Ed Martin's Top 25 TV Programs of 2024 (Part Two)

Young Sheldon / Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage (CBS) -- This year saw the end of Young Sheldon, a smart show that never really received the critical support it deserved, and the launch of its spin-off, Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage(pictured at top), which via full-time status or guest appearances continues the adventures of almost all of the characters from Sheldon, except for Sheldon himself (who is away at school) and, of course, Sheldon, Georgie and Missy's dad George, who passed away as Sheldon concluded. (Those guest appearances by Jim Parsons as adult Sheldon and Mayim Bialik as his wife Amy at the end of Sheldon were a stroke of genius, by the way.) Georgie is a winner, too. The expertly written end of Sheldon chronicled how an average early-90s working-class family dealt with the sudden death of their husband and father and the grieving that followed. Georgie, to the credit of all involved, continues to do the same. Hats off to Montana Jordan, the winning young actor who plays Georgie, for his ingratiating performance as a goofy 19-year-old who is learning what adulting is all about. He's a new husband and new father managing a new full-time job while also dealing with unexpected jolts of grief following the loss of his dad. Emily Osment, as Mandy, is pretty darn great, too. Dare I add that they make a sexy couple? There aren't many of those on broadcast TV these days.

Doctor Who (Disney+) -- The not-so-secret sauce behind the longevity of Doctor Who (still going strong after 61 years and numerous platforms across all media) is that the title character can regenerate into a "new" Doctor every so many years, allowing for dramatic cast changes that make sense. Insanely gifted writers such as Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat, who know how to advance a long-running narrative while always honoring its past, make the magic happen. And then there are the actors who have played the Doctor, often as someone "new" -- younger, older, recently female -- and now gay, as winningly portrayed by Ncuti Gatwa (pictured above). His Doctor didn't exactly regenerate; rather, he "bigenerated" from the Doctor played by David Tennant. That Doctor isn't involved in the current stories, but isn't it nice to know there are two of them out there?

9-1-1 / 9-1-1 Lone Star (ABC and Fox, respectively) -- When both of Ryan Murphy's red-hot action shows premiered, each delivering many disaster-movie-quality episodes throughout their seasons, I couldn't help but wonder, "How do they do it?" Now, with 9-1-1 in its seventh season and Lone Star in its fifth, I can't help but ask, "How do they still do it?" The action is unparalleled, but it's the emotion-driven personal stories of their characters that really keep these shows going. 9-1-1 has already been renewed for an eighth season on ABC, but this sadly looks to be the last hurrah for Lone Star. This franchise is too good to compromise. Surely ABC will consider picking it up? Or a streamer? Why not produce additional episodes of Lone Star exclusively for Hulu? If this really is the end, is it possible for supercouple Tarlos to leave Austin and relocate to L.A.?

The Penguin (HBO) -- I think the biggest surprise of the year was HBO's riveting crime drama The Penguin, which proved that D.C. can win at the same game Marvel perfected years ago -- producing theatrical movies and television shows that exist in the same narrative universe, each one enhancing the other. As we learned in the 2022 theatrical release The Batman, this isn't your parents' Penguin. A commanding Colin Farrell reprised his role from that movie as the title villain here, but the real stunner was Cristin Milioti, best known as the loving mom in the beloved CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, as the sinister Sofia Falcone.

Adventures of Ghostie (Instagram) -- In general I don't keep up with children's programming. (That includes Bluey. Sorry, kids.)  But I am captivated by the short stop-motion animated adventures of the adorable Ghostie and his friends. As his bio reads, this social media gem is all about "Chronicling the adventures of a little ghost living in a pumpkin house and doing some very cozy things." Seriously, it's relentlessly charming. If I were a smart executive at a network or streaming service, I would contact the creators of Ghostie (pictured above) and inquire about the rights. Then I would build it into a hit children's TV series or a series of inevitably popular seasonal specials and crank up the merch machine.

Ghosts (CBS) -- Staying with the ghost thing, CBS' stunningly original comedy Ghosts didn't skip a beat in its third season, and its fourth is off to a fine start, as well. The characters continue to be developed as individuals, and in various group dynamics. I loved the first season, but I thought the concept might get stale after a year or two. Nope. The cast seems to be having as much fun now as it did then. It remains a pleasant, consistently funny watch, punctuated by moments of human drama that are profound but never overdone, and it is always life-affirming, even though most of its characters are dead.

Somebody Somewhere (HBO) -- This quietly profound dramedy wasn't for everybody, even though it spun stories out of universal challenges shared by everyone -- managing grief, navigating friendships, reconciling the past with the present while figuring out the future and, once identified, living an authentic life regardless of external influences. Critics everywhere seemed to emotionally bond with the characters and their stories, with many weeping over their keyboards when writing about the recent (and perfect) series finale. Star and executive producer Bridget Everett was unforgettable as a middle-age woman who returns to her hometown in Kansas to care for her dying sister, remains there after she passes, and keeps on carrying on … with unexpected results. Now that Somebody has completed its run it's going to make a great three-season binge.

The Diplomat (Netflix) -- The television landscape is loaded with political thrillers, but they don't come better than this one. Keri Russell as the title character and Rufus Sewell as her ambitious husband continued to pull no punches in season two, while Allison Janney added fresh drama as steely Vice President Grace Penn (who had an agenda of her own). No spoilers here, but season three promises to be another blast.

To be continued ...

Read Part One here.

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