BONUS POST: MY TOP 10 TV SHOWS OF 2024
This Newsletter/Blog/Online Journal has been about movies, first and foremost. But as I stated before, I ingest a ton of television as well. I watch a lot of things that aren’t good, but I also watch a lot more that is incredible. I am not an elitist for either spectrum, they both serve purposes that satisfy me in different ways, and I’ve been lucky enough to cut my teeth in both realms professionally. So, I wanted to do a bonus post of my Top 10 Television shows for 2024.
Requirements:
This must be a television show or limited series. TV movies or “part” films do not count.
The majority of the show has to have aired in 2024 and the finale must have aired in 2024. So the current season of Abbott Elementary is ineligible.
A quick aside about Shoresy
I was, admittedly late to Shoresy. I watched Letterkenny years ago and loved it, but it is a show that has way too many seasons and episodes. Earlier this year, I was listening to Jason Mantzoukas wax on about the Canadian hockey show that follows a whaleshit senior Senior AAA hockey team, and I told myself I would finally go and watch it - especially considering that it is only 3 seasons consist of 6 half-hour episodes each. And let me say, this show absolutely ruled.
The thing is, this show is completely stupid and it knows it. Jared Keeso is able to write impeccable jokes and deliver such fast-pitched one-liners that draw on completely stupid pop culture references time and time again. One of the stupidest bits, the titular Shoresy saying “Huh?” sincerely after he asks a question, gets me every time, as does the frustration that crosses everyone’s faces every time it happens. The recurring bit where he chirps at two kids he refs absolutely bowls me over as well.
What’s more surprising is that for a show that has a main commentator wearing Barstool related Spittin’ Chiclets shirts and for a sport that thrives in bro-y culture is how amazingly progressive it is. Keeso’s ability to incorporate different cultures and specifically native ones in traditionally white space is so well woven in, while also clearly advocating for those same voices by recognizing their plights1. In the same way, he subtly aids LGBTQ+ voices by never making homosexual slights or jokes - something you may come to expect in an overly masculine atmosphere - and in facts addresses it constantly through one of the managerial characters, especially after she calls the entire hockey team gay2. Another way to bring inclusivity into the space of a sport that has been plagued with unnecessary discussion about this topic at the highest level.
This show is hilarious, the hockey scenes are incredible (partially because they hired actual hockey players) and don’t force an Explosions in the Sky-esque sequence, which make it feel more natural (and at some times jarring) because the show is not entirely about hockey, which takes shape in this past season. Whereas I would be crying laughing in the beginning of the series for it’s stupidity, I wound myself welling with tears in the finale and the transformation of this character and the show to a heart-felt, truly phenomenal story of wanting to sacrifice everything to just finally win. Because this is all you ever wanted to do and all you could ever imagine doing, Especially in the face of Father Time.
The reason this show is not included in my Top 10 list is because of the overall general problem with it, which is the acting. Listen, there are times that the supporting cast can be very good and deliver well, but the one-liners and jokes that work when Keeso delivers them usually falls flat for everyone else, which just makes them even more impressive to me. In the same fashion as Letterkenny, no one can match the dry and soil energy Keeso emits in Shoresy. Whether he’s given shit to high schoolers, or hardcore flirting with the journalist of his dreams, Shoresy is a fully realized character that sells this show. Even his tiny frustrations when people give shit back to him or he starts bawling because of something minor and stupid. It’s just sad that few people can ever match him in a given scene, which brings down the viewing experience as a whole, because there are lines that Keeso has and can sell, but to me, other people just fail at.
Anyways Shoresy is great and subverts the bro-y, white hockey space we traditionally associate with it. I’m excited to see what’s next.
My Favorite Episode of the Year: The Bear - 301 “Tomorrow”
Watching this episode I was completely floored at the stakes and emotion it held for something almost so completely abstract. Sure, the job in post goes predominantly unseen, so when we do our job right it's best if people don't know. However, watching this episode I was so moved by the story, and it's one that could only be told through post. I can't imagine what the script looked like (or all of the various numbered scenes and takes and pickups), but this episode is one that could really only come to light in the edit. The ability to weave together so many narratives throughout a 10-14 year span in a coherent fashion with virtually no dialogue was so amazing and shocking, I just don't know how Joanna did it. For 37 minutes, I was glued to the intercutting and non-linear timeline, which, again, I'm just in absolute awe of. I'm sure that this episode itself went through so many iterations and took so much time and care, but it truly shows and sets such an overwhelmingly beautiful tone for the rest of season three.
More importantly though, is what this episode meant to me personally. I, like many of my colleagues, have not worked and struggled to find work for over a year now. Many times I have wondered how or even why I should keep trying to do this when I constantly feel so helpless in an unstable world I cannot control. Luckily, The Bear has some very clear parallels in its structure in how the world of television and film works (I have also worked plenty of restaurant/service jobs so it hits that spectrum too). Watching Carmy relive all of his past work of learning and loving and failing and blossoming really hit home. I constantly question myself everyday why I do this and why I put myself through all of the agony that comes with our profession at times. Partly it's because I don't know what else to do having done this for a decade now, but it's also because this is the only thing I've ever wanted to do and have truly loved the labor of it all. Good and bad. This episode reflected all of those times of triumph of a premiere, the failures on a job working with someone who is terrible, but also being lucky enough to find someone who can nurture your talents. All of these amazing things got me to where I am today, and while it may be shitty at this exact moment, I could not be any happier of where I am and what I do (when I get to do it). everyone on The Bear did such an amazing job at conveying those feelings that it gave me hope for the next couple of months to keep going3.
HONORABLE MENTION: (in no order) The Curse, 3 Body Problem, Tokyo Vice, Ripley, The Boys, Slow Horses, The Penguin, The Diplomat, English Teacher, Black Doves, Shoresy
(TIE) Bodkin (Season 1) - There has been no other show I have recommended more to people than this cheeky little comedy-thriller starring Will Forte. This quaint little whodunnit that follows an oblivious true-crime podcaster trying to unravel what he thinks is a story about people, but steam rolls into uncovering an actual decades old mystery in a tiny Irish town. Every resident of the village is clearly in on making fun of him, which he confuses for quaint, Irish charm. It’s just a great viewing of the Irish taking the piss out of another foreigner, while also surmounting a proper mystery through the series. It’s well-shot, well-written, and stays safely within the box it created.
(TIE) The Vince Staples Show (Season 1) - It’s hard to remember that this show came out this year, but it did. Vince basically made his own hilarious and dry version of Atlanta set in LA where he plays himself. I’m happy this thing got renewed because Vince gets to once again expand on his cheeky-ass humor.
Fallout (Season 1) - I, like everyone else, did not think this show was going to work. But Amazon finally put its foot in it and for a show that is built so heavily on VFX, it completely succeeds in encapsulating the vibe and artwork of the series into a wholly original story. It’s a lot to get into, but this show has incredible Goggins and MacLachlan, but who really sells is it is the happy-go-lucky Lucy (Ella Purnell) who isn’t as innocent as she appears, but still believes in bringing kindness to the world, regardless of how it treats her. I’m happy one big IP worked for Amazon.
The Gentleman (Season 1) I have not seen the Guy Ritchie movie it was based on, but I heard it was incoherent. This show, was quite the opposite. The British exploits of posh lords that grow weed and help a large crime family was one of my favorite experiences all year. As someone who doesn’t care about the lifestyles of the rich and fabulous, this made me want to completely throw out my wardrobe and just dress in country-weekend chic for the rest of my life.
The Bear (Season 3) - I am a staunch defender of The Bear, and partially that is because I was on this train early, so I do and will inherently love this show to a fault. But for the third year in a row, I thought this show accomplished something magical. It had my favorite episode of television this year with “Tomorrow”, followed by an Abbot and Costello one act with “Next”, followed by an operatic performance in “Doors” showing the slogs of artistic expectations and repetition. “Napkins” broke me, as someone who has been out of a job for nearly two years now in a brutal industry, and “Ice Chips” also hurt my soul for a different reason. Sure, it ended with an annoying cliff-hanger, but whatever. This show operates at such a high level, I don’t care.
Abbott Elementary (Season 3) - Another year, another season where Abbott exceeds expectations. Any given year, this show operates better than anything else. It addressed the mockumentary style in the first episode of the series so you know what it is. It’s allowed to be a corny network show in an evolving age of comedy because it’s a show about elementary school teachers, who are inherently corny. It’s well acted, well-written, and comes in with one incredible Philly-based joke per episode. What’s more impressive is that in a strike shortened season, it operated higher than just about everything else on television.
Shōgun (Season 1) - Everything everyone said about this show is correct so I won’t belabor the point. One of the best shot, written, and acted shows of the year. Sure, the VFX could be a bit at times, but they’re trying to recreate feudal Japan, so I didn’t care as much. This show is a perfect example of how to utilize the television format.
Pachinko (Season 2) - Can people just watch this show? While this season diverted from the also excellent source material, the tracks that Kogonada helped lay in the first season chugged forward in heart-wrenching fashion in this second season. Anna Sawai being in two amazing shows in one year is amazing, but not as incredible Minha Kim being the emotional backbone of this beautiful, epic story. Please watch Pachinko.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Season 1) - I’m a hardcore Glover fan admittedly, but was semi-worried when Phoebe Waller-Bridge dropped out. However, that loss turned into Maya Erskine’s gain as we got a world traveling romp that examined what relationships truly are. Every time a new Glover project comes out or is announced, I’m worried if this is the one that makes us think that he may fall off. But just like Kendrick, this man just doesn’t miss.
Say Nothing - I really liked this book, but at points it was hard to follow between everything going on and the context you need to know. What this show does in streamlining this long and complicated story with an even more complicated history is both delicate and impressive, making it superior to the book, in my opinion. I fucking loved this show and everyone should watch it. They did the people, issues, and politics of Northern Ireland so much justice and the supporting cast invited you in to their dark, dark journey,
Industry (Season 3) - I have been a Day 1 Industry supporter and I’m happy that everyone is finally joining the bandwagon. In this season we got an expansion outside of Pierpoint and got to expand on some of the best characters, including the Uncut Rishi episode of “White Mischief”. But what really nailed it home was the absolute heart-wrenching finale of “Infinite Largesse” which put a pin in so many characters stories and lines. The finality and closure it created for the journey of Robert was brutal, but to follow it up with Yasmin’s murdered me. If you ever questioned the motives of any of those characters, they were fully fleshed out by this episode. Industry is the rear show that shouldn’t be on television, but were are so lucky to have it.
“Saying tough natives is redundant”, mentioning how Dolo rightfully knocked someone out for calling him the n-word, the argument he has with Nat about assuming that just because they are native means they are in prison.
Where Ted Hitchcock goes on to say how it’s fine that she called them gay, because she’s gay, but they can’t really make that assumption.
I sent a version of this to the editor Joanna Naugle because I felt like I needed to and then was worried I was bothering her. She sent me the kindest email in response.