BENJAMONSTER NEWSLETTER: December 16, 2024

Welcome to my Monday newsletter! This week, I am sharing My Top 10 Episodes of 2024 plus thoughts on Netflix's No Good Deed and the series finale of Blue Bloods as well as Shrinking and Silo!

YEAR IN REVIEW: TOP 10 EPISODES OF 2024

Continuing my Year in Review, this week I have my Top 10 Episodes of 2024. Last year was a banner year for individual episodes. All time great episodes: "Long, Long Time" from The Last of Us, "Connor's Wedding" from Succession, "Four Minutes" from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and "Forks" from The Bear made up the Top 4 and could have all been #1 this year. Despite the fact that none of this year's episodes top those four, there was still much to celebrate!

10. Mr. & Mrs. Smith "First Date" (Prime Video, February 2)

The first episode of Mr. & Mrs. Smith really set the tone for what kind of show it was going be. It was a big-budget, action-filled spy show as we expected but what we didn't expect was a sharp commentary on marriage and relationships and it was clear from the very beginning that it was aiming higher.

9. Ghosts "Halloween 3: The Guest Who Wouldn't Leave" (CBS, March 7)

It aired far away from Halloween due to the dual Hollywood strikes but the third Halloween episode of Ghosts was a laugh riot with a very funny concept that kept building on itself. I was excited to see how they untangled the knot they put themselves in and they did it well.

8. The Bear "Ice Chips" (FX/Hulu, June 26)

The Bear's third season wasn't my favorite but there were two standout episodes, both on this list. "Ice Chips" was a great showcase for Abby Elliot and Jamie Lee Curtis. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and Curtis' character to mess up so when she didn't, it turned out to be a very sweet and cathartic episode.

7. The Penguin "Cent'Anni" (HBO, October 13)

Easily the best episode of the eight episode run of The Penguin, this episode was a complete showcase for Cristin Milioti. She was equal parts sympathetic and terrifying in a very compelling backstory that was more interesting than the main story.

6. Fargo "The Useless Hand" (FX, January 9)

The penultimate episode of Fargo's excellent fifth season was intense from start to finish. Centered around a standoff at a ranch, the action kept going through the entire episode and the visual flourishes were equally stunning.

5. Ripley "V Lucio" (Netflix, April 4)

I adored Ripley but it was hard to pick out an individual episode since it was really the whole series I was captivated with more than an individual episode. But the fifth episode was easily the most tense of the series and the closest it seemed to all falling apart for the titular character. The drama built and eased and built and eased through the hour and it was captivating from start to finish.

BENJAMONSTER NEWSLETTER: December 9, 2024

Welcome to my weekly newsletter. This week, I am looking at my Top 12 Performances of 2024 and the Somebody Somewhere finale. Plus, thoughts on Black Doves, What We Do in the Shadows, Shrinking, Abbott Elementary, Silo and Landman!

YEAR IN REVIEW: TOP 12 PERFORMANCES OF 2024

I am kicking off my three week Year in Review posts with my Top 12 Performances of the year. Why 12 instead of 10? Well, because I felt like my #11 and #12 really deserved to be on this list so why not list 12? Next week, I will take a look at my Top 10 Episodes and finish off with my Top 10 Shows of the year. 

12. Kathy Bates, Matlock & Carrie Preston, Elsbeth

The two CBS ladies of Thursday nights kick off this list in large part because of how they elevate their shows. These are really just average CBS procedurals but Bates and Preston keep them a cut above the rest with their quirky performances. That's especially true of Bates in her legal drama that is by the books despite the pilot twist. Preston sometimes gets help from great guest stars but also sometimes not if the guest star is bad. Either way, these two performances set the two shows above many other network dramas.

11. Peter Sarsgaard, Presumed Innocent

Presumed Innocent was a real misguided show in many ways and I had many qualms with it. But I didn't have any qualms with Peter Sarsgaard's fascinating performance. He was so interesting and unique in a show that was such a mess. I would have loved to see him return for the second season but he's already said he's not interested. Without Sarsgaard, I can't say I'm interested either.

10. Cristin Milioti, The Penguin

I didn't love The Penguin but I thought Cristin Milioti was absolutely the reason to watch. As a tortured soul but also a true villain, she was absolutely the reason the story kept moving and a very compelling figure. The episode that focused primarily on her backstory was far and away the best episode of The Penguin. Colin Farrell wasn't bad but this was Milioti's show.

9. Kristen Bell & Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This

I feel like Nobody Wants This caught people off guard this fall but it really shouldn't have. This is what happens when you put two extremely likable personalities in a rom-com together. Sure, we can quibble about some of the tropes or the way the show handled Judaism. But we can't quibble about the chemistry between Kristen Bell and Adam Brody or the fun they brought to the show.

8. Liza Colon-Zayas, The Bear

The third season of The Bear was very divisive. I thought maybe the internet reaction was a little overblown but there's no denying it was a step down from season two. However, the exception was the charming "Napkins" episode that finally put Liza Colon-Zayas in the spotlight. She rose to the occasion in what was easily the best episode of the season, a sweet and sentimental look at her character's life over several years.

7. Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside

At this point, Ted Danson is a national treasure. He's been giving great performances since Cheers but his last couple decades has been especially prolific from his arc on Damages to his incredible run on The Good Place. Now he is back with The Good Place creator Mike Schur as the headliner of a late year entry that was really delightful. Danson was a huge reason A Man on the Inside worked. His quirky charm was perfect for the role and he has showed no signs of slowing down.

6. Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer

Richard Gadd may have been the brains behind Baby Reindeer and the star but the series captured the zeitgeist thanks in large part to Jessica Gunning's performance. It was abrasive, funny and even scary at times. She was absolutely magnetic on screen in what proved to be a major breakout role.  It's hard to imagine Gunning in another show, though she certainly deserves one, because she completely embodied her character here.

5. The Cast of Shrinking, Shrinking

Is it cheating to put an entire cast on this list? I don't think so. I was mixed on the first season of Shrinking but it is firing on all cylinders in its second season. A huge reason for that is they built out the ensemble and gave them all meaty material. On top of that, they devote a significant amount of time to the ensemble just hanging with each other. This is one of those times where the entire cast is just clicking and in complete lockstep with each other. It's fun to watch.