Alicia Gilstorf’s Top 10 TV Shows of 2024

When it comes to 2024, comedies, campy vampires, and romantic chemistry stole the show for me.

I was swept off my feet by the profound humanity at the heart of several supernatural shows. I gushed over the impressive chemistry present in these large ensembles and swoon-worthy couplings. 

And I was blown away by the sheer force of women-led projects that flourished and fought their way onto this list.

In no particular order, here are the ten TV shows that made a lasting impression on me in 2024:

1. Ghosts

Ghosts — number one on this list and number one in my heart. It has made my top TV show list for four years now and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

From conception to execution, this spooky sitcom is a collage of everything I love in a TV show. Its blend of workplace sitcom and supernatural grimoire tickles my funny bone with a delightfully dark sense of humor that wonderfully complements the show’s undead elements.

However, the ensemble that haunts the halls of Woodstone Mansion is the greatest gift Ghosts has given me.

Each ghost has helped us process death and grief in its many forms with humility and hilarity. It is a dependable comfort show to turn to for support and your life will be so much more fulfilling with these goofball ghosts in it!

2. Interview with the Vampire

Ah, Interview with the Vampire — mon cher! It has been a long time since I have fallen so deeply in love with a show as I have this one.

As a vampire girlie, I’m easily drawn in by the promise of a few bloodsuckers. But this series is far more, paying homage to the tragic beings with villainous flare and elevated soap opera shenanigans.

Every actor delivers a knockout performance in Season 2. Delainey Hayles concludes Claudia’s story with a heart-shattering, emotional tale of eternal love. Jacob Anderson plays Louis with unnerving contradictions and love-sick desires.

Louis’ softer edges are explored by unlikely ally and interviewer Daniel Malloy, who delights in undermining Armand’s schemes. Then there’s Lestat, our paper-eating Shakespearean blond terror whose presence in a scene can never be overlooked.

These vampires are so ridiculously petty and selfish, but their actors are experts, and the writers have an unreal knack for tragic gothic storytelling. When provoked, it is the perfect storm of unrestrained carnage and romantic comedy.

3. Percy Jackson and the Olympians

After years of speculating that a TV show based on Percy Jackson would be a force to reckon with, I’m delighted to see the prophecy come true.

This giddy adaptation has many offerings, like the guest stars who slip effortlessly into each role. Then there’s Sally and Poseidon’s unreal chemistry and the powerhouse trio of young actors at the heart of this adventure.

Camp Half-Blood is a breathtaking playground of archery targets and angst, plucked straight from the whimsical imagery of the books.

Additionally, Walker Scobell’s physicality and cadence bring Percy from page to screen with staggering precision. His smart mouth and kind heart make him the tiny little menace of a hero I grew up reading about.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is an adventure that mythology fans and children of all ages can rally around as it fights to create an adaptation worthy of the gods.

4. Elsbeth

Elsbeth came as an equally quirky replacement to So Help Me Todd and as a spin-off to The Good Wife. However, Carrie Preston didn’t let me dismiss Elsbeth Tascioni as another shout in the void of crime procedurals.

She made fast work of establishing this bubbly detective dramedy as her own with star leading lady quality.

I rallied behind Elsbeth because she felt like a warm, supportive hug that beats away the bad guys with her entertaining detective skills. Her ability to ensure kindness prevails makes me feel safe, and it’s lovely to experience NYC through the eyes of a tourist.

There’s comfort in the predictability of watching the crimes get solved in reverse, and the celebrity cameos are rarely underutilized. Plus, Elsbeth somehow prioritizes work-life balance and friendship amongst a plethora of murders. 

5. Below Deck Sailing Yacht

We all need a guilty pleasure show, and for me, that’s the Below Deck franchise. The reality show is less housewives fighting each other and more like a real-life workplace mockumentary where working-class youths are forced to work in close proximity.

It’s incredibly chaotic and beautifully mind-numbing.

Now, picking a favorite Below Deck series is like picking a favorite child, but Below Deck Sailing Yacht’s Season 5 has it all. An overconfident chef, a doomed redemption arc, and a blood bath so epic it made soft-spoken Captain Glen raise his voice.

You get them, Glen! Those drunk fools don’t deserve to go cave exploring with you.

6. Abbott Elementary

Abbott Elementary continues to school us on what a good workplace comedy looks like, keeping a very important aspect of the sitcom genre alive and thriving.

After four seasons, the structure of Abbott’s enjoyable schoolyard romp continues to offer a smorgasbord of fun co-worker dynamics and adorable student-teacher interactions. All while toying with the slow-burn romance between Gregory and Janine that I can’t get enough of.

This season introduces evolving versions of our beloved teachers. Janine has learned to stand tall in her job knowledge, Ava is newly determined to improve herself as principal, and Gregory and Janie are proof the fun doesn’t end with a relationship commitment.

As the president of the Tariq Fan Club, I’m delighted to see Janie’s ex-boyfriend become a fixture as the president of PTA (aka Parent-Tariq-Alliance, aka Parents Throwing Ass). His desire to be part of this school dynamic has made for more than a few stand-out moments.

7. Agatha All Along

Just when it felt all hope had been lost for the Marvel Studios/Disney+ partnership, an unlikely hero would rise from the Scarlet Witch’s ashes to save the day with hot sapphic energy and killer comedic timing.

Agatha All Along is a fantastical, witchy drama brimming with standout performances from its almost entirely all-female ensemble and a new staple of my Halloween watchlist. It’s spooky, it’s got a wicked sense of humor, and the writing is damn good.

Kathryn Hahn returns as Agatha Harkness, the evil witch who first stole the show in WandaVision as a scene-chewing terror.

She is not any less horrifying and antagonistic in her solo outing, but Hahn has a much larger sandbox to play in and an enriching origin story.

Phenomenal performances from the likes of Patti LuPone and Sasheer Zamata and Agatha’s whirlwind flirtmance with Death herself (played by Aubrey Plaza) cast a spell of intrigue and empowerment. I once again find myself down bad for a Marvel witch.

8. Fallout

Fallout’s first season is such a riot. It adopts an expansive post-apocalyptic world frozen in the height of American propaganda with punchy action and scrappy outcast survivors.

The juxtaposition of these survivors living unassuming lives in their vault dwellings and the development of the vault’s true nature creates an intoxicating Molotov cocktail of tension and deception.

At the heart of the dystopian success is Ella Purnell’s Lucy, a vault dweller who comes to terms with the lies she has been fed her entire existence while learning to unlock an animosity inside her. Her sickening optimism and “okey dokey” catchphrase make for an adorable protagonist.

She is pushed to her limits by the stand-out performer of the season, Walton Goggins’ Ghoul. The Western movie star turned vengeful by-product of Vault-Tec’s malpractice is a fascinating character study and the heart of the show’s emotional warfare.

9. Nobody Wants This

I have a complicated relationship with Nobody Wants This. This was a project that I don’t believe was executed well in some respects, but I still thoroughly enjoyed watching it — thus, it deserves a place on this list.

Noah and Joanne’s blossoming romance is everything the rom-com genre needs to orchestrate a successful comeback.

There’s that stunning, slow-burn kiss orchestrated by Noah that had me weak in the knees. The Mean Girls-inspired montage as Joanne attempts to win over the friends of Noah’s judgemental sister. And the hilariously inappropriate sex shop date where a whip is used in a very hot way.

The season shines by giving Adam Brody the spotlight as the romantic leading man. The actor has been wooing women with charming, goofy side characters since the early 2000s, and he does not squander this opportunity to deliver a steamy performance that could rival Andrew Scott’s Fleabag Priest.

We need more romances like this that, regardless of where they might fall short, the chemistry is too good to look away.

10. Loot

Apple TV+ knows the way to my heart is contemporary comedies, and Loot is the latest to make its case as a much watch.

Season 1 showed potential as it dove into the world of the ultra-rich through the eyes of Molly, a newly divorced socialite and the richest woman in the world. However, Season 2 takes the series to more exciting places when Molly departs on a mission to spend all her money.

Her well-meaning intent to improve the world is constantly undermined by her space-obsessed ex-husband and a secret group of billionaires in cloaks hellbent on stopping her humanitarian efforts.

Maya Rudolph guides this foray into the non-profit industry with bold fashion instincts, charming ignorance, and brash physical comedy. She is backed by a diverse ensemble whose complicated relationships, hobbies, and secret obsessions with Taylor Swift help the next chapter capitalize on this fun concept with more comedic depth.

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