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There are two types of great television shows: those that millions of people watch and talk about, and those that never make it into the broader cultural conversation. In the case of the latter, it is not for lack of worth. It’s just that not all great television series find their fandom.
So you’d be forgiven for missing out on one, if not all, of the best series that premiered last year. After all, with countless networks in various formats (broadcast, cable, streaming and others) looking to get into the original content game, there’s a lot of TV to sort through. Some are worse than others; some of that a lot worse. Fortunately, we’ve done the heavy lifting and taken the guesswork out for you. Below are our picks for the best TV shows you may have missed in 2024.
after the flood
whatever you think after the flood I mean, you’re probably wrong, or at least missing a big part of the series’ appeal. In the wake of a flash flood that left much of the Yorkshire town of Waterside underwater, police officer Jo Marshall (Peaky Blinders‘Sophie Rundle) is called to a parking lot, where the body of a man is found trapped in an elevator, presumably drowned. But when the authorities learn that the unidentified man was murdered three days before the flood, Jo will do whatever it takes to put a name to the body in the morgue. When he makes the very bad decision to enter his DNA into an ancestry database, he discovers that the man who was definitely breathing just 72 hours ago has supposedly been dead for years. For Jo, who is just weeks away from giving birth, it’s a race to find the killer before motherhood hits. And, in doing so, discover that not everyone, not even those closest to her, are who or what they say they are. Good news for those watching: after the flood It has already been renewed for a second season.
Criminal record
Peter Capaldi plays against type as Daniel Hegarty, a veteran detective nearing the end of an impressive career whose legacy could be at stake. When an anonymous informant offers shocking information that casts doubt on the verdict in a high-profile case Hegarty has worked on for decades, he prefers to imagine he did everything right the first time. What he didn’t count on was that Detective June Lenker (Cush Jumbo) received the same information and set out to retrace Hegarty’s steps, which puts the two at an extreme disadvantage. The always captivating Capaldi has found a wonderful training partner in Jumbo. A second season is already in the works.
Detroit diarra
Diarra Brickland (Diarra Kilpatrick) is a teacher coming out of a painful divorce who finally feels like she might be ready to re-enter the dating scene, or at least have some fun on Tinder. What she didn’t expect to find was Chris (Shannon Wallace), a man with great potential as a soulmate. When she stops hearing from him completely after a glorious night together, Diarra insists that he must have disappeared, since there’s no way he’s fooling her… right? Her closest friends are skeptical, but Diarra strives to find her man and soon finds herself entangled in Detroit’s extremely dangerous criminal underworld. Did we mention it’s a comedy? Kilpatrick is a force of nature in this BET+ series, which she created and executive produces (along with Kenya Barris).
lost children and fairies
We know that the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer is not the final word on quality. But it says something lost children and fairies it has a perfect 100 percent score (based on only half a dozen critics’ reviews, but still). After almost a decade together, Gabriel (Sion Daniel Young) and Andy (Fra Fee) decide they are ready to take the leap into parenthood. But as they officially begin the adoption process, Gabe, whose own childhood was marked by trauma due to the death of his mother and a strained relationship with his homophobic father, worries that he may not be capable or worthy of being a father. loving. . It is a powerful and poignant reminder that the ties that bind us can also break us.
Hunt
Even if you weren’t paying attention during your third grade history class, you probably know the basics about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln at the hands of John Wilkes Booth. But Hunt it is not about service level history; quite the opposite. It reveals the lengths to which Lincoln’s close friend and Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton (Tobias Menzies), went to capture Booth. Series creator Monica Beletsky, who previously worked as a writer and producer on fargo, The leftovers, Paternityand Friday night lightsis meticulous in her approach to getting the details right (which is sure to please any presidential history buff).
Maryland
Becca (Suranne Jones) and Rosaline (Eve Best) are once close sisters who have grown apart over the years, as time, space and circumstances have changed them both. When her mother is suddenly found dead on the Isle of Man, they must band together, however briefly, to identify her body and transport it back to Britain, where her father is waiting for her. While both sisters are confused about what their mother was doing on the island, they soon learn about the many buried chapters of their mother’s story that brought her to this place. Jones (knight jack) and Best (Dragon House) are never better than when it’s just the two of them, being sisters, for better or worse.
Mr. Spade
Clive Owen joins a long list of formidable actors, from Humphrey Bogart to Tom Wilkinson, to play the role of Sam Spade, Dashiell Hammett’s famous private detective. In this case, Mr. Spade It takes place in the early 1960s, two decades after the events of The maltese falconand Spade has made the decision to retire to the picturesque town of Bozouls in the south of France. But when a group of nuns are brutally murdered in a nearby convent, Spade will have to put on his detective hat again to solve the crime.
my lady jane
With a tone that reminds a little of the big oneGemma Burgess my lady jane reinvents the life of Lady Jane Gray (Emily Bader) through a somewhat supernatural lens. Yes, shapeshifters abound in this version of 16th century England, which only adds to the extravagance. Deep down, however, my lady jane is about the budding romance between Jane and Lord Guildford Dudley (Edward Bluemel), whom Jane’s mother has arranged for her to marry. Unfortunately, eight episodes is all we’ll see of this series, as Amazon announced its cancellation after just one fabulous season.
The Pittsburgh Pradeeps
Lost Star Naveen Andrews brings his stellar comedic skills to bear in this darkly humorous tale of the American dream gone wrong. When what seems like a stellar business opportunity arises, Pradeep family patriarch Mahesh (Andrews) moves his family from India to America, where culture shock is the least of their problems. When we meet the family, they have been living in Pittsburgh for two years and are telling their story to a pair of federal agents (Pete Holmes and Romy Rosemont) from the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service, as well as being suspected of possibly burning down the family’s house. their snobby neighbors (Megan Hilty and Ethan Suplee). The most surprising part of all is that the story is partly based on the real life of creator Vijal Patel.
Sugar
The small screen has been good to Colin Farrell this year, especially with the success of the penguin. But five months before reprising his role as Oz Cobb, the Oscar-nominated actor went neo-noir for Sugar. In the stylish crime drama, Farrell plays John Sugar, a private detective hired to investigate the disappearance of the granddaughter of a major Hollywood producer while battling his own personal demons. If you’ve heard anything about the show, you probably know there’s a twist (more than one, actually). A second season has already been confirmed.
Renegade Nell
Sally Wainwright has never been known as a creator of “family-friendly” shows, unless your kids think binge-watching happy valley It is an issue for all ages. But that she is the creative force behind Renegade Nell It makes sense once you watch even the first episode. After being framed for murder, Nell Jackson (Louisa Harland) becomes one of the most feared highwaymen in England. It’s all a hoax, of course, but Nell realizes that the best way to clear her name is to lean into the notoriety around her and have a little fun with it. Harland is a joy to watch (even when you know a season 2 isn’t on the menu).