2024 in Review: Entertainment and Literature

It’s time for my latest list of favorites from the year in literature, movies, and television. Note that the list may contain works seen or read in late 2023 (after the last list was published), and it isn’t confined to titles released in 2024. You can see my favorites from past years here.

The Best Books I Read in 2024

I was happy to get through a few more books this year, probably because I was better about reading during my travels.

10) Holes, by Louis Sachar: I saw the movie adaptation several years ago, but never found cause to read this children’s book until I felt my son was old enough to enjoy the story. We tackled it this year, and I think I enjoyed it as much or more than he did. When a persistently-unlucky teen gets convicted of a crime and sent to a remote work camp for rehabilitation, he has to quickly adapt to harsh life digging holes in the desert. Surrounded by venomous lizards and snakes, rough and tumble fellow inmates, and an unforgiving prison staff, our hero may or may not find a way to escape this hell, while tackling a generations-long family curse. It’s highly entertaining for both adults and kids (after a rewatch, I’ll reconfirm that the movie’s solid too).

9) A Mote in God’s Eye, by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven: I made it a point of tackling some sci fi “classics” this year. I got some suggestions from a few YouTube channels that run through such lists endlessly. In some cases I found new titles, and in others I was finally convinced to try books I’d at least heard of. Mote was one of the latter. It was first published in 1974.

One of the problems with older sci fi (IMO) is that the language or technology simply don’t hold up. For example, John Carter of Mars felt stilted. In other cases, what may have seemed like distant future tech in the mid-20th Century, may seem totally realistic or even outdated in our present day. I often wonder at what point The Expanse, our greatest modern sci fi series, will seem outdated and unrealistic. As soon as fifty years? Twenty?

So anyway, we sometimes have to suspend our disbelief even more than is normally required for science fiction, and pretend we’ve entered a parallel universe, where society and tech have developed on a different timeline. A Mote in God’s Eye actually holds up quite well. It’s a First Contact story, and the technology speculation doesn’t seem too dated, thankfully. Where its strength lies is how it tackles the aliens. Their physiology and culture are well thought out, and the ensuing problems that mankind faces—compatibility and communication—are legitimate… but ultimately take a back seat to the bigger question: “Can we trust them?” Though I doubt I will continue this series (it fades, by all accounts), I appreciate the thought and structure of this book a great deal.

8) The Egg and I, by Betty MacDonald: Over the years I’ve picked out the occasional Pacific Northwest non-fiction titles in order to learn more about my home. This was a $2 purchase on Amazon, a memoir written about life in Washington in the first half of the 20th Century. In the first of a four-part series, MacDonald describes a jarring move from Seattle out to the Olympic Peninsula, where her new husband plans to… raise chickens. The book is an honest depiction of life in this era: enjoyable as a window into the difficult “frontier” life in the rainforest (and chicken farming), cringe-worthy for its racist depictions of the native aboriginal people of the area. There is also some pointed observation about forestry practices and the rape of the land, a theme that repeats itself in just about any historical novel about our green pocket of the country. MacDonald’s amusing and frank commentary on the life she didn’t exactly sign up for make for a quick read, and certainly give us a sense of how most of us would not be cut out for such travails today.

7) The Trapped Girl, by Robert Dugoni: I’ve had several volumes of the Tracy Crosswhite detective series on my Kindle for a while. They’re a perfect elixir when I’m in the mood for some basic, quick-read crime thrillers. Always solid, if unspectacular, not unlike Michael Connelly’s Bosch novels (the difference is that Dugoni nails his endings more consistently). Normally I wouldn’t expect to put one of these books on this list, but The Trapped Girl is by far the most compelling and tense book in the series that I’ve read thus far.

6) The Feather Thief, by Kirk Wallace Johnson: Forgot to add this to the list, so this is a late edit. This true story discusses the mysterious disappearance of bird skins (taxidermied birds) from the England’s Natural History Museum. Actually, the mystery is solved and the culprit identified rather quickly, which made me wonder where the story was going. I also didn’t understand the author’s random first person accounts early in the novel, until it goes from caper to investigative report and attempted recovery of the lost items. What the story uncovers is a dark and ultimate insight into yet another form of abuse of both historical artifacts and the natural world. The conspiracy in the particular element of society detailed in this book (I won’t spoil it), is unexpected… and yet, not terribly surprising.

5) The Mercy of Gods, by James S. A. Corey: Expanse fans rejoice, for the next series from James S. A. Corey is here! It was hard resetting my brain (especially expectations) and getting into a brand new series from the authors of our greatest modern sci fi, but this first installment in the new series was worth the wait. This is also a First Contact story, and the aliens this time are unambiguous about their intentions toward earth. They quickly subjugate the human race—as they’ve done with countless other species—and the scientists at the core of the story are forced into indentured servitude. As usual, the writing is impeccable, and while the science behind the fiction is much more speculative than The Expanse, it remains well-detailed without ever getting boring. I’m excited for Book Two!

4) The Blind Assassin, by Margaret Atwood: Hard to believe, but this was my first Atwood book. I, of course, watched The Handmaid’s Tale show when it debuted years ago, but it became far too depressingly realistic to want to continue into Season Two, and I had no desire to tackle the book for similar reasons. So I thought I’d try something different after reading positive buzz about this one. Which ultimately had very little to do with assassins of any sort. In fact, it’s a century-old family drama intertwined with mythology (where the assassin part comes in) and a fair bit of mystery. There’s very little drama by way of action, and if I had a better sense of what I was getting into, I would’ve avoided it. That said, I’m glad I tried it, as there is a good bit of suspense at the heart of the story, and Atwood is clearly a masterful, almost poetic writer. In some ways I could even compare this to Trust, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that also tackles early 20th Century business and family drama, but I felt this book was much more robust, and ultimately possessed a more captivating mix of flashbacks and modern day narratives to go with questions that aren’t answered until the very end.

3) The Highest Tide, by Jim Lynch: I only recently finished this novel, and loved it. Though it’s a work of fiction—the story of a boy who has a knack for making newsworthy discoveries in a nearby Puget Sound bay—it doubles as an effective and entertaining piece of natural history writing. Ultimately, it’s a coming-of-age story. The teen angst is all too real, and plays beautiful against the almost magical happenings in the natural world that occupy one curious teen’s summer.

2) Roadside Picnic, by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky: Hailed by some as one of the greatest sci fi novels of all time, this was another of the classics I uncovered and explored this year. They’re right. It’s masterful. Perhaps shocking for something originally written in the 1970s Soviet Union, but it cleared censorship and gifts us a story of a post-alien-contact world. All that’s left of the “visitation” are artifacts left behind. Alien technology fetches a high price through official and unofficial channels, but only the bravest (or most foolhardy) Stalkers will risk the dangers of the Zones where these items are found. We follow one such Stalker as he deals with the challenges and fallout of repeated trips inside. It’s a haunting story, with easy but frank dialog that holds up incredible well. In fact, it’s one of the best “conversation” novels I can recall reading.

Coincidentally, while I had been hearing about and considering reading this book for a while, I’d also heard about Soviet film auteur Andrei Tarkovsky’s arthouse favorite Stalker for a long time. I never made the connection—the film adaptation was even written by the book authors—until I completed the novel and learned more about it. We started watching Stalker but never got back into it. I hope to rewatch it sometime soon.

1) Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry: Like my top movie choice this year, I ultimately committed to reading this based on social media recommendations. I was vaguely familiar with the title from the 1980s mini-series (Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Duvall, and a cast of all stars!), but the book kept coming up as a favorite read among the general public. I don’t think I had ever read a true Western before, probably one reason I’ve dodged this one all these years. But I’m certainly not opposed to trying new genres, and vowed to get to McMurtry’s novel at some point.

What a great decision. It’s such a rich story, the tale of an epic cattle drive from Texas to Montana, with some of the best character building (including the well-developed supporting roles) in any book I can recall. Despite McMurtry’s ability to let us know these people intimately, he doesn’t play favorites or stay loyal to any of the characters. Anyone can die in the harsh landscape of the Old West at any time.

It’s a brilliant book, and I’m excited to get into more books in the series, and perhaps some of McMurtry’s other classics sometime soon.

Other Books I Read: Cat’s Cradle, The Midnight Library, Ready Player Two (audiobook, terrible), In the Clearing, Close to Home, Trust, Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Moonflower Murders, The Stars My Destination, Britt-Marie Was Here

My Favorite Movies Seen in 2024

10) Thelma: A small film that snuck into theaters (and promptly left, despite excellent reviews) during the summer. It’s Mission: Impossible for the senior circuit: a charming little comedy about an elderly woman (played by June Squibb, who was already well past 80 in her Oscar-nominated turn in Nebraska a decade ago!) who becomes the victim of a financial scam… and takes it upon herself to track down the criminals. I suppose I could recommend this as a double-feature with Jason’s Statham’s The Beekeeper, which covered this exact same topic, but with much more violence and less charm (though for a Statham film, it’s really well written and is entertaining in its own right). If you’re looking for low-key, feel good entertainment, Thelma hits the spot.

9) Furiosa: George Miller’s latest installment in the Mad Max saga has a problem: most of us don’t want to see a rehash of Fury Road (my favorite film in 2015), and yet because this film doesn’t compare to that masterpiece, many left the theater disappointed. Furiosa is a different type of movie, thankfully. Not just one big chase, there’s a little more plot behind this story of the desert general. The set pieces aren’t quite as grand, and the use of digital effects is a bit more suspect this time around… but it’s a good action film despite all of that. The world of Mad Max is always a bit odd, filled with some wild costume and design ideas, so I always have fun with it. Chris Hemsworth chews up scenery in a bonkers performance that fits the tone perfectly.

8) Hit Man: This Netflix project came onto my radar just prior to its limited theater run. Normally one wouldn’t put much stock in a “Netflix Original,” but Hit Man is helmed by Richard Linklater, director of Dazed and Confused and Boyhood. Advance buzz was solid for this comedic caper, based on a true story of a professor-turned-undercover-cop. Filled with plenty of silliness and charming performances (particularly by Glen Powell), it has some darker twists—purportedly fictional—yet somehow minimizes them to mask everything in a sweet veneer that somehow succeeds in covering the sourness of the final third.

7) American Fiction: I don’t make it a case to see every Best Picture nominee like I did back in high school, but I definitely am curious about what constitutes a great film these days. And I suppose I’m a little more likely to be in the mood for a comedy than a depressing World War II piece. Whatever my mood was earlier this year, I made the right choice opting to watch this film, a satire on race (what happens when an African American writer very reluctantly embraces black stereotypes for a white audience?) that stretches reality to the threshold of absurdity, and yet seems completely plausible in nearly every way. Jeffrey Wright is fantastic, as usual, in the lead role.

6) The Holdovers: This late 2023 release flew largely under the radar, but word of mouth was tremendous. I was sort of expecting a smart, laugh out loud comedy (something the trailers hinted at), but instead got… an Alexander Payne movie. Which is great. Payne, who is responsible for Election, About Schmidt, Sideways, Nebraska, and The Descendants, is an expert at balancing humor with subtle drama. Holdovers is another good example of this. Focusing on three characters stuck at a New England boys’ school over winter break, the story shows how clashing personalities, born out of complicated and unexpected personal dramas, can somehow come together in times of tedium and angst. While it’s more serious than I anticipated, the right sprinkling of comedy throughout and some genuine warmth make this a real winner.

5) Poor Things: Good lord, this movie was out there. I knew it was going to be different, based on the advanced buzz, but I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Director Yorgos Lanthimos has helmed some very interesting, quirky films recently (The Lobster, The Favourite), but this goes way beyond those in terms of fantasy story telling and especially style. Altering between black and white and color, dancing between different lenses (including fisheye), and employing some tremendous art direction, costume, and set design (oh, and makeup), it’s a visual feast. But in many ways the story—the rapid growth and evolution of a woman brought back from the dead—relies on the tremendous performances by Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo. In both cases, the actors also stretch themselves. It just feels bonkers at times, but their bizarre turns really complement and complete the fantasy.

4) Dune, Part 2: Part One of Denis Villeneuve’s desert saga was my favorite film of 2021, so of course I had high expectations for this one. I’ve discussed my tendency to fall into a trap of getting too pumped up for certain films, which leads to an inevitable letdown and some disappointment. I tried to temper my expectations this time, but I couldn’t help but immerse myself in a bit of the advance hype, and I rewatched Part One in the weeks prior to seeing this one.

I did not feel letdown by this film, thankfully. It’s fantastic, but I definitely had plenty of thoughts afterward. First, it’s important to remember that I did not actually like the book. I feel it is overrated, and so I never went further than the first novel in the series. Therefore, I’ve never been invested in this story the way many sci fi fans are. That, perhaps, may be why I was so blown away by the first film. It’s a visual masterpiece—as one should expect from this director—but the story was tense throughout and well-told, despite essentially being a preamble to all the meatier storytelling that happens in Part Two. And this is why Dune, Part Two feels like a different film to me.

Dune, for those who don’t know, centers around the fall of House Atreides, duped by a corrupt emperor into taking over the mineral-rich desert planet of Arrakis. They are betrayed by the emperor and the rival Harkonnen family, which all but wipes them out. With the exception of Paul Atreides, who flees into the desert and is rescued by the native Fremen. This film continues from there, as Paul—whom destiny has marked as a potential Messianic figure—weighs whether to lead the Fremen against the Harkonnens and the emperor (will he lead them to salvation or destruction?).

Denis Villeneuve’s stunning visuals (and sound design) are consistent once again, but more of the focus this time falls on the political, familial and religious ramifications of the events of Part One, so it feels like less of a slow feast for the senses. The story zooms ahead, and despite a three hour run time it almost felt too short. There’s plenty of action, but part of me wished for more time to soak in the bigger set pieces, or the occasional pause between leaps ahead in the story. Trust me, this is the smallest of quibbles. It’s expertly put together and never feels like a slog. My biggest issue was actually that the tension I felt in this film’s predecessor was largely absent. The movie marches relentlessly toward an inevitable conclusion, and its villains—though expertly played by all actors involved—have lost some of their bite. Instead, the heart and greater storytelling success of the film centers on Paul’s conflicting feelings about taking on his leadership role, his deteriorating relationship with his manipulative mother, and his Fremen love interest.

After repeat viewings, my opinion may change a bit. But there’s no question Dune 2 is a magnificent achievement. Like Nolan’s Batman trilogy, I may once again find myself in the minority, preferring the first installment to its highly-lauded sequel, but I can appreciate both as great films that approach storytelling in a different way. Villeneuve created something magical out of (IMO) mediocre material. It really is a towering achievement, and like Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, nobody will ever do a better job of translating this book to the screen. If anything, it’s been a real treat seeing the overwhelming positive reaction to this installment from more casual moviegoers. Anything that sparks such enthusiasm for cinema should be celebrated.

3) Anora: Dune, Part Two was supposed to be my top film this year. And then I saw three movies that all involve exotic dancing. And they all vaulted to the top of my list. NOT for that reason, though, I swear.

Anora lands at #3, and is likely to be a heavy Oscar contender. Winners of the Palm d’Or aren’t always in my wheelhouse, but this twisted Cinderella story was directed by Sean Baker, primarily know for excellent low budget pieces on the working class or forgotten parts of American society. I loved The Florida Project (#5 on my 2018 list), the only Baker film I’d seen to date.

Anora is the story of an exotic dancer who gets lured into the high-end, free-spending lifestyle of her Russian oligarch client. Okay, it’s actually the oligarch’s son, and when his family gets wind of their hasty romance and wedding(!), things get a little crazy. This is Baker’s most mainstream film, while adhering to some of his familiar themes about class and opportunity. One might say it’s more accessible because it’s also hilarious. I wasn’t expecting this much comedy in a film rife with a lot of adult content (due to its character and subject matter). If you aren’t queasy about sex and nudity, you should enjoy this uproarious and entertaining romp… which stays grounded and deeply sympathetic to its main character. Mikey Madison is fantastic as Anora, and deserves all the accolades heading her way in the next few months.

2) Zola: Yup, another exotic dancer movie. Though it’s unfair to, er… strip Anora and Zola down to such a base description. Removing the profession at the center of both of these films, you’ve still got two wild, hilarious, and touching movies about hard-working people trying to extract themselves from some absolutely bizarre situations. Of the two, Zola’s story is even wilder… and it’s true! The film came out in 2020, and I’ve been wanting to see it ever since. We finally got around to it, and I wasn’t disappointed.

By the way, I’d post the trailer here, but it’s NSFW.

Zola is based on a Twitter thread posted by an exotic dancer, detailing her crazy night out with a colleague. And the story is bonkers. The film is a mix of grit, neon, and absurdity. Riley Keough goes absolutely nuts as Stefani, something of a femme fatale. The story gets crazier as the wild night in central Florida progresses, and it’s highly entertaining. Though like most of the films I urge friends to see most ardently, this one definitely leaves audiences with a, “What did I just watch?” feeling.

1) Hundreds of Beavers: And that can also be said about my film of the year. This summer I was scrolling through my social media feed, and found a random post asking people, “What’s the funniest movie you’ve ever seen.” Clickbait, but I do like diving into these posts to see if I can get any new recommendations. When the second comment for Hundreds of Beavers came up, I finally had to see for myself what the heck Hundreds of Beavers was, exactly.

It was all over after that. Jenn and I watched it the first night. We showed it to our son the second night (aside from one semi-clothed pole-dancing scene, the film is mostly cartoonish violence and absolute absurd humor). And I’ve spent the ensuing months trying to convince anyone who will listen to watch this movie. The problem is that with that title, nobody will take me seriously. I’ve resorted to ambushing friends and family with it. We put it on at Thanksgiving, and we just took friends to a surprise theater screening… mainly because I knew folks would never check it out on their own.

I’m not going to tell you anything about it. Just know that it’s a low-budget miracle, and is like nothing you’ve ever seen. It’s artistic, it’s funny, it’s life-changing. It’s also free on Prime. Go! Go! Go!

Other films I enjoyed: The Boys in the Boat; Mank; The Creator; Matilda; They Cloned Tyrone; The Fall Guy; Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; Saltburn; The Beekeeper; Inside Out 2; Deadpool & Wolverine; Godzilla Minus One; Wicked Little Letters; Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice; Rebel Ridge; The Wild Robot; Twisters; Challengers

My Favorite Shows That I Watched in 2024

I can usually rely on television to provide the most consistent selection of high quality entertainment of any medium. Whether you agree that we’re beyond the “Peak TV” era or not, the sheer volume of choices mean we’ll always get some high quality programming. Still, as I look at this list, there were fewer shows that I felt really strongly about in 2024 compared to past years. They’re all quite good, but with very few exceptions this year, I think all of these had flaws in one form or another.

10) The Penguin (HBO): I’m not sure anyone knew what to expect from the television follow-up to 2022’s The Batman film. Colin Farrell made a memorable but brief appearance in that movie as Batman’s temporary foil. This time, Oswald Cobblepott (better known as The Penguin) gets the spotlight, and Farrell milks every moment. A shoutout to the makeup team, which renders Farrell unrecognizable under his fat suit, but the actor’s performance is equally worthy of praise. In fact, Penguin succeeds mostly as an acting vehicle for its two leads. Matching Farrell is Cristin Milioti, who’s been so good in the past (she was a standout in Palm Springs, one of my favorite films of 2021), and plays a much-maligned heiress to the Falcone crime family. Both of these villains—there are no heroes in this show—match wits and chew up lots of scenery in what is essentially a gritty mob story. It’s devoid of any superhero silliness.

If the show has one problem, it’s that the story is a bit too topsy-turvy. First one character gets the upper hand… and almost immediately fortune turns and their rivals have reclaimed the advantage. The writers needed to give the drama more time to build, but I guess they had too many ideas for one season. Thankfully, they find time in the end to remind us that “Oz Cobb” is not just a champion of the little people of Gotham. We’re shown that he really is a villain, and ultimately deserves everything the Caped Crusader sends his way.

9) Bad Monkey (Apple): I think we got a couple of fun surprises in the crime-comedy genre this year. Ted Danson’s return in A Man On the Inside was a charming treat. Vince Vaughn’s turn as a wisecracking Florida Keys cop was a bit more spicy. Once a disembodied arm gets reeled up during a fishing outing, all bets are off. Bad Monkey was a lot of fun, and its performers seemed to relish the odd balance between the mysticism, more serious drama, and downright absurdity in which they were often involved. However, it did stumble in the end, both with how it treated the main romance at the center of the show, and how it left an unsatisfying taste in our mouths in regard to the villains. The show is based on a book series, so hopefully Season Two is equally entertaining.

8) Photographer (Disney+): National Geographic’s photographer documentary was sort of a must-watch for me, right? Actually, I always have mixed feelings about these types of projects. I don’t idolize anyone in my profession, but I respect the heck out of what many of them do, so I was interested in seeing how some of my peers operate… and also hoped to learn a bit more about some of the less familiar names. Netflix’s Tales By Light was the last photographer-centric documentary series that did a really good job of pulling this off… in its first season. Then they changed the formula for Season 2 and it became pretty nondescript.

Photographer succeeds mostly with some of its lesser-known subjects and lowest-key moments. Everyone might tune in for the debut episode, which focuses on big name nature photographers Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier, but they already reach such a wide audience that I didn’t feel I was learning as much (the stories from the early parts of their careers were the major highlights). Instead, my favorite episode by far depicted the dramatic effort by Anand Varma to document the development of life inside a chicken egg.

Another moment that touched me was Dan Winter’s discussions with his son about the way he documented the latter’s childhood. As a photographer who also happens to spend a lot of time documenting my own son’s life, I was interested to see the similarities (and distinct differences) between our approach to more personal work. Watching Winter’s son react quite emotionally when presented with some of the photos and hearing his not-entirely-positive thoughts on what his father had done was a powerful moment.

7) Fallout (Amazon): On the heels of The Last of Us, we got another big budget show based on a popular dystopian video game. And this one was also pretty successful. Perhaps I liked it because I’m a sucker for post-apocalyptic stories, though it wasn’t quite as dark and gritty as HBO’s zombie thriller. Fallout has a bit of a sheen and more cartoonish vibe to it—while still finding plenty of space for gore and violence. The production value, with a lot of retro nuances scattered throughout (this was apparently a big part of the game too) reminded me a bit of the TVA vibe on Loki. In Loki’s case, it was perhaps the best and most consistent and successful aspect of an otherwise inconsistent show. But Fallout holds up better in general. Having Walton Goggins as your co-lead doesn’t hurt.

6) What We Do In the Shadows (FX): This year I said goodbye to perhaps my two favorite comedy shows ever. As someone who doesn’t do a lot of comedy, I could always rely on Shadows (and another long-time fave that appears to have wrapped up, Whose Line Is It, Anyway?) for solid and consistent laughs. This branch of raunchy, absurd humor isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it runs laps around anything CBS puts out on a nightly basis. Matt Berry’s unstoppable talent for pronouncing seemingly mundane words in unexpected ways is worth the price of the network subscription alone.

5) Mr. and Mrs. Smith (Amazon): I don’t think I’d ever bet against a project that pairs Donald Glover and Hiro Murai. Collaborators on one of the best shows of the last decade (Atlanta), and with each boasting a lot of individual successes (Murai also had a hand in crafting Station Eleven, perhaps my favorite single season of TV in recent memory), they came together to produce this under-the-radar remake of the infamous Brangelina vehicle. Why Amazon didn’t bother marketing it more, I’m not sure, but it had to be an improvement over the film (which I never saw). Two assassins volunteer to come together and pose as a married couple while carrying out their assignments. Naturally, this leads to work/domestic conflicts, alongside the inevitable development of true feelings for each other. None of that is a surprise, but it’s all expertly fleshed out, with Glover’s typical surreal and witty humor popping up at the most unexpected moments. The season ends on a purposely ambiguous note, and it’s unknown at this time if there will be another season. As one of the few people that watched it, I’ll be happy to dive into whatever the next Glover-Murai collaboration is.

4) Shogun (FX): I’m old enough to remember the 1980s Shogun miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain, and about a decade ago I read the source material along with a couple other James Clavell novels. Still, I remembered little enough about the story, so I felt I was able to come at it with fresh eyes. Widely hailed by critics and audiences (and winner of a slew of Emmys), there’s no doubt this version is a triumph. The update focuses more on the Japanese perspective (rather than making the Westerner the hero… he is, instead, a bit of a buffoon this time around), and is beautifully filmed. The performances are top notch as well.

The only thing I found lacking was that, while it looked grand, and was buoyed by some heavyweight performances (from Anna Sawai, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Cosmo Jarvis), it somehow still didn’t feel epic enough for my tastes. Perhaps it was the lack of big set pieces—battles are mostly an afterthought—and focus on quieter palace intrigue, but I felt Clavell’s huge tome was sometimes underserved, despite the fact that the execution of the scenes put on screen was usually impeccable.

3) The Farthest – Voyager in Space (PBS/Amazon): A subscription to Amazon Prime’s PBS Documentaries collection has allowed us to start catching up on a lot of great content from Ken Burns (Mark Twain just missed this list) and other filmmakers. Normally we’d pop a doc on at lunch and watch it over the course of a few weeks. I picked this film from an array of space documentaries, and ended up enthralled.

In the 1970s, NASA planned the launch of two missions to the outer planets. Voyager 1 and 2 were primarily intended to visit Jupiter and Saturn, with an outside chance that the second spacecraft could move on to Uranus and Neptune. As a kid, I remember being obsessed with Nat Geo’s Our Universe book, especially the artwork and sections about the planets. As I grew older, talk of the Voyager missions filtered into my consciousness, though I only really vividly remember Voyager 2’s Neptune visit, the final stop for either spacecraft on their way out of our solar system. More recently, news that NASA is still in communication with Voyager 1 inspired me to put this on.

This documentary, which originally aired in 2017, is incredibly comprehensive, aided by the fact that it features interviews with a slew of scientists that played important roles in planning, executing and interpreting the missions. Combined with some excellent archival footage, it’s a fantastic deep dive into the challenges and victories of one of the most daring and successful exploratory undertakings in the history of mankind.

2) Slow Horses (Apple): Apple’s UK crime drama drops new seasons quicker than expected, and we’re all richer for it. The third season, which debuted in late 2023, was the best yet. I always appreciate a good spy thriller, and well-told internal-corruption stories (something that peak seasons of 24 often managed to do) always heighten the tension. Season 3 of Horses was full of that, while still injecting plenty of humor into the story of MI-5’s best team of bumbling agents. Gary Oldman’s slovenly Jackson Lamb is hilariously awful, and perhaps a warning sign to those of us whole snacked on far too many holiday treats this year.

Season 4 was released later in the year, and while the show maintained its high standards, I felt for the first time that the season was perhaps a bit too short (SH seasons are only six episodes, per the British style). The chief villain wasn’t quite fleshed out enough for my liking, and the story felt a bit thin overall. Still a wonderful watch, but perhaps a notch lower than the excellent season that preceded it.

1) Fargo (FX): I was delighted to witness a “comeback” from FX’s acclaimed series. After a couple seasons (which are mostly standalone and only connected by tiny threads; you don’t have to watch them all if you don’t want to… nor is the Coen Brothers’ movie required viewing) that were good to mediocre, the show bounced back in a big way in Season Five. Fargo’s Season Two is one of the all-time great television seasons of the past twenty years, in my mind. This season nearly reached that pinnacle. As always, creator Noah Hawley manages to attract a stellar cast to his awkward and quirky Midwest landscape. Juno Temple, underserved by her writers in the final season of Ted Lasso, shines as a seemingly demure housewife whose dark past comes to haunt her. Jon Hamm is equally effective as a terrifying law enforcement officer, though perhaps he’s scary more for the religious fervor and right wing anarchist tendencies written into his character than any sort of outrageous performance by Hamm, who brings the proper level of cool detachment from reality to make his Sheriff Tillman so lifelike.

Fargo brings its usual mix of violence, quirky humor, and just a pinch of fantasy to the proceedings, but just when the writers seem to slip—wrapping up the story before the halfway point of the final episode—they tack on a coda that’s incredibly moving. It’s a perfect finale to a near-perfect season.

Other shows I enjoyed: Justified: City Primeval; Reacher; Lupin; A Real Bug’s Life; Somebody Feed Phil; Steve (!) Martin, A Documentary in Two Pieces; Ronia, The Robber’s Daughter; The Boys; House of the Dragon; Mark Twain; The Great British Baking Show; Mr. McMahon; A Man On the Inside; Whose Line Is It, Anyway?

More Year in Review Content

My Best of 2024 series of photography posts will be published in the coming weeks.

If you’d like to see my past favorites in Arts, Entertainment, and Literature, you will find them here.