Mads Misasi’s Top 10 TV Shows of 2024

This year, we saw a multitude of shows that got all of our hearts pumping and made us laugh until we cried. Some even straight-up made us cry.

As someone who has loved television since I was a young child it was hard to nail down what ten shows I felt were the best of the best in 2024. There were a few that it broke my heart not to include because, at the end of the day, almost everything I watched this year had me feeling something that I will never forget.

Some of the shows I did pick for my list might surprise some of you because they weren’t necessarily top picks for most. However, I think we can all agree that TV did its best to entertain us this year, no matter what we fancy.

Here are my picks for the Top 10 TV Shows of 2024.

1. 9-1-1

2024 blessed us with not only one whole season of 9-1-1 but also the first half of a second one. In all honesty, it isn’t really any more than we would normally get in a calendar year, but with the strikes affecting the 2023 TV landscape, getting this felt different this year.

From the beginning, Evan “Buck” Buckley has been a fan favorite character; trust me, he’s one of mine, too. However, Seasons 7 and 8 have lifted him beyond the initial fanbase and into the wider knowledge of TV viewers, all thanks to his coming out as bisexual.

What is so great about this show is that despite it being on the air for many years now, fans can still count on these characters to warm their hearts, break them, and then piece them back together with a lot of love and laughter. Ultimately, the 118 never take themselves too seriously, and neither do we.

As 2024 winds down we find ourselves coming for the emergencies but staying for the character growth and found family.

2. Interview with the Vampire

For Season 2 this epic drama moved from New Orleans to Paris at the height of World War II. Louis finds himself trying to find a place where he and Claudia can feel comfortable, while also battling the ghosts of his past, literally.

What makes this season so wonderful is the attention to not only details for Paris in that time period but also the lighting which emphasizes just how dark things are. We find ourselves wondering just what Louis isn’t telling Daniel in present day as we watch his relationship with Armand unfold in the past.

By the end of the season, our hearts are both healed and broken depending on which characters we think about. The fate of Claudia and her lover is worse than the death they got, but we also know it was necessary in order to get Louis to the point he’s at in the present.

Once again, Interview with the Vampire proves that moving above and beyond the source material is sometimes the best route to go.

3. Heartstopper

From Day One I have been a fan of Heartstopper going all the way back to the webcomic turned books and now TV series. These complex young characters prove that all friend groups are a mixed bag of personalities, sexual identities, and experiences. 

At the end of the day what makes Season 3 stand out above the rest is the attention given to mental health and wellness. Sure, the main focus is on Charlie Spring’s complete mental breakdown, but there are other characters such as Elle, Tori, Darcy, and Isaac to consider on that front.

At the end of the day, these teens all know that whatever they are going through they can get through it as long as they stick together. That’s what makes them so relatable to all ages. We all know what it’s like to feel alone while in the depths of our struggles, but this crew reminds us we aren’t and that there are people who love us.

Besides, who doesn’t want a love so pure and heartwarming as Nick and Charlie’s or Elle and Tao’s or Darcy and Tara’s? 2024 was an extremely hard year for me and these lovely characters made it all the more easier to cope.

4. Evil

It isn’t often that I fall in love with a thriller series like Evil. That being said, by the time the final moments aired this year, I was feeling adrift and lost without my paddle.

This show combines a good friendship/found family group with thrilling fantastical/sci-fi/horror elements to keep us guessing what will come next. From the beginning, this series has never held back from what it tries to do, and Season 4 was no different.

Whether it was Andy ending up in rehab only to abandon his family for his mistress, Ben battling his own consciousness thinking he’s attached to a Djinn, Kristen having to raise the son she never asked for who might also be the antichrist, or her mother losing her life to Leland after years of being in a battle of wits with the man, this season gave us everything we wanted and more.

It’s a shame to say goodbye, but at least we are left knowing these three individuals got the happy endings they deserved.

5. The Acolyte

At this point, a new Star Wars show seems a bit repetitive and uninspired. However, The Acolyte decided to go beyond what is normally explored and took the lore back to the early days of the Jedi when the Sith weren’t even a concern.

Following Osha and Mae as they follow two very different paths, despite being twins, is what keeps this show going from episode to episode. Viewers find themselves wondering who to root for because each twin has a valid reason for the actions they are participating in.

Not only that, but Amandla Stenberg’s acting talents, with their ability to switch between each character, really take us beyond the story. Add to it Manny Jacinto taking on the role of a villain of sorts with insanely cool physical skills.

At the end of the day, this show gives us a plethora of new characters to love and explore while also keeping the lore and excitement of a galaxy far, far away alive.

6. Star Trek: Lower Decks

As someone who is not really a fan of animated series, Star Trek: Lower Decks took me by surprise when I started watching it a few years ago. Now, here we are at the end, and I don’t want to say goodbye. These characters have taken over my heart.

After all, in this final season, we got to see tremendous growth from everyone, whether it’s Boimler realizing he does have what it takes to be a significant leader or Tendi figuring out that it’s not wrong to want to be a part of Star Fleet even though it conflicts with her family.

This season’s focus on time rifts gives the show new life, which it didn’t actually need but which we won’t complain about getting. It puts our beloved characters in new situations that allow them to grow and find their own place. 

At the end of the day I fell even more in love with Mariner than I thought possible, and T’Lyn grew on me as well. It’s so hard to say goodbye, so I won’t; I’ll just start at the beginning again.

7. Masters of the Air

As someone who has always loved historical dramas, I was intrigued the minute I heard about this latest in a long line of World War II-centered dramas. Add to it a long list of actors who are always a pleasure to watch, and you have the recipe for success, at least in my book.

Let’s just say Austin Butler and Callum Turner didn’t disappoint as two best buds, Buck and Bucky, leading teams of men as part of the 100th Bomb Group. Whether they are trying to ignore the realities of war in between bomb drops or leading their men on dangerous missions all across Europe, Buck and Bucky kept us wondering about their own fates.

The reality of World War II is that many men died in service to their country. Masters of the Air doesn’t shy away from that, nor does it try to romanticize it. These men were courageous and scared out of their minds all at once, which makes for some very intense moments throughout.

8. Matlock

Kathy Bates returned to the small screen this year to play an elderly woman out to prove she can still practice law with the big guys half her age. Matlock gives Bates the playground she needs to exercise her immense talent by creating a character for her that leads a double life.

It’s fun to watch Madeline “Matty” Matlock go from a retired lawyer for the last few decades by day to an extremely well-off woman who’s only stopped practicing law in the last few years by night. Both personas have something to prove, and somehow she manages to keep these two sides of her story from colliding.

The way Matty is able to read the room better than anyone else she works with works in her favor to get her the cases she really wants. It’s because this woman is trying to balance two very different lives that we find ourselves tuning in each week.

Will she break under the pressure, or is her desire for justice strong enough to keep her going?

9. Abbott Elementary

The will they, won’t they that is Gregory and Janine’s relationship has finally come to an end. And in the most satisfying way possible. These two are finally able to be together in a romantic partnership for the ages.

After all, these two understand each other on a level that no one else can, and it shows every time they team up for activities, whether it’s work events or a couple’s costume for Halloween. 

Honestly, this year, Abbott Elementary upped its sitcom game in order to give us the quirky romance beats of these two without forgetting to focus some light on everyone else. After all, what more could we want than a roommate situation with Melissa and Jacob or Ava being considered a top-performing principal?

Nothing, that’s what.

10. Doctor Who

This season of Doctor Who proved once again that sometimes shows need a bit of a refresh in order to keep going. This is a show that’s been running off and on for decades, and by creating a bi-regeneration at the end of 2023, it found new legs.

One of the great things about this season is the enthusiasm and wonder that Ncuti Gatwa brings to the role of The Doctor. He reminds fans that there is still more joy and excitement to behold in the universe. 

Alongside Ruby Sunday, The Doctor took us to places never visited before and faced off against foes that kept us on the edges of our seats. With fun cameos from Jinx Monsoon and Jonathan Groff, fans, new and old, were able to immerse themselves in the magic that is time travel.

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Did you have any of my picks on your list? Let me know in the comments below! 

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