Just when we thought peak TV might be over, along came 2024, proving there are still a wealth of excellent new shows worth sinking our teeth into.
From the buzz-worthy Baby Reindeer to the quirky action thriller Mr and Mrs Smith, Netflix’s devastating love story One Day and Prime’s unexpected sci-fi hit Fallout, there’s no shortage of excellence hitting screens — and it’s only June!
Mr and Mrs Smith (Prime Video)
Brad and Angelina who? Prime Video’s TV reboot of the spy caper doesn’t disappoint, mostly thanks to the superb performances from Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, who bring sizzling chemistry to their roles. Good news for fans — a second season has just been announced, although it is yet to be confirmed whether the two leads will return.
One Day (Netflix)
I’m not crying, YOU’RE crying. If you made it through this adaptation of David Nicholls’ celebrated novel without shedding a tear: I salute you. Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall were perfection personified as star-crossed lovers Emma and Dexter in this time-jump drama, giving viewers all the feels by its heart-wrenching finale. Some incredible performances — and it’s also worth noting this has an outstandingly good soundtrack.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office (Seven)
This one may have passed you by. Which is a shame, because this dramatisation of the real-life tale of one man, Alan Bates (Toby Jones), who took on the British postal service to uncover a travesty of justice, is an incredible watch. And all entirely true! This had such an impact when released in the UK that it changed laws and created public outcry. A must-see.
Boy Swallows Universe (Netflix)
Taking on Trent Dalton’s classic Aussie novel was always going to be a big ask. But Netflix did it beautifully with this evocative, and at times surprising, series, which centres around two brothers (played by Perth’s Lee Halley and Felix Cameron) and their troubled family life. A superb ensemble cast, including Phoebe Tonkin and Travis Fimmel, is the cherry on the cake.
Ripley (Netflix)
This might just be one of the most beautifully shot pieces of television ever created. OK, so it was all in black and white (which upset some), but in my opinion it only added to the atmospheric menace created in this adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 crime novel. Give Andrew Scott, who plays Ripley, all the awards — astoundingly good.
Bluey (ABC Kids)
No talk of the year’s best TV would be complete without including Bluey’s beautifully realised “movie-length” episode, The Sign. The lead-up, the premise, the subtle wink to previous episodes — five-star perfection. If everything had ended there, fans would surely have felt satisfied — thankfully, another episode dropped later, and there are reportedly more on the way.
Baby Reindeer (Netflix)
This dropped with little-to-no fanfare, but quickly gained huge traction thanks to word-of-mouth, as more and more people discovered this extraordinary real-life story, brought to the small screen by its star, Richard Gadd. Headlines and internet sleuthing followed, distracting somewhat from the fact this series remains one of the best, and most original, shows of 2024. Hats off to Gadd.
Bridgerton (Netflix)
Bridgerton fans were eagerly awaiting the new season of Shonda Rhimes’ historical series, which focuses on the friends-to-lovers story of Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). Would the series nail — pardon the pun — the book’s iconic “carriage scene”? They weren’t disappointed, the show gaining widespread praise and generating insane amounts of social media buzz.
Fallout (Prime Video)
Apocalypse: but make it quirky! This, like last year’s The Last of Us, is a video game to TV adaptation — but that’s where the similarities end. The show’s creators, Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet, have crafted a 1950s-inspired post-apocalyptic world that feels wholly of itself, and unlike anything else on TV right now. Add a compelling tale, part road trip, part conspiracy thriller, and you’ve got yourself a hit. Worth discovering.
Shogun (Disney Plus)
This isn’t the first time James Clavell’s best-seller has been adapted for the small screen. But comparing this big-budget, beautifully shot historical tale to the 1980s series is doing the latest incarnation a disservice — it stands as an extraordinary piece of television in its own right. Based in feudal Japan, it tells a brutal tale of power, politics and betrayal, and boasts some incredible performances from its central cast. Truly an epic piece of television and worth a binge.
Masters of the Air (Apple TV Plus)
This companion series to Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg’s Band of Brothers and The Pacific takes to the sky to focus on the exploits of a group of fearless pilots in WWII. From the opening moments of the first episode viewers are taken on a tense — and at times devastating — deep-dive into what life must have been like for these men. Combat scenes have to be seen to be believed — I’ve got PTSD just thinking about it.
Expats (Prime Video)
Nicole Kidman might be front and centre in this drama, but her performance is but one of many stand-outs in this beautifully crafted piece of television, based on Janice YK Lee’s best-selling novel. Creator Lulu Wang has perfectly cast the ensemble, who play women of different circumstances living in modern-day Hong Kong, each giving a truly affecting performance. Beautifully shot and masterfully told, this is worth a look.
