While none of us are quite sure how it’s the end of the year already, we’re already smack dab in the middle of the IGN Awards. Celebrating the best of the year is always the perfect cap to the season, but who came out on top as this year’s best TV show?
There was a lot to consider heading into nominations. We always have series that we wish could’ve made the cut but wind up just coming up short, like X-Men ‘97 and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power this year. Both shows had strong showings, but were just eked out of the running. So let’s take a look at what did make the cut, and who came out on top.
Honorable Mentions
Before we dig into the final contenders for this year’s Best TV Show of 2024, let’s take a look at some of the honorable mentions. The Penguin, Agatha All Along, Baby Reindeer, and The Boys Season 4 all received votes throughout the process, just not enough to be in the running for a final prize. Each show grabbed audiences in one way or another, whether it be Baby Reindeer’s scandalous origins, The Penguin’s look at Gotham’s seedy underbelly, The Boys Season 4 ripping off the training wheels and going for broke, or Agatha All Along’s witchy intrigue, and all are worth a watch if you didn’t quite get to them while they were airing.
Now, without further ado, here are IGN’s leading contenders for Best TV Show of 2024.
Runner-Up: House of the Dragon Season 2
The Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon managed to squeak into our last TV Show of the Year runner-up slot after showing some improvement from Season 1. While the series isn’t without its flaws, the ongoing drama between House Green and House Black intensified following the death of Rhaenyra’s son. With civil war looming, the stakes grew this season even as showrunner Ryan Condal found ways to put Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra and Olivia Cooke’s Alicent in a room together again. Former friends turned bitter enemies, it seems impossible for these two to salvage this situation at this point. Though House of the Dragon Season 2 could be frustrating at times due to a lack of narrative propulsion, it remains a visually stunning series that delivers the spectacle that fans of the Game of Thrones franchise have come to expect.
Runner-Up: Arcane Season 2
Arcane Season 2, featuring the voices of Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell and Kevin Alejandro, continues the story of the battle between the forces of cities Piltover and Zaun, showcasing a class struggle between the rich and poor of the respective inhabitants. From the beginning, Arcane has been a visual feast, featuring the most expensive animation of any television show in history by a considerable margin. While Season 2 still features the absolutely beautiful art that the series has become known for, many fans felt the story was rushed after waiting for so long for it to return. Had the show had the opportunity to take its time and build to its finale, it very likely could have cleaned house in the running for IGN’s Best TV Show race.
Runner-Up: Fallout
Starring as Lucy MacLean in the Prime Video adaptation of Fallout basically makes Ella Purnell the queen of the 2024 IGN Awards. Her character’s earnestness juxtaposed against a harsh post-apocalyptic world made quick fans of viewers new to the franchise, while the series’ frequent homages to its roots ensured longtime fans had plenty to be excited about.
The Fallout series – which is about a sheltered vault dweller who’s forced out into a post-apocalyptic landscape in an attempt to save her father from a gruesome fate – is a powerhouse of performances, from Purnell’s Lucy to Walton Goggins’ tortured Ghoul, while also delivering with solid set design and an engaging enough narrative. It was certainly a close race between Prime Video’s adaption and this year’s winner, but you just can’t take on a perfect series.
Winner: Shōgun
While the race for this year’s winner was close, there is no other choice for the top slot than the impeccable, intricate and intriguing Shōgun. The show — which was originally meant to be a limited series but has since been renewed for Season 2 at FX and Hulu — is immediately gripping in its first episode, demanding the attention of the audience in ways few shows know how to do these days. We are immediately plunged into the political and religious conflict plaguing the honorable Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) and his loyalists. While characters like Toranaga, Blackhorne (Cosmo Jarvis) and Mariko (Anna Sawai) are quick to win our hearts, the secondary performances of Tadanobu Asano as the slippery Yabushige and Moeka Hoshi as the quietly devout Usami Fuji ensure Shōgun’s ensemble sings in every scene.
There is no down moment in the series. Even the quietest scenes scream their importance while the actors do their work. There is an authenticity to Shōgun that insists on your undivided attention. In fact, said authenticity was a stipulation of Sanada’s involvement in the series. Acting as a producer as well as actor on the show, Sanada was an integral part of the casting process and had a hand in many aspects of the series.
From bombastic explosions to sunken ships, quiet moments between conspirators and lovers, and the best use of the queen’s sacrifice play in recent history, Shōgun is undeniably the best show of 2024.
