Best TV shows of the year 2024, 10-1: Our No. 1 series revealed

As we close out the year, RadioTimes.com has reflected on the shows that left the greatest impression, narrowing down a list of the top 10 must-watch series.

In this article, we reveal the cream of the crop, counting down from 10 to the one show that claims the title of our No. 1 TV series of 2024.

Whether you're looking to revisit a favourite or discover a new binge-worthy gem, these are the shows that defined the year and raised the bar for television storytelling.

(To read our full top 50 TV shows of the year, follow the links below.)

• Best TV shows of the year 2024, 50-41: Sweetpea, Gladiators and more
• Best TV shows of the year 2024, 40-31: Until I Kill You, Shogun and more
• Best TV shows of the year 2024, 30-21: Wolf Hall, Shrinking and more
• Best TV shows of the year 2024, 20-11: Doctor Who, Mr Bates and more

10. Supacell

Available on Netflix

No one quite knew what to expect from Rapman’s new sci-fi series, but it did not disappoint. Fronted by an all-star cast filled with emerging and well-known Black talent, Supacell spun the idea of sickle cell disease on its head, offering it up as a superpower, all while serving a reminder of the real issues faced by the Black community where sickle cell is more prevalent.

It came as no surprise when audiences, myself included, were left desperate for more, especially after the debut season's almighty cliffhanger. And so it was a welcome announcement when Netflix confirmed Supacell had been renewed for season 2.

With Tosin Cole back front and centre, viewers will be in for a treat as the story of Michael's revenge continues to unfold. – Katelyn Mensah, Entertainment & Factual Writer

9. House of the Dragon

Available on Sky

With House of the Dragon season 1 all but saving Game of Thrones’ legacy after a universally-panned final instalment, the pressure was on to make sure season 2 lived up to expectations as all-out civil war approached House Targaryen – and that it did.

Season 2 took a risk by luxuriating in every detail of the story, and it well and truly paid off. While season 1 raced to detail 20 years of Targaryen history, season 2 took its sweet, sweet time, exploring the complex, beautiful, and broken bonds between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower as Westeros teetered on a knife-edge.

Boasting one of the best casts on TV (and giving all of them their moment to shine), as well as a rich tapestry of source material and creatives who are clearly relentless in making the details perfect, House of the Dragon season 2 was a masterful second chapter. Long live the Targaryen dynasty. – Louise Griffin, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor

8. Slow Horses

Available on Apple TV+

The fourth season of the misfit spy drama is another impeccable mix of fast-paced action and biting wit.

The plot this time around sees a bombing in London lead to sizeable ructions in the life of River Cartwright (Jack Lowden), who finds himself questioning all he holds dear in the fallout from the blast. One showdown engineered by an adversary with Terminator-style strength and stamina is the most ferocious the series has produced so far, and a cause for applause all by itself. Though, when it comes to quality, no episode lets the side down. – David Brown, Deputy Previews Editor

7. True Detective: Night Country

Available on Sky

True Detective: Night Country was probably the second-most unjustifiably hated show of the year after The Acolyte.

As I said during its run, the only mistake that HBO and showrunner Issa López made was connecting this drama to an established franchise, prompting a small but vocal number of diehard fans to wail about each and every reference to the established lore.

Although it was tedious to listen to week in, week out, at least this story ended better than Disney’s ill-fated Star Wars prequel: López’s fresh take on True Detective is both an awards contender and renewed for another season. Argument won, I’d say.

Deservingly so, too, as Night Country is a taut six-episode chiller, which sees Hollywood legend Jodie Foster give her finest performance in years as jaded police chief Liz Danvers. In a sense, that’s less remarkable than the knockout turn from boxer-turned-actor Kali Reis, who is nothing short of a revelation as state trooper Evangeline Navarro.

These richly defined characters are placed in a deeply atmospheric setting for a mystery that captivates, horrifies and, crucially, sticks the landing in a moving finale. – David Craig, Senior Drama Writer

6. The Penguin

Available on Sky

Just as he did in 2022’s The Batman, actor Colin Farrell vanishes under layers of prosthetics to play Oswald 'Oz' Cobb (aka the Penguin) for this drama that’s less a superhero spin-off and more a compelling mafia saga. So expect action and language that’s as full-blooded as many episodes of The Sopranos, albeit with a more eccentric line-up of key players – icy psychopath Sofia (Cristin Milioti) being the most striking.

Farrell is in his element throughout as the conniving schemer playing off warring crime clans against each other. – David Brown, Deputy Previews Editor

5. Industry

Available on BBC iPlayer

Few shows are given the space to grow these days, with many killed off before their time. Yet, with Industry, this great series has now become exceptional in its ambitious third outing where the stakes get higher and its leads are taken to new extremes – and often new lows.

Creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay have offered us their acerbic look at the British class system, the shifting business world, the current political climate, the toxicity of tabloid media and, as always, the power of money. We were also treated to some very welcome new faces this year, most notably, of course, Game of Thrones' leading man Kit Harington as the wonderfully named but hopelessly inadequate green tech CEO Sir Henry Muck.

This year’s run, however, felt like a real showcase for two actors with their characters on their greatest downward spirals: Marisa Abela as tragic Yasmin Kara-Hanani and Sagar Radia as panic-inducing Rishi Ramdani. Your heart will be in your mouth, your jaw will drop, and you’ll be begging for more.

This show deserves every award going, and few shows can boast as good a showdown as what we get between eternal toxic frenemies Harper and Yasmin in the sixth episode of this run. We’ll execute the trade for whatever gets us more episodes of one of the best shows on television! – Lewis Knight, Trends Editor

4. Rivals

Available on Disney Plus

When Rivals was initially announced, I don’t think anyone knew quite how much fun the Jilly Cooper adaptation series would end up being. Packed full of salacious drama, scandal, sex and, of course, an intense rivalry, Rivals is an example of what can happen if TV just had a bit more fun.

While touching on important themes of the time to do with prejudice, misogyny and sexuality, Rivals never feels heavy-handed or too over-dramatised. Instead, the ‘80s-set series is fresh, exciting and truly an ensemble piece, showing off the talents of the stars within it. Danny Dyer flexed his romantic acting chops, David Tennant chilled us to the core as Tony Baddingham, Nafessa Williams captivated in every scene, and with season 2 now confirmed, the return to Rutshire couldn’t come soon enough. – Morgan Cormack, Drama Writer

3. Bad Sisters

Available on Apple TV+

When Bad Sisters was first renewed for a second season, some fans feared a follow-up risked tarnishing the reputation of its outstanding first run. But there’s no denying that the five fiercely loyal, endlessly charming and occasionally deadly Garvey sisters made a spectacular comeback this year, reminding us all exactly why we fell in love with them in the first place.

This time around, the beloved Garvey clan find themselves in some serious hot water after tragedy strikes the family yet again. The drama is just as intense, the humour as dark, and the emotions as heightened as they were two years ago, with new detectives Fergal Loftus (Barry Ward) and Una Houlihan (Thaddea Graham) threatening to uncover the truth about John Paul’s death – and irritatingly desperate to take the sisters down for it.

As always, Sharon Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene and Eve Hewson are nothing short of exceptional, embodying Eva, Grace, Ursula, Bibi and Becka with such relatable, emotional authenticity and such extraordinary chemistry that you almost forget you’re not a Garvey yourself. And though perhaps not completely recapturing the magic of its first instalment (will anything ever be able to?), Bad Sisters season 2 is still a well-crafted, deeply compelling, very welcome follow-up tale of sisterhood that rightfully earned its place on this list. – Chezelle Bingham, Sub Editor

2. The Traitors

Available on BBC iPlayer

It’s been a long time since a show captured the nation’s attention in quite the way The Traitors did earlier this year. Fans were worried that season 2 couldn’t possibly live up to the competition show’s first outing, but those fears were very quickly put to bed. From the Diane/Ross reveal to Harry’s turn on Paul, right through to the nail-biting finale, this was edge-of-your seat telly that provided more twists than most of 2024’s dramas combined, and left the wait between new instalments feeling like forever.

The BBC has since released numerous seasons of international editions of The Traitors on iPlayer, and while those have all proven the real mileage in the format, season 2 of the UK version has so far got to be the cream of the crop. – James Hibbs, Drama Writer

1. Baby Reindeer

Available on Netflix

In today’s fragmented media landscape, it’s particularly impressive when a single show comes along and dominates public discourse for weeks. Such was the case with Baby Reindeer, which told a chilling and heart-wrenching story that resonated around the world.

Alas, it also became a victim of its own success. We couldn’t include the show on this list – let alone, at the top – without acknowledging the serious questions that have been raised around its billing as a "true story" and the diligence involved in protecting the real-life identities of the show’s characters. Although not intentional, these are now as much a part of the conversation surrounding Baby Reindeer as its unflinching depictions of stalking, rape and sexual assault.

But the subsequent controversy doesn’t nullify the powerful storytelling of screenwriter Richard Gadd, alongside directors Weronika Tofilska and Josephine Bornebusch – and nor should it. As a team, they ensure that lead characters Donny (Gadd) and Martha (Jessica Gunning) are complex and nuanced, both of whom appear sympathetic at points and disturbing at others. Certainly, this is no vanity project for Gadd, whose stand-in character is truly warts-and-all.

Due to the distressing nature of the plot and its ongoing ramifications, Baby Reindeer may not be a show you want to revisit – but the enormous impact it made this year is undeniable. – David Craig, Senior Drama Writer

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