The 15 Best TV Performances Of 2024

Now that audiences are simultaneously blessed (and cursed) with many streaming services releasing TV series on their own schedules, there are more opportunities than ever for actors to give incredible performances in exciting and offbeat shows. From the thoughtful, fresh comedy of "English Teacher" to the breathtaking, impactful narrative of "Shōgun," a lot of fantastic series have come out in 2024. There are gifted actors working in TV on what seems like an infinite number of great projects, so narrowing down the best performances of 2024 to just 15 is a lofty task.

In making this list, we looked at a few different criteria. When comparing the individual actors and their performances, we first considered the critical and audience reception of the show in which they were a cast member, then consulted reviews from publications with reputable verticals such as Entertainment Weekly, Vulture, and The New York Times. We also considered our own impressions of each performance based on first-hand viewing, as well as any trends in fan reactions. Lastly, we considered which performances received nominations and wins from major awards shows/organizations. So settle in on the couch and power up the old Roku, because these are the best of the best in 2024.

Where to watch "Hacks:" Max

Jean Smart is so good as Deborah Vance on "Hacks" that it almost feels unnecessary to explain why she's on our list. Similar to other longtime television actors like Ted Danson and Andre Braugher, Smart performs with mesmerizing confidence and the natural charisma that an actor usually needed to be successful on TV shows that aired in the 1980s. 

As Deborah in "Hacks," Smart is a patient performer, never giving more than exactly what a scene requires and always nailing the show's erudite tone in her line reads. She finds in Vance a complicated woman who has never really recovered from a string of nasty industry disappointments and personal bombshells. Vance is never quite satisfied with her accomplishments and fails to understand that dissatisfaction, believing that she just needs to ruthlessly pursue the next level of success in order to make it go away. Opposite a fabulous and unpredictable Hannah Einbinder, Jean Smart is practically flawless in "Hacks" Season 3.

Where to watch "Fargo:" Hulu, FX, Disney+

"Fargo" Season 5 doesn't necessarily land very high on a list of ranking all of "Fargo's" chapters from worst to best, but even the less beloved of them still have their standout plot twists, visuals, and performers. Lamorne Morris plays Deputy Witt Farr, a role for which he won a well-deserved Emmy in September 2024. Morris did some excellent, underrated work as offbeat "New Girl" character Winston Bishop, but never received the level of praise he deserved thanks to more boisterous comedy from the likes of costars Jake Johnson and Zoey Deschanel. 

While "Fargo" and "New Girl" are almost as different as two TV shows could be, there is a thread of sincerity that Morris carries over from Winston to Witt. Part of the credit goes to good writing — it's always refreshing to see it proven that decent, good-natured characters can still be complex — but Morris is the one who breathes life into what could easily have been a forgettable role.

Where to watch "Ripley:" Netflix

When Andrew Scott co-starred in the second season of "Fleabag" as the Hot Priest, he reached a new level of success in his career, which he's only built on by working on critical darlings like "All of Us Is Strangers" and Netflix's "Ripley." In "Ripley," Scott plays Tom Ripley, a small-time con man who catches a break when a wealthy man named Herbert Greenleaf hires him to retrieve Greenleaf's artistic, meandering son from his bohemian lifestyle in Europe. 

Unlike 1999's "The Talented Mr. Ripley," an adaptation of the same book, "Ripley" pursues a dark, noir-inspired vision of Tom and his many crimes, and Scott leans into the shadows just enough to distinguish himself from actors who have portrayed Ripley in the past. "Scott's Tom is everything and nothing, and mesmeric either way," explains The Guardian's Lucy Mangan. Scott brings the perfect amount of ambiguity to the role, coaxing the audience into constantly wondering what might be going on inside of Tom Ripley's head. 

Where to watch "Mr. and Mrs. Smith:" Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" doesn't bear much of a resemblance to the 2005 film of the same name, but one thing that did carry over from film to television is an electric chemistry between the two leads. In 2024's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," John (Donald Glover) and Jane (Maya Erskine) Smith are hired by a mysterious organization to practice espionage while maintaining a cover as a married couple. 

While both Glover and Erskine give excellent performances, Erskine is the stand-out, managing a metamorphic transformation from her absurd "Pen15" character to the avoidant, hyper-competent Jane. Erskine manages to convey the depth of Jane's emotional spectrum while maintaining the detached mien upon which the character is so fiercely dependent. Erskine isn't afraid to let Jane be unlikeable, something that would make a less talented actor balk. Erskine received her first Emmy nomination for "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," likely to be the first of many major accolades in her career.

Where to watch "Girls5eva:" Netflix

Renée Elise Goldsberry is a very gifted singer and performer, just like her "Girls5eva" costar Sara Bareilles. "Girls5eva" doesn't shy away from its musical nature, with two professional musicians making up half the main characters, and Goldsberry needs to be given props for that aspect of her performance. That said, her musical skills are far from being the only talents Goldsberry brings to the table as Wickie, a glamorous, self-obsessed diva who has a heart of gold where it really counts. 

Wickie is a character that feels like an evolution of Jane Krakowski's Jenna on "30 Rock" (Tina Fey was heavily involved in developing "Girls5eva" as an executive producer). Jenna was never quite three-dimensional enough to be a true protagonist, but Goldsberry's character is a kaleidoscope of delicious contradictions, and the vulnerability she brings to the role is a game-changer. 

Where to watch "The Acolyte:" Disney+

Even though the prospect of a second season of "The Acolyte" looks pretty unlikely, it would be a shame to ignore its premiere season and its many well-executed elements. Manny Jacinto, who plays the mysterious "Qimir," gives a compelling performance as a man with many facets who actively utilizes them to accomplish and obfuscate his goals. 

Qimir is introduced as a shady criminal and finishes the season as one of the most closely-examined Sith in the Star Wars cinematic universe, now only known as The Stranger. It's a huge turnaround from Jacinto's last major TV role as dumb-but-lovable Jason Mendoza on the sitcom "The Good Place," and another actor might have failed to land the transition from comedy to action-drama. Indeed, Jacinto not only manages the transition, but he actually thrives in a role based on seduction and secrecy. 

Where to watch "Baby Reindeer:" Netflix

"Baby Reindeer" has been one of the most talked-about shows of 2024, and not just because one of its real-life subjects has been pursuing a lawsuit of $170 million against Netflix. Jessica Gunning, who won an Emmy for her work on the show, plays a woman named Martha who becomes almost instantly enamored with a troubled bartender named Donny. 

Richard Gadd's Donny is the protagonist in the story, and it's difficult to watch all the ways in which Martha doesn't hesitate to make him uncomfortable, as he still has so much trauma to unpack in his own life. It's not easy to make an irritating, tone-deaf character like Martha a sympathetic figure, and yet that's exactly what Gunning does. Donny can't help but feel for Martha in the end, despite all of the ways she's been harassing him.

Where to watch "The Franchise:" Max

"The Franchise," which comes from "Veep" and "Succession" writer/producer Jon Brown, follows the cast and crew of a superhero blockbuster as they struggle to overcome the many obstacles involved with making a huge studio film. In this case, they're working on a movie called "Tecto: Eye of the Storm" about a hero who can cause earthquakes with an invisible jackhammer. 

The heart of the show is Himesh Patel's Dan, a comic book and cinema enthusiast who, no matter how many cutthroat jokes he makes on set as first AD, can't seem to avail himself of hope that the genre can be something more than a formulaic, CGI-ed cash-cow. Patel is very funny as Dan and captures the hunched, exhausted physicality of someone who is overworked and under-appreciated. Patel is especially gifted at conveying fanboy desperation with his eyes, and without his nuanced physical acting, Dan would be difficult to believe as a character.

Where to stream "Shōgun:" Hulu, FX, Disney+

Amidst a sweeping narrative, beautiful set and costume design, and breathtaking violence, there are several acting performances that stand out as truly superlative in the FX show "Shōgun." Anna Sawai manages to portray serenity and savvy in Mariko while also honoring the character's extraordinary sorrow. Hiroyuki Sanada plays the lead protagonist, Lord Yoshii Toranaga, and brings an appropriate gravitas to the role, always making sure Toranaga seems like a man who has been holding his cards to his chest for most of his life. 

The most interesting performance in the show, though, comes from Tadanobu Asano, who plays a scheming daimyo named Kashigi Yabushige. Yabushige is a complex character, more than willing to scheme against his lord-liege, Toranaga, and yet still devoted to a strong sense of personal honor. What does it mean for a man to be selfish in a society that prioritizes family and duty over individualism? Asano offers a compelling answer to this question with his performance. 

Where to watch "A Man on the Inside:" Netflix

"The Man on the Inside" is a clear spiritual successor to "The Good Place," and with their newest collaboration, Ted Danson and Mike Schur clearly have the makings of an exciting creative partnership on their hands. The show asks questions about old age and what that means for a day-to-day existence, not shying away from the hard truths that many people don't even attempt to face until well into their golden years. 

Ted Danson is a delight to watch, as always, and he imbues his character, Charles, with an infectious curiosity about the world around him, which is probably how he manages to stay so young at heart. Danson delivers some heartbreaking lines throughout the show, but it is his spouting of seemingly boring architectural facts that feels like a hidden clue into the psyche of the show's protagonist. 

Where to watch "The Penguin:" Max

While the show's titular character is getting some extra prestige, thanks to Colin Farrell's involved transformation into Oswald Cobb, it is Cristin Milloti as Sofia Falcone, the series' second protagonist who ends up stealing the scene on multiple occasions. Episode 4 of the series, titled "Cent'anni," gives Milloti a chance to shine as it rewinds back to Sofia's life before she went to Arkham for the Hangman murders. 

Milloti plays the pre-Arkham version of her character with clear eyes and such an open heart that viewers can't help but think of how tragic it is that Sofia is no longer that person. "What did it feel like? To get to watch a person unravel?" Sofia poses this question to her former and current therapist, Dr. Julian Rush, but in a way it feels almost like a question for the audience after Episode 4's deep and thorough venture into Sofia's torment at Arkham. Milloti deserves credit for capturing each step that Sofia is forced to take toward losing faith in her own humanity. 

Where to watch "English Teacher:" Hulu, FX, Disney+

It's a great thing, really, the way "English Teacher" doesn't shy away from depicting the type of people we see around us all of the time in real life but rarely on our screens. There are a lot of interesting characters on "English Teacher," but Sean Patton's gym teacher, who goes by Markie to the rest of the school faculty, shows a totally new side to the misogynist, jock archetype upon which many lesser sitcoms might rely. In Episode 1, the show's protagonist — Evan — is faced with a discriminatory accusation from an uppity mother. He spends time explaining himself and his point-of-view to Markie, and Markie, having heard and understood, handles the problem for Evan in his own way. 

It's the first of many conflict-turned-enlightening experiences that the two characters have throughout Season 1 of "English Teacher," and if not for Sean Patton's ability to play Markie with care and humanity, it wouldn't be a sustainable motif. Markie is a jerk a lot of the time, a pro-gun, non-nonsense ex-football player, but he's also loyal, occasionally insightful, and surprisingly open-minded. Patton's performance is an impressive balancing act — and that's not even mentioning his comedic chops.

Where to watch "The Bear:" Hulu, FX, Disney+

There are a lot of incredible performances in Season 3 of "The Bear." Jeremy Allen White (Carmy) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Richie) both won Emmys for their work, with several others like Ayo Edibiri (Syd) and Lionel Boyce (Marcus) receiving nominations. It was hard to choose just one performance from the show, but Season 3, Episode 6, "Napkins," is the tiebreaker that has Liza Colón-Zayas (who also won an Emmy for "The Bear") as Tina winning out above all the rest.

 "Napkins" follows Tina in the somewhat recent past as she is laid off from her job and struggles to find a new one in a cutthroat job market. Tina has felt like a fully-fleshed character since Season 1, and it's been exciting as a viewer to watch Colón-Zayas continue to build on that foundation and evolve her character beyond supporting player. Her conversation with Jon Bernthal's Mikey is both delightful and excruciating to watch — delightful because both actors are so gifted at conveying the emotion behind meeting someone and knowing pretty quickly that they're going to change your life, excruciating because Mikey is gone now, and not even Tina can work hard enough to burn away the grief of that loss.

Where to watch "Agatha All Along:" Disney+

It's not unreasonable to finish the weird collection of episodes that is "Agatha All Along" and believe that the most important part of the show was the reveal of Teen's identity. Indeed, it is most likely Joe Locke's Billy that will move on from "Agatha All Along" into the wider MCU, but this show still belongs first and foremost to Kathryn Hahn, who debuted Agatha in "WandaVision." There is something about Hahn that makes it impossible not to like her regardless of how much she might be hamming it up in front of the camera or positioning Agatha's tendency toward cruel and unvarnished truth to the best of its ability. 

Hahn breathes life into what feels, at times, like a fairly lackluster show with pacing issues and a strangely unsatisfying ending. She has great chemistry with all of her costars — especially Aubrey Plaza as the mysterious Rio — and has an uncanny ability to let the audience see something in Agatha while still believably obscuring it from the other characters around her. Whether or not "Agatha All Along" was a slam-dunk success, Kathryn Hahn is a treasure, and we hope they make the graphics on her ghostly figure a little less blurry.

Where to watch "What We Do in the Shadows:" Hulu, FX, Disney+

"What We Do in the Shadows" is the rare show where there are no stronger or weaker individual performances from its cast members. Instead, "What We Do in the Shadows" is a true ensemble piece, a show that relies on the chemistry between its main characters and seeks to give every one of them a chance to be the funniest person in the room. 2024 marks the series finale of the beloved comedy from Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, and it would be criminal not to acknowledge the comedic brilliance of its ensemble as a whole before it's no longer on the air. 

Kayvan Novak's Nandor, Matt Berry's Laszlo, Natasia Demetriou's Nadja, Harvey Guillén's Guillermo, and Mark Proksch's Colin are each a comedic accomplishment in their own right, and the show has done an incredible job of allowing every combination and dynamic between the five of them to occur. Laszlo is funny on his own, but Nadja's ability to rein in his ego and his buddy cop-level chemistry with Colin make him something truly spectacular. It's like this for each of them — every character is enhanced by all of the others, and to pick just one performance from the bunch would be antithetical to the most successful element of the show.