In the infinite scroll of the streaming era, choosing a new show to settle in with can be overwhelming—but ahead of the holiday season, W has you covered. From Emmy-winning prestige series like the Anna Sawai-starring Shōgun, to the chaotic (but addictive) reality shows everyone was talking about (Love Island USA, The Traitors), to underrated but excellent fare like Irish comedy-thriller Bodkin and the Rashida Jones-starring Sunny—there was plenty of great television to choose from in 2024. Below, in no particular order, find the shows that W editors loved most this year:
One Day (Netflix)
I’m pretty sure I saw the 2011 film version of One Day starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess in the theater and forgot about it before the credits even rolled. But the Netflix adaptation of David Nicholls’s beloved novel in which soul mates Emma (Ambika Mod) and Dex (Leo Woodall) reconnect on the same day over the decades had me hooked. Maybe it was the nostalgic soundtrack of ’80s and ’90s hits, maybe it was the fact that each episode is a snackable 30 minutes, or maybe it’s just that British rom-coms seem less cheesy than their American counterparts, but it had me laughing and weeping during a rainy weekend binge. —Katie Connor, Executive Editor
Shōgun, Season 1 (FX on Hulu)
Shōgun’s epic portrayal of 17th-century feudal Japan, featuring stunning performances—Anna Sawai being a standout—earned it 25 Emmy nominations and a win for Sawai. Each hour is packed with more drama and intrigue than many of the year’s longest films. And if you’re a second-screener like me, the fact that the series’ dialogue is mostly in Japanese, will force you to put your phone down for once in order to fully immerse yourself in the experience. —KC
Becoming Karl Lagerfeld (Hulu)
Shakespeare never wrote a play about gay dudes, but I think he could have written an entire trilogy about Karl Lagerfeld. This French-produced Disney+/Hulu series doesn’t quite reach Shakespearian heights but succeeds in honing in one of his life’s more intriguing but lesser-known chapters during the ’70s. Lagerfeld was revolutionizing prêt-à-porter fashion at Chloé while at the same time battling with his former friend and couture master Yves Saint Laurent for the affections of notorious dandy Jacques de Bascher. It’s visually sumptuous, an important lesson in fashion history, and, as I’ve told many non-fashion friends, “just a great show about gay guys.” Daniel Brühl is well cast as the titular Kaiser, but Théodore Pellerin as de Bascher steals the show. Negative reviews took it to task for not directly dealing with the (oft-problematic) cartoon character Lagerfeld turned himself into in later years, but Lagerfeld probably would have hated the show, too. He could barely handle being perceived as human and is steadfast in his hopes he wouldn’t be remembered after he died. His later image was an attempt to hide the (almost) human side of Lagerfeld portrayed here. —Kyle Munzenrieder, Senior Editor, News and Strategy
Elsbeth, Season 2 (Paramount+)
I’m sick of streaming fatigue. Sick of overly-serialized shows that string you along for two too many episodes. Sick of the contrast game of “Have you watched…? Have you watched…? Have you watched…?” Sometimes a body just needs a dependable network series with stand-alone episodes that you can watch while scrolling on your phone. I have found my savior in Elsbeth Tasconi, a crime-solving attorney who dresses in outfits rejected from the And Just Like That… closet. Her cases are fun. The guest star casting is consistently great (Jane Krakowski! Vanessa Williams! Gena Gershon!). And I never have to make small talk about it at boring fashion parties. Wonderful! —KM
Love Island USA, Season 6 (Peacock)
Obviously, Love Island is not prestige television in any form, but as the world continues to crumble upon us, can you blame me for wanting to sit down for an hour a day and watch bikini-clad hotties attempt to find love in a garishly decorated villa? Now, in the past, the original UK version of the reality show has blown its US counterpart out of the water, but this summer, it was the US that truly gained the public’s attention. That’s mostly thanks to the work of the Powder Puff Girls (or PPG for short), a group of three girls who brought the drama and one-liners that TikTok just ate up. From Serena and Kordell’s romcom-worthy fight on the dock to Leah’s incredible impression of the red flag-waving Rob (“Now you’re sending three people home!”), Love Island US season six truly was the gift that kept on giving. —Carolyn Twersky, Staff Writer
The Golden Bachelorette, Season 1 (Hulu)
This wasn’t my first reality dating show, but it’s the most wholesome one I’ve seen. Not only are you rooting for Joan to find her next love (or hoping she chooses your #1 pick), but it’s also heart-warming to see the men create genuine friendships with each other. If you need a break from heavy dramas or Housewives fights, this is a joyous watch. —Ashley Peña, Digital Designer
The Traitors, Season 2 (Peacock)
The Traitors has everything that makes for a great binge-watch. Mystery, intrigue, old-school MTV-style physical challenges, a mashup of reality stars from different eras, networks, and genres, several great villains, and Alan Cumming in a series of beautifully tailored, flamboyant Scottish looks. Iterations of the parlor game competition series have aired in other countries, but season two of the US version really perfected the form. Real Housewives of Atlanta star Phaedra Parks delivered several memorable one-liners, but “Sweet baby Jesus, not Ekin Su!” takes the cake. —Claire Valentine, Culture Editor
Bodkin (Netflix)
Netflix’s Bodkin didn’t receive much fanfare, but I found it to be a highly underrated gem of a show. Set in a coastal Irish town, Bodkin is equal parts thriller and black comedy, with a tight ensemble cast that delivers great comedic timing and poignant explorations of identity, family, and friendship. It’s also a send-up of the true-crime podcast industry, which could always use a good ribbing. —CV
The Diplomat, Season 2 (Netflix)
A show like The Diplomat is not usually my cup of tea, but after the Netflix series’s stellar first season, I couldn’t help but sink my teeth into its sophomore edition. I especially enjoy the series’ length—this season’s six episodes are easily binge-able in a couple of days—and the way in which it blends political wit and humor. —Matthew Velasco, Staff Writer, News
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Season 5 (Hulu/Peacock)
Admittedly, much of the Real Housewives franchise has lost its luster—its crown jewels, New York and Beverly Hills, are flailing. But, Bravo’s Salt Lake City series is far and away the best of the best. Its fifth season, which debuted earlier this year, picked up on the bombshell finale of the previous season with an entirely new set of drama and some new faces. There are all the elements of what makes Housewives so great: cast mates threatening each other with criminal investigations, petty drama over private jets, and rumors that one wife stocks her jewelry line with items from Alibaba. Bronwyn Newport and her whacky fashion choices (she wore a heart-shaped Saint Laurent coat on her first episode) have been a highlight so far. —MV
What We Do In The Shadows, Season 6 (FX on Hulu)
My new favorite genre of TV—this show is considered a comedy, horror, fantasy, and mockumentary. What We Do In The Shadows is a show about vampire friends that live together in Staten Island, NY. The sixth season premiered earlier this year, and it still has me laughing out loud. —Jenna Wojciechowski, Fashion Market Editor & Director
This Is the Zodiac Speaking (Netflix)
My appetite for true crime knows no boundaries, and the Zodiac killer case is a topic of endless fascination for me. So when Netflix released This Is the Zodiac Speaking, a three-episode series that makes a compelling case to identify Arthur Leigh Allen as the “Zodiac” serial killer, I couldn’t press play any quicker. The murderer of seven California residents between 1968-1969 has never been officially caught. But this docu-series features hours of interviews with an unlikely family whose increasingly chilling relationship with Allen seems to connect him to the infamous Zodiac killings. If you’re a thriller junkie, this one’s for you. —Maxine Wally, Senior Digital Editor
Sunny (Apple TV+)
Rashida Jones is absolutely incredible as the main character in Sunny, a dark comedy from Apple TV+ that will tug at your heartstrings—and perhaps, change your views on AI. Jones plays Suzie, an American expat living in Kyoto, Japan, who loses her son and her husband, Masa (played by Hidetoshi Nishijima) in a fatal plane crash. Suzie is heartbroken, covered in grief—until “homebot” Sunny, a robot that can complete any domestic task, rolls into her life. When it is revealed that Suzie’s late husband was the owner of a robotics company working on the AI to make Sunny, the story takes a turn into murder-mystery territory while still maintaining the heart that makes this show so good. —MW
