The recurring shows worth making your new favorites

by Pete Volk and Austen Goslin

The upcoming year on television is full of exciting new shows to jump into, whether it's The 3 Body Problem, Shōgun, The Veil or Manhunt. But once you get into all the returning programs, the 2024 lineup becomes daunting. Sure, you can start House of the Dragon, Silo, or Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power with only a season of homework to catch up on, and shows like True Detective: Night Country and Orphan Black: Echoes you can jump into without prior knowledge of the show — but what happens when a show enters its fourth or fifth season. How do you know if the commitment is worth it?

That's what we're here for today: To help you figure out which shows with new seasons in 2024 you should catch up on, and which ones might not be worth the effort. First, we'll get the easy ones out of the way: Big recurring shows like The Boys, You, and Bridgerton are cultural phenomena that have been huge for years, so you probably know if they're for you or not. If one of them seems like your bag, start looking, but trust your gut either way. As for everything else, here's what you should know: