For the first time in more than a decade, I didn’t watch enough TV to do a full top 10, plus favorite comedy specials and honorable mentions. Due to some changing life circumstances, there just wasn’t enough time to keep up with several old favorites and some of the most acclaimed new shows (Shogun and Baby Reindeer, in particular). But I did make time to dive into some certified classics (Lost), cult favorites (Detroiters) and one show that will be very important when its second season debuts in 2025 (Severance).
10. Batman: Caped Crusader (Prime Video) | X-Men ’97 (Disney+)
It would have been so easy for these shows to cruise by on nostalgia, and fend off critics who would be accused of not having fun. But the creative forces behind both refused to phone it in. Taking inspiration from their ’90s counterparts but pushing them in bold new directions, they took their characters and storytelling seriously.
9. What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
This last season was certainly no letdown, but it only occasionally reached the super-high highs it achieved in past seasons. The focus on Guillermo allowed for some terrific growth on his part, as well as a solid parody of Gordon Gekko/Jordan Belfort wannabes, but its strongest moments came from Nandor (who suffers a nervous breakdown early in the season) and Colin Robinson (who was absolutely on fire an episode that parodied The Warriors). I will miss this merry band of horny misfits, but will cherish the absurd good times.
Standout episodes: “The Railroad,” “Nandor’s Army,” “Come Out and Play”
8. Girls5eva (Netflix)
It’s sadly no surprise that this little-seen show about a forgotten girl group got dumped one streamer and canceled by another. But this hilarious road trip season gave each character a chance to shine, and provided for some incredible guest turns (including John Early and Cat Cohen). It even gave “Fort Worth” its own weirdly perfect theme song.
Standout episodes: “Fort Worth,” “Bomont,” “New York”
7. The Bear (Hulu)
A pretty great half a season. Though it got a little repetitive as it approached its finale, the show still found a way to surprise and delight me, starting with its nearly wordless season premiere. And whether or not Season 4 sticks the landing, we’ll always have masterful half-hours like the Ayo Edebiri-directed, Tina-focused flashback “Napkins.”
Standout episodes: “Tomorrow,” “Doors,” “Napkins”
6. Abbott Elementary (ABC)
You’ll notice these are all Season 3 episodes, and that’s because I haven’t had time to catch up with the show’s fourth season yet. Despite strike-related delays and truncations, this season gave Janine a chance to spread her wings with a district job. That role – and her decision to return to Abbott – gives her the confidence to throw a party at her tiny apartment, and boldly express her affection for Gregory.
Standout episodes: “Career Day,” “2 Ava 2 Fest,” “Party”
5. English Teacher (Hulu)
It would be wrong to pit this against Abbott Elementary, as they’re after different things. Splitting the difference between those dedicated teachers and the truly heinous gang from Paddy’s Pub, the group of educators have as much growing up to do as their apathetic Gen Alpha students. What makes the show work is its ability to thread the needle between hilarious moments of dark humor and selfishness, and sweet moments of friendship and empathy.
Standout episodes: “Powderpuff,” “School Safety,” “Field Trip”
4. Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Every season I think: “There’s no way they’re going to be able to keep this going,” and every season they prove me wrong. Greatly expanding its cast (and its locations), OMITB got extremely meta as the trio found their podcast developed into a movie starring Eva Longoria, Eugene Levy, and Zach Galifianakis. But that wasn’t all, as our Arconia residents started investigating a group in the other tower who had good reason to keep their schemes – and their relationship to another deceased building resident – a secret. And I didn’t even get to Melissa McCarthy as Charles’s trashy Long Island sister! This show continues to be an embarrassment of riches.
Standout episodes: “Once upon a Time in the West,” “Blow-Up,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding”
3. True Detective: Night Country (HBO)
Ultimately satisfying, but often meandering, this show had a lot of frustrating red herrings – which by now is as much a staple of this franchise as mismatched partners – but had a lot on its mind. That included topics as disparate (but interconnected) as industrial pollution, labor rights, abuse of the Indigenous, and family secrets. This season had the most powerful performances and stunning cinematography since that first monumental case a decade ago. That made it the most exciting show to watch week-to-week in 2024.
2. Evil (Paramount+)
Farewell, Evil. You were too pure for this fucked-up era of television, where everything comes down decimal points on a mega-corporation’s balance sheet. You should have run for at least a few more seasons, but at least your Paramount overlords gave you a few extra episodes to wrap up your story in a somewhat satisfying way. There was so much they had just started exploring, including quantum physics, labor rights, and Kristen’s sexuality. And throughout it all, it was one of the funniest and most visually exciting shows on TV.
Standout episodes: “How to Dance in Three Easy Steps,” “How to Build a Chatbot,” “Fear of the Future”
1. Hacks (Max)
It seemed like the story of Deborah and Ava had reached its natural conclusion at the end of Season 2. But Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky found a way to push both characters to new heights – in both talent and treachery. Their partnership proved as sharp as ever. But Deborah couldn’t see how much Ava had grown, and just how much ruthlessness she’d learned from the master. That made for one of the most exciting cliffhangers in recent memory.
Standout episodes: “The Roast of Deborah Vance,” “The Deborah Vance Christmas Spectacular,” “Bulletproof”
‘I’ FOR INCOMPLETE
The Agency (Showtime)
VICTIMS OF PEAK TV
Abbott Elementary – Season 4
The Diplomat – Season 2
Squid Game – Season 2
DIDN’T WATCH BUT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE LOVED
Baby Reindeer (Netflix)
Bad Monkey (AppleTV+)
Black Doves (Netflix)
Clipped (Hulu)
The Day of the Jackal (Peacock)
Fallout (Prime Video)
Fantasmas (HBO)
Get Millie Black (HBO)
Have I Got News for You (CNN)
How to Die Alone (Hulu)
Interior Chinatown (Hulu)
Man on the Inside (Netflix)
Mr. and Mrs. Smith (Prime Video)
The Penguin (HBO)
Ripley (Netflix)
Say Nothing (Hulu)
Shogun (FX)
St. Denis Medical (NBC)
The Sticky (Prime Video)
The Sympathizer (HBO)