cutthroat tactics required to succeed.

Previous seasons have seen Harper, a young woman who faked her way into a spot as an analyst at Pierpoint, struggle to stay afloat in the challenging sector, but this new instalment takes a different arc. This time around, Harper is stronger, sharper and out for blood, an enterprising turn that threatens to derail the entire corporate structure.

When Kit Harington enters the fold as aristocratic, erratic entrepreneur Sir Henry Muck, all bets are off. Harington’s ego-maniac tech bro transforms the series into a moral dilemma, with his grifting approach to green energy and ethical investment challenging the notion of positive growth.

Industry is a series that feels somehow entirely implausible and yet extremely real, with the show taking viewers inside the often-enigmatic world of high finance. The performances are strong, most notably with Harington’s reprehensible Henry, while the sublime direction helps to take Industry into a new tier for dialogue-driven drama. It’s a fantastic series that is getting better and better every season.

How We Chose This List

This list of the best TV shows of 2024 was curated by our team of entertainment editors and journalists. It takes into account audience and critics’ reviews, watch time and industry accolades, providing a comprehensive look at the wider entertainment landscape this year. The process involved creating a final shortlist and weighing up all the prospective entries’ cultural impact, contribution to television and overall audience sentiment.

The final selections were narrowed down by author and Man of Many Editor-in-Chief Nick Hall, who has over five years of experience reporting on film, television and entertainment, charting both international and Australian releases. For more details on Man of Many’s editorial policy and how we select products, see here.

NOTE: Ratings and cast information are based on data available as of December 23, 2024.