2024 has been an incredible year for original programming on Disney+, with some fantastic shows arriving on Disney+ and Hulu, including multiple shows from 20th Television, FX, Star Wars and Marvel.
There have been so many amazing original shows released throughout the year that it was hard to narrow down my list to just ten -- I could have easily picked a top-20 list!
It's also important to note that many of these shows are available on Hulu and Hulu On Disney+ in the United States, but internationally, they are Star Originals on Disney+.
Here are my top ten best shows of 2024 in no particular order:
Set against the backdrop of power-grabbing social elites, "Rivals" dives headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986, where hair-dos are big and ambitions are even bigger. Deals are brokered in boardrooms, as well as bedrooms. Nobody can be sure who will come out on top. With every man and woman out only for themselves, can true love really blossom?
This original British series was a breath of fresh air, as it's unlike anything else we've seen released in years as it takes us back to the 80s and delivers a mix of comedy, drama and raunchiness that delights. It's been one of Disney's most successful British originals and has quickly been renewed for a new season.
One of this year's most popular Disney+ Original shows, "Agatha" picks up after the events of "WandaVision" and sees the infamous Agatha Harkness find herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches' Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they're missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road...
This show delivered a very different story for the MCU, with a more traditional television show feeling, but still delivering an excellent witchy adventure that is very entertaining.
Based on the gripping true story set in Northern Ireland during The Troubles that spans four decades, telling the story of various Irish Republican Army members, Say Nothing explores the extremes some people will go to in the name of their beliefs.
This fantastic drama series from FX is one that certainly caught my attention and I binged the entire series in a week! As someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, it was fascinating learning more about the events in Northern Ireland. Well worth adding to your watch list!
Without a doubt, the biggest and most successful original show of the year has to be "Shōgun", which is based on James Clavell's novel. FX's "Shōgun" is set in Japan in the year 1600 at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Lord Yoshii Toranaga is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village.
This is a must-watch for anyone this year, and with the amount of awards and praise that it's had, "Shōgun" is the one show on Disney+ and Hulu to watch in 2024. It's so good that Disney ordered two more seasons, which is rare for a limited season to be extended.
This heartwarming story is based on Georgia Hunter's New York Times bestselling novel, the television adaptation of "We Were the Lucky Ones" is a limited series inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of WWII. The series follows them across continents as they do everything in their power to survive, and to reunite.
"We Were The Lucky Ones" was one of my favourite shows of the year and follows on from the excellent work that 20th Television did with last year's "A Small Light" in bringing the stories from World War Two to life in a heartwarming, but scary way. If you missed this one from earlier in the year, I'd suggest giving it a whirl.
This series is based on acclaimed author Rebecca Godfrey's book about the 1997 true story of fourteen-year old Reena Virk (Vritika Gupta) who went to join friends at a party and never returned home. Through the eyes of Godfrey (Riley Keough) and a local police officer (Lily Gladstone), the series takes us into the hidden world of the young girls accused of the murder -- revealing startling truths about the unlikely killer.
It's another fantastic drama series that arrived earlier this year and was another show that didn't take me too long to binge my way through.
Another big hit for FX this year is "The Veil", a spy thriller that explores the surprising and fraught relationship between two women who play a deadly game of truth and lies on the road from Istanbul to Paris and London. One woman has a secret, the other a mission to reveal it before thousands of lives are lost. In the shadows, the CIA and French DGSE must work together to avert potential disaster. "The Veil" is another high quality drama series that deserves your attention.
Once again, FX delivers high-quality drama, but in this case, a very different story as it's about the events of a notorious NBA owner's racist remarks, which are captured on a tape and heard around the world. The limited series charts the collision between a dysfunctional basketball organization and even less functional marriage, and the precipitating tape's impact on an ensemble of characters striving to win against the backdrop of the most cursed team in the league.
Percy Jackson is on a dangerous quest. Outrunning monsters and outwitting gods, he must journey across America to return Zeus' master bolt and stop an all-out war. After losing his mother, Percy is sheltered at Camp Half-Blood, a sanctuary for demigod children. He must prove himself and confront his origins once he discovers he too is a demigod, and will take off into the perils of pursuing enemies in search of the Underworld. With the help of his quest mates Annabeth and Grover, Percy's journey will lead him closer to the answers he seeks: how to fit into a world where he feels out of place, if he'll ever see his mother again, and if he can ever find out who he's destined to be.
This show is, without a doubt, one of the biggest new releases of the year and sets up a whole new franchise. "Percy Jackson" is one of the pillars of the Disney+ Original slate and a must for those wanting a family-friendly adventure!
This show is all about food, family and the insanity of the grind. It's a losing battle every day in the restaurant business, and as Carmy pushes himself harder than ever and demands excellence from his crew, they do their best to match his intensity. Their quest for culinary excellence propels them to new levels and stresses the bonds that hold the restaurant together.
"The Bear" is one of my favourite shows, and while the third season wasn't on par with the previous seasons, it's still a must-watch. Having spent over twenty years working in a kitchen, there's so much of this series that hits home and considering the amount of awards this show has won, it seems many other people agree.
You could also throw "Doctor Who", "Only Murders In The Building", "Renegade Nell", "Doctor Odyssey", "The Old Man", and"English Teacher" on the pile of shows I've also enjoyed on Disney+ this year.
What's been your favourite show on Disney+ from the past year? Let me know on social media!