100 Best 2024 Shows So Far

As one of the most decorated Olympians in history, the gymnast Simon Biles hardly needs an introduction. It’s better to see her in action, anyway, than read her endless accolades, which is why Simone Biles: Rising wastes no time launching into action and getting to the heart of the matter. The documentary begins with Biles’ controversial exit from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and rehashes the harsh and unfair criticism she received soon after. We see the toll this takes on Biles and understand how widespread of a problem it actually is–the expectations, the pressures, the sheer physical and mental struggle to go beyond what is humanly possible. The film challenges our ideas of heroism and athleticism, and by the second episode, it touches on something more poignant as Biles shares her traumatic past as a fostered kid and a Black girl breaking into a sport dominated mostly by white, blonde women. With all the twists and turns the dramatic series puts us through, it expertly sets up Biles (and our hopefully more compassionate excitement) for her much-awaited comeback in Paris.

Wyatt Earp’s adventures in the Wild West are the stuff of legend. Indeed, plenty of Hollywood greats have tried to recreate—or at least, emulate—his mythology, from Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda to Kevin Costner and Val Kilmer. But maybe non-fiction is the way to go. That’s what I gathered from watching the deeply engaging six-part docudrama Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War. The series blends well-acted dramatic performances with expert commentary from historians, and the cherry on top is that Ed Harris (The Man in Black from Westworld! Of course!) narrates with the kind of cool and character that makes you want to listen to him forever. But the key here is that balance between drama and documentary: it never feels too played up, thanks in large part to the actors’ lived-in performances (my favorite is Thomas Fitch), nor does it feel like a droning history lesson, even though we do end up learning so much more about Earp and the legendary shootout that occurred in O.K. Corral. It’s all edited so that you get different things, too, per episode. One serves as a riveting legal drama, another is more focused on the juicy love triangle Earp is involved in. All, however, are equally educational and exciting.

Our cold open sees a classic patient on the loose scene, then quickly followed by the multifaceted drama and gang warfare that sits at the heart of the story — a multi-pronged attack that doesn’t always merge so smoothly. High tension happens within the sci-fi elements that the viewer is always learning to process, which can be an efficient way to pick up on many aspects of the story, but it can also feel like a juggling act. There’s a little bit of everything here mood-wise: a little romance, family drama, superpowers, and unintentional comedy. When it all gels, it’s pretty straightforward, but never truly feels like a silky smooth ride.

The easy thing to do would be to give this a 7 and move on; say automotive and makeover reality TV fans will eat this up; say once you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. But Resurrecting Rides does stand out as lighthearted and accessible for people who may not be its primary audience. It feels like bantering with old friends and funny without forcing any bits and weird editing decisions. Crucially, it also makes use of satisfying visuals in the planning and side-by-side phases, and nothing too stupid happens to the cars. Just a satisfying and rewarding watch overall, whether you take interest in the niche or in Pimp My Ride nostalgia.

It takes some time for the action to pick up, with the off-putting atmosphere and various character dynamics being opted to be slow-cooked. The choice certainly pays off with an ecosystem of concerning little stories slowly crashing into each other like dominoes, and creating drama that you have to pursue in the next episode. There’s an uneasiness about the whole story largely carried by the settings alone—the rain, the houses, the nearby establishments, etc. It can be a little difficult to pick up on the intricate details at first, and the prodding pace certainly isn’t for a lot people, but for those who stay, there is an intriguing story that awaits.

If Wise Guy reads like a biography of David Chase and an oral history of The Sopranos, that’s because it is simultaneously both those things. Chase’s story is The Sopranos’ and vice versa. As Chase reveals in this two-part documentary, The Sopranos was initially based on his mother and his childhood in New Jersey. But then the show evolved into something more profound and complex than anyone could’ve imagined. Free from the reins of network TV, it relished in its R-rating creativity and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. People tuned into it every night. It was celebrated and parodied in equal measure. Most important of all, it ushered in a new era of prestige television that valued substance more than anything else. There’s no better person to guide us through the ins and outs and behind-the-scenes of The Sopranos than the showrunner himself. Director Alex Gibney parallels his interview with Chase with scenes from the show, even matching its colors and texture, to further prove how inextricable Chase is from his creation. We see never-before-seen clips of casting, script writing, reception—the works. Wise Guy must be heaven-sent to hardcore Sopranos fans, but it’s also the perfect introduction for the uninitiated.

If you’ve seen one too many true crime documentaries, you might shake your head at the things sixteen-year-old Penelope does upon running away from her high school camp. You might (rightly) ask, why is she camping in the middle of nowhere all alone? Why is she trusting all these different strangers who, for all she knows, could be a serial killer or a trafficker? And why approach that bear? Why sleep in that clearing? But the sooner you let go of those worries and accept that Penelope is more of a fable about growing up and finding yourself than it is a literal survival tale, the better. Which isn’t to say it fails as the latter—Penelope is surprisingly watchable as she learns the ways of the wilderness. In fact, one near-silent episode is dedicated to just Penelope learning the ropes, literally, and it’s one of the season’s best. As long as you don’t get stuck in the details of Penelope’s journey and take aside your cynicism for just a while, you’ll find something touching and humanizing in this short but sweet series.

Partially due to the surviving Norse myths, as well as certain modernized cinematic depictions, most people think of the Norse gods as fairly benevolent, if a bit violent, entities. With Zack Synder at the helm, it’s unsurprising that he would take an edgier approach to the Twilight of the Gods, but this time, it works well, transforming these arbitrarily powerful beings as the villains they would actually be, at least in the perspective of the humans trampled by their thoughtlessness. It’s beautifully depicted, with lovely character designs and great voice performances, and it’s an interesting depiction of a mythology not often depicted.

It’s been five years since the bombshell interview between the BBC’s Emily Maitlis and the the British monarchy’s Prince Andrew took place, yet it continues to intrigue, if the nonstop release of dramatizations are anything to go by. The latest entry is the three-part series A Very Royal Scandal, which mainly focuses on Maitlis as a workaholic journalist intent on getting the scoop, even if it means sacrifcing time spent at home. Apart from Maitlis, we’re also privy to His Royal Highness’ point of view, which is a mix privileged naivitie, paternal sweetness, and dumb lust. Compared to Netflix’s Scoop, which is more interested in the BBC booker Sam McAlister’s POV, Amazon Prime’s A Very Royal Scandal is by nature deeper and more explorative. It’s also more exciting and less salacious in tone. Paired with a suspenseful score, smart editing, and rich backdrops, the series is a near-masterclass on how to make treaded ground feel fresh again.

Remakes are a dime a dozen, but Prime Video’s Spanish reinterpretation of Zorro gives justice to the masked vigilante. With the sword fights, the vengeance, and the romance, the ten-episode series sticks close to the swashbuckler’s origin story, but explores certain nuances of the era that haven’t been a focus, until now. This Zorro is more involved with the people of Los Angeles, not just the Spanish colonial inhabitants, but also the Native Americans, and he fights against the injustice that they face. It makes for a more grounded adaptation than the ones previously, but Zorro still feels just as exciting in this rodeo.