50-31
50
English Teacher
(Disney+) A hilarious new high-school-based sitcom that flew under the radar. Its debut season started with a complaint being made by a conservative mum that our eponymous teacher, Evan Marquez, was spotted kissing his boyfriend on school grounds – and ended with him dressed in rubber at a fetish club with the entire faculty doing poppers and singing karaoke. It had charm, sexual tension and a sky-high gag rate. Instantly lovable stuff.
What we said: “For all its handling of today’s hot-button topics (non-binary people, book bans, rogue school boards, ‘wokeness’), English Teacher is a breeze – a tricky mix of wit, silly humour and heart with plenty of potential.” Read more
49
Julia
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(Sky Atlantic/Now) Sarah Lancashire as charming 60s TV chef Julia Child was a pure joy to watch – made even more joyous by whisking Julia away to Paris for the first half of this second (and last) season. The supporting cast were wonderful, too: David Hyde Pierce as her loyal life partner Paul, Isabella Rossellini as her pastry frenemy Simone, and Bebe Neuwirth as her sarcastic best friend Avis. In fact, it was their individual stories that collectively made this such a rich show, tackling issues of the time with nuance, wit and piles of delicious food.
What we said: “A uniquely indulgent watch, erudite and gorgeous and heady.” Read more
48
Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show
(Sky Comedy/Now) Months after Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show aired, it still hurts your brain to think about it too much. During its eight episodes, standup comedian Carmichael interrogated the failings of himself and those around him so gratuitously that it felt pathological. He professed his love for his best friend. He filmed himself cheating on his boyfriend. He engineered a truly excruciating fight with his father. At times it was like staring directly into a wound, and yet it had more fun dancing on the line between performance and truth than any show since The Rehearsal.
What we said: “You have to wonder why the man has chosen to pick his scabs so publicly.” Read more
47
Inside No 9
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(BBC Two/iPlayer) One of British TV’s greatest ever comedy franchises came to a brilliant end this year. Were it not for the fact that its ninth season marked the natural endpoint, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith’s dark, celebrity guest-packed show felt inventive enough that it could run and run. A self-referential finale that saw the actors playing themselves at the Inside No 9 wrap party – featuring extremely game turns by Amanda Abbington and Katherine Parkinson – was a daft, touching meditation on the duo’s working relationship. Hopefully that will run and run.
What we said: “Nothing short of miraculous.” Read more
46
The Dry
(ITVX) Roisin Gallagher returned as thirtysomething recovering alcoholic Shiv in the second season of creator Nancy Harris’s excellent Irish dramedy. Her family – the Sheridans – were as dysfunctional as ever, bringing equal parts heartbreak and hilarity to the story, as Shiv continued to try to get her life back on track in Dublin. Pom Boyd was particularly memorable as her “invisible” mother who was ready to roar and be seen: when she joined the AA with Shiv, she boasted: “They’re practically fighting over who is going to sponsor me!”
What we said: “A dense, clever, deeply sad, deeply funny achievement.” Read more
45
Ludwig
(BBC One/iPlayer) David Mitchell’s debut as a case-of-the-week detective was the BBC’s most-watched scripted show of the year. It’s hard to think of a more pleasing murder mystery in recent times than this fish-out-of-water tale of a professional puzzler roped in to pretending to be a police officer. Add a stellar turn by Anna Maxwell Martin as Ludwig’s sister-in-law and you had a hugely watchable bit of cosy, mindless TV.
What we said: “Mitchell is as brilliant as ever at playing the part he was born to play.” Read more
44
The Day of the Jackal
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(Sky Atlantic/Now) Eddie Redmayne and his wheelie-bag-cum-rifle snipered their way around Europe in this thrilling and aesthetically pleasing re-up of the classic movie about the world’s deadliest gun for hire – and the agent trying to track him down, played by a fantastically on-edge Lashana Lynch. Who would have thought a man hiding in a vent in a concert hall for 24 hours and weeing in a bottle would make some of the most breath-stoppingly tense TV of the year?
What we said: “Highly enjoyable, trigger-happy stuff.” Read more
43
Pachinko
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(Apple TV+) The second season of this sweeping historical saga, about the Koreans who left home to work in imperial Japan before the second world war, continued to follow several generations of a family along two timelines – and it was every bit as sensational to watch. An ominous fear was palpable in Osaka, 1945, where Sunja (Minha Kim) lived with her family, and we saw how history’s most devastating events were navigated by ordinary households, as well as the generational repercussions they left.
What we said: “Pachinko is close to reaching classic status. This is still an excellent drama powered by a rare emotional intelligence.” Read more
42
The Assembly
(BBC One/iPlayer) This one-off show was probably the best TV interview the BBC aired this year, thanks to the panel of neurodivergent interviewers – and their dedication to asking Good Omens star, Michael Sheen, whatever the hell they felt like. From: “How does it feel to be dating someone who is only five years older than your daughter?” to: “Do you know anything about Tom Jones, the long-term celebrity?” it was a lovably chaotic watch, not least due to the panel’s occasional yells of “Michael! You’re doing fabulous!” or “My mum likes you!” There were almost too many wondrous moments to mention, although quite possibly the highlight was the viral clip where an interviewer was nearly too nervous to ask their question – then hit Sheen with an incredibly eloquent query about Dylan Thomas.
What we said: “Sheen, of course, is charm personified. I guess you have to be to play Tony Blair twice and still be loved by everyone.” Read more
41
Lady in the Lake
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(Apple TV+) Stunningly directed, impeccably acted and peppered with shocking action sequences, this stylish 60s-set thriller somehow prompted far less water cooler chatter than you’d expect from Natalie Portman’s TV debut. It wasn’t just an intricate murder mystery, it was an astonishingly dense meditation on racism and sexual oppression all wrapped up in beautiful vintage styling.
What we said: “It is altogether masterly. And if you don’t have room to love it while you bow down before its technical and dramatic proficiency, that’s fine. Give yourself time to digest it. We’re not used to fare this rich. The love will come.” Read more
40
Undercover: Exposing the Far Right
(Channel 4) This hair-raising feature-length documentary followed the impossibly courageous anti-fascist activists Hope Not Hate as they attempted to infiltrate and expose various far-right groups in Britain and Europe. It was a grim insight into increasingly mainstream radicalisation but also an uplifting and frequently thrilling look at what can be done to counter it.
What we said: “The film made headlines when the London film festival cancelled a screening over safety concerns. Nick Lowles, Hope Not Hate’s founder, released a statement that read: ‘Safety must always be an utmost priority. But we can’t deny that it is disappointing to see the brave work of our staff being denied the widest possible audience. Now, more than ever, the true nature of the far right, in Britain and abroad, needs to be exposed.’ At least those watching on television will be exposed to the true nature of the far right – and one of the year’s great documentaries.” Read more
39
Somebody Somewhere
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(Sky Comedy/Now) The joyously touching relationship between pals Joel (Jeff Hiller) and Sam (Bridget Everett) has long been the beating heart of a show so heartstring-tugging it’s hard to know whether an episode will leave you giggling or weeping. And in this final season, it roared back to its best, from car-based heart-to-hearts to silly sleepovers – and the performance of a love song so adorable it’s hard to believe it immediately followed an uproariously filthy rendition of She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain (emphasis on the “coming”). What a show, what a way to go out.
What we said: “It is a subtle and gentle tale in a TV landscape which rewards big bangs, and it is one of those beautiful, sad comedies that elicits the occasional belly laugh, but mostly leaves behind a low level hum of melancholy ... The show ends fittingly, with a sing-song, before it drifts away into the night. It will be missed.”
38
Agatha All Along
(Disney+) WandaVision, the rare critical and ratings hit in Disney’s Marvel strand, got a spin-off … and also proved a hit. Kathryn Hahn’s reprisal of her role as frustrated witch Agatha Harkness was every bit as dramatic as the first time round, with the added fun of a coven including Aubrey Plaza’s cheeky malevolence and Joe Locke’s lovable sweetness. Dropping it at Halloween certainly didn’t hurt.
What we said: “The script is burnished to a high shine and slips seamlessly from comedy to tragedy and back again. There is plenty of action, but plenty of depth too. It’s the perfect show for Halloween season, but an absolute treat any time at all.” Read more
37
Fantasmas
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(Sky Comedy/Now) This off-the-wall exercise in comic surrealism from ex-Saturday Night Live writer Julio Torres was hard to pin down. In theory, it was a sitcom, but its pinwheeling narrative quest to discover a lost earring meant it often felt like a series of charmingly oddball skits. From Steve Buscemi playing a personification of the letter Q to Emma Stone as a reality star, it had the air of an enjoyably weird fever dream.
What we said: “A glimmer of hope for non-generic television that writes its own rules.” Read more
36
Sunny
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(Apple TV+) It might be packed with profanity-filled moments of black humour, but this Rashida Jones-starring tale of a woman wrapped up in a bizarre robot-based mystery after her husband and son vanish in a plane crash was a rare chance for the lead to plunge into a darker role. Part meditation on grief, part crime thriller, it was an idiosyncratic show whose whisky-soaked jaunt through a reimagining of Japan proved that Jones is far more than a star of upbeat comedies.
What we said: “I suspect Sunny is intended to scratch the Severance itch while we wait for the new series; it probably will. But it is undoubtedly its own thing – and a very good one, too.” Read more
35
Say Nothing
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(Disney+) This adaptation of Patrick Radden Keefe’s book explored dark recent history with a remarkably light touch, telling the story of IRA volunteer Delours Price but locating the drama within the emotional terrain of radicalisation, violence and, eventually, conscience. A startling lead performance from Lola Petticrew brought the young Price to entirely convincing life, while Maxine Peake invested Price as an older woman with weary defiance.
What we said: “It’s a terrible story – many terrible stories – of a terrible time that is barely over.” Read more
34
Kaos
(Netflix) So glossily styled and impressively cast was this modern-day take on Greek gods – from The End of the F***ing World creator Charlie Covell – that you suspect the huge budgets involved must explain why Netflix cancelled the show before we got to see how it played out. It was certainly not down to the quality of the series itself: grippingly plotted, peppered with just the kind of cheeky humour you’d expect from a show starring Jeff Goldblum as Zeus and leading to a cliffhanger that, sadly, will never be resolved. Can we persuade you to think again, Netflix?
What we said: “Covell’s script is a masterpiece – so confident, so apparently effortless, so light on its feet – as it builds an alternative modern world in which pantheism (and Zeus) still rules, and gods mix with mortals, rarely to good ends.” Read more
33
After the Party
(Channel 4) What would you do if you knew something to be true that no one else accepted or was willing to confront? Robyn Malcolm was sensational and formidable as the woman who knew – or thought she knew? – she saw her husband (a perfectly ambiguous Peter Mullan) sexually assault a teenage boy at his own birthday. But when she dug her heels in after no one believed her, she spent years alienating herself from everyone in her family and her entire community. This New Zealand drama was stunning and thrilling with a creeping sense of dread – and provided the rare joy of getting to watch a star at the very top of their game.
What we said: “What a role. What an actor. What a performance.” Read more
32
How to With John Wilson
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(BBC Two/iPlayer) A gem of a show, the third and final season of John Wilson’s comedy documentary may well qualify as its best. As ever, this was a jumble of New York footage – a bin in a sinkhole, a dog on a ledge – and interviews with oddballs who appear to share some of Wilson’s own insecurities. The magic of this show was that Wilson was able to engineer these fragments into a larger point. The episode How to Find a Public Restroom, a standout, ended up being a thorough piece of reportage on how private development has ripped the heart out of cities.
What we said: “Whether his show is the most profound on TV is arguable; that it is one of the funniest is undeniable.” Read more
31
Only Murders in the Building
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(Disney+) It was starting to feel like Only Murders in the Building – a comedy mystery about two elderly men and a young woman who solve homicides for a podcast – had lost the ability to surprise. And yet in its fourth season, the show found a new colour in its palette. This was Only Murders’ Hollywood season, as the podcast was adapted into a movie starring Zach Galifianakis and Eva Longoria. This helped sharpen the show’s satirical muscles, giving us the greatest outing since its debut.
What we said: “This show remains an extremely rare example of a comedy-drama that does both equally, and incredibly, well.” Read more
30-21
30
Supacell
(Netflix) The long-awaited superhero drama from Blue Story creator Rapman transcended your average capes-and-carnage fare. Its look at five south Londoners who suddenly developed unearthly abilities was an impressive portrait of Black Britishness that asked – what would you do if you suddenly had the ability to level the playing field?
What we said: “It’s clear that this is a world crying out for more exploration. The intriguing sci-fi elements and the ingenious ways characters react to getting powers – from fighting off bailiffs to trying to prevent sexual violence – are just the beginning.” Read more
29
The Diplomat
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(Netflix) Season two was another addictive instalment of this drama about high-stakes political machinations. This tale of US ambassador Kate Wyler’s London-based attempts to deal with international crises was so good it was like all the best bits of The West Wing, The Americans and Homeland thrown together – topped off by a stunning performance by Keri Russell.
What we said: “Season two carries straight on from the explosive twist that ended the first run and continues to be a masterclass in storytelling. No moment is wasted and, before you know it, it’s 2am and you’re still watching.” Read more
28
True Detective: Night Country
(Sky Atlantic/Now/HBO) This ice-rimmed Alaska take on the long-running detective drama single-handedly revived a flagging format – and made it must-watch TV. Jodie Foster’s captivating turn as a hard-bitten detective made a strong bid for being this franchise’s best star ever, as she ploughed through a frozen, melancholy world on the trail of a seemingly supernatural murderer.
What we said: “Night Country is a brilliant inversion of the men-heavy, heat-oppressed, narratively bloated series that have gone before. New showrunner Issa López has kept the essence of the thing but made it its own thing.” Read more
27
The Bear
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(Disney+) The stressful Chicago-set chef drama set an impossibly high bar with its flawless second season – so this year’s third was met with some disappointment. As Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) continued to struggle with the new restaurant, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) started to question her future there, and that frustration extended to watching fans. But this show at its worst was still very good. Highlights included Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) being given an emotional backstory, Carmy’s confrontation with the chef who traumatised him, and a chaotic but beautiful birth scene with Sugar (Abby Elliot) and her mother Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis).
What we said: “Little wonder it has become such a pop culture phenomenon, churning out superstars quicker than plates on the pass … This is the kind of show that elicits a deep fondness and, even in its flaws, I feel very fond of The Bear.” Read more
26
Until I Kill You
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(ITV) Has there ever been a better TV portrayal of the damage that male violence causes – and the monumental strength survivors require to move on? Arguably not. This dramatisation of Living With a Serial Killer – an account by Delia Balmer of surviving repeated physical and sexual assaults by her boyfriend John Sweeney – was a striking depiction of the traumas of both the violence and her subsequent treatment. It resisted the temptation to grind the edges off its protagonists’ spikiness to give her more mainstream appeal, instead opting for a refreshingly respectful approach to audience’s intelligence.
What we said: “Until I Kill You is an extraordinary portrait of survivors’ suffering. But there is no scurrying after sensationalism. It insists on the essential pitifulness – not pitiableness – of these men and the needs they serve. It is a magnificent treatment of a damnable, unending subject.” Read more
25
Masters of the Air
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(Apple TV+) Full of immortal lines (“What took you so long?”) and immortal scenes (every terrifying flight sequence), Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks rounded out their second world war trilogy with hour after airborne hour of flying into enemy territory, flak attack – and certain death for most of the characters. The tale of the “Bloody 100th” bomb group (so-called because so few pilots actually made it home from expeditions) was not just terrifically tense but had the hottest young cast imaginable – from Austin Butler and Callum Turner as best friends Buck and Bucky to Ncuti Gatwa and Barry Keoghan. It was overly patriotic – this is Spielberg we’re dealing with – but after putting us in the pilot seat for 10 excruciating hours, it earned the right to be. The only pity? It was tucked away on Apple TV+ where far fewer people got to experience it than its epic sister shows The Pacific and Band of Brothers.
What we said: “Horribly, gut-twistingly tense” Read more
24
Curb Your Enthusiasm
(Sky Comedy/Now/HBO) After quarter of a century, Larry David’s seminal comedy came to an end with a humdinger of a final season. It went out not only doing what it has always done – gleefully kicking at the margins of public etiquette – but also righting a historic wrong. This was a season that inexorably led to a re-do of the much-maligned Seinfeld finale, with David put on trial for all his terrible past behaviour. Unbelievably, he stuck the landing. Even more unbelievably, he had the audacity to write a scene where Jerry Seinfeld congratulated him for it. What a man. What a show.
What we said: “Larry David, thank you always for your service.” Read more
23
Blue Lights
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(BBC One/iPlayer) Fists pumped up and down the country at the seemingly casual yet actually weep-inducing taxi scene that rounded out the second series of the thrilling Belfast cop show (which was a corker, even without Gerry: RIP). After being separated on the beat for most of the series, Grace and Stevie finally got their act together – and went home together. And all it took was a child almost shooting them both, then Stevie nearly dying in a blaze of fire at the Mount Eden riot. Some people …
What we said: “Its gift for plain speaking is one thing that makes Blue Lights such rewarding drama, but the difficult political truths are softened by a weakness for that staple of escapist emergency-services soaps, the workplace romance.” Read more
22
We Are Lady Parts
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(Channel 4) Nida Manzoor’s hilarious anarchy-comedy about a Muslim punk band returned with more bangers, more depth – and a clutch of phenomenally unexpected cameos. The band recorded their first album and found that they weren’t the hottest new thing on the block any more when confronted by the influencer-led Second Wife (a great name, to be fair). But as lead singer Saira wrestled with the dangers – or perks? – of selling out, she encountered her idol Sister Squire, played by none other than Meera Syal in full-on leather get-up. And she wasn’t the only one; enter Malala riding on a horse!
What we said: “Consistently more than the sum of its (lady) parts.” Read more
21
Big Boys
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(Channel 4) Jack Rooke’s semi-autobiographical ode to male friendship returned for a second series, with all the rude gags, pop culture references and properly heart-tugging moments that made it such a warm hit in the first place. As newly out Jack (Dylan Llewellyn) and his straight best friend Danny (Jon Pointing) continued to unsuccessfully navigate uni, we also got to spend more time with the other great people in Jack’s life: Harriet Webb was the standout comedy star as cousin Shannon, who got pregnant with her Asos delivery driver and insisted he search every corner shop in Watford to find a Peperami for her to eat during labour.
What we said: “To highlight just how gorgeous and poignant Big Boys is almost feels like a disservice to the comedy. There are plenty of knob jokes too. But it is a beautiful blend, and it deserves all the success it has had.” Read more
20-11
20
Mr Loverman
(BBC One/iPlayer) The Booker prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo’s novel became a piece of exquisite, often heart-rending television in this BBC adaptation. Its tale of 75-year-old, Antigua-born Barry, and his struggle to reconcile his 50-year secret gay relationship with the homophobia of his community was full of impeccably styled period costumes and astonishing performances. Lennie James’s portrayal of Barry and Sharon D Clarke’s oft-poignant turn as his wife Carmel were absolutely spellbinding.
What we said: “This is a different, spikier, much braver tale about the Windrush generation than usually makes it on to our screens. There is closeness, vibrancy, violence and sorrow in the mix, plus an examination of many forms of love and how they can either strengthen or warp under pressure.” Read more
19
The Penguin
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(Sky Atlantic/Now/HBO) Batman who? This Gotham-set spin-off about the rise of the titular villain was such an ace standalone gangster drama it couldn’t fail to thrill, even if you thought Bruce Wayne was some gruff dude who made old cowboy movies. Colin Farrell rightly took a lot of plaudits for his stunning, prosthetics-heavy portrayal of how evil can swell in the bosoms of the downtrodden. But the quiet fury of Cristin Milioti’s vengeance-fuelled rise matched him every step of the way: an oft scene-stealing turn that effortlessly switched from blank-eyed trauma victim to give-no-damns badass. Two of the performances of the year in one show. What a treat.
What we said: “A slick and powerful beast, with enough action and heart to capture existing fans and create many more. And Farrell himself should soon be swimming in a sea of awards.” Read more
18
Sherwood
(BBC One/iPlayer) It might not have scaled quite the same towering heights as the previous series, but James Graham’s chronicle of Shottingham-era Midlands was nonetheless packed with heart-in-the-mouth moments of drama. An unrelentingly bleak look at the way gun crime tears communities apart peppered with depressingly pointless deaths, it wasn’t easy viewing, but it was certainly worthwhile.
What we said: “The latest outing chimes with our growing contemporary anxiety about fragmenting communities, about alienation, about the malevolent figures who rush to fill a vacuum created by unemployment, poverty and unmet needs of all kinds. We are in an age of unrest. The new Sherwood looks to how and why we got there.” Read more
17
The Responder
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(BBC One/iPlayer) Much is made of the fact that The Responder (a drama about a scouse copper) was written by Tony Schumacher (a former scouse copper). But this ignores Schumacher’s absolute mastery of tone and pace, which beat through every second of this remarkable show. This year’s second season saw Martin Freeman’s Chris Carson continuing to crack under the pressure of his work. One episode – perhaps the year’s most stressful – simply revolved around Carson’s need to have a bit of a kip.
What we said: “A triumph for all involved” Read more
16
Fallout
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(Prime Video) The Last of Us took a big step forward in rehabilitating the maligned video game adaptation genre, and this year’s Fallout represented another. Set in a hellish, heightened post-apocalyptic world, this was a story of mutants and zombies and lost innocence that managed to be cheekily knowing and genuinely gripping in equal measure. Some of this was down to the performances – Walton Goggins and Ella Purnell were particularly good – but a lot of it was down to plain old self-belief. More than anything, this was a show with absolute faith in its source material.
What we said: “It is, if you’ll pardon the pun, an absolute blast” Read more
15
Mr & Mrs Smith
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(Prime Video) Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s fresh take on the movie that brought Brangelina together might not have been quite as sexy – but they certainly still brought the chemistry. Their coupled-up assassins, John and Jane, portrayed a real relationship (there’s even a first-fart-in-bed scene) set amid the constant paranoia, impressive gun-shooting and deadly glamour of the world they occupied. It was bags of fun, but by the finale you actually felt quite sad about their inevitable ends.
What we said: “It is a great demonstration of the charm and intelligence that infuses the whole that they pivot from strangers to colleagues to lovers so seamlessly.” Read more
14
Lost Boys & Fairies
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(BBC One/iPlayer) There wasn’t a dry eye in the house while watching this wondrous drama about a gay couple’s journey to adopting a child. It was a total pleasure to spend time with Gabriel (Sion Daniel Young) and Andy (Fra Fee) and their friends in the Cardiff drag community, and you rooted for them the whole time they navigated the turbulent adoption process. Then tragedy struck and Andy was killed – and that’s when the tears flooded. Still, there was hope for a happy-ish ending, as Gabriel tried to process his grief enough to be a parent. It was beautiful, with the added bonus of fabulous drag performances in every episode.
What we said: “Though it has undertones of quiet melancholy, in the end, it is an extravagant drama, unafraid to belt out the high notes and play to the crowd … Hold on to those tissues, you’re going to need them.” Read more
13
Mr Bates vs the Post Office
(ITV) This year, the head of ITV said that Mr Bates vs the Post Office had such limited international appeal that it left the channel with a million pound loss. But finances be damned, because you’re unlikely to ever find a show able to leave such a large footprint. Despite diligent reporting, the Post Office scandal never managed to catch fire in the public eye. Mr Bates vs the Post Office changed that, taking an unmanageably complex issue and turning it into the David and Goliath story it always was. Nothing less than a testament to the power of television drama.
What we said: “The drama plays out like an episode of Black Mirror at first, and it is easily as harrowing as the bleakest of those imagined dystopias” Read more
12
Ripley
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(Netflix) Rarely did being bad feel so good. On paper the fraudster/murderer/worst holiday guest ever wasn’t exactly the kind of character you should root for, but Andrew Scott’s winning turn never failed to leave you hoping for him to get away with everything. This version of The Talented Mr Ripley novel was unlike anything else on TV this year, thanks in no small part to the decision to serve up this languorously paced production as a work of monochrome beauty – which was shot in black and white but so full of exquisite vistas and lingering, noir-ish visual detail that the colour of an Italian summer leapt off the screen. As good as Matt Damon’s 90s movie incarnation? For our money, way better.
What we said: “The details of massed lies accumulate, any one ready to be plucked out by an astute girlfriend, police officer or bank teller, bringing the teetering pile down. Malevolence bleeds into everything. Every moment of beauty ultimately ends up poisoned. It’s wonderful.” Read more
11
The Traitors
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(BBC One/iPlayer) Try to recall 2024’s genuine nation-uniting moments of water cooler television, and chances are that at least one of them was down to this glee-inducing reality series. The nigh-on Shakespearean drama of Diane’s son reveal! Jazatha Christie! The poisoned chalice of rosé! The ludicrously gothic funeral! Given that we’re now at the point where all the contestants are wise to the show’s shtick, the attempts to stop traitors from ousting faithfuls from the cash prize really shouldn’t have been anywhere near as fun a piece of television as its first series. Somehow, against all odds, it was far more fun. Roll on season three!
What we said: “A new entry in the canon of truly great reality TV.” Read more
10-1
10
Nobody Wants This
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(Netflix) More than 20 years after he captured hearts as Seth Cohen in The OC, Adam Brody made his big TV comeback for millennials in this very modern romcom. Based on creator Erin Foster’s real experiences, it followed “Hot Rabbi” Noah (Brody) who falls in love with sex podcaster Joanne (Kristen Bell) – but they faced the problem of her not being Jewish. Could it work? Over the course of very funny episodes, scarily relatable dating scenarios (The Ick was a standout) and a top supporting cast including Succession’s Justine Lupe, we learned that, yes, love wins. And that is exactly what a great romcom should remind us.
What we said: “Brody and Bell have worked together before and are friends in real life, which surely helps, but their on-screen chemistry – in the romantic scenes, sure, but more importantly and even more potently in the bantering, teasing conversations in between – is something special and a joy to watch.” Read more
9
Colin from Accounts
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(BBC Two/iPlayer) The first season of this winningly dry romantic comedy was such a joy that it won over seemingly the entire UK, but its second outing went one better. As well as being so stuffed with comedic brilliance that even incidental characters light up the screen – the world’s least helpful doctor! (“I’d like to help you Gordon, but my computer isn’t on”), the dog trainer who named her pet “Bark Ruffalo”! – this was the year it spread its wings and showed its huge emotional range. The creepy episode where Ashley got lost on the train wouldn’t have felt out of place in a horror anthology, the shock heart attack of Gordon’s father was devastatingly poignant and THAT proposal was the most excruciating piece of cringe comedy in years. What an utter delight.
What we said: “Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall remain the perfect foils for each other – they have different energies but are equally compelling. Equally matched in the ability to deliver sarcastic one-liners or bruising truths, they are obviously united as creators, with a clear understanding of all their characters, where they want them to go and why. The result, as before, is a masterclass in writing and an absolute joy to watch.” Read more
8
Rivals
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(Disney+) Few shows this year could sustain a tone like Rivals. Arch and camp and fun and light, it was a wonderful distillation of everything people loved about Jilly Cooper’s bonkbuster novel. Such was the parade of bubbly thrills – Nostalgia! Infidelity! Naked tennis! Danny Dyer playing a convincing romantic lead! – that people forgot this was essentially a series about the franchising structure of regional television in the 1980s. But, you know, with willies and boobs. No wonder everyone went wild for it.
What we said: “A cavalcade of nudity and terrible wigs, an orgy of knowing bad taste.” Read more
7
Alma’s Not Normal
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(BBC Two/iPlayer) Cancer. Addiction. The care system. Welfare. Only Sophie Willan could explore such heavy issues so effectively yet always underlined with a cracking punchline. This was her second and last outing as bubbly Alma in this comedy inspired by her own experiences, and it was every bit as flawless and fabulous as the first. Most poignant was her grandma Joan’s cancer diagnosis – the time they spent together before her death was beautiful (with a very funny fart scene). And when Alma decided to turn her life into art, you wanted to cheer. Go Alma! We cannot wait to see what Willan does next.
What we said: “Alma’s Not Normal is eloquent, radiantly beautiful and – in the Alma Nuttall vernacular – totally fabulous.” What we said
6
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light
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(BBC One/iPlayer) Had it really been nine years? Series two of the stately adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Booker-winning Tudor novels seamlessly maintained the astonishing quality of the first outing, with Mark Rylance’s screen-owningly hypnotic turn as Thomas Cromwell arguably a career-best performance. For a show based on possibly the most bloody marriage saga in history and a seismic upheaval of cultural and religious life, it’s remarkable how understated, how intricate, how tiny the details were that viewers were given in this tale of the final four years of Cromwell’s life. An absolute powerhouse.
What we said: “To misquote Arthur C Clarke – any sufficiently advanced art is indistinguishable from magic. And it is here for us all. Six hours of magic.” Read more
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Industry
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(BBC One/iPlayer/HBO) Rishi’s gambling-fuelled breakdown! Henry Muck’s wee fetish! Every single thing about Yas and Rob! The third season of the HBO finance drama raised the stakes criminally high – and proved to be its most confident and bombastic and devastating yet. How on earth will it ramp up again from here? No matter where it takes us, it’s always guaranteed to be a wild ride.
What we said: “Industry returns with the pedal pressed down, with all the things that make it great intensified and sharpened. Goggling at it is more of a rush than ever.” Read more
4
Slow Horses
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(Apple TV+) Yes, one of the thrills of this lean, taut spy drama is the way it revels in amping up an oft-stylised genre’s grubby, shambolic side – and playing it for belly laughs. But, as this grower of a show (literally) exploded into its fourth outing, it was the excitement of seeing megastar actors firing on all cylinders that really blew your socks off. The takeaway-stained genius of Jackson Lamb might be the role Gary Oldman has waited his whole career for, and Kristin Scott Thomas’s withering turn as MI5 deputy Diana Taverner is a sardonic delight. Put them in a scene together, and fireworks happen!
What we said: “It has taken four seasons for Slow Horses to become one of the most talked-about series on TV. It is odd that such an immediate show has proven to be a slow burn, but the attention is much deserved, because it has been excellent from the beginning.” Read more
3
One Day
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(Netflix) Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall breathed new life into David Nicholls’s bestselling novel, which follows an unlikely university friendship that, over two decades, finally becomes a relationship. Mod and Woodall quietly sizzled as Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew, and the frustration became almost unbearable as we urged them to “get it on already!” But their long journey was what made the eventual payoff so great, and we loved watching them become the adults – and lovers – they grew to be. Of course, though fans of the book knew it was coming, they were devastated by the tragic ending. But the fury we felt proves just how much we invested in this chalk-and-cheese pair. A love story for the ages – made even better by a banging 90s soundtrack.
What we said: “The whole enterprise hangs on Em and Dex, who must be completely believable and lovable, individually and together. They are extraordinary. Woodall’s wide-boy charisma and frightful yet endlessly forgivable privilege are perfectly pitched; I forgive him a thousand times. Ambika Mod is such a revelation that it is hard to believe this is her first lead role.” Read more
2
Baby Reindeer
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(Netflix) Those five little words at the start – This is a true story – almost overshadowed the whole show. After the release of Richard Gadd’s autobiographical opus about his years being stalked by a Scottish lawyer named Martha, the fallout came thick and fast. The “real Martha” was revealed, promptly appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored then sued Netflix for defamation and negligence. But that scandal aside, this was one of the bravest, most extraordinary and uncomfortable shows in years. The almost unbearable fourth episode – which explored the sexual abuse faced by Gadd’s character Donny at the hands of TV producer Darrien – was utterly traumatising but groundbreaking viewing. Never had male sexual assault and masculine vulnerability been explored with such horrifying nuance. No wonder it garnered all those awards along with all the controversy.
What we said: “A fine testament to what can be achieved on the small screen, if only you have the courage to try it and the talent to pull it off.” Read more
1
Shōgun
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Lord Toranaga in Shōgun. Photograph: Katie Yu/AP
(Disney+) In years to come, this stunning adaptation of James Clavell’s hit 1975 novel will no doubt be talked about as one of the greatest TV shows of all time. Its tale of sailor John Blackthorne washing up in 1600s Japan and the near civil war that is on the verge of breaking out varied from life-or-death crises to tender moments of romance. The blossoming love between John and his translator Mariko was all the more heart-melting for its chasteness, while virtually every scene involving Lord Toranaga felt unnervingly heightened, given it never seemed far away from a character whipping out a samurai sword and disembowelling themselves over a breach of etiquette. The beautiful shoji-filled houses, the elaborately decorated kimonos, even the detail given to the period food and drink the characters attempt cultural exchanges with (manky pheasant stew anyone?) – it was a lavish, gorgeously styled watch packed with more ponytails than the Grand National. With its use of subtitles for the historically accurate Japanese spoken, this was intelligent, beautifully paced TV which thoroughly deserved its mega haul of 18 Emmy wins – the most ever for a single series of TV. An astounding creation.
What we said: “Shōgun has made stars of its cast. In showrunners Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, it has given us a pair of all-timers. The 10 episodes shown this year were just about as perfect as television gets.” Read more