2024 has been quite the year for television. It has seen the release of many TV shows and the cancelation of many others. Some shows have even been released and canceled within months, which is an unfortunate reality of show business. A lot of these shows have been terrible, unremarkable, or just not very popular, while others, naturally, were pretty good.
But perhaps the most notable events happening are the cancelations or conclusions of some beloved shows that have been up and running for a couple of years now, across a multitude of genres.These are the best shows that came to an end in 2024, none of which are soon to be forgotten or replaced by reminiscent fans. The fact that they’re ending may be disappointing, but at least fans got to experience them in full.
10’Grown-ish' (2018–2024)
Created by Kenya Barris and Larry Wilmore
Grown-ishis a spin-off of the sitcomBlack-ish, both of which were created byKenya Barris. Let’s be clear:Grown-ishis nowhere near the level of quality that the original show was, but it’s still a fun spin-off that had its own niche of fans, even if it didn’t really bring any new ones in. Plus, it still had its own original charm and managed to last for six years, which is far more than most spin-off shows can only dream of lasting.
The story is set after the events of its predecessor, with the children of the Johnson family now young adults and setting off to college for the very first time. Some of the child actors, now grown themselves, reprised their roles for a neat little reunion, whichmakes the show’s departure just that much more bittersweet. Not only have the characters grown up with the actors, but the teen audience has grown up with them, too, and the show coming to an end represents one chapter ending, and another beginning both in the world of television and in the lives of many of its viewers.
9’Star Trek: Discovery' (2017–2024)
Created by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman
Star Trek: Discoveryis yet another installment in the hugeStar Trekuniverse, which has been a near-constant presence in the world ofsci-fi since the 1960s.Discoveryhas been the firstStar Trekshow since 2005, and was a much-needed return to the universe for fans who had desperately been wanting more. A prequel to the 60s series,Discoveryadded a new layer of depth to an already expansive world.
The success of the show marked a new era forStar Trek, opening the gates for a whole slew of new projects, many of them highly ambitious and seemingly thrilling, even if they haven’t been released yet. As such,Discoveryending is pretty sad, because itbreathed new life into the brand and allowed for possibly one of the biggest revivals the series has ever seen.
Star Trek: Discovery
8’Snowpiercer' (2020–2024)
Developed by Josh Friedman and Graeme Manson
Snowpierceris a show that is based on a 2013Bong Joon-homovie of the same name (which in turn, is based on a novel), and went through a bit of a rocky patch from 2022-2023, as it sort of entered a state of limbo. For a while, it looked like it was going to be officially canceled, until another network picked it up and decided to conclude its story so as not to leave fans hanging.
This post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller takes place in the distant future, where humanity has been confined to a bullet train that constantly circles the globe following rapid worldwide freezing, turning the entire planet to ice. But even on this train in such dire straits, tyranny arises from the ashes of society.While it’s good that the show did properly conclude rather than sort of fizzle out, that doesn’t mean fans are happy to see it go, as many were still left wanting more from it.
Snowpiercer
Watch on AMC+
Created by Dave Filoni
Star Wars: The Bad Batchis set immediately following the events ofStar Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith, and centers on a group of clone troopers who resist the uncontrollable urge to eliminate the Jedi following Order 66. With the rest of the brothers becoming the Imperial Stormtroopers, this group of genetically mutated misfits becomes a bunch of hired mercenaries, often being pitted against the rising Galactic Empire.
As with many otherStar Warsanimated shows created byDave Filoni, this one was a real smash hit for fans of the long-running franchise, and has been deemed one of thebestStar Warsanimated showsto date.Though it was relatively short-lived compared to some of the others, its story was complete, and it ended at just the right time without overstaying its welcome.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Watch on Disney+
6’Chucky' (2021–2024)
Created by Don Mancini
Chuckyis a horror-comedy show based on the originalChild’s Playfranchise of slasher flicks, which, let’s face it, had been in a really bad spot for a while. The show was created byDon Mancini, who also tackled some of the films in the 2000s and 2010s, but the TV show is by far his best work with this classic IP. It’s kitschy in all the right ways, perfectly embodying the cheesy 80s horror flicks with the ambiance that was sorely lacking for a while there.
Even though the show is just as crude with its humor as the others, and even if there were some bumps in the road and lackluster episodes, theChuckyseries really allowed the franchise to take off more than ever before, breathing new life into the series, and paving the way for some grand things in the future.It’s a real shame that there will be no more of the TV show, because it represented a whole lotfor people who first saw the movie in the 80s.
5’Young Sheldon' (2017–2024)
Created by Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro
Young Sheldonis the prequel series toChuck Lorre’s decorated sitcomThe Big Bang Theory, focusing on the early life of the latter show’s main protagonist, Sheldon Cooper (Iain Armitage).Young Sheldonactually kind ofsurpassed the quality of the original seriesthat spawned it.The Big Bang Theorywas always kind of divisive—some loved it, others despised it. ButYoung Sheldonhas been pretty unanimous in its acclaim. Mostly, anyway.
The show proved to be a major role for young Armitage, who plays the leading role. Though it’s not his only big role, it’s one that he’ll probably be associated with for a long time.With its humor, style, and overall vibe being completely different to that of its predecessor,Young Sheldonraked in a whole bunch of new fans, many of whom are going to miss this charming sitcom.
Young Sheldon
4’The Umbrella Academy' (2019–2024)
Created by Steve Blackman
The Umbrella Academyisbased on a graphic novelof the same name byGerard Way, both of which are about a dysfunctional family of adopted siblings, all of whom possess superpowers, which they must use to come together and prevent an imminent apocalypse. The TV series was commended by critics for its powerful and memorable characters, each with their own unique and lovable personality, as well as the chemistry and dialogue between these larger-than-life characters.
The Umbrella Academyhad no trouble tackling all sorts of emotions, delving into the dark and depressing and the light-hearted and comical without missing a beat. Even if it tapered off a bit in quality towards the end,The Umbrella Academywill be remembered for decades to come, and its loss will be mourned as audiences say goodbyeto the ensemble cast that they have come to know so well.
The Umbrella Academy
Watch on Netflix
3’Curb Your Enthusiasm' (1999–2024)
Created by Larry David
One of the biggest tragedies of 2024 is that the long-established sitcom,Curb Your Enthusiasm, which has been running since 1999 is finally ending, disappointing many of its fans. The show is created by and starsLarry David, who is also known for his work on the hit 90s sitcomSeinfeld. Sure, there may have been some substantial gaps between seasons, but fans didn’t really mind the wait due to how each season was crafted with care and compassion.
Curb Your Enthusiasmisa funny biographical sitcomabout an agingSeinfeldwriter, reflecting David’s experiences with life after one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. With its standout humor, running gags, and Larry David’s quirky input overshadowing every aspect of the show,Curb Your Enthusiasmis by far one of the most legendary series that reached its end in 2024.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
2’Vikings: Valhalla' (2022–2024)
Created by Jeb Stuart
The originalVikingsshow was a historical drama that came out at exactly the right time, following the success of shows likeGame of Thrones.Vikingslasted quite a while, featuring six whole seasons chock-full of high-stakes action and likable characters. WhenVikingsended, fans were itching for more. EnterVikings: Valhalla, a spin-off series set in the same timeline as the original, which brought all the original fans back for one more journey, and even attracted some new ones to the franchise.
Fans knew from the get-go that this show wasn’t going to be a long journey, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a brilliant one. The spin-off was just as exciting and emotional as the original, and revived the franchise for its eager fans, who happily dove right back into it.This historical series is probably one of the best spin-off shows ever created, and its presence over the last few years have only added to the legacy of the entire brand.
Vikings: Valhalla
1’Arcane' (2021–2024)
Created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee
Arcaneis an adult animated showbased on the popular video gameknown asLeague of Legends. Usually, when TV shows or movies try to adapt video games, they can bomb pretty hard, butArcanewas met with excellent, near-perfect reviews with its unique visuals and surprisingly in-depth storyline. In fact, it was so well-received that even non-fans of the original video game can’t help but enjoy it for all it’s worth.
The show follows Vi (Hailee Steinfeld), one of the playable champions from the original game, and takes place in a utopian steampunk-fantasy setting that easily sucks its viewers in, immersing them in its deep and rich lore. Unfortunately, after only two seasons,Arcane’s time has run out, and the showrunners made the decision to conclude its story and retire it in 2024. Though it was short,every second of it was worth the disappointment of it ending so soon, which is what makes it the best show to end this year, no question about it.
