The 18 Best TV Shows of 2024 (So Far)

‘The Acolyte’

If you had told me I’d care deeply about a new Star Wars series in 2024, that would be enough to garner disbelief. But if you told me that series would also star primarily queer actors and people of color, that it would have secret twins and space witches, and that it would pave the way for one of the hottest and horniest villain stories in the wider canon — nay, the wider galaxy — I’d tell you to ease off the blue milk for life.

So thank you, Leslye Headland — Star Wars’ first queer female showrunner — for “The Acolyte,” a superb confluence of all those story elements that also weaves in High Republic lore and some groovy lightsaber combat for viewers who prefer that sort of thing (as opposed to the lure of an enemies-to-lovers subplot, which really transfixed this writer). The series gives us some of Star Wars’ best performances in Jacinto, Lee Jung-jae, and dual roles from Amandla Stenberg, and a skillfully paced back-half helped increase momentum in the month leading up to the July 16 finale. Whether you’ve always loved Star Wars, grown tired of extended universes, or just need a good mystery-thriller with killer chemistry, “The Acolyte” is here to impart its wisdom. —Proma Khosla

Read IndieWire’s full review of “The Acolyte” by Proma Khosla.

‘After Midnight with Taylor Tomlinson’

Back in January through no fault of her own, “After Midnight” host Taylor Tomlinson saw the reboot of Comedy Central’s “At Midnight” off to a rocky start. Bad reviews are a right of passage for newcomers in the late-night programming block. But when CBS announced the intentionally awkward panel show — featuring comedians, web personalities, and actors exploring viral trends through improv competitions — some viewers expected a shinier celebrity talk show like the long-running “Late Late Show with James Corden.” What they got instead was an off-kilter spectator sport for comedy that’s always been pretty good for giggling on weeknights, but as a matter of construction continues to get a notch tighter with almost every other episode that airs.

With a monologue portion for Tomlinson finally added to the top of the show (the “Group Chat” segment wasn’t added until May, but it’s been night and day ever since), “After Midnight” is best described these days as “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” for the game show enthusiast with a passive but strong TikTok presence. It’s also akin to a less problematic “Tosh.0” with a nostalgic but still foul-mouthed feel boasting some of the best jackets to ever make TV history. (Seriously, where’s the Emmy category for making a simple blazer look that bisexual?)

Using a format designed to make its spit-fire host do a lot with a little, this zany ode to crosstalk is hugely dependent on the quality of its guests. Some nights are better than others, but everyone from Max Greenfield and Terry Crews to Tig Notaro and Andy Richter have appeared to partake in #HashtagWars, taking home useless prizes (ooh, New Year’s Eve glasses from 2009!) and occasional punishment (two words: contact list). It’s a chunky but likable conceit and further proof that, in stand-up, sometimes a well-placed recovery can surpass whatever joke you actually planned for that night. —Alison Foreman

‘Baby Reindeer’

Every few seasons, a TV show comes along that grips both audiences and critics like nothing else; a show that every person in every social interaction wants to talk about; that skyrockets on the streaming charts and is poised to sweep with awards. Sometimes it’s even a Netflix show, but it’s not one that looks like a crowd favorite on paper.

Enter “Baby Reindeer,” based on Richard Gadd’s one-man show of the same name which covered his real-life experiences with stalking and sexual assault. Over the course of seven episodes, Donny (Gadd) meets, shows compassion for, and then rapidly tries to distance himself from Martha (Jessica Gunning), a troubled woman who fixates on him and refers to him fondly as “reindeer.” Martha’s attention forces Donny to look to his own past — specifically, a prior relationship that left him seeking comfort and validation, feelings he can’t help find in Martha despite wanting her to leave him alone. Gadd’s writing and mastery of the material provide a clear blueprint and north star for the series, which blooms spectacularly with Gunning’s scene work. The next “Baby Reindeer” won’t look like “Baby Reindeer,” but we’ll be thinking about this one for a long time. —PK

Read Proma Khosla’s interview with “Baby Reindeer” breakout Jessica Gunning, only at IndieWire.

‘Expats’

In its opening monologue, “Expats” centers the “perpetrators,” as Mercy calls them. Though we don’t yet know her, the young, forlorn woman played magnificently by Ji-young Yoo is fixated on understanding people who are often cast aside when disaster strikes. “[Tragic] stories always focus on the victim,” she says. “The person responsible for each calamity is never mentioned. No one wants to hear about the kid who paralyzed his own brother, or the driver who fell asleep at the wheel. […] But I want to know about the perpetrators. I want to know about the people who caused the tragedies — people like me. Are they ever forgiven? Do they ever move on?”

Soon, we come to learn what tragedy Mercy blames herself for: the disappearance of a three-year-old boy named Gus. But rather than focus on the search to find him (like in most shows), “Expats” focuses on his mother, Margaret (Nicole Kidman), who can’t move past her son’s abduction, even when her husband and remaining kids still need her. Then there’s Hilary (Sarayu Blue), Margaret’s neighbor, who blames herself for a failing marriage, despite her husband’s obvious flaws. And, of course, there’s Mercy. She was supposed to be watching Gus, and the guilt is steadily eroding her soul.

How these three women’s lives overlap (beyond the obvious) is striking. Writer-director Lulu Wang (“The Farewell”) builds from relatable archetypes and themes, making “Expats” easy to identify with, before pushing each character to make choices that aren’t so empathetic; to see things from another perspective, even when it seems impossible to look beyond something bigger than yourself; to acknowledge what it means to forgive and what really requires your forgiveness. The answers are anything but trite, and each hourlong entry proves surprising — both in what takes place and whose perspective you’re pulled into. Episode 5, “Central,” expands the six-part series in ways that should be impossible for such a nimble, nuanced story, and the finale is a sly yet magnificent blend of ambiguity and catharsis. You may think you don’t need to hear about the perpetrators. But aren’t we all perpetrators of some crime? Haven’t we all contributed to another human’s hardship? And don’t we all deserve a bit of grace from others when we’re unable to give it to ourselves? —Ben Travers

Read IndieWire’s full review of “Expats” by Ben Travers.

‘Fantasmas’

Yes, that’s Emma Stone in the above photograph, one of many enriching and uproarious guest stars populating Julio Torres’ HBO dreamworld. Stone, who also produces “Fantasmas,” plays a reality TV star known for “The True Women of New York,” a “Real Housewives” spoof that starts to collapse in on itself when Stone’s Genevieve starts to notice the artificiality all around her. Part “Truman Show,” part demented sketch, Stone’s role is a small one in the grand scheme of “Fantasmas,” but it perfectly illustrates what makes Torres’ debut season so exciting. Simultaneously imaginative and pointed, inviting and unique, the half-hour comedy’s structure blends a compelling central narrative (Julio needs to find employment and a place to live without sacrificing his principles!) with surreal detours that could come from anywhere. Maybe Julio is watching a TV show in the back of a taxi, or he overhears a commercial while waiting for his doctor, or he meets a stranger with a beguiling backstory — Julio’s mind never stops working, and being invited to watch it tick proves incredibly entertaining. Given the fine line between Juilo the character in “Fantasmas” and the Julio the creator of “Fantasmas,” that’s the least surprising thing here. —BT

Read IndieWire’s full review of “Fantasmas” by Ben Travers.

‘Girls5eva’

Now on Netflix after being canceled at Peacock, Meredith Scardino’s side-splitting comedy about a ’90s girl group getting a second chance in their 40s doesn’t miss a beat in its third outing. Dawn (Sara Bareilles), Summer (Busy Phillips), Gloria (Paula Pell), and Wickie (Renée Elise Goldsberry) are back on the road, facing obstacles like conservative state senators and low-lesbian state crowds, all while continuing to reassess their return to performing and the baggage of their past. As a massive show at Radio City Music Hall draws closer and amps up the pressure, these former girls must stick together on the rocky road of resurgent fame.

The cast is as impeccable as they were in 2021, while Scardino and her team of writers and directors pack a potent punch with just six episodes instead of eight. (But why not eight? Heck, why not 12? Why not 36??) The soundtrack opens with Season 2’s “Tap Into Your (Fort) Worth” and includes more catchy pieces like “Get It Off Your Chest” and Wickie’s solo effort “Yesternights.” For fans of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “30 Rock,” “Girls5Eva” is a haven of punchlines and tongue-in-cheek splendor, a comedy series true to the genre that exists purely to make you howl with laughter. Even if it’s not 5eva, it was a hell of a run. —PK

Read IndieWire’s full review of “Girls5eva” by Proma Khosla.

‘Hacks’

“Hacks” has always been one of TV’s best comedies, but the third season — which found Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) campaigning to be named the new host of a late-night show — took things to another level.

Whip-smart on a line-for-line level (“bisexual Gumby” alone deserves an award), it was also expertly plotted with real stakes, not to mention typically amazing work from the entire cast (in these installments, Hannah Einbinder as Ava really stands out). Guest stars, including J. Smith-Cameron, Tony Goldwyn, Helen Hunt, and more were well-deployed treats, and it builds to a genuinely surprising, satisfying finale that seemed perfectly inevitable only in hindsight. We can’t wait to see how the writers mine even more depth from the Deborah/Ava relationship, but we have no doubt that there are plenty more laughs and surprises in store for TV’s best dynamic duo. —Erin Strecker

Read IndieWire’s full review of “Hacks” by Ben Travers.

‘Interview with the Vampire’

The latest resurrection of Anne Rice’s soul-shaking gothic novel continued to pull off small miracles in Season 2, delivering more exquisite melodrama through the most self-possessed vampiric finger-pointing ever put on prestige television. Capitalizing on the instant chemistry we’d already seen oh-so-formidably established between Jacob Anderson’s Louis de Pointe du Lac and Sam Reid’s Lestat de Lioncourt — as cunningly framed by Eric Bogosian’s titular inquirer, Daniel Molloy — the sophomore installments of “Interview with the Vampire” culminated in one of the year’s best episodes before an equally satisfying finale that suggested its own answer when asking, “Did you hurt yourself?”

Showrunner Rolin Jones has long had viewers in a chokehold with his show’s overt casting genius (still no small feat in the wake of the beloved 1994 film), and he made not just good but gold on the promise of Anderson and Reid’s crackling connection with a taut he said-he said that quietly healed nearly 50 years of tortured readership with its algebraic climax and very literary conclusion. Not for wont of bloody spectacle, “IWTW” Season 2 resulted in a poetic reunion that saw two of TV’s most mesmeric performers staring into each other’s depths for a masterclass in narrative table setting. It’s also a spectacular ode to indulgent theatricality and performance that seriously considers the complexities of trauma, abuse, and time with finesse. Toss in the remarkably successful recasting of Claudia (well done, Delaine Hayles!) and AMC’s flagship dark romance remains a testament to the everlasting pull of the angst-ridden undead… and Rice’s continually bewitching universe of feeling, of course. —AF

Read IndieWire’s full guide to “Interview with the Vampire” Season 2.

‘Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show’

Thank goodness Jerrod Carmichael didn’t listen to the man behind the mask (who’s certainly not Bo Burnham). In the first episode of “Reality Show,” the stand-up comedian’s latest envelope-pushing project, he’s told by an unnamed man wearing a black mask and ski goggles that this new series is a pretty terrible idea. “Dude, this is not a neutral eye,” he says, by way of explaining his concealed identity in front of Carmichael’s camera crew. “This is not truth. This is narrative. It will be edited by someone where the editing will all be choices. That’s not truth, and I have no access to that, so I’m like fuck that. You don’t get any of me.”

Not-Burnham is right, of course. “Reality Show” is biased. It tells a story. It has a central protagonist (Carmichael), and it’s designed to evoke reactions — reactions that are often critical of its titular star. Later on, Carmichael talks about how he feels honest and open when the cameras are rolling; that they allow him to feel safe while having difficult discussions with his parents, family, and friends. Of course, being on camera tends to have the opposite effect on everyone else, including Carmichael’s loved ones, but even this dichotomy illustrates “Reality Show’s” larger point.

After coming out in “Rothaniel,” Carmichael is trying to find himself — his true self, sans compromise — and that process may rub some people the wrong way. He just has to hope the people who really care about him will stick with him as he makes the mistakes that inevitably happen on a journey of self-discovery; that as he grows into his celebrity, his success, and his sexuality, they won’t overwhelm the part of himself they’ve always known and love; that they’ll see and hear him, despite the cameras. What Carmichael gives us in “Reality Show” isn’t the unfiltered truth, but it’s certainly a revealing self-portrait — one we can appreciate, learn from, and, just maybe, love. —BT

Read IndieWire’s full review of “Jerrod Carmichael: Reality Show” by Ben Travers.

‘John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A.’

Would you look at that: With John Mulaney hosting a six-night extravaganza in May, Netflix finally cracked the live late-night puzzle. With comedians in town for Netflix’s Everything is a Joke Festival, the streamer gave Mulaney free reign to create a wild, loose talkfest centered on nightly LA topics like coyotes, the paranormal, and palm trees. With help from fellow comedians and experts on the episodic subjects, the show became a surprising thrill, with memorable call-in segments, pre-taped comedy bits, and even an adorable delivery robot, Saymo.

“You have Jerry Seinfeld, and he’s sitting next to a coyote expert. That was a North Star from the beginning,” Mulaney explained to IndieWire about his smart, compelling program. “So the fact that that specifically came together was really great.”

Amongst a streaming content glut, “Everybody’s in LA” managed to crackle with real energy, an anything-goes mentality that nevertheless was clearly driven with real purpose and ideas. No one knows exactly how or if late-night television is going to endure, but Mulaney’s brief foray makes the case that there’s still plenty to mine. More, please. —ES

Read IndieWire’s full review of “Everybody’s in L.A.” by Erin Strecker.

‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’

If “Fleabag” darling Phoebe Waller-Bridge had indeed starred opposite Donald Glover in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” as Amazon Prime Video first intended, then maybe this slow-burn spy-for-spy adventure would have won over audiences quicker. After all, it was good ol’ face/name recognition that made the series’ 2005 namesake a canonized Brangelina classic, and not for nothing, that sleek stylishness can work just as well in streaming as it once did in cinemas.

Still, it’s hard to imagine a more rewarding watch of this specific kind with anyone other than understated “Pen15” genius Maya Erskine as the title “Mrs.” Here, Erskine is working against the bombast of an off-duty Childish Gambino for a playful balance that matures as the season goes on. With Hiro Murai directing the first two episodes, Glover co-created this thoughtful but not overwrought espionage deconstruction with “Atlanta” writer Francesca Sloane. Her storytelling talents matched with Erksine’s clever casting make for a nimble romance that’s grounded in remarkable reality.

An initially lackluster connection between the code-named John and Jane — operatives assigned to play house with each other “The Americans”-style while carrying out episodic missions and inching closer to real connection with one another — leads to a resonant intimacy that’s strangely reflective of the many practical stressors surrounding 2024 relationships. The characters’ evolution, first as a duo engaged in marriage of prescribed convenience and then as a willful monument to opposites who attract, resembles something akin to a “Modern Love” column retrofitted as a serialized Bond reboot about always, always working it out. It’s taht buddy cop-esque commitment to loyalty (and not some cliched A-lister tension) that makes this “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” subversive, sexy, and… maybe the most important thing for a fledgling couple… refreshingly honest. —AF

Read IndieWire’s full review of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” by Ben Travers.

‘One Day’

Based on a beloved bestseller that then became a not-so-beloved movie, Netflix’s “One Day” limited series was a surprise hit when it debuted in February starring Leo Woodall (“The White Lotus”) and Ambika Mod as the star-crossed, would-be lovers. The smart conceit checks in on the duo on the same day every year, so fans can binge-watch them growing up, trying on new personas, and dealing with heartbreak and unrequited love. Romantic tragedies live and die by their central chemistry and Mod and Woodall had that in spades, finding a depth to the two that the 2011 movie adaptation couldn’t hold a candle to.

The limited series format is put to good use, allowing each moment time to breath and fans to really get to know the two’s individual worlds. It’ll put fans through the emotional wringer, but for my money, there’s no better cathartic cry to be had this year. It’s a moving delight that will stick with you long past the bittersweet final frames. —ES

Read IndieWire’s full review of “One Day” by Proma Khosla.

‘Palm Royale’

Fake it ‘til you make it has never looked so well draped. In Abe Sylvia’s glittering, gauche, haughty, and heartfelt “Palm Royale,” Kristen Wiig manages a career-best performance with a seriocomic underdog role that living legend/castmate Carol Burnett has called “a masterclass in acting.” Thanks to A24’s summer slasher starring Mia Goth, Maxine Dellacorte might not be the most famous 2024 onscreen rule-breaker with her name — but as series’ fans know, fibbing about her identity is next to nothing for the Floridian social climber with dreams of making it big as a socialite in 1969, Palm Beach.

Also starring executive producer Laura Dern, Josh Lucas, Ricky Martin, Mindy Cohn, Amber Chardae Robinson, Julia Duffy, and Allison Janey among others, this undeniable gem from Apple TV+ combines both an ostentatious love of craft, as well as the anachronistic privileges of a satiric period piece, with the grounded heartbreak of the white suburban woman’s seemingly unending quest to “fit in.” Sylvia, sensitive but silly, makes a wonderfully referential tapestry from the talents assembled here — hiding decades of TV, film, music, and fashion in-jokes alongside bursts of tasty tragedy in a metaphoric jello mold of celebratory ‘60s spectacle more than worthy of the Shiny Sheet. Come for the promise of an impromptu astronaut meet-cute. Stay for the joy of Janney singing her heart out to a beached whale. —AF

Read IndieWire’s full review of “Palm Royale” by Ben Travers.

‘Ripley’

“I love it when a plan comes together” may be a line forever associated with “The A-Team,” but I wouldn’t be surprised if a few Netflix subscribers muttered it to themselves during Steven Zaillian’s “Ripley” adaptation. No, I don’t expect anyone was eager to give Andrew Scott’s ruthless killer additional credit for his less-than-meticulous trickery. This Tom Ripley may put the “confidence” in “confidence man,” but his continued scams succeed through assumed privilege and augmented confusion more than anything else. He’s barely smart enough to stay a step ahead of the law, so his plans don’t “come together” as much as they’re jammed into place just long enough for him to scurry out from under their collapse.

No, the credit for a brilliant plan, well-executed, belongs solely with Zaillian, the Oscar-winning screenwriter and four-time Emmy nominee whose second stab at serialized storytelling (after 2016’s “The Night Of”) proves just as arrestingly methodical as his first. Shot by shot, scene by scene, episode by episode, “Ripley” carries itself with an assuredness rarely seen in television. Robert Elswit’s black-and-white cinematography evolves from a period-appropriate evocation of Italian cinema into something more menacing and ethereal. As Tom falls deeper and deeper into a sinful perdition of his own making, so too do the streets and rooms that surround him. Mirroring the cat-and-mouse pursuit of the main plot, “Ripley’s” world is one that’s continually narrowing, muddying, and crumbling. It’s Zaillian who guides you through Tom’s dangerous getaway with the same self-confidence as his lead character — and far more skill. —BT

Read IndieWire’s full review of “Ripley” by Ben Travers.

‘Shogun’

As far as sweeping historical epics go, perhaps the highest compliment they can hope to receive is something along the lines of, “Hot damn, that was fun!” OK, OK — “fun” may not be the perfect word to describe a wartime saga with so many betrayals and so many severed heads it’s consistently compared to “Game of Thrones,” but “Shogun” is still way more entertaining than any subtitled 17th century drama has any right to be. Credit the incredible cast (especially affably humorous turns from Tadanobu Asano and Nestor Carbonell), exquisite scripts (which were translated from English to Japanese and back again to ensure both accuracy and clarity), and immersive craft work (with everything from the tactile costumes to the towering set design) for bringing it all together — all of which better get their due at this year’s Emmys. After gifting audiences with 10 weeks of awesome entertainment, these folks deserve their own night of pure fun. —BT

Read IndieWire’s full review of “Shōgun” by Ben Travers.

‘Tokyo Vice’

While it may feel like everything is going to shit these days, at least the spirit of Michael Mann remains alive and well. “Ferrari” ripped, “Heat 2” is on the verge of expanding from book to screen, and “Tokyo Vice” ended in such thrilling fashion, Mann himself must have been pumping his fists in delight. Produced by the master of masculine paradoxes himself (after directing the series’ pilot episode), J.T. Rogers’ immersive late-‘90s period piece only got better in its anticipated follow-up season. Following an American reporter and a Japanese detective as they try to prevent the yakuza crime syndicate from reclaiming control of the city, “Tokyo Vice” managed to balance its irresistibly cool vibes with enticing character development and steadily propulsive storytelling. Its nearly impeccable cast (including veteran ace Ken Watanabe and young break-out Show Kasamatsu) was always sparking, its slick production took advantage of unprecedented access to Tokyo, and its impossibly satisfying finale managed to provide closure and anticipation in equal measure. For a series about the dangers faced by uncompromising men, “Tokyo Vice” was able to follow their tenacious lead all the way through to the end — without losing its head. —BT

Read IndieWire’s full review by Ben Travers.

‘True Detective: Night Country’

In his review of “True Detective” Season 4, IndieWire’s Ben Travers was right to point out the thorny path that brought viewers to Jodie Foster’s problematic heartthrob Captain Liz Danvers: The steely 2024 lead in HBO’s prestige crime anthology formerly was preceded by the likes of Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, and Mahershala Ali… to varying degrees of success. And yet, even without knowing its hilly history and the dramatic obstacles therein, an unmissable self-assuredness makes Issa López’s women-driven “Night Country” stand out as a creative accomplishment. It outdoes not just what disenchanted viewers might have come to expect from the once dwindling drama (pour one out of Rachel McAdams in Season 2), but also what genre obsessives have been taught to accept by way of stale modern thrillers routinely attempting to pass off futile punctiliousness for compelling plot.

Set in the pitch-black night and day of wintery Alaska, and for the first time without the involvement of original “True Detective” creator Nic Pizzolatto, this elite mystery sees writer/EP López working with Barry Jenkins’ PASTEL and co-writer/EP Chris Mundy to craft a spine-tingling (tongue-ripping?) tale of disappeared research scientists in the snowy town of Ennis, where tricks of the imagination smartly blur the line between dark fantasy and tangible fear. Yes, the specter of the supernatural has long hung over “True Detective,” but “Night Country” allows the iterative nature of Danvers’ particularly badass detective-work to propel a frenetic investigation anchored in evidence with even more erratic thawing speeds. She’s joined by her punchy partner in crime, Evangeline Navarro (pro-boxer Kali Reis, more than holding her own), and the pair’s tense dynamic is reflected across a gorgeously shadowy world of enemies: the kind that demands we constantly reconsider the facts while making time to still coin words like “corpsicle.” —AF

Read IndieWire’s episode reviews of “True Detective: Night Country” by Ben Travers.

‘We Are Lady Parts’

It’s been three years since Nida Manzoor’s delightful comedy about an all-female Muslim punk band first graced our screens, but the wait was more than worth it. Amina (Anjana Vasan), Saira (Sara Kameela Impey), Aisha (Juliette Motamed), Bisma (Faith Omole), and manager Momtaz (Lucy Shorthouse) pick up right where we left off, with Lady Parts enjoying a wave of success and the jittery process of recording an album in their immediate future. Season 2 puts the band at the terrifying crossroads faced by so many artists: Do they sell out for the big label, or stay true to their scrappy roots?

That answer is a spoiler, but the journey is endlessly entertaining. At a pivotal moment for the band, each woman involved must look inward and consider who she is and what Lady Parts means to her. Does Aisha use her platform to be a beacon for queer Muslim youth? Does Saira follow her gut or the advice of her idol? How does Bisma retain her Black identity among nonblack Muslim bandmates, and where does Momtaz’s career as a manager go from here? They’re heavy questions, but all are tackled, that too to the tune of “Malala Made Me Do It,” “Villain Era,” and the rest of the season’s pitch-perfect playlist. There’s even a Lady Parts imitation group on the rise — but hey, with such brilliant inspiration, can you blame them? —PK

Read IndieWire’s original review of “We Are Lady Parts.”