Welcome to the 2024 SiftPop.com Sifties!
2024 was a great year for television. Amidst a landscape that can at times feel oversaturated, there were still five shows that were able to stand out among the rest.
Here’s how the voting played out:
Shrinking might initially stick out in the Best Show category in juxtaposition to some of it’s peers. However, its singularity makes it one of the most engaging shows available. In terms of a story that could have massive broad appeal, Shrinking checks a lot of the boxes. It’s a comedy about therapy, but it’s also a show that clearly has a good deal of care for it’s characters and their personal journeys. Elements of the actual therapy are larger-than-life, but the core approach of the show resides not in how the therapy is performed, but instead in the power of community and interpersonal communication. Communication through therapy, but also the communication with everyone throughout our lives. Shrinking captures a beautifully diverse cast of characters, each hilariously specific in their own ways, and gives them all the time to experience the trials and tribulations that come along with living their lives and knowing one another. It consistently finds a balance of silliness, hilarity, heartache, and then just genuine critique of human tendencies in each episode. It’s the type of program that doesn’t have a steep barrier to entry, and once you’ve started the path, it wraps you up and is over before you know it.
It appears Hollywood has cracked the code to great video game adaptations — well, as long as they’re kept on television. With shows like Arcane and The Last of Us striking a chord with fans and critics alike, Fallout joined their ranks this past year as another hit adaptation. The Amazon Prime series follows a group of residents of post-apocalyptic Los Angeles as they strive to survive the dangers of nuclear fallout and a society in shambles. The show takes advantage of absolute insanity that the premise provides for in both setting and character, and brings that to life lovingly. With the colorful cast of characters, like the sheltered Lucy (Ella Purnell), who knows only life in the bunkers, and Walton Goggins’ hardened Ghoul, there’s someone for everyone to fall in love with. It perfectly balances giving fans of the games what they’re looking for with Easter eggs and sets reminiscent of the games, while also allowing Fallout noobs to get immersed in the world without feeling lost. By threading the needle, it creates a perfect storm for the next streaming phenomenon.
It may have been a down year for Marvel in cinemas, with only Deadpool & Wolverine getting a release, but it was a year to rebound for Marvel TV after some real hit or miss projects. Spinning off fan favorite Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) from WandaVision, Agatha All Along was a return to form for Marvel on the small screen. The show follows Harkness and her coven as they travel the infamous Witches’ Road in search of power, after being freed from Wanda’s spell by a mysterious teen. The show is a love letter to pop culture, with each trial chock-full of references and emotional pathos. In addition to Hahn as Harkness, the show gets the audience invested in the coven as a whole, from Teen (Joe Locke), to Jennifer (Sasheer Zamata), Alice (Ali Ahn), Lilia (Patti LuPone), and Mrs. Hart (Debra Jo Rupp), as well as Aubrey Plaza’s Rio, a mysterious figure from Agatha’s past. With the way the show is structured, each character gets their moment to shine, with Hahn’s Harkness remaining just as scene-stealing as ever. The show knows exactly the story it wants to tell, executing its plan to perfection, while providing some of the year’s most memorable moments. Not to mention “The Ballad of the Witches’ Road” is an absolute banger.
The Penguin is a triumph. Seamlessly transitioning from the events of The Batman, the series is not just about Oswald Cobb (Colin Farrell) and his rise to power through the underworld of Gotham. At its core, The Penguin is about survival and how a lower class of citizens around Gotham look to take charge of their lives. Just when you think the story couldn’t get any darker, The Penguin manages to deliver two gut punches to remind the audience that the titular character is a BAD guy. None of this antihero stuff, or a villain you root for nonsense. Oz Cobb is a ruthless criminal whose ability to snake his way out of any situation is the stuff of legends. Every bit as gritty as Matt Reeves’ masterpiece, The Penguin is a masterclass on what a TV show can do for the superhero genre and the wild possibilities if you put the material in the hands of people who care about the characters.
No 2024 show is as well-rounded as Shōgun. Want powerhouse performances? Anna Sawai’s turn as Toda Mariko is stunning, and as effective with dialogue as without it. Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Yoshii Toranaga exudes a gravitas that not every actor could get an audience to buy into. There’s also a gravitas to the conflict that the show translates to the screen. The show also does political maneuvering better than any since Game of Thrones. It’s emotionally devastating. Even when it’s not pulling on the heartstrings, Shōgun has an ability to get the audience invested in the quietest moment, before pulling a complete 180 and shocking with violence. It’s a passion project, and that comes through in a lot of ways, including how important it was for the cast and crew to see themselves and their culture represented on screen. That’s apparent in every costume, every ritualistic gesture, every forced nicety. In a world where the acceptance of foreign language programming is at an all-time high, Shōgun uses language to perfection. The cinematography beautifully captures both the quieter moments and those which the scale of the epic story. Between the all-time performances, stunning visuals, and expert storytelling, Shōgun has it all.
Make sure to check out the previous 2024 Sifties winners, and don’t forget to check back tomorrow for the winner of Best Voice Performance in a Movie!