The 32 Best TV Episodes of 2024

1. “Abbott Elementary” — Season 4, Episode 2 “Ringworm”

“Abbott Elementary” opened strong with its Season 4 premiere, deftly setting up an unfamiliar landscape for Gregory (Tyler James Williams) and Janine (creator Quinta Brunson) after getting together over the summer. But it’s not until Episode 2 — regrettably and appropriately titled “Ringworm” — that the pair’s blossoming relationship comes under threat of some highly contagious fungal spores. The newly resolved will-they-won’t-they starts to itch just as this all-timer episode reveals itself to be exactly what you’d expect in the best light.

From the lice in “Bob’s Burgers” to the sexually transmitted diseases on “Glee,” every great sitcom involving a school demands an excellent outbreak episode. “Abbott Elementary” more than delivers, with the kids and teachers splitting into hyper-specific character-driven pandemonium that results in some of the sharpest lines in recent series memory. (“I shaved ABOVE THE KNEE!”)

As Gregory’s fear of catching ringworm comes between him and Janine, she instead teams up with Ava (Janelle James) in an odd couple misadventure that sees the educators desperately trying to gain control when acting uncharacteristically in-sync. While Ava tries to “run rings around worm” for The Atlantic… and declares Purge Day for her lawless, germ-infested students… Janine learns an important lesson about letting go. It all culminates in an exquisite act of bravery (two, really!) that almost makes all that passive discomfort you’ll feel seem sweet. —AF

Read IndieWire’s chat with Quinta Brunson.

2. “The Acolyte” — Season 1, Episode 5 “Night”

Leslye Headland’s Star Wars series was taken from us too soon, but its sole (Sol??) season remains as an example of what possibilities await the franchise when it stops taking itself so seriously. Episode 5, written by Kor Adana and Cameron Squires and directed by Alex Garcia Lopez, unmasks the growling Sith (if you want to call him that) behind the sensory deprivation helmet to reveal Qimir (Manny Jacinto), a.k.a. The Stranger. He decimates the entire Jedi task force brought to Khofar by Sol (Lee Jung-jae) — including Jecki (Dafne Keen) and Yord (Charlie Barnett) — with killer stunt coordination from Mark Ginther and fight coordination by Guillermo Grispo.

Jacinto, known for a goofy likability in various characters, including Qimir, activates full villain mode, snarling about darkness and rules and his disdain for the Jedi — when he’s not killing or choking someone. Mae and Osha (Amandla Stenberg) reunite only to realize that life has led them too far from one another, culminating in a satisfying if predictable climax switch that puts them in significantly more compelling positions. What is Sol hiding, and what can the Stranger offer? “Night” leaves us begging for the answers to those questions, some of which we’ll never know fully. —PK

Read IndieWire’s commentary on “The Acolyte”s popularity here.

3. “Agatha All Along” — Season 1, Episode 7 “Death’s Hand in Mine”

Jac Schaeffer’s peripheral MCU fantasy could be accused of concealing its hand for a large part of the season, but as the pieces come together it only makes the big picture better and richer. After Episode 6 provided backstory for Teen a.k.a. Billy Maximoff (Joe Locke), the show picks up with him and Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) discussing everything in the open, then winding up in a Witches Road challenge built around tarot reading.

But the episode written by Gia King & Cameron Squires and directed by Schaeffer belongs to Patti Lupone’s Lilia, who harnesses the strength of her time-jumping consciousness to save the others as she nears the end of her own life. The episode’s structure mirrors how Lilia experiences the flow of time: nonlinearly (which proves to be more inventive and gratifying than most live-action MCU stories that purport to challenge notions of time and space). Between that and flashes of her past, when she learn the true nature of her gift, the roughly 30-minute episode builds an intimate relationship between Lilia and the other witches, and Lilia and the audience, all of it buoyed by LuPone’s years of finely honed skill as an actor (her true superpower!). She commands the final moments as Lilia sends the others to safety, defeats the Salem Seven, and sacrifices herself for the coven. —PK

Read IndieWire’s “Agatha All Along” postmortem here.

4. “The Boys” — Season 4, Episode 5, “Beware of the Jabberwock My Son”

There’s a quiet friendliness to Simon Pegg that’s always made him good casting for comic book adaptations. It’s hard to describe, but even starring in “Shaun of the Dead” and “The World’s End” (both films that would eventually be made into comic books) the multi-hyphenate English talent managed to play characters that were just a bit shitty without every compromising his status as a sympathetic hero. It’s a testament then to both the vision of “The Boys” showrunner Erik Kripke and Pegg’s expansive acting talents that Season 4 of Amazon Prime Video’s buzzy superhero drama makes Hughie’s timid dad not only briefly unlikable, but acutely and indelibly scary.

Sure, it’s something of a cheap shot to go mixing Compound V with the sick brain of a fragile man who has literally just had a stroke. (Petit Hughie, in his infinite wisdom, simply knew better — and not only because Kimiko 100 percent warned him about this.) But after the establishing events of Season 1, Hugh Sr. didn’t have much of a purpose in his son’s exploding universe. By ripping out the hearts of a few healthcare professionals, and chasing around Hughie (Jack Quaid) and his absentee mom (sorry, Rosemarie DeWitt, it’s not you, it’s Daphne… and I hate her), the mutant version of the father Hughie once knew morphs into a lethal reminder of the hard truths coming to a head as the series’ nears its high-stakes conclusion.

Learning to let go may be the key to ending the fight with Homelander (Antony Starr), which ramps up in other corners of “Beware the Jabberwock My Son” as The Boys simultaneously head to a farm where they’ll witness a Cronenberg-like experiment in killing supes thanks to Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit, better and better). There’s a terrible choice looming for our tortured heroes, even if we don’t know the specifics yet, and in Hugh Sr.’s last moments he offers his kid and his crime-fighting cohorts some decent advice. When grieving the reality you thought you once knew, in whatever form that might take, sometimes it’s better to let things die — no matter how hard that might be. To borrow from the late Hugh’s surprisingly effective monologue about pet euthanasia (this episode shouldn’t work but it does!), sometimes it’s better to not be Jar Jar. —AF

5. “Bridgerton” — Season 3, Episode 6

The steamy carriage ride at the end of Episode 4 may get all the cliffhanger talk, but for our money the most intense moment of Season 3 was the culmination of Episode 6, where Colin (Luke Newton) learned that Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) was the real Lady Whistledown. Gasp!

The episode did a great job with the escalating tension, first with Cressida claiming credit for Whistledown, and then ultimately Lady Cowper attempting to write the column when Cressida inevitably falls short. But of course, even with this way out of her mess, Penelope simply can’t give up the column she’s worked so hard to build, so by episode’s end she’s back writing and Colin follows her on the way to her publisher, finally putting two and two together. 

“Bridgerton” has so many characters, and the show does a pariticularly great job keeping all the plates spinning here (Lady Danbury and her brother have a heart to heart; the Mondriches host their very first ball; Eloise has torn loyalties; Benedict considers a threesome; the Queen wears a comical hairstyle). The drama never stops, and it’s to showrunner Jess Brownell and team’s credit that that reveals are well-paced and delightful. Just like a steamy book, viewers can’t wait to flip to the next page and discover what happens next.  —ES

Read IndieWire’s interview with Nicola Coughlan.

6. “Curb Your Enthusiasm” — Season 12, Episode 5, “Fish Stuck”

Honestly, the final season of Larry David’s iconic HBO comedy offers a number of worthy best episode contenders. “Vertical Drop, Horizontal Tug” sets up a hysterical golf course quandary any linksman will love. “The Gettysburg Address” features a classic recurring Larry-ism (reciting Lincoln’s celebrated speech every time he takes a leak), not to mention what may be Sienna Miller’s best performance (as a version of herself who can only properly emote while eating fruit). There’s the Bruce Springsteen episode (fingers crossed for that Emmy nomination, Boss!), the twin trickery of “The Dream Scheme,” and an actually amusing “Spartacus” homage in “Disgruntled,” but start to finish, top to bottom, petty grievances to good points, it’s gotta be “Fish Stuck.”

The fifth episode finds time for Larry finally escaping his relationship with the abominable Irma (Tracey Ullman), Richard Lewis trying out new stand-up material at his AA meetings (“There was a sad old lady who opened for me, but she only did 10 minutes”), and Vince Vaughn confusing a Disney Store sales associate with a Disney studio executive — and it’s all gold. But the purest joy comes from a simple disagreement Larry has with his new lawyer (Sean Hayes) and, eventually, his new lawyer’s husband (Dan Levy). Somehow, Larry’s initial suggestion that the couple’s forthcoming son take Mantle as a last name instead of Zeckelman — “Let’s be honest, it’s not a great name” — evolves into Larry insulting his own name (“I would rather be a Dash, or a Dazzy [?!], or a Dan”), inquiring whose semen was used for the surrogate, and, finally, offering his services to choose the child’s first name. (“You think Ziggy Zeckelman is a great name?!” “What about Foots?”)

This is what “Curb” does best: unassuming differences of opinion blossom into full-on fights, spurred on by improvised dialogue that’s both natural and surprising, from performers who know how to lean into their characters’ positions while forcing the audience to take sides. At the start, you may have been with Larry — Mantle over Zeckelman, obviously — but then he suggests Ziggy and Foots? What? No, Larry, now you’re the crazy one. But much like the trivial nature of the initial dispute, the final opinions really don’t matter. You’re laughing too hard to care. —BT

7. “Expats” — Season 1, Episode 5 “Central”

This feature-length penultimate episode of the series takes viewers into the eye of the storm — literally, as a torrential downpour seizes Hong Kong and forces our characters indoor to wait it out. Written and directed by series creator Lulu Wang, “Central” mostly turns the story over to the women responsible for helping our main characters cope in their day-to-day, primarily Puri (Amelyn Pardenilla) and  Essie (Ruby Ruiz). As the storm rages, Hilary (Sarayu Blue) seeks comfort in Puri over her husband’s affair, sharing a bottle of wine with her and letting Puri try her dress and wear her makeup. Essie takes care of the Woo family, where Clarke (Brian Tee) has brought home a pastor and the presence of religion sets Margaret (Nicole Kidman) on edge.

The episode is underscored by an idea that Puri raises early on while spending time with other Filipino women who work as help. She tells them, “Miss Hilary is my friend,” and they scoff — but when they bond during the storm, Puri feels herself vindicated when Hilary says “You’re a good friend.” In the comfort of the moment, Puri tells her that David’s (Jack Huston) affair is with Mercy (Ji-Young Woo), but the fleeting friendship punctures by morning as Hilary’s hangover sets in. When Margaret asks Essie to come back to the U.S. with them, it’s not out of genuine care for the woman helping raise her children, but because she and Clarke would be lost if they had to do it alone — even though this means taking Essie even further away from her loved ones.

That’s not even all of what happens in the episode, which includes ongoing Umbrella Movement protests, Mercy and Charly (Bonde Sham) spending the night together, and Olivia’s (Flora Chan) quest for a new maid, but as always “Expats” excels in executing all of these storylines smoothly in tandem and never overwhelming the viewer — even at 90 minutes. The Woos’ critical decision to leave Hong Kong leads us into the finale, their inner turmoil  and fateful choice mirrored as the clouds begin to clear. —PK

Read IndieWire’s interview with Lulu Wang. 

8. “God Save Texas” — Episode 1, “Hometown Prison”

Early in Richard Linklater’s feature-length premiere of HBO’s three-part documentary series, the Texas native delivers a piercing piece of narration, made all the more affecting by his trademark easygoing delivery. “What I saw as an unfolding tragedy created a kind of panic in me,” Linklater says. “This was all happening just down the hill from where I went to high school.” What Linklater refers to here is a state-mandated execution.

Twenty years ago, he visited a protest being held outside the local prison, and now, via a grand yet intimate examination of capital punishment, he confronts his own moral panic in a way our distraction-prone society tends to avoid. Issues like these can feel too big to invest in, especially when prisoners are put to death regularly enough for it to feel routine, but avoidance isn’t the answer, and having a guide as affable and engaged as Linklater keeps the episode focused and digestible without feeling too overwhelming. A brilliant study of an ongoing affront to human rights, from a poignantly personal point of view. —BT

9. “The Great North” — Season 4, Episode 2, “Risky Beefness Adventure”

While it’s quite a bro-heavy episode in a series typically led by Judi (Jenny Slate), Fox’s animated sitcom about an earthy Alaskan family dedicates “Risky Beefness Adventure” to helping papa bear Beef Tobin (Nick Offerman) find his romantic mojo. That involves his children (some grown, some getting there, some not even close) helping him with dating apps and enduring uncomfortable conversations about their father’s sexual proclivities — a universally unwanted experience that becomes all the more mortifying for the bashful Beef when one of the women he dates writes poetry about their night together in the local newspaper. Encouraging healthy communication about basic human needs and as inventive as creators Wendy and Lizzie Molyneux have consistently proven to be, “The Great North” Episode 402 keeps the joyfully weird sitcom on the upswing as we eagerly await Season 5. —AF

10. “Hacks” — Season 3, Episode 9, “Bulletproof” 

Now this is how you do a finale! The final installment of Season 3 found Deborah (Jean Smart) and Ava’s (Hannah Einbinder) relationship implode when Ava found out Deborah was lying to her when she said the network wanted someone else to be head writer on her late-night show — Deborah just didn’t want to take the risk on Ava.

Smash cut to Ava blackmailing Deborah by threatening to tell everyone Deborah slept with network CEO (Tony Goldwyn). It’s the perfect kind of finale twist that was inevitable only in hindsight, delicious to watch, and perfectly in character. A cherry on top of a season of sharp laughs, goofy sight gags, and the most watchable duo on TV.

And that’s not even mentioning Season 3’s other amazing duo: Paul W. Downs’ Jimmy and Meg Stalter’s Kayla, who took their one-sided will-they won’t-they to hilarious, moving new levels. The two get their own big romantic gesture of sorts when Jimmy proposes (working together) on a plane. It’s simple, really: The finale was just more great evidence why “Hacks” remains the best comedy on TV. —ES

Read IndieWire’s interview with Hannah Einbinder about the “Hacks” finale. 

11. “Industry” — Season 3, Episode 1, “Il Mattino ha L’Oro Bocca”

Throw a dart at a wall listing every episode of “Industry” Season 3, and you’ll hit one with a good case for the best of the lot. There’s Rishi’s spectacular Christmas collapse in Episode 4, Yasmin’s stupendous destruction in Episode 6, and, of course, the cataclysmic events in the finale, which are almost too painful to remember.

But credit must be given to the episode that started us down the season-long path of magnificent, no-holds-barred annihilation. The premiere, “Il Mattino ha L’Oro Bocca” tells us everything we need to know about what’s coming in “Industry.” The fateful events on Yasmin’s father’s yacht are teased in both narrative (revealing) and timbre (horrifying). Lumi and its erratic billionaire boss are framed as false idols. Robert can’t catch a break — or, perhaps, he can’t recognize when he’s been broken — and Harper is moving fast and breaking shit on her own.

But the episode isn’t content with mere promises. It also delivers shocking twists at a rapid rate, reveling in the chaos it’s created in a way that should prove unsustainable. How much story can you burn through before there’s no sparks left to light? Well, “Industry” just keeps blazing, remaining defiantly alight from start to finish. Episode 1 may not be as self-contained as Episode 4 or as definitive as Episode 8, but it’s still able to embody both of those elements to become distinguished and powerful TV. Plus, it’s as good a warning as you’ll ever get for a season so off-the-rails brilliant. —BT

Read IndieWire’s interview with the “Industry” creators on Episode 1.

12. “Interview with the Vampire” — Episode 7, “I Could Not Prevent It”

When adapting her lush and introspective gothic novel for the big screen in 1994, Anne Rice had to make a fairly standard concession — trading in the flowery prose that made her complex tale of codependent vampires so intensely literary for a more cinematic version that accounted first and foremost for the Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt of it all. Each version works in its own way, but with AMC’s “Interview with the Vampire” now in its second season, showrunner Rolin Jones is enjoying the best of both worlds to an almost unreal degree.

With Episode 7, “I Could Not Prevent It,” which IndieWire’s Ben Travers was quick to name “one of the year’s most rewarding and remarkable hours of television,” Jones gives the thorniest of undead moral considerations room to breathe in an expanded serial format that’s as high on monster camp as it is pained human connection. Arguably, it was the choice to explore this overwrought romantic relationship as a television show back in 2022 that made its best episode possible in 2024. That this storied reckoning mostly plays out on a theater stage, set up like an occult kangaroo court, feels like a fitting moment of medium mixing at the very least.

Like a sun-shy ghoul still allowed to play in the light… you know, before her skin explodes because of a sham trial focused on her narcissistic gay dads (too soon?)… the complex interplay of emotion between Jacob Anderson’s Louis de Pointe du Lac and Sam Reid’s Lestat de Lioncourt needed as much time to evolve as it did to fester. Taking into account the book, “I Could Not Prevent It” offers nearly 50 years pay off. Not all good and not all bad, the mutual manipulation that binds these icons of interlocking hostility instantly grew richer with the textual changes from Season 1. But it’s that timeless sense of a doomed commitment that culminates in the at-once wildly self-indulgent and totally earned penultimate episode. It features a handful of jaw-dropping performances (go, Assad Zaman, go!) but once again sees Reid shine above the rest with a spellbinding monologue that perfectly captures the duality of making an apology to… and indictment of… someone you can’t not love. —AF

13. “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show” — Episode 5, “Jamar”

Functioning as a sequel to his Emmy-winning special “Rothaniel,” Jerrod Carmichael’s HBO series follows the now-out comedian as he tries to embrace his truest self without losing the people who matter to him. Or, better put, without abandoning them entirely. Carmichael, as he admits early in the raw, oft-uncomfortable eight-episode season, has a problem with selflessness. He wants to do what he wants to do, which can often alienate loved ones, but he’s also been repressing parts of himself for so long that doing so again, even for the right reasons, feels like a sacrifice he can’t bring himself to make.

Rarely is his paradox more apparent than in Episode 5, “Jamar.” The episode follows Carmichael on tour with fellow comedian Jamar Neighbors, whose stand-up routines are more joke-forward than Jerrod’s introspective storytelling. When Jamar grows frustrated with the lack of response from audiences, Jerrod convinces him to try things his way — to be more vulnerable than shocking, more inquisitive than aggressive. Some of it works, some of it doesn’t, and the audience is left wondering whether Jamar and his career really benefit from Jerrod’s advice, or if Jerrod is still struggling to see past himself when trying to form a connection with others. Powerful, funny, and provocative, “Jamar” is worth catching on its own, even if you find the rest of “Reality Show” is too squirm-inducing. —BT

14. “John Mulaney Presents Everybody’s in L.A.” — Episode 5, “Earthquakes” 

Early in the episode, Mulaney declared that “Earthquakes” would be the show’s Emmy episode — a bold proclamation for a live program still unfolding. But he did correctly ID the show’s best installment, an 86-minute jokefest that was also, somehow, a really engaging conversation about earthquakes.

Alongside guests David Letterman, Luenell, Bill Hader, and Pete Davidson, the episode included earthquake expert Dr. Lucy Jones. Over the course of a long segment, Dr. Jones explained the dangers of fracking, the 1984 Northridge quake, and why LA is so prone to shakes. David Letterman and I both learned a ton!

The rest of the episode was a true hodge-podge of weirdness, including random viewer call-ins, “Waingro” from “Heat” doing stand up, and a truly inspired political piece/send up of “Daily Show”-esque political reporting that revolved around finding the weirdest MAGA rally people so one can feel superior. Genuinely wild! Actually memorable!

Much has been written about late-night in the streaming era, and if late-night shows will even stick around as we know them. Netflix’s six live nights of “Everybody’s in LA” make the case that the format can evolve. With Mulaney at the center that evolution is worth paying attention to. —ES

Read IndieWire’s interview with John Mulaney about the show.

15. “Kite-Man: Hell Yeah!” — Season 1, Episode 4, “Portal Potty, Hell Yeah!”

Few sitcom set-ups are more relatable — in that “living nightmare” kind of way — than when a guest does something wrong in the host’s bathroom. Maybe they broke the sink. Maybe they can’t get their pants back up. Maybe they didn’t realize that flushing the toilet sends them back in time to 1986, where they’ll meet the love of their life who also happens to be their present-day friend’s mom.

Thankfully, “Kite-Man” cooked up that last scenario for its fourth episode, “Portal Potty, Hell Yeah!,” which transports Bane (James Adomian) back in time for a delightful, seemingly disconnected B-plot while Glider (Stephanie Hsu) and Kite-Man (Matt Oberg) work through a few family issues in the A-story. The young couple are in the midst of moving in together, which raises questions about their parents and their past, which just so happen to connect back to Bane’s ‘80s visit to the group’s favorite bar, Noonan’s. Filled with stylish flourishes and impeccable voice work, Episode 4 exhibits all the best aspects of an adult-animated spinoff that quickly finds its own voice: fun, funny, and deep enough to endear you to its characters. Come for Bane’s self-made theme song, stick around for Bane’s broken heart. —BT

Read IndieWire’s interview with the creator of “Kite-Man: Hell Yeah!”

16. “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” — Season 11, Episode 15 “Trump’s Second Term”

The last thing anyone wants to talk about right now is a potential Trump second term. But. But. Make the time to watch John Oliver’s 38-minute deep dive into what those four years could look like.

Focusing on Project 2025, which Oliver helped bring awareness to, the comedian and his team expertly break down what it is and the far-reaching effects of its implementation, particularly regarding who and how civil servants in government would be classified and hired.

It’s obvious the intense kind of research that goes into explaining this type of planned legislation, and while Team “Last Week Tonight” have done it week in and week out about various topics for years, this is still a stunning piece of journalism. The well-timed jokes about “MILF Manor” Season 2 are just a bonus. —ES

17. “A Man on the Inside” — Season 1, Episode 5 “Presents and Clear Danger”

The Michael Schur-created show may be a comedy, but it’s one of the comedies that will also make you tear up occasionally; nowhere is that more obvious than in the fifth episode, “Presents and Clear Danger,” directed by Anu Valia and written by Janet Leahy and Alex Farber.

Taking place halfway through the season, Charles (Ted Danson) gets thrown a few twists while investigating some missing jewelry at a nursing home. In this moving installment, he bonds with a fellow resident, Gladys (a lovely Susan Ruttan), who is dealing with early-stage dementia. The half-hour is a beautiful tale about grief, and also, with a deft touch, the importance of reaching out. It’s moving, memorable, and the kind of thing you’ll remember if a loved one is ever going through a similar experience. Make the time. —ES

Read IndieWire’s review of “A Man on the Inside.”

18. “Matlock” — Season 1, Episode 1 “Pilot”

Let’s get one thing straight: A “Matlock” reboot shouldn’t have worked. Or at least, it shouldn’t have worked beyond some mindless case-of-the-week background noise to flip on while you scroll your phone. That instead it’s among the best of the year is one of the most delightful surprises of 2024, and credit for that goes to Jennie Snyder Urman and her ingenious twist on the concept, revealed at the end of the first episode: Maddy Matlock (an excellent Kathy Bates, but who’s surprised!?) is a fake name and the case-of-the-week stuff is just to get her in the door at the white shoe law firm. She’s really there undercover hoping to find out which lawyer hid documents that would have helped take opioids off the streets earlier, thus saving her daughter. That season-long runner has paid dividends and it was all established in the last 10 minutes of the most exciting pilot episode of the year. It’s fresh, fun, and genuinely intriguing. If only all TV could surprise like this. —ES

Read IndieWire’s chat with Jennie Snyder Urman.

19. “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” — Episode 5, “The Hurt Man”

A lot of “Monsters” is messy. A lot of it is campy, kitschy, and melodramatic, while other parts seek to directly recreate actual photos or footage. But “The Hurt Man” — the series’ one half-hour installment, starring only Cooper Koch and Ari Graynor — is an impressive confluence of writing, directing, and performance encased within the wider noise of the season.

In one unbroken take that slowly punches inward, Erik (Koch) recounts the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse he endured from his childhood up until the night when he and brother Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) murdered their parents. Filmed over two days, the episode required Koch to tap into his theater experience for the long takes, and for Graynor to punctuate Erik’s story as his lawyer Leslie while never showing her face to the camera. By the time it wraps up, agonizingly tight on Koch alone, there’s no question of how trapped and isolated this person feels — and a sense that maybe, if only for one episode, the series serves him well. —PK

Read about Koch and Graynor’s process for “Monsters” Episode 5.

20. “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” — Season 1, Episode 7, “Infidelity”

As tensions rise beween John (Donald Glover) and Jane (Maya Erskine), the latter suspects her husband of having an affair and decides to go snooping. At first, Jane’s reaction seems overblown — holding Bev (Micaela Coel) at gunpoint, questioning her, hiding out in the apartment once John comes over — then Bev attacks John and all bets are off. The spouses team up to take down this unexpected and concerningly resilient target who’s more than a match for their combined talents, all while failing to outrun their own pressing marital issues. It also happens to be the episode where Erskine licks a large loaf of challah as part of Jane’s plan to charge a cell phone, and that’s important to note.

“If your spouse started spending time with somebody else, who would be the most intimidating and coolest person to truly crush your heart if that was who your partner is spending time with?” showrunner Francesca Sloane told IndieWire in February. “That’s Michaela Coel, easily.” Sloane, Glover, and the “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” writing team had Coel in mind when they wrote Bev, who only appears in this episode but leaves a mighty impression. —PK

Read Indiewire’s interview with co-creator Francesca Sloane. 

21. “Mr. Throwback” — Season 1, Episode 3, “The Slump”

David Caspe and Adam Pally’s latest collaboration (after “Happy Endings” and “Champaign ILL”) tends to struggle when its extreme premise steals the spotlight, and it can be difficult to get much distance from the central arc in a six-episode season. (For those who don’t know, “Mr. Throwback” is a comedy about a father who lies about his teenage daughter having a terminal disease so he can reconnect with, and profit from, his childhood best friend, Stephen Curry.)

But Episode 3 gets exactly enough space to let its all-star collaborators shine. When Curry goes cold on the court, Danny (Pally) is enlisted to help the NBA sharp-shooter get his rhythm back — or, more accurately, Danny is asked to go find his dad, who, as Curry’s youth basketball coach, knows how to fix the superstar’s sudden slump. Not only does this bring theater superstar Tracy Letts into the mix as Danny’s shunned papa (not to mention special guests Dave Pasquesi and Brooke Breit), but it allows Curry — a serviceable but still very green actor — to get genuine laughs. (Watching one of the game’s greatest pure shooters lob up brick after brick is pretty funny, and Curry really sells his frustration at a charming comic pitch.)

Pally and Ayden Mayeri (as Danny’s ex-wife, Sam) savor scenes where their relaxed romantic chemistry can progress, and Ego Nwodim (as Curry’s agent) nails a white board illustration of Curry-nomics (which sounds like a D.O.A. comic bit and instead becomes one of the season’s highlights). With strong writers and a sparkling cast, “The Slump” is one of the funniest episodes of the year inside a show that’s often hilarious, when it gets enough room to shoot its shots. —BT

Read IndieWire’s interview with the “Mr. Throwback” creators.

22. “Nobody Wants This” — Season 1, Episode 5 “My Friend Joanne”

Created by Erin Foster, “Nobody Wants This” clinches the title of 2024’s worst misnomer — if only because any romantic who was alive during the aughts doesn’t just “want to” but very much needs to see Adam Brody seduce Kristen Bell in a winsome religious comedy.  The show follows an ill-fated would-be couple as they navigate one of love’s timeless questions: Could you… would you… with a rabbi? This episode, we’re asking at Jewish sleepaway camp despite having a critical meeting with Spotify.

As the agnostic podcaster Joanne, Bell sensitively picks through a junk drawer of insecurities in a show that mostly allows its plot to dance in place. Still, if there’s a moment of catharsis worth working toward during a binge, it’s what’s waiting past the awkward emotional turmoil that makes up the majority of Episode 5 “My Friend Joanne.” With Leslie Grossman appearing as a welcome guest in a weird getaway, Joanne and Noah (AKA Brody AKA Hot Rabbi) blow off professional obligations to mixed results. If you like the stars’ chemistry, then it’s a sunny feast of affection. At least, for a while.

No one likes to be hidden by the person they’re dating but this episode is particularly painful. Supporting characters Morgan (Justine Lupe) and Sasha (Timothy Simons) pull focus when you really need it (justice for loser siblings!), but you’ll get the most relief when the main conflict comes to a head for a scene that’s as bonkers as it is charming. (Seriously, we’re still asking, why during the meeting?) —AF

Read IndieWire’s chat with creator Erin Foster.

23. “Outer Range” — Season 2, Episode 4, “Ode to Joy”

Brian Watkins’ now-canceled Prime Video series had two major factors working in its favor: 1) It was as dedicated to its story’s family drama as it was to its science-fiction, marrying the two genres in a way that never felt like you were watching two separate shows at the same time. 2) It was unafraid to go for it — really go for it — and rarely did both facets come together as beautifully as in “Ode To Joy.” Told almost entirely in the past, the fourth episode of Season 2 mainly focuses on Sheriff Joy (Tamara Podemski), who’s been living in the late 1800s for years. Now, her indigenous tribe wants her to assume a leadership role, but Joy hasn’t given up on finding her way back to 2022, where her wife is still waiting for her. Meanwhile, a young Royal (Josh Brolin in the present) is dealing with an oppressive, angry father who’s poor investments and general hostilities has put his family in a bad spot.

How these two storylines merge is both natural and thrilling, arresting and revealing. Attentive viewers know how the episode will end, but that doesn’t prevent the climax from landing with a massive emotional wallop. Sometimes, it felt like “Outer Range” had bitten off more than it could chew. But episodes like this one made you a believer again, making it a real shame we won’t get to see the series conclude on its own terms. I’m sure it would’ve been a doozy. —BT

24. “Palm Royale” — Season 1, Episode 10, “Maxine Throws a Party”

Apple TV+’s “Palm Royale” finished out its dazzling inaugural season with the magnificent and calamitous Beach Ball that viewers spent so many other episodes hearing so much about. As a matter of visual craft, “Maxine Throws a Party” is nothing short of extraordinary, a lattice work of methodical costume design (jellyfish headdress!) and production design (barnacle banisters!) that’s matched with retro make-up and hair which, for better or worse, breathes fresh life into the promise of blue eyeshadow and tiara-topped bump-its. Don’t judge! These ladies have to look regal for President Nixon! 

The equally detailed story is almost beaded in its meticulous attention to character, with just a couple of ingenious plot twists tying off a half dozen narrative threads all at once. From the heartbreaking shooting of assassination-adjacent astronaut Ricky Martin to Kristen Wiig’s impassioned performance of Peggy Lee’s “Is That All There Is,” creator Abe Sylvia’s passion for the late ‘60s and the team he has assembled to pay homage to that period glitters like freshly skimmed pool water in this particularly beautiful script. It’s splitting hairs to pick a best “Palm Royale” chapter when so far there hasn’t been a bad banana in the bunch (shout out, “Maxine Saves the Whale”), but the finale gets a boost if only because it truly looks and feels like fireworks. —AF

25. “The Penguin” — Season 1, Episode 4 “Cent’anni”

Episode 4 of Lauren LeFranc’s bleak Gotham character study — directed by Helen Shaver and written by John McCutcheon — focuses on Cristin Milioti’s outstanding Sofia Falcone, from her socialite past to suspicions that her father Carmine (Mark Strong) killed her mother to him ultimately framing Sofia for murder and sentencing her to a decade in Arkham Asylum. It’s a dynamite performance from Milioti, who commits as wholly to Sofia’s unrecognizable pre-Arkham persona as the tortured, hardened woman we know in the present, who makes more sense with every moment.

The episode also happens to be a sharp indictment of prison systems, corruption, and even the perverse mentality of people like Dr. Rush (Theo Rossi) with masterful cinematography, pacing, (and that yellow dress!). The Sofia introduced in “The Penguin” has been undone by her imprisonment — echoing the psychological toll that incarceration has even on the innocent. Milioti gives it her all in every single frame of this episode (and the series), creating a character who is nuanced, compelling, and easy to find compassion for — irresistibly engaging even as she massacres her remaining relatives. —PK

Read IndieWire’s interview with Lauren LeFranc about Episode 4.

26. “The Regime” — Episode 4, “Midnight Feast”

Will Tracy’s ambitious satire about an unnamed country enduring the strange whims of its erratic authoritarian ruler didn’t quite stick the landing as a miniseries. Still, what HBO’s “The Regime” lacked in a cohesive feel and clear political conclusion, it sometimes makes up for with a richly imagined dystopia putting its cast and crew’s myriad talents on ideal display. Nowhere is that truer than in the subterranean prison cell at the heart of Episode 4, “Midnight Feast.”

With just two more installments to go, special guest star Hugh Grant emerges centerstage in “The Regime” as the political dissident Edward Keplinger. Playing opposite Kate Winslet’s menacing Chancellor Elena Vernham, and far from browbeaten in her presence, the former leftist leader with his secrets to hide soon engages in an unforgettable verbal faceoff that can only do so much to elevate the stakes for the rest of the show — but nevertheless stands out as an undeniable feat of performance from both British megastars. The two diametrically opposed foes of fictional government have a simmering sexual chemistry that Grant himself told IndieWire was intentional. (“He once shagged Elena,” the actor said. “Does that come through in that scene?”) And it’s that self-propelling cycle of lustful fixation and outright hatred that sucks you into the autocratic odd couple’s toxic whirlpool of self-obsession and schemes.

Also in “Midnight Feast,” Tracy shows off more of the stunning production design and costume design supporting Elena’s outrageous palace, here seen especially chilly (read: HOT). Plus, Zuback (Matthias Schoenaerts) faces the unforeseen consequences of crossing his confused love interest, landing him dangerously close to Ed for a chance to compare notes that leads to a brilliant last-act twist. Episode 4 smartly sets up the remainder of the series while pausing to seriously consider what any given person might believe in the name of finding safety. —AF

Read IndieWire’s interview with Hugh Grant. 

27. “The Rings of Power” — Season 2, Episode 7 “Doomed to Die”

Maybe you’re a student of the Silmarillion, or maybe you’re a casual viewer who only dives into “The Rings of Power” while it airs — but Season 2, Episode 7 (directed by Charlotte Brändström and written by J.D. Payne, Patrick McKay, and Justin Doble) serves both ends of the fan spectrum, and everything in between. While the dwarves prepare to reclaim Khazad-dûm from the ring-possessed King Durin III (Peter Mullan), Elrond (Robert Aramayo) entreats with Adar to save Galadriel (Morfydd Clark). There are character beats aplenty in the 72-minute installment, including Elrond and Durin IV’s reunion (Owain Arthur), Elrond and Galadriel’s kiss  (it was strategic!), and Durin finding the strength to lead his people under unimaginable circumstances. There are also jaw-dropping visual effects, production design, and battle choreography driving the action throughout. It’s an episode meant to be seen on the biggest screen possible and a singular testament to epic fantasy television.

As elegantly as the rest comes together, the episode is nothing if not a swan song for Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), held hostage in his tower and his mind by Sauron (Charlie Vickers) while the Orcs lay siege to his home. Even escape won’t save Celebrimbor from the gaslighting and illusion as Sauron besmirches him before the elves and demonstrates seemingly infinite power. The two actors anchor the episode superbly, especially Edwards — down to the great smith’s final, broken moments before his tragic end. —PK

Read IndieWire’s analysis of “Doomed to Die” here.

28. “The Sympathizer” — Episode 1, “Death Wish”

More like “Park Chan-cooks, amirite?” Appreciating the first episode of “The Sympathizer” is as simple as opening your eyes, since co-showrunner and episode director Park Chan-wook puts on one helluva show to kick off HBO’s head-spinning espionage drama. From the homages of ‘70s cinema to the spectacular closing chase sequence, “Death Wish” showcases the Cannes award-winner’s creative vision in ways both minute (like using a ruler as a screen wiping transition) and grand (the airfield escape is a breathtaking set piece). That he’s able to layer in so much information about a covert communist spy working within the South Vietnam army is a credit to his imagination and efficiency, as well as his impeccable cast (led by the stellar Hoa Xuande) and dedicated crew. TV premieres need to hook you, and “The Sympathizer” gives you a million reasons to keep watching within one thrilling hour. —BT

29. “Tokyo Vice” — Season 2, Episode 10, “Endgame”

It’s impossible for me to explain just how satisfying, entertaining, and astonishing the “Tokyo Vice” finale is within the confines of a single blurb. (And to be honest, I’ve already gone way over my word count elsewhere in this list.) So please, just trust me in saying that even though Max made the erroneous decision to cancel “Tokyo Vice” after just two seasons, you won’t be disappointed when you reach the deeply rewarding conclusion. It rips. So hard. Enjoy. —BT

30. “Shogun” — Season 1, Episode 4, “Chapter 4: The Eightfold Fence”

After Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) bestows the title of hatamoto upon John (Cosmo Jarvis), they join with Yabushige’s (Tadanobu Asano) forces on the road to Osaka. When yet another request to reunite with his ship and crew is denied, John realizes that even though Toranaga respects him, he is still essentially a prisoner. Fuming in his powerlessness, he confides in Mariko (Anna Sawai), who tells him of the eightfold fence; an internal wall constructed to protect the individual by tuning in to their surroundings and out of their circumstances.

The episode marks the culmination of John’s cannon fire lessons with Toranaga’s men and a surprise attack by his son (Yuki Kura) which incites war. Usami Fuji (Moeka Hoshi) is assigned as John’s consort, which neither of them want but which creates and instant, unspoken loyalty that he hasn’t had since reachign Japan. Fuji takes custody of John’s guns, even wields one, and in turn offers him her father’s swords to legitimize him in the eyes of everyone else. And while the physical relationship between John and Mariko isn’t surprising, “The Eightfold Fence” earns it by building their emotional connection and ensuring that they both play their parts among Toranaga’s allies. —PK

31. “Trying” — Season 4, Episode 7 “White Lies”

The fourth season of Andy Wolton’s stirring family comedy jumps forward six years, with Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall) comfortably raising older versions of their adopted children Princess (Scarlett Rayner) and Tyler (Cooper Turner). After her grandmother’s funeral, Princess’s curiosity about her birth mother piques, and she starts pursuing any and all leads about the woman who put her up for adoption. Once Nikki finds out, she takes over, following the latest tip to Majorca, where she meets Kat (Charlotte Riley) face-to-face.

While Nikki flexes her terrible lying skills to get closer to Kat, Jason and the rest of the family rally to help Princess pass her exams, because she spent so much time fixating on her mother that she fell behind in school. It’s rare for “Trying” to split up its core cast, especially Nikki and Jason, but “White Lies” showcases the power of their partnership under strenuous circumstances and across land and sea. Even up against the worst case scenario of their family falling apart, they hold it together, and they give each other more love and support than ever (and the kind of deeper understanding that allows Jason to know his wife lied about being deaf in the wrong ear). —PK

32. “What We Do in the Shadows” — Season 6, Episode 9 “Come Out and Play”

A night out to celebrate the Baron (Doug Jones) turns deadly when Cravensworth’s monster (Andy Assaf) kills vampire leader Jerry (Michael Patrick O’Brien) in front of hundreds, and the New York City area vampires follow in hot pursuit of Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nandor (Kayvan Novak), and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch). Chased through the night and without a clue how to get home, they call Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) for help while he’s out for a rare hang with cousin Miguel (Frankie Quinones).

Apart from being a delightful romp through various vampire types (including prep school girls, baseball bros from the Bronx, and meatpacking district vampires), the episode written by Shana Gohd & Paul Simms and directed by DJ Stipsen has deft and subtle callbacks; everyone around Colin turning into a bat and granting him momentary safety, Nadja and Laszlo finally talking through the disagreement that’s been boiling between them for decades, and Miguel sharing Guillermo’s knack for slaying due to their shared Van Helsing blood. Colin’s ridiculous puns provide a relentless runner along with Nandor’s crush on The Guide (Kristen Schaal), who points out that he loves to have a crush but hates having a partner (!). What “Shadows” episode isn’t bolstered by Jones’ Baron swanning around in his robes or Nadja out for blood? In the ramp up to its series finale (unaired and unscreened at the time of this list’s publication), the series deploys an outrageous half hour full of all the things that makes it irresistible. It really is all about vamily. —PK

Read IndieWire’s review of Season 6.