TV Shows That Will Blow Everyone Away In 2024
If you're a fan of the small screen, then you'll no doubt be aware that 2023 was a great year for TV. New arrivals such as the Amazon miniseries "Dead Ringers" and the Peacock original series "Poker Face" made big splashes, as did HBO's adaptation of the hit video game "The Last of Us." There were also new seasons of shows like "The Great," "Snowfall," and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" to enjoy. You would have been forgiven for thinking that 2023 would be hard to top when the year came to a close, but 2024 is shaping up to be just as — if not more — impressive in terms of TV offerings.
2024 has already gotten off to a great start with the likes of Netflix's mind-bending sci-fi series "3 Body Problem," FX's history epic "Shogun," and Disney's animated hit "X-Men '97," a revival of the beloved '90s cartoon "X-Men: The Animated Series." There are plenty more big shows to come in 2024 from the likes of Netflix and FX, and there's also the first long-form series from Pixar to look forward to. For more information on those shows and dozens more, read on.
The Bear Season 3 - June 26, 2024
A prestige streaming series releasing new seasons annually around the same time each year is a rare occurrence nowadays, but FX and Hulu's surprise hit "The Bear" looks to be a regular fixture of our Junes for the foreseeable future — especially since they're reportedly shooting Season 3 and Season 4 back-to-back, apparently to accommodate the cast's increasingly busy schedules. "The Bear" Season 2 ended on a bittersweet note: The opening of the new restaurant was a success, but we left chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) in a bad place with his mental health and relationships.
Given the high bar set by the first two seasons, we have little doubt this will be some of the best television we see all year. In an interview with Variety, White revealed that he was going to be spending time with some professional chefs ahead of Season 3 to make sure his performance is as authentic as possible. "There'll be a menu set, I believe, that's going to be for the restaurant in the third season," he said. "And I know that I'm going to start putting together that menu with different chefs and cooking and just trying to get prepared to do more of that stuff on camera." Fans can look forward to Season 3 releasing all 10 episodes on June 26.
Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 1 - July 18, 2024
Acting as a sequel to the beloved martial arts film franchise "The Karate Kid," "Cobra Kai" has turned into one of Netflix's most successful original properties. Starting out life on YouTube Red, the show was picked up by Netflix for its third season and it has continued to find its home on the streaming service ever since, with the sixth season arriving on July 18. The final season will have an unusual release structure, launching in three parts made up of five episodes each. The next two batches will appear on November 24 and the finale in 2025.
Set decades after the original All Valley Karate Tournament fight that saw Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) face off, the series is largely told from Johnny's point of view. This gives it a different perspective to the original film, as Johnny reopens the Cobra Kai karate dojo in the hopes of finding new meaning in his troubled life. Both Zabka and Macchio returned to portray their original characters, in addition to new cast members such as Courtney Henggeler, Mary Mouser, and Xolo Maridueña.
Season 6 promises to conclude the "Cobra Kai" story as the characters compete in the prestigious Sekai Taikai world championships. Co-showrunner Hayden Schlossberg told Netflix that the final episodes have a story "that takes things to the next level" and it certainly seems as if the series is going to end on a high note.
Snowpiercer Season 4 - July 21, 2024
The dystopian thriller "Snowpiercer" follows a group of passengers aboard the titular train in a post-apocalyptic future where the Earth has become completely frozen with ice. Taking cues from the 2013 film of the same name that starred Chris Evans — which was based on the French graphic novel "Le Transperceneige" — it charts the fortunes of the passengers on the train as it travels around the world in perpetual motion to generate heat and protect those inside.
The three seasons that have aired on TNT so far have delved into the deep class divides that have emerged on the train. Lower class citizens at the back of the train must share limited resources compared to those at the front, prompting a constant feeling of resentment and setting in motion rebellions that threaten to derail the train and upend the strict social hierarchy in place.
The fourth season of "Snowpiercer" is set to be its last and will arrive on July 21 on AMC after the network picked up the series. It will follow the immediate aftermath of the Season 3 finale, which saw the passengers split, with some remaining on the train and others seeking refuge in the warm and hospitable area known as New Eden. The likes of Lena Hall, Sean Bean, Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, and Mickey Summer are all set to return in what should be a thrilling finale.
Suicide Squad ISEKAI - July 2024 (Japan)
Every year, manga and anime fans have dozens of series to pick from in the isekai genre, centering around ordinary protagonists transported or reincarnated into fantasy worlds, often with RPG-like elements. "Suicide Squad ISEKAI" will stand out from the crowd thanks to its use of the infamous DC Comics anti-hero team, who will have to contend with being sent to a fantasy setting. Judging by the trailers, this will be quite the experience for fans of Task Force X, who have been dealt a mixed hand by Hollywood: We've seen both good (the James Gunn movie) and bad (the David Ayer movie) "Suicide Squad" media in recent years.
All the early signs are that this anime series will be a success. One of its writers, Tappei Nagatsuki, is the author of the "Re:Zero" light novels, which is among the most intelligent takes on the isekai formula. Animated by Wit Studio (the people behind "Vinland Saga" and the early seasons of "Attack on Titan"), this fresh spin on the likes of Harley Quinn, The Joker, and Peacemaker premieres in Japan this July. American release plans have yet to be announced, but with interest in anime on the rise and this show being based on American comic book characters, the wait shouldn't be too long. Until then, why not check out everything we know about "Suicide Squad ISEKAI" so far.
The Umbrella Academy Season 4 - August 8, 2024
Based on the comics by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, "The Umbrella Academy" has found success as one of the quirkiest and most distinctive shows in the crowded superhero genre. It's now preparing to wrap up its tale of familial dysfunction and time-traveling wackiness with a fourth and final season — which is like running for a couple of decades in Netflix years. "The Umbrella Academy" Season 3 left viewers on a cliffhanger, with Allison Hargreeves (Emmy Raver-Lampman) resetting the universe so that all of her siblings are alive but without their superpowers.
Don't look to the source material for hints about what's next in the story — the show is already ahead of the on-hiatus comic series. However, creator Steve Blackman dropped some hints about what to expect while speaking with Netflix's Tudum. "The siblings losing their powers isn't going to be the only oddity in this timeline," he said. "There are new enemies who want to see them wiped out of existence, but how do they manage without their powers? Is there even a way to get them back? The stakes have never been greater." Season 4 will be added to the streamer's library on August 8.
Emily in Paris Season 4 Part 1 - August 15, 2024
Another Netflix hit, "Emily in Paris" follows the eponymous Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) as she moves from Chicago to Paris to work at a French marketing company. The romantic comedy-drama deals with Emily's struggles as she adjusts to a very different way of life in a foreign country while also trying to manage her relationships and career in an environment she is unfamiliar with. Alongside Collins in the main role, "Emily in Paris" also features Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Lucas Bravo, Ashley Park, and Samuel Arnold in main roles.
So far, there have been three seasons of the Netflix hit, and the last episode ended on a cliffhanger as Camille (Camille Razat) ended her relationship with Gabriel (Bravo) despite being pregnant with his child, leaving Emily to choose between Gabriel and her ex-boyfriend Alfie (Lucien Laviscount). With some of the action heading to Rome in Italy, fans can expect more love-fueled drama and plenty of spectacular locations while Emily continues to struggle to get her life in order.
Possibly due to scheduling troubles caused by the Olympic Games, the fourth season of "Emily in Paris" will arrive in two parts. The first batch of episodes are due to hit the streaming service on August 15, while the second group will come a month later on September 12.
The Penguin - Fall 2024
Following the release of the Robert Pattinson-led hit "The Batman" in 2022, it's full steam ahead on Matt Reeves' BatVerse. The film, which also starred Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, and Jeffrey Wright, introduced viewers to a new version of the Penguin, played by Colin Farrell in heavy makeup. His performance garnered so much praise that it wasn't long before Reeves was setting up a spinoff series based on the character. The filmmaker told Collider that the series will be instrumental in setting up the sequel to his 2022 film, adding that he's super excited about the evolution of this new universe.
Farrell has expressed his excitement about the series to Collider, saying, "I read the first episode, which is just so tasty and so unusual as the character was on the page and what Matt Reeves kind of envisioned when he was thinking of this iteration of the bang up of Oz." Farrell added that the series will be around six or eight hours long. Cristin Milioti also stars as Sofia Falcone, the daughter of former crime boss Carmine Falcone, who was killed in "The Batman." Michael Zegen will play her brother, Alberto. Clancy Brown features as Salvatore Maroni, and Michael Kelly plays Johnny Vitti. According to the teaser trailer, the series will drop on Max in Fall 2024.
Squid Game Season 2 - December 2024
The Korean horror survival drama "Squid Game" became an instant hit on Netflix when it dropped on the platform in 2021. The show's protagonist, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), survived the twisted game show while his competitors were executed, but he's been totally changed by the experience, "Squid Game" creator Hwang Dong-hyuk told The Hollywood Reporter. This has left the writer with an interesting way to move the show forward, saying that Gi-hun's more selfless nature pushes him toward a new mystery rather than a family reunion with his daughter. "So Season 2 is going to be about what that new Gi-hun is going to do and how things will unfold with this new kind of character," he said.
Hwang kept quiet on the particulars of what these events could be, but, in 2022, he shared with Variety that he hoped viewers could enjoy Season 2 on their screens in 2024. Speaking to Netflix's Tudum in December 2023, he revealed that the show was still on track for a 2024 release, saying, "I do have a lot on my shoulders, but I'll make sure it's worth the wait." And to fans' delight, in May 2024, Lee himself told Business Insider that the show is coming to Netflix in December of the same year.
Lee isn't the only returning cast member: Lee Byung-hun, Gong Yoo, and Wi Ha-jun are also back, and they're joined by newcomers Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Park Sung-hoon, Jo Yu-ri, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Lee Jin-uk, Choi Seung-hyun, Roh Jae-won, and Won Ji-an.
Skeleton Crew - Late 2024
"The Acolyte" is not the only new "Star Wars” property coming to Disney+ in 2024. While there has been a conspicuous absence of films in the sci-fi franchise over the last few years, Disney continues to roll out successful television series — and "Skeleton Crew" is among those on the horizon. Despite the fact that it is not due to arrive until around Christmas time, we already know quite a lot about "Skeleton Crew" and what fans can expect.
Set during the same post-"Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi" timeline as "The Mandalorian," "Skeleton Crew" is centered on a group of four children who make a shocking discovery on their home planet. This prompts an adventure across the galaxy as the kids struggle to make their way back home and find themselves facing off against space-faring pirates and an enigmatic Force user played by Jude Law.
Led by MCU and "Spider-Man" alumni Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, "Skeleton Crew" also sees Kathleen Kennedy, Jon Favreau, and Dave Filoni act as executive producers. Expected to have a tone similar to "The Goonies" and "Gremlins," this is a show that should be perfect for the whole family and take "Star Wars" in an interesting direction.
Marvel Zombies - TBD
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is continuing to expand with new TV shows: "Marvel Zombies" will arrive in 2024. The animated series is based on the fifth episode of "What If...?" Season 1, titled "What If...Zombies?" The episode (which was inspired by the "Marvel Zombies" comics) depicts what happens to the MCU when Hank Pym returns from the Quantum realm with a virus that turns the Avengers into ravenous zombies.
The new series will reportedly feature zombie versions of Steve Rogers, Carol Danvers, Scarlet Witch, and Okoye, among others. They will face off against a team of survivors that includes Yelena Belova, Kate Bishop, Shang-Chi, and Ms. Marvel, who will apparently be the main character. "There are a lot of cool characters in the 'Marvel Zombies' show. And Kamala is kind of the center of the show," Iman Vellani, who will lend her voice to the character, told The Direct. "They described it to me, it's like, 'She's basically the Frodo of the story.'"
Brad Winderbaum, Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation at Marvel Studios, has also been talking about the series. In an interview with IGN, he said that it's going to be intense and geared toward a mature audience. He added: "It's trying to honor the comics. And what was so great about the comics was it not pulling its punches. That's certainly what we're going for on that project also." Bryan Andrews, director of "What If...?," is taking the reins here, too.
Vikings: Valhalla Season 3 - TBD
"Vikings: Valhalla" is returning to Netflix with a third and final season in 2024. Filming on the upcoming series was completed in Ireland in October 2022, and Season 3 is expected to be 24 episodes. A teaser trailer for Season 3 was released in 2023, confirming that the show would visit "new lands" and that Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett), Freydís Eiríksdóttir (Frida Gustavsson), and Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Sutter) are all back. New characters include Maniakes (Florian Munteanu), a ruthless Byzantine general, and Erik the Red (Goran Višnjić), the notorious father of Leif and Freydís.
According to co-creator and executive producer Jeb Stuart, the upcoming season will bring closure for fans of the franchise. "When we started this project five years ago, I worked hard with this incredible cast and crew to craft a journey that we all hoped would be satisfying," Stuart told Netflix's Tudum. "Of course with real historical figures, there are always more aspects of their lives that could be explored, but it made sense storywise for our Leif, Freydís, and Harald's voyages to end with our third season. And we really cannot wait for the fans to see the conclusion of this chapter of history."
The Night Agent Season 2 - TBD
Fans of "The Night Agent" will be thrilled to know that it's coming back for a second season in 2024. The first season of the spy thriller follows FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) as he uncovers an increasingly complicated conspiracy about a high-level mole at the White House. The finale ends with Sutherland saving President Travers' (Kari Matchett) life, only to be left with a mysterious job offer.
In April 2023, creator Shawn Ryan confirmed to ComicBook.com that viewers should expect major changes in the next season. "It does not take place in the DC area, which is where Season 1 took place. So we'll be in a different part of the world exploring different characters than we had in Season 1," he teased, before confirming that the show would still be centered around Basso's character. Luciane Buchanan is also back as Rose Larkin.
Season 1 is based on a book by Matthew Quirk, but Season 2 is an original story, so viewers were really left in the dark about where it might go. However, in February 2024, set photos gave fans more of a clue about what to expect from Season 2 — they show Basso in Thailand. According to Deadline, filming also took place in New York. New cast members include Amanda Warren, Arienne Mandi, Louis Herthum, Berto Colon, Brittany Snow, and Teddy Sears, the Hollywood trade confirmed.
Creature Commandos - TBD
James Gunn and Peter Safran will officially launch their all-new DC Universe franchise in 2024. The TV series "Creature Commandos" kicks things off, the first entry in what they're calling the "Gods and Monsters" chapter. Teasing a little about what viewers can expect from the seven-episode show, Gunn tweeted: "'Creature Commandos' is an animated series. I've written all of the episodes. Something we are going to do that's a little bit different at DC is we are gonna have characters move into animation, out of animation, usually having the same actor play their voice as who plays them in live action."
"Guardians of the Galaxy" star Sean Gunn has followed his brother by also making the move to DC. He plays two characters in "Creature Commandos," G.I. Robot and Weasel. "I'm very excited about 'Creature Commandos,'" he told Polygon in May 2023. "I love the scripts. I'm about halfway through recording my part of it." Other cast members include Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana Rostovic, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Anya Chalotra as Circe, David Harbour as Eric Frankenstein, Indira Varma as Bride of Frankenstein, Zoë Chao as Nina Mazursky, Alan Tudyk as Doctor Phosphorus, and Steve Agee as John Economos. While no release date has been set, Gunn has confirmed that the show is still set to drop at some point in 2024.
Win or Lose - TBD
"Win or Lose," created by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates and starring Will Forte and Rosa Salazar, had our interest the second it was announced because it's the first long-form streaming series from Pixar. The eight-episode series follows one week in the life of a middle school softball team preparing for a championship game, with each installment presented from a different character's perspective. The series completed post-production in July 2023 and was originally set to release in December of that year, but Disney has since delayed "Win or Lose" to an unspecified point in 2024. This was perhaps due to the expected content droughts resulting from the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Hopefully the wait isn't too much longer for this promising sports comedy, which could fill the "Ted Lasso"-shaped holes in our hearts. The early signs are certainly good — those in attendance at the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival got to see the first episode of "Win of Lose" in full, and it went down very well. Co-creator Carrie Hobson puts it down to the show really leaning into Pixar's style. "There's been so many years of very realistic animation and a lot of mastery around that," she told Skwigly. "But for us, specifically, what really excited us was how we can caricature life in a very authentic way, not just being cartoony for cartoony sake, but we started calling it caricatured sincerity."
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man - TBD
It always felt like something was missing when Tom Holland entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe having already semi-mastered his spidey abilities. Marvel recognized that there was still ground to cover with Peter Parker's early years, and the Disney+ animated series "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" will scratch that itch — though with a twist. When the MCU show was first announced under the title "Spider-Man: Freshman Year," it was said to take place before the events of "Captain America: Civil War." That's still the case, but if you think you know what to expect, think again.
Speaking to ComicBook.com, Marvel's Brad Winderbaum revealed that the show will follow the same "pattern" established on the big screen, where Peter met by Tony Stark and was offered an internship. "But because of things that happen in the multiverse because of new, random occurrences, it's not Tony Stark who's waiting for him there," he explained. "It's Norman Osborn and that sends his life in an unexpected trajectory that collides him with many unexpected characters in the Marvel universe."
While no official cast announcement has been made yet, a copyright filing with the United States Copyright Office appears to confirm that Hudson Thames will play Peter Parker, reprising the role from "What If...?" and "Avengers: Quantum Encounter." Other cast members named in the filing are Eugene Byrd as Lonnie Lincoln, Grace Song as Nico Minoru, Hugh Dancy as Otto Octavius, Kari Wahlgren as Aunt May, and Zeno Robinson as Harry Osborn. Some reports suggest the series will drop in November 2024, but it's still listed as "coming soon" on Disney's website.
High Potential - TBD
"High Potential" is an upcoming detective show starring Kaitlin Olson of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" fame as single mom Morgan, who moonlights as a private eye. Per the show's official synopsis, Morgan's talent for solving unusual crimes leads to a partnership with Karadec, a no-nonsense detective played by Daniel Sunjata. The show is based on the popular French series "HPI: Haut Potentiel Intellectuel." If it follows suit, viewers can expect Olson's Morgan to be a feisty character who stands up for herself and pushes back against authority. In "HPI," Morgan has a 160 IQ and is asked to partner with detectives to catch highly intelligent criminals.
"High Potential" is written and executive produced by the highly regarded Drew Goddard, who got his start as a staff writer on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" before going on to pen the screenplay for "The Martian" and serve as showrunner on the Netflix "Daredevil" series. Alongside Olsen and Sunjata, the cast includes Javicia Leslie as Daphne, Deniz Akdeniz as Lev "Oz" Osman, Amirah J as Ava, Matthew Lamb as Elliot, and Judy Reyes as Selena.. There's no concrete release date as of yet, but it "will debut during the 2024-2025 broadcast season," ABC confirmed. The show's first teaser trailer notes that fans can expect a Fall 2024 premiere.
Our Oceans - TBD
Netflix is set to increase its natural history coverage in 2024 — in fact, it already has, via the fascinating "Our Living World." This will be followed by another doc titled "Our Oceans." They are the latest installments in a series of documentaries produced by the streamer, including the Morgan Freeman-narrated series "Our Universe," which premiered in 2022. Two more dropped in 2023: "Life on Our Planet," and a second season of the David Attenborough-narrated series "Our Planet," which has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. "Our Living World," which is narrated by Cate Blanchett, hit the streamer in April 2024.
Next up in 2024 is "Our Oceans," though there's no confirmed release date for it yet. We do, however, have an official description of the series, thanks to a Netflix press release. The six-part series will explore the world's oceans, focusing on the parts that remain unexplored: "From the tropical warm waters of the Indian Ocean to the fiery depths of the Atlantic, from the unpredictable waters of the Pacific that are surrounded by a ring of fire to the freezing isolation of the Southern and Arctic Oceans, 'Our Oceans' explores the magical world of wonders that lies beneath the waves."