15. “Black Doves”
U.K. screenwriter/showrunner Joe Barton is highly in-demand and has dozens of projects on the go, and “Black Doves” is just further evidence of why. In a compelling espionage thriller, Keira Knightley stars as a spy out for revenge when the lover in the affair she is having is suddenly mysteriously killed. But it’s much more than vengeance, as what transpires triggers a bigger mystery afoot. Ben Whishaw co-stars as her bff spy and assassin, alongside Sarah Lancashire, and Andrew Koji, and hilarious breakout performances by Ella Lily Hyland and Gabrielle Creevy as a team of rival assassins. That’s the thing, too, “Black Doves” is an excellent thriller, but it’s also extremely playful and funny and also spends ample time considering the painful cost of the job and keeping secrets. It’s the full package and maybe just the start (at least in the U.S.), of a much bigger chapter for Barton (season two has already been greenlit). – RP
14. “A Man On The Inside”
The incredible Mike Schur reunited with his “Good Place” star Ted Danson for a show that’s almost a balm in a time of great international unrest. Schur’s brand of comedy is deeply empathetic and compassionate, never more so than in this true story (also told in the doc The Mole Agent) of a widower who goes undercover at a retirement home to get to the bottom of a mystery involving a missing heirloom. Funny, sweet, and remarkably moving, it’s one of the best Netflix original comedies of all time. – BT
13. “Monsieur Spade”
Scott Frank and Tom Fontana pulled off the impossible with this AMC+ series, taking a well-known, iconic character and making him feel fresh again. It helped a great deal to have some of the best acting work from Clive Owen in a generation, imbuing Sam Spade with both a timeless energy and his own take on the Bogart archetype. Spade is usually the smartest person in any room, but Owen gives him a layer of age-earned vulnerability that’s captivating. It’s probably a one-and-done, but let’s hope they find a reason to tell another story of Sam Spade in the future. – BT
12. “The Agency”
What a cast in this one. It feels like if it wasn’t buried on a streamer like Paramount+, more people would be talking about a show that gathers Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Richard Gere, Katherine Waterston, Jodie Turner-Smith, Harriet Sansom Harris, and John Magaro. And it’s directed by Joe Wright (“Atonement”)! What got all these talents together? A sharply written, Le Carre-esque study of spies who have lived undercover so long that they’ve lost some of their own identity, and the people who handle them. Sharp dialogue and rich character work make this, unlike any spy show in 2024. – BT
11. “Shrinking”
A good show in its first season became a great one in its second as the writers of this Apple TV+ hit really figured out how to write for the characters and the perfect balance of emotion and humor. Jason Segel returns as a shrink who gets a little too close to his parents, and he was given a phenomenal arc in year two as he’s forced to confront the man who forever changed his life, but it’s the extended ensemble that really elevates this show, especially an incredible performance from Harrison Ford, doing some of the best-supporting work on television. – BT
