As the year of 2024 comes to an end, now is the time to reflect on what has been a fantastic year for television. There have been strong and intense dramas likeInterview with the VampireandThe Penguin, as well as funny but emotional comedy series likeShrinkingandA Man on the Inside. There have also been some delightful and entertaining reality series, likeLove is BlindandThe Circle.
The best shows of the year have been spread out among a variety of networks and streaming services. ABC is a network that has a steady output of great shows, both new and returning. These range from procedurals, to comedies, to dating shows, to game shows. As the year comes to an end and the network TV season is on hiatus, it is worth acknowledging the great ABC shows this year. These are the 10 best ABC shows of 2024, ranked.
10’Dancing with the Stars'
33 seasons in,Dancing with the Starscontinues to be an ABC staple.The dance competition showpairs celebrities up with a team of professional dancers to compete together through a series of dance performances. Somehow, this far in, the show continues to be full of entertaining moments and really great dancing. Season 33 is an example of this, with some very strong pairings.
The highlight of the season was definitely the Halloween-themed episode, in which the pairings had to perform dances inspired by their fears, dressed up for Halloween. There were some really fantastic dancing pairs that stood out this season, but the two who really stood out wereChandler KinneyandBrandon Armstrong, who performed a fantastic freestyle dance to a mash-up of Eyal Vilner Big Band’s “Hellzapoppin” and Curtis Mayfield’s “Move on Up” in the season finale.
Dancing with the Stars
9’The Bachelorette'
TheBachelorfranchise shows are always going to be hits, showing a combination of romantic moments and entertaining drama as contestants compete for the heart of the lead. There were multiple strong shows within the franchise that shone this year, with enjoyable leads likeJoey GraziadeiandJoanVassos. TheBachelorspin-off that really stood out this year, though, wasThe Bachelorette, led byJenn Tran.
Although the season’s ending was ultimately cruel andunfair to its leading lady, Jenn’s season ofThe Bachelorettewas a joy to watch. Jenn was a strong lead,and the season was full of sweet dates, fun moments (and eventual hilarious bloopers), and a lot of drama.The Bachelorettehas a certain magic to it that somehow puts it just a little bit ahead of the rest of theBachelorfranchise shows, and that was evident this year.
The Bachelorette
8’Grey’s Anatomy'
Seasons 20-21
Some might be wondering: isGrey’s Anatomystill airing? The answer is a resounding yes, and although the quality dipped for a handful of seasons, the medical drama is back and as entertaining as ever. This is due in large part to the latest class of interns who joined the show in Season 19: Simone Griffin (Alexis Floyd), Jules Millin (Adelaide Kane), Lucas Adams (Nico Terho), Blue Kwan (Harry Shum Jr.), and the recently-departed (but thankfully still alive) Mika Yasuda (Midori Francis).
After a certain point, many of the long-running characters' storylines have started to go in circles,and the new class of interns has added something fresh and exciting to the show in the last few seasons.It’s a challenge to makeGrey’s Anatomywork without the titular Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) appearing in every episode anymore, but the show is still worth watching, full of high-stakes medical cases and romantic drama, and with a memorable and devastatingly tragic death occurring in Season 21.
Grey’s Anatomy
7’Will Trent'
With two seasons down and a third on the way this upcoming January,Will Trentstands out as a crime procedural. Based onthe book series by Karin Slaughter, the show follows Will Trent (Ramón Rodriguez), a Special Agent for the Georgia Bureau of Investigations. Will grew up in foster care, and he uses his past experiences to try to help people who he can relate to and understand better than his coworkers and higher-ups can.
In Season 2 ofWill Trent, Will continues to solve crimes with his partner, Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson), and his chihuahua, Betty (played by a talented and adorable pup namedBluebell). The show’s sophomore season ramps up the stakes of the show, both on a personal and professional level, as it builds up toan intense and emotional season finale. In a controversial twist, the show gives a montage of a happy life between Will and his main love interest, Angie (Erika Christensen), before then revealing a much more tragic reality.
Will Trent
6’Doctor Odyssey'
Grey’s AnatomymeetsThe Love Boatin ABC’s newest medical drama,Doctor Odyssey. The series follows Dr. Max Bankman (Joshua Jackson), the new doctor on a luxury cruise ship called The Odyssey,who decides to uproot his entire life after a near-death experience.Each episode shows the ship hosting a different themed week, as Max tends to the guests' ailments alongside the ship’s nurses, Avery Morgan (Phillipa Soo) and Tristan Silva (Sean Teale).
Doctor Odysseyis a lot of fun and drama, combiningintentionally soapy romantic plotlineswith bizarre and travel-themed medical cases for an extremely entertaining first half of its first season. Alongside the medical team are the ship’s captain, Captain Robert Massey (Don Johnson), along with the recurring crew of the ship, and a rotation of guests aboardThe Odysseyeach week for vacation.
Doctor Odyssey
5’Jeopardy!'
Seasons 40-41
The best game show on television has just finished off another successful year with two new seasons, a lot of trivia, and many entertaining facts about the contestants in between rounds. What makesJeopardy!so great? It’s a combination of a timeless premise, and the delightful combination of former contestant and current hostKen Jennings, and announcerJohnny Gilbert.
This year ofJeopardy!has been full of creative and difficult questions (one evenfeaturing aColliderarticle), as well as some great contestants, both new and returning.Ken Jennings continues to be a joy to watch as the host, building a rapport with the contestants about their fun facts, looking back on his own time as a contestant, and (hilariously though sometimes infuriatingly) never letting the contestants off the hook, even for minor technicalities.
4’The Rookie'
Six seasons in (with the seventh set to air this upcoming January),The Rookiecontinues to keep fans guessing with intense cases, shocking plot twists, and arguably the most heartbreaking television breakup of 2024. The season sees Monica (Bridget Regan) reach new heights as a villain, alongside some surprising accomplices. It also sees the return of the hilariously delightful original song “Cop Cuties,” much to Nolan’s (Nathan Fillion) annoyance.
Season 6 ofThe Rookieisa solid installment with an intense conclusionin which Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) jumps out of one moving car and into another to save her ex-boyfriend, Tim Bradford (Eric Winter). The show has left some storylines open that could easily take the forefront of Season 7, although, sadly, the upcoming season will also seethe exit of fan-favorite Aaron Thorsen(Tru Valentino).
The Rookie
3’High Potential'
2024 saw the debut of ABC’s best brand-new show this year,High Potential.Based on the French-Belgian seriesHIP, this comedic crime procedural follows Morgan Gillory (Kaitlin Olson), a former night cleaner for the LAPD who becomes a consultant for its Major Crimes department. Morgan uses her High Potential Intellectual condition to solve cases while also parenting her three children and trying to solve the mystery of her missing ex.
High Potentialis such a fun show, combining traditional procedural elements with more emotionally grounded aspects for what isa fantastic first half of its first season.There is also a delightful will-they-won’t they potential romance between Morgan and her partner, Detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata).High Potentialhas been a strong show from the start, butits nailbiting mid-season finaleelevated the show to something truly incredible.
High Potential
Seasons 7-8
Fox’s loss is ABC’s gain, as evidenced by the monumental success of9-1-1since the procedural shifted networks just ahead of its seventh season. 2024 saw the entirety of Season 7 of9-1-1, as well as the first half of Season 8, and it has been an honor and a pleasure to watch the show continue to top itself over a hundred episodes in. There have been highlights like a sinking cruise ship carrying both Bobby (Peter Krause) and Athena (Angela Bassett), a bee-nado that nearly caused a plane to crash and forced Athena to land it, andBuck (Oliver Stark) coming out as bisexual.
This is what makes9-1-1stand out: it excels as a procedural with creative and high-stakes cases, but at its heart, it is a show about first responders coming together as a found family. As the show has just wrapped up the first half of its eighth season, it is clear that9-1-1has captured lightning in a bottlewith its incredibly nuanced and lovable main characters, as well as their relationships with one another. All one can hope for in the second half of the season is the return of Christopher (Gavin McHugh) to his father, Eddie (Ryan Guzman), as well as for9-1-1to finally deliver on the slow-burn relationship that is Buck and Eddie.
1’Abbott Elementary'
Seasons 3-4
Abbott Elementarycontinued to soar in 2024, with absolutely fantastic and laugh-out-loud funny third and fourth seasons. Some of the highlights of these seasons include Janine (Quinta Brunson) working for the district for a while before returning to Abbott, Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) and Jacob (Chris Perfetti) becoming roommates, Janine and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) finally becoming a couple, and most recently,Barbara (Sherly Lee Ralph) breaking traditionto make sure that everyone in her class feels included.
WhileAbbott Elementarycontinues to be funnier than ever, these last two seasons really stand out for their emotional depth. The episodes have gotten more emotional while still being hilarious, exploring elements like the characters' relationships with their families, and the continuing struggle to make real changes happen for their students.AbbottElementaryis ABC’s shining gem of 2024,and it remains a joy to watch.
