If you’ve felt spoilt for choice while scrolling through streaming apps this year, you’re not alone. 2024 delivered an unusually strong slate of television, and critics, fans, and aggregator sites mostly agreed on the standouts. Whether you’re looking for prestige drama, sharp comedy, or your next weekend binge, here’s where the consensus lands across the sources worth trusting.
Top Guardian Pick: Shōgun ·
IMDb #1: Hacks ·
RT Certified Fresh: Best New Series ·
Reddit Aggregate: Silo top 3 ·
Empire Highlight: Baby Reindeer
Quick snapshot
- Slow Horses S4 is #1 on Rotten Tomatoes 2024 list (Rotten Tomatoes)
- Breaking Bad tops all-time fan poll with 96% Tomatometer score (Rotten Tomatoes)
- Exact top 10 order varies by platform methodology
- Audience score weight differs across IMDb vs RT
- BMF S3 premiered March 1, 2024 on Starz (Rotten Tomatoes TV)
- X-Men ’97 launched March 20, 2024 on Disney+ (Rotten Tomatoes TV)
- 2025 early picks: Pee-wee as Himself (#1, 100% RT score), The Chair Company (#2) (Rotten Tomatoes)
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Year | 2024 |
| Top Source Count | RT, IMDb, Guardian, Reddit, Empire |
| Common #1s | Shōgun, Hacks |
| List Lengths | 20-100 shows |
What is the highest rated TV show in 2024?
The answer depends entirely on which audience you’re asking — and that’s the honest takeaway from cross-referencing the major lists.
Certified Fresh picks from Rotten Tomatoes
The Rotten Tomatoes critics’ rankings for 2024 placed Slow Horses Season 4 at the top spot, with Gary Oldman returning as the world-weary spymaster at Slough House. Pachinko Season 2 followed at #2, a sweeping family saga starring Youn Yuh-jung and Lee Min-Ho that critics called “ambitious and emotionally rich” (Rotten Tomatoes).
Recent additions to their best-of-2024 list include Interior Chinatown (Hulu), Landman (Paramount+), and A Man on the Inside (Netflix), suggesting the list remains fluid as new content arrives (Rotten Tomatoes).
IMDb top rated
The IMDb year-end list for 2024 showed a different picture — one shaped by user votes rather than professional critics. Hacks claimed the #1 position on their “Year’s Best TV Shows” list, with X-Men ’97 and Bad Monkey also performing strongly among the user base.
The gap between IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes reflects a genuine split: user-driven rankings favor comedies and genre entertainment, while critics prioritize prestige drama.
The Guardian’s editors ranked Shōgun first in their “50 best TV shows of 2024” list — a historical drama that pulled viewers into feudal Japan with a production scale rarely seen in television.
Guardian #1 Shōgun
The Guardian’s editors called Shōgun the year’s best, noting its production scale rarely seen in television. Crucially, this pick doesn’t appear in the Rotten Tomatoes #1 spot, which reminds us that no single aggregator tells the whole story.
The Guardian (editorial publication with prestige TV coverage) and IMDb (user-vote aggregator) disagree on their #1 picks — Shōgun versus Hacks. Both can’t be wrong; they’re measuring different things: critical craft versus audience enthusiasm.
Upsides
- Multiple sources mean no single agenda dominates the rankings
- Prestige drama (Shōgun) and sharp comedy (Hacks) both get recognized
- Rotten Tomatoes tracks additions weekly — lists stay current
Downsides
- Conflicting #1s make “the best” feel subjective rather than definitive
- Some platforms (Netflix, Apple TV+) overlap with critics but not always with each other
What series should I watch in 2024?
The practical question — and the one that actually drives viewing decisions.
Critic consensus leaders
Across The Guardian, Empire, and Rotten Tomatoes, five shows appeared most consistently in top-10 positions: Shōgun, Hacks, Baby Reindeer, Slow Horses, and Pachinko. These span genres from historical drama to workplace comedy to immigration epic, which suggests that quality writing and strong performances transcend category.
New releases to prioritize
If you’re catching up, prioritize releases from spring 2024 — that’s when the biggest slate landed. The Gentlemen premiered March 7 on Netflix, Shardlake arrived May 1 on Hulu, and Hacks Season 3 launched May 2 on Max (Rotten Tomatoes TV). Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1 drew massive viewership when it premiered May 16 on Netflix (Rotten Tomatoes TV).
Mix of drama and genre
The year’s best lists resist easy categorization. Yes, Shōgun dominated prestige drama circles — but X-Men ’97 (Disney+, premiered March 20, 2024) showed that animated superhero content could earn critical respect alongside live-action prestige (Rotten Tomatoes TV). 3 Body Problem (Netflix, premiered March 21, 2024) brought sci-fi ambition to the mainstream.
“Tim Robinson’s volcanic comedic ethos finds an ideal outlet in The Chair Company, a descent into paranoia that finds huge laughs in deeply uncomfortable places.” — Critics Consensus, Rotten Tomatoes (Rotten Tomatoes)
The shows that made every top-10 list share one trait: they’re not for passive watching. Whether it’s the period detail of Shōgun or the sharp dialogue of Hacks, each earned its place through distinctive voice — which is harder to manufacture than spectacle.
What are the top 10 series on TV right now?
Cross-referencing IMDb’s user-driven rankings with critic lists from Rotten Tomatoes and The Guardian reveals where consensus actually forms.
Current top 10 aggregate
No single agreed-upon top 10 exists across all sources — but the overlap between lists narrows the field to roughly 15 shows that nearly everyone agrees are worth attention. Among those, the cross-source standouts are Hacks, Shōgun, Baby Reindeer, and Slow Horses.
Streaming platforms leaders
Each major platform had at least one show dominating their respective lists in 2024. Netflix carried Baby Reindeer, The Gentlemen, and 3 Body Problem. Max (formerly HBO Max) held Hacks and the legacy prestige catalog. Hulu scored with FX content — Shōgun and Shardlake. Disney+ had X-Men ’97. Apple TV+ released Dark Matter (premiered May 8, 2024) alongside its growing drama slate (Rotten Tomatoes TV).
Ratings breakdown
The Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer gives a quick quality signal — but audience scores sometimes diverge sharply. For example, The Chair Company scored 100% from critics on the 2025 list but only 67% from audiences, suggesting a gap between professional assessment and viewer satisfaction (Rotten Tomatoes). For practical purposes, aim for shows certified Fresh with audience scores above 70%.
If you want one show that satisfies both critics and fans: Hacks consistently scores above 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and ranks #1 on IMDb’s 2024 list. It’s the rare comedy that earns respect from both camps.
Which 2024 series are binge-worthy?
The binge question matters — short seasons with high completion rates signal shows that hold attention.
Community lists
Reddit communities and fan aggregators highlight Silo as a top-3 user pick for 2024, with praise for its mystery atmosphere and strong performances. Baby Reindeer generated intense social-media discussion, with viewers finishing all episodes in single sessions and immediately recommending it to others.
Short seasons ideal for binging
The average prestige drama season runs 8–10 episodes, but some 2024 standouts delivered complete arcs in fewer installments. Apple’s Dark Matter (9 episodes) and Netflix’s The Gentlemen (8 episodes) both structured their stories for weekend consumption — tight plotting that rewards uninterrupted viewing.
High completion rates
Completion rate data isn’t publicly available across all platforms, but streaming services track this internally. The shows that generate word-of-mouth recommendations within 48 hours of release — Baby Reindeer, Shardlake — typically show the highest engagement metrics.
Short seasons don’t automatically mean binge-worthy. Shōgun released weekly and still dominated conversations — because appointment viewing can build anticipation rather than dilute it. The binge model works for some genres, but prestige drama doesn’t need it.
What are the big 3 Netflix shows?
Netflix dominated streaming headlines in 2024, but “the big three” shifts week by week based on viewership data the platform keeps largely private.
Netflix 2024 hits
The Rotten Tomatoes 2024 list includes The Gentlemen, A Man on the Inside, The Madness, and 3 Body Problem among its notable additions. Baby Reindeer generated the most cultural conversation — a limited series that became a viral phenomenon despite its small scale.
All-time popular
Netflix’s own “Most Watched” data places Bridgerton near the top historically, and the Season 3 Part 1 premiere on May 16, 2024 reinforced that position with massive first-week numbers (Rotten Tomatoes TV). Wednesday and Stranger Things continue to drive replay engagement across older seasons.
Binge leaders
Netflix’s algorithm rewards completion — shows that viewers finish in the first week get boosted recommendations. Baby Reindeer (7 episodes, complete in one sitting) and The Gentlemen (8 episodes) both fit the binge mold. 3 Body Problem launched with all episodes available, which drove weekend consumption spikes.
Upsides
- Netflix offers the widest genre range — from period drama to sci-fi to comedy
- Full-season drops still drive binge culture for committed viewers
- Baby Reindeer proved Netflix can produce cultural moments from modest productions
Downsides
- Volume makes curation overwhelming — not everything earns the attention it deserves
- Netflix rarely publishes viewership data, making “biggest” claims hard to verify
What are the best series of 2024 and 2025?
Looking forward: the shows that carry momentum into the new year, plus early 2025 signals.
2024 standouts
The shows that dominated 2024 lists — Slow Horses, Hacks, Baby Reindeer, Pachinko — all have returning seasons planned or in production. Shōgun received an early renewal, which is notable given its production scale.
Early 2025 previews
Rotten Tomatoes’ early 2025 rankings show Pee-wee as Himself at #1 with a 100% critics score — a documentary-style limited series about Paul Reubens that critics called “a revelatory glimpse at the complicated man behind a beloved comic creation” (Rotten Tomatoes). The Chair Company followed at #2, with critics praising Tim Robinson’s “volcanic comedic ethos” (Rotten Tomatoes).
Sequel seasons
The 2025 landscape will lean heavily on returning favorites: Bridgerton continues, Hacks enters new territory, and Silo builds on its 2024 buzz. The question is whether newcomers like Percy Jackson and the Olympians (top 5 on early 2025 RT list) can break through the sequel fatigue.
2025’s early leaders skew toward comedy and limited series rather than ongoing dramas. If you preferred 2024’s prestige-heavy slate, you may need to adjust expectations — or seek out FX and Apple TV+ content that continues that tradition.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| RT #1 (2024) | Slow Horses Season 4 |
| RT #2 (2024) | Pachinko Season 2 |
| All-time fan #1 (25 years) | Breaking Bad (96%) |
| All-time fan #2 (25 years) | Game of Thrones (89%) |
| RT #1 (2025 early) | Pee-wee as Himself (100%) |
| RT #2 (2025 early) | The Chair Company (100% critics) |
Rotten Tomatoes’ 25th anniversary fan poll gives useful context: when asked to rank the best shows of the past 25 years, fans placed Breaking Bad at #1 with a 96% Tomatometer score, followed by The Sopranos at #3 (92%) and Game of Thrones at #2 (89%) (Rotten Tomatoes). The pattern: character-driven drama dominates even casual fan rankings, not just critics’ lists.
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Frequently asked questions
What makes a TV show the best in 2024?
No single metric defines “best.” Rotten Tomatoes uses critic consensus; IMDb uses user votes; Guardian uses editorial judgment. The shows that appear across multiple lists — Shōgun, Hacks, Slow Horses — have earned consensus through consistent quality, which is rarer than it sounds.
Where can I stream top 2024 shows?
Streaming availability varies. Shōgun and Shardlake are on Hulu (via FX). Hacks is on Max. Baby Reindeer and The Gentlemen are on Netflix. Slow Horses is on Apple TV+. Silo is on Apple TV+. Check each platform directly, as licensing agreements shift.
Are there any perfect 10/10 TV shows in 2024?
Rotten Tomatoes tracks “Certified Fresh” at 75%+ critic consensus, not 100%. The 2024 list doesn’t show any 100% scores in its top positions. For 2025 early picks, Pee-wee as Himself and The Chair Company both scored 100% with critics — but those are early, limited samples.
What genres dominate 2024 best lists?
Prestige drama leads, followed by comedy. Historical drama (Shōgun), workplace comedy (Hacks), psychological thriller (Slow Horses), and immigration epic (Pachinko) all appear in top positions. Pure sitcoms and procedural dramas are less prominent in critical rankings.
How do critic and user rankings differ for 2024?
Critics prioritize craft — writing, acting, production value. Users prioritize entertainment value and rewatchability. This creates a gap: Hacks scores high with both, but X-Men ’97 ranks higher with users than critics, while Shōgun does the reverse.
What early 2025 shows build on 2024?
Several returning shows continue into 2025: Slow Horses, Hacks, Bridgerton, and Shōgun all have seasons planned. Early 2025 picks like Pee-wee as Himself and The Chair Company suggest comedy and limited series may dominate the next cycle rather than ongoing dramas.
Which 2024 shows have multiple seasons?
Hacks (4 seasons), Slow Horses (4 seasons), Bridgerton (3 seasons and counting), and The Gentlemen all returned in 2024. Baby Reindeer was a limited series (one season). Silo continues into 2025. The trend: established franchises with proven audiences get renewals; new prestige dramas compete for attention.
For viewers deciding what to commit to next, the choice is clear: trust the consensus where it exists — Shōgun, Hacks, and Slow Horses earned their places across independent sources — and be willing to experiment with the rest.
Henry William Bennett Murray is a staff writer for CivicInsight.uk, covering UK public affairs, policy and civic life. He works under Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Langford, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.