The 20 best TV episodes of 2024

'Fantasmas,' "The Void"

There’s a lot to love in the finale of Julio Torres’ impossible-to-explain reverie about modern existence: Bowen Yang as a disgruntled elf suing Santa for unpaid labor; Dylan O’Brien as the barely literate star of C--ty Rich Kids’ School of Magic; extremely niche jokes about New York City (“the next L train will arrive in 178 minutes”). But it’s the show-within-a-show — a flamboyant reality mess called The True Housewives of New York — that brings “The Void” to the mountaintop of sublime absurdity. Starring Bianca (Rosie Perez), Rellany (Rachel Dratch), Genevieve (Emma Stone), and Dina (Cole Escola), True delivers everything Bravo fans want from a Housewives brand extension: saucy-sad taglines (“Wanna know what’s chilling? This is me already in therapy”), petty fights at a restaurant opening, and a virtual reality simulation devised by a sadistic producer (James Scully) with mommy issues. Okay, that last one was pure Julio — though Andy Cohen’s probably kicking himself for not thinking of it first. —Kristen Baldwin

'Three Women,' "Lina"

Three Women set out to accomplish a difficult task: Adapting Lisa Taddeo's beloved bestseller that takes a deep dive into women's sexuality. The series as a whole was successful, but never more so than in the second episode, "Lina," which put Betty Gilpin's unhappy housewife front and center. Viewers watched as she struggled with her life and started to find even the smallest sliver of happiness in an affair with her high school boyfriend. It's a simple concept — yearning for something more — delivered through beautiful storytelling, with Gilpin's staggering turn as Lina on full display. —Samantha Highfill

'Shōgun,' "Crimson Sky"

Anna Sawai, one of this year’s breakthrough TV stars, can single handedly thank her own performance in this specific episode for her Shōgun Emmy win. It’s an hour that demands so much from her, but she wields the meaty material, written by co-creator Rachel Kondo and scribe Caillin Puente, as firmly and exacting as her character, Lady Mariko, brandishes a spear in a standoff with soldiers preventing her from leaving the city of Osaka. The tense sequence is filled with so much nuance and so many strategic chess moves that are masked as subtle gestures. When everything unfolds, leading to that final moment of Mariko’s sacrifice, you’re able to sit back and appreciate the exquisite tapestry Sawai and the creative team wove right in front of our faces all this time. —Nick Romano

'House of the Dragon,' "The Red Dragon and the Gold"

Most of House of the Dragon season 2 could’ve been an email, and yet it gave Game of Thrones fans some heat with its fourth episode, marking the prequel drama’s first real dragon-on-dragon battle in the skies. The Battle of Rook’s Rest is one of the more dramatic events in the timeline of this particular Targaryen civil war, and the adaptation delivered everything that can be so great about the series: a fuller picture that provides different colors to what’s only described on the surface level in George R.R. Martin’s book. If HBO spends as much money as they say on House of the Dragon, most of that season 2 budget seemingly went into the special effects and mechanical buck work to deliver a thrilling dogfight between three dragons and their respective riders, one near death, one actual death, and one betrayal. One note for the final two seasons: Torch me, daddy! More of this, please. —N.R.

'The Diplomat,' "When A Stranger Calls"

If there's one thing you should know about The Diplomat, it's that it moves fast. And that was never more apparent than in the excellent season 2 premiere, which picked up seconds after the explosion that ended its first season. With lives at stake — and a stunning realization that the British Prime Minister might be behind the recent attack — Kate (Keri Russell) is working even faster than usual to get answers, figure out whom she can trust, (discreetly) make a plan, and find time to sit with her injured husband. And, because this is The Diplomat, the show somehow also manages to work a few zingers into the razor-sharp dialogue. —S.H.

'The Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,' "Road Trip"

By enlisting a reality TV camera crew to help him “live more truthfully” after coming out as gay, Jerrod Carmichael managed to create a new genre: Docu-cringe. None of the series is easy to watch, but the fourth episode — in which the 36-year-old comedian takes a multi-day road trip with his estranged father, Joe — is both excruciating and intensely moving. In between fast-food meals and visits with extended family, Carmichael nudges his father toward difficult conversations about his homosexuality, and the lingering hurt he feels about Joe’s infidelity. Like Reality Show itself, “Road Trip” was polarizing — and hard to forget. —K.B.

'Agatha All Along,' "Death's Hand in Mine"

Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer proved that WandaVision wasn’t a fluke; she really is that good at creating puzzle-box shows. “Death’s Hand in Mine” is the magician (Schaeffer) explaining to the audience how she pulled off her latest magic trick, and just how expertly she laid the pieces of the puzzle up to that moment. Patti LuPone’s Lilia Calderu, a divination witch, experiences her life non sequentially. Her body remains in the present but her mind constantly jumps to various moments in time. The audience follows her perspective across history to show that all of those seemingly incoherent mumblings sprinkled throughout the previous episodes can be strung together to form crucial clues about what comes later in the season. On top of that, we get LuPone dressed as Glinda the Good Witch, Kathryn Hahn as the green-skinned Elphaba, and Joe Locke as Maleficent (high cheekbones included)... It’s serving camp! —N.R.

'The Penguin,' "Cent'anni"

You come to The Penguin to see more of Colin Farrell’s Oz Cobb and explore the world established in Matt Reeves’ film The Batman, but you stay for Cristin Milioti. The actress from Palm Springs and How I Met Your Mother gives DC Comics character Sofia Falcone a definitive performance and elevates the villain known as “the Hangman” to icon status. Milioti’s prowess and enthusiasm for the role are on full display in “Cent'Anni,” an episode that will likely (and deservingly) propel her into the Best Actress Emmys race. The standout hour of television uncovers Sofia’s origins, while Milioti gives herself over completely to the character’s unraveling, beginning as her mob-boss father’s golden child through to a grueling psychological battle to maintain her grip on reality in Arkham State Hospital. How does Sofia respond to the relentless gaslighting perpetrated by her own family? By literally gassing them all to death, of course. —N.R.

'The Acolyte,' "Night"

As an entity, Star Wars films and TV shows have felt caught in a tractor beam of fan service and nostalgia. But the fifth episode of The Acolyte, “Night,” took a lightsaber to all of that with a fight to rival Phantom Menace’s Duel of the Fates. In their search for Mae (Amandla Stenberg), Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae), Osha (Stenberg), and his fellow Jedi are attacked by a mysterious Stranger (Manny Jacinto). The Stranger, clad in a terrifying cortosis helmet with a hand-carved macabre grin, shows no mercy, stabbing Padawan Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen) three times and breaking the neck of Yord Fandar (Charlie Barnett). It’s a brutal, visceral fight, amped up by Jacinto’s dizzying moves and skill with the Stranger’s two sabers (and fine, yes, his biceps). Shocking and thrilling in equal measure, “Night” throws the rules of the Force out the window and lands a damaging blow to the Jedi’s shining armor, making it clear that there is still hope in the galaxy for original, gutsy storytelling in the Star Wars universe. —Maureen Lee Lenker

'Fallout,' "The Beginning"

A lot happened in Fallout’s season finale: The different factions of this post-apocalyptic world (the armor-clad Brotherhood of Steel, the California rebels fighting to re-establish something like democracy, and Walton Goggins’ singular Ghoul) collided in an epic battle, nuclear war was revealed to have been an inside job by corporate America, Lucy (Ella Parnell) learned the fate of her long-lost mother, and Maximus (Aaron Moten) finally got what he wanted at the exact moment he didn’t want it anymore. But for all that action and all those twists, the biggest accomplishment of Fallout season 1 is represented by the finale’s title, "The Beginning." The way that this world has been built out and these character dynamics have been set up, it’s clear there’s even more exciting stuff to come. Here’s to the future! —Christian Holub

'Interview With the Vampire,' "I Could Not Prevent It"

We had been waiting all season — actually, all series — for this episode, and Interview With the Vampire did not disappoint. “I Could Not Prevent It” had it all: The trauma of Claudia’s (Delainey Hayles) brutally unfair and untimely death so soon after finally finding happiness with Madeleine (Roxane Duran); the excitement and anxiety over Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat’s (Sam Reid) long-awaited reunion; the perverse fascination over seeing all the events of season 1 through Lestat’s extremely biased eyes; the horror of the crowd cheering throughout the fake trial of Louis, Claudia, and Madeleine, unaware that real crimes are being carried out in front of their faces; the dark comedy of Santiago (Ben Daniels) trying (and failing) to keep Lestat in line and on script during the play; and the complicated and emotional betrayal from Armand (Assad Zaman) as he sits and watches it all unfold from the audience. Anne Rice would have been proud of this episode. —Sydney Bucksbaum

'Nobody Wants This,' "A Shiksa Walks Into a Temple"

Nobody Wants This had us hooked from the first episode, but episode 2 is where things went to another level — and not just because of one of the best first kisses we've ever seen. (But that didn't hurt.) After meeting each other at a dinner party and then enjoying a chaotic night out that ended poorly, Noah (Adam Brody) and Joanne (Kristen Bell) go on their first date, where he's able to clear up some of the stuff about his recent engagement, and she's able to play a fun game where she keeps pretending she's not going to stay through dinner. The result is a chemistry-packed episode that sets the stage for a great season. And yes, it ends with an absolutely unforgettable first kiss for the couple. Heads up: You might want to put down your ice cream to watch this one. —S.H.

'Batman: Caped Crusader,' "The Stress of Her Regard"

Harley Quinn is always changing. Years after she was originally defined by the late Arleen Sorkin on Batman: The Animated Series, Harley has now become a movie star, thanks to Margot Robbie, and a TV icon for the second time via Kaley Cuoco’s hilariously violent animated series. Although Lady Gaga’s performance in Joker: Folie à Deux didn’t do much for critics or fans, this year also saw BTAS mastermind Bruce Timm return to his co-creation and give her a whole new dimension (and a whole new design!). Now portrayed as an Asian-American woman voiced by Jamie Chung, this Harley is still a psychiatrist, but in this standout episode, she puts that knowledge to use wreaking psychosexual havoc on the criminals of Gotham City. For once, Harley Quinn has nothing to do with the Joker — and that makes her even scarier. —C.H.

'Industry,' "White Mischief"

Industry’s exceptional third season hit a high note when it pushed Rishi Ramdani (Sagar Radia) to his absolute limit in an episode depicting the worst 72 hours of his life. “White Mischief” gives viewers a deeper look at the overly ambitious Pierpoint staffer known for comic relief and workplace disrespect. Not only is he in debt for more than $100,000, but he owes that sum to a ruthless criminal outfit. The hour sits with him as his anxiety builds, causing some to sympathize with him despite his typical vile behavior. There lies its brilliance. The episode is a bold step away from its usual focus on Harper (Myha'la), Yasmin (Marisa Abela) and Robert’s (Harry Lawtey) carnage, to give a supporting character a showcase that encapsulates the dangers those drunk on the money and power of the finance world face. —Alamin Yohannes

'The Vince Staples Show,' "Black Business"

The basic premise of this episode — a guy goes to the bank and bumps into a childhood buddy, who shows up to rob said bank — is funny on its own. Staples turns that set-up into a hilarious and slightly surreal satire about the challenges facing Black entrepreneurs. After a snooty bank manager (Matt Oberg) rejects his application for a small business loan, Vince is disappointed but not surprised. “Redlining, gatekeeping, gaslighting,” he grumbles. “Typical shit.” But when a gang of armed robbers led by his old friend (Myles Bullock) storm into the bank, Vince volunteers to serve as negotiator — for a price, of course. Featuring an Emmy-worthy comedic turn by Bullock and a clever cameo from none other than Rick Ross, “Black Business” is definitely worth the 26-minute investment. —K.B.

'Doctor Who,' "Dot and Bubble"

Doctor Who meets Black Mirror in this delicious combination of the oldest and newest traditions in British genre TV. This sci-fi satire of social media mostly restricts the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and his companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) to appearing on a screen, but that makes it truly terrifying to see monstrous human-eating slugs only through the inexperienced eyes of new character Lindy Pepper-Bean (Callie Cooke). Even the Doctor wasn’t prepared for this episode’s gut-punch ending, though. —C.H.

'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,' "Doomed to Die"

If there was one thing that the new episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power had to accomplish, it was to match the big battle that marked the unquestioned highlight of season 1. As it turned out, “Doomed to Die” went even further than its predecessor, turning viewers’ entire idea of a Middle-earth battle upside down. For once, the usual deus ex machina cavalry charge gets stopped mid-stride, different peoples do not come together to support one another, and it’s the orcs who are in the right. Meanwhile, the dark and twisted relationship between Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) and Sauron (Charlie Vickers) reached its psychotic height. As tempting as it is to recreate the familiar joys of Lord of the Rings, like watching Gandalf hang out with hobbits, The Rings of Power has been best when it subverts our expectations and finds new ways to kick ass. —C.H.

'Baby Reindeer,' "Episode 6"

Even creator Richard Gadd didn't expect Baby Reindeer to take off the way it did. The expertly told story, inspired by Gadd's real-life experience with a stalker, delivered a compelling tale that never shied away from difficult topics. It all came to a head in episode 6, when Donny (Gunn) walked on stage, and instead of performing his usual over-the-top comedy routine, broke down and told the crowd about everything, from the sexual abuse he'd experienced to the hard-to-face realities about the situation with Martha (Jessica Gunning). It's a 10-minute monologue that not many shows (or actors) could've pulled off. —S.H.

'Mr. and Mrs. Smith,' "Do You Want Kids"

Mr. and Mrs. Smith wasted no time in tackling nearly every relationship issue throughout its first season, but “Do You Want Kids” changed everything. As John (Donald Glover) and Jane (Maya Erskine) butted heads over the topic of whether they wanted to have children, they were forced to essentially become parents to the high-value target they were tasked with protecting (played with hilariously annoying helplessness by top-tier guest star Ron Perlman). The episode leaned into the comedy of satirizing all the tropes of parenthood, bringing the laughs to balance the extremely heavy and real conversations John and Jane were having throughout. The “do you want kids” discussion in any new relationship is tricky, but as the spy spouses raced through gorgeous locations in Lake Como, Italy with seemingly nothing going right on their mission, it created a divide between John and Jane that ultimately set them on a path toward total annihilation of their relationship, their jobs as spies, and potentially their lives. And the best part? It was impossible to pick sides as a viewer, because both of their arguments were valid. Talk about relatable. —S.B.

'X-Men '97,' "Remember It"

X-Men ‘97 proved to be far more than a kids cartoon. It shook up the typically templated Marvel Studios titles and became a searing reflection of the current world, embracing many of the themes that defined this band of mutant superheroes for decades in the comics. Some of the most whipsmart, quotable writing came in “Remember It,” the fifth episode, which begins as one thing (a celebration of the Genoshan utopia for mutants) and then abruptly shifts into the season’s most game-changing, heart-wrenching moment (the genocide of mutants on the island country). “Most other nations don't allow a terrorist to be their leader,” Val Cooper (Catherine Disher) remarks. “Yet so many allow their leaders to be terrorists,” Magneto responds. It’s unfortunate there were so many behind-the-scenes conflicts, with allegations lodged at both the now-fired showrunner and the studio, but at least we have one perfect season of television, with a haunting image from "Remember Me" — Rogue cradling a dead Gambit, while choking out, “I can’t feel you” — as a tart, but necessary cherry on top. —N.R.