Best TV shows of the year 2024, 30-21: Wolf Hall, Shrinking and more
Silo and Inside No. 9 are among the shows celebrated as we continue to mark the very best of 2024's small-screen entertainment.
As the curtain begins to close on 2024, RadioTimes.com sets the stage for one of the most anticipated moments of the year: our countdown of the top 50 TV shows.
Over the course of five days, our dedicated editorial team has sifted through the best of the best to bring you an unmissable lineup of television excellence.
Today, 28th December, we delve into the next chapter with entries 30-21. From historical epics to offbeat anthologies, this segment is packed with surprises.
Don’t miss a moment as we inch closer to the grand finale, where we reveal the ultimate standout show of the year.
- 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
30. Blue Lights
Available on BBC iPlayer
Season 1 of this terrific police drama taught us that not everyone can count on getting out alive, so viewers would be wise to be in the brace position before watching the second. One year on, a drug-fuelled crimewave is once again increasing tensions, both inside the force and out on the streets in Belfast.
Tasked with navigating this fraught situation are those we met last year, including central duo Stevie and Grace (Martin McCann and Siân Brooke), who are about to see their working relationship put to the test. – David Brown, Deputy Previews Editor
29. Boarders
Available on BBC iPlayer
If you wrote this BBC Three series off as something purely for teenagers, how unfortunate it is that you missed out on one of the true comedic gems of the year. Following five Black students from their lives in London to the upper-class world of boarding school, all kinds of adventures, scandals and microaggressions await Jaheim, Toby, Leah, Femi and Omar. They’re instantly made to feel like outsiders due to the colour of their skin and while Boarders tackles big themes head on, it effortlessly retains its vibrant comedy throughout with witty scripts and truly magnetic characters.
It may be set in a school but the sheer amount of relatable interactions will leave many cackling along no matter the age. Truly, Boarders is one of the only things to genuinely make me laugh out loud this year. The Daniel Lawrence Taylor-created series not only demonstrates what happens when TV amplifies underrepresented stories, it also shows that taking a punt on five brilliant rising stars to lead a BBC series completely and utterly paid off. – Morgan Cormack, Drama Writer
28. Shrinking
Available on Apple TV+
Very rarely does a show correctly portray how grief can affect a group of people, especially in the comedic way that Shrinking does.
Helmed by Jason Segel, season 2 saw Jimmy navigate life once more without his wife, this time with the introduction of the man who killed her. Played effortlessly well by Ted Lasso’s Brett Goldstein, Louis’s struggles in the aftermath of Tia’s death gives a further insight into that dark night.
But they aren’t the only focus of season 2, with Liz and Derek’s relationship strained, Paul’s condition worsening and Brian and Charlie’s search for a child all blending so well in each 30-minute episode.
With another strong critical response and a growing fanbase, it’s no surprise Apple TV+ renewed Shrinking for a third season before season 2 was even released. – Katelyn Mensah, Entertainment & Factual Writer
27. 3 Body Problem
Available on Netflix
It should have been absolutely unadaptable, but somehow DB Weiss and David Benioff brought 3 Body Problem to life on Netflix in a near-flawless way. Keeping true to the essence of Liu Cixin’s novel was key, with the showrunners managing to execute a high- production sci-fi with all the heart, danger, thrill, and mystery you could ever want.
Perhaps most importantly, they leaned into the most unhinged moments of the book – the parts that would have you questioning how on Earth they’re going to play out on screen, and the parts Benedict Wong told us "felt unfilmable".
While the series unfortunately didn’t make a huge splash in the cultural consciousness, it felt like a big moment to see Netflix take such a risk. If you haven’t given it a go, it’s time to get on board and enter the madness of 3 Body Problem before season 2. – Louise Griffin, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor
26. Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light
Available on BBC iPlayer
Following the masterpiece first season Wolf Hall in 2015, many wondered if we would ever get a sequel adapting the late Dame Hilary Mantel’s final book in her Cromwell trilogy The Mirror and the Light, but in 2024 we got our wish. With largely the same cast and crew returning, this series charts the final years of Thomas Cromwell, portrayed with understated brilliance by Oscar-winner Mark Rylance, as he continues his unsettling dance with his master Henry VIII, with a subtle performance from Damian Lewis as a terrifyingly changeable monarch.
Sombre, sobering, haunting and empathetic, The Mirror and the Light may have moved past the blockbuster events of Anne Boleyn’s marriage and execution, but like its leading man it hasn’t moved on from the past, as the ghosts permeate through this drama that aches with remorse and regret right up until its tearjerking climax. Everyone is disposable to King Henry, but that is something that this series is certainly not. Rarely has historical drama been this good or well-performed. – Lewis Knight, Trends Editor
25. Agatha All Along
Available on Disney Plus
You’d be forgiven for holding a healthy degree of scepticism about Agatha All Along; a spin-off that comes almost four years after its originating series, within a franchise exhibiting major symptoms of deterioration. Few could have expected Jac Schaeffer’s return to Marvel to be such a rousing success, yet this show tapped into something that no MCU series has since her very own WandaVision.
Kathryn Hahn stars as dastardly villain Agatha Harkness, who assembles a coven of fellow witches to walk a supernatural road that holds the key to reigniting their power. Between the deadly trials they face are a scattering of clues and mysteries that come together beautifully in the final three episodes, more than justifying the time taken to craft this belated follow-up.
Joe Locke proves he’s more than just Heartstopper’s Charlie Spring, stepping into a role with a very different energy, including streaks of genuine darkness that are utilised to great effect. Patti LuPone, Aubrey Plaza and Sasheer Zamata each get moments to shine, but Hahn never misses a beat from scene one.
Her razor-sharp wit and formidable dramatic ability are equally important for a story that meaningfully expands upon the title character – without forgetting who she is. – David Craig, Senior Drama Writer
24. The Perfect Couple
Available on Netflix
If there was an award for Best Opening Credits, Netflix’s The Perfect Couple would definitely take home the trophy. Opening with a flashmob performed on a beach to a random Meghan Trainor song that I genuinely go back once a week to rewatch, it’s immediately clear from the start that The Perfect Couple is a whole lot of fun.
Boasting some epic, melodramatic performances from its massively star-studded cast, The Perfect Couple is a perfectly trashy, occasionally comical, and delightfully unserious mystery with a satisfying outcome. The show is based on the book of the same name by Elin Hilderbrand, and in short, follows the events that take place after an extravagant wedding is disrupted by a shock murder.
It is certainly the cast of this six-episode whodunnit mystery that makes it such an entertaining watch – with Nicole Kidman, Eve Hewson and Dakota Fanning particular standouts as fierce, secretive matriarch Greer, unexpecting, outcast bride Amelia and awkwardly cryptic sister-in-law Abby. Perhaps not a show for the more pretentious among us, The Perfect Couple is The Perfect Binge-Watch for those craving a modern, murder-filled romp without all the boring bits. – Chezelle Bingham, Sub Editor
23. EastEnders
Available on BBC iPlayer
It’s been another fantastic year in Walford, as EastEnders continues to grow in strength. In the 12 months since The Six brutally murdered Keanu Taylor, the action hasn’t really stopped, and as fans of the genre, we’re thrilled it didn’t.
Highlights have included the fantastic Angela Wynter being able to show off her incredible acting skills in a harrowing abuse in the church story – a performance so strong she scooped an accolade at the RadioTimes.com Soap Awards.
We’ve also welcomed back numerous favourites from the past, including Chrissie Watts, Ruby Allen, Mickey Miller and the legendary David Wicks. The latter’s return brought about the strongest episode of soap this year, with camp icon Cindy Beale admitting when she’s in bed with Junior, she’s thinking of his father George – a confession which will come to haunt her this Christmas Day (and which will go down in soap history, we’re sure of it).
It’s safe to say EastEnders has become the talk of the nation – if you haven’t been watching, where have you been? – Helen Daly, Associate Editor
22. Silo
Available on Apple TV+
One year after that epic season 1 cliffhanger, Apple’s post-apocalyptic show Silo returned for a mind-bending second season, upping the ante with a smarter, more complex outing that deepens the existing mysteries surrounding the Silo and judicial, while raising a host of new questions.
We picked up where the first season left off, with Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) escaping the silo only to find herself in a neighbouring one and crossing paths with its only inhabitant Solo (Steve Zahn). Meanwhile, back home, where the masses have witnessed Juliette’s miracle and doubt has started to spread, Bernard (Tim Robbins) is tasked with working out how to stop a rebellion – and he soon targets Mechanical.
Splitting the show into two main storylines might mean reduced screen time for Juliette, but it does allow for an increased focus on enigmatic supporting characters such as Sim’s wife, Camille (Alexandria Riley), and, of course, newcomer Solo, which adds even more layers of mystery. – Molly Moss, Trends Writer
21. Inside No.9
Available on BBC iPlayer
It’s difficult to overstate the writing challenge that Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton set themselves with Inside No. 9: each 30-minute episode being a self-contained story, set in one location, often with a twist ending. Over the past decade, they’ve done it 55 times – and knocked it out of the park more often than not.
Fittingly, this ninth and final season is a strong note to end on, epitomising the show’s ever-changing tone with stories like paranoid thriller Boo to a Goose, horror homage CTRL, ALT, ESC, suburban mystery Mulberry Close and meta comedy Plodding On.
The creators are front-and-centre once again, with highlights including Shearsmith’s eccentric escape room attendant and Pemberton’s stunning drag queen, while Mark Bonnar, Susan Wokoma, Natalie Dormer and Dorothy Atkinson are tapped for memorable guest spots.
It all culminates in a charming finale, which is a feast of Easter eggs and references for longtime viewers, celebrating a show that’s earned the right to a little self-indulgence. The number of returning faces for the moving send-off is a testament to the reputation of both Inside No. 9 and its creators, who are now setting sights on the West End with Stage/Fright. – David Craig, Senior Drama Writer
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