First up, Mr and Mrs Smith, a spy comedy series inspired by the 2005 action film (yes – Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt) created by Donald Glover, or Childish Gambino. Starring Maya Erskine and Donald Glover. Assigned an undercover identity as a married couple, the series blends action, humour and marital tension. Guy Richie’s ‘The Gentleman’ is another great series to come out of 2024.
Second on the list, an action-comedy crime series that serves as a spin-off of ‘The Gentleman’ 2019. Here, the narrative is essentially flipped, following a young aristocrat called Edward who inherits his father’s estate – spurring him to discover the criminal ring right underneath the property. The series centres around Edward’s struggles navigating the British drugs trade, keeping his brother out of trouble and trying to stay alive. Oh, and its stars Theo James.
Richard Gadd’s ‘Baby Reindeer’ has been one of the most popular releases of 2024 thus far. When watching ‘Baby Reindeer’ the viewer is guided through a timeline of complex ideas, sensitive topics and an overall hard-hitting reality of male victims commonly being discredited when reaching out for help. I’d argue this opens up an important dialogue about victimology, challenging gender-based stigma surrounding sexual crimes and stalking. Gadd also leads his viewers to ponder the growing issue of cyber-crime within modern England. Overall, a tough watch but one of the best releases within the first half of 2024.
I also found Netflix’s ‘Griselda’ to be particularly binge-worthy. The biographical crime drama Sofia Vergara as notorious Columbian drug lord Griselda Blanco. Directed by Andrés Baiz, the show follows Blanco as she builds her cocaine empire after fleeing her abusive husband and moving to America with her sons. I find it particularly interesting how Baiz showcases the impacts Blanco’s choices have on her life.
Finally, the Netflix limited series ‘One Day’ has been another hugely popular show this year. Over the course of 20 years, the audience sees the complex relationship between Emma and Dexter evolve– every July 15th. Based on the 2009 novel ‘One Day’ by David Nichols, the show explores love, loss and the impacts of individual choices.
