With 2024 coming to an end, there’s been plenty of things to watch across the year. While I might have stuck close once again to those franchises I’m familiar with, they’ve provided some great entertainment for me. My cores have been packed with new content to see, with Star Wars once again providing so many series. So, here’s what I’ve loved across 2024 in TV & Film content.

The Bad Batch season three started strong, and held onto that strength throughout its fifteen episodes. I loved Crosshair’s interactions with Omega and his squad. The mystery of the M-count and Mount Tantiss. The growing clone rebellion. And the finale of the Batch working together to destroy Tantiss and rescue the clones held there. I loved every episode of it, as well as the few known characters that made appearances within them. And the last scene of that finale was such a nice wrap on the bond that has driven the series.

It wasn’t a season two of Tales of the Jedi we got, but it certainly was of the Tales of… series. Tales of the Empire showed the viewpoints of two characters whose stories are driven by darkness. Morgan Elsbeth was consumed by it, while Bariss Offee rejected it, and helped another to do the same. It was great to see these two stories given life, especially as we hadn’t seen Bariss since her declaration at the end of season five of The Clone Wars.

A welcome surprise during the year was the announcement of a new LEGO Star Wars mini-series. Rebuild the Galaxy told a tale of an alternate universe, where characters and locations are completely mixed up. Alongside all of that fun was a classic story of good versus evil. Focused on two brothers, they fight over what mixed the galaxy up, hoping to use the Cornerstone to change the galaxy to how they want it. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of this alternate galaxy, but I feel most of the popular twists have already been used.

And lastly for Star Wars, the series that’s still on-going. Skeleton Crew provided an interesting premise. Four kids accidently get sent to space and now try to find their way home. To a planet that is seemingly erased from galactic history. What has enfolded so far has been a super flight through danger, with the kids simply being kids trying to navigate the situations they encounter. There’s just a few episodes left until it ends half way through January, and I really can’t wait to see them. One of the best series there has been.

Sonic Prime ended early in the year, with its third season bringing together everything the first two had set up for a final battle that lasted the entire season. Quite a few unique, fun tactics were seen here, including a giant robot Big the Cat. As the entire Shatterverse was consumed by Nine’s use of the Paradox Prism to create all these robotic entities, it was a nice finale for Sonic to make amends with his first and most costly mistake during his traversal of these Shatterworlds before it was all gone for good.

Just weeks ago, Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 arrived, providing the best film yet. I… could be biased on that, since I do love Shadow. But it’s more than that. And more than this being the closest to a plot from the games. There was plenty of great action, and so many lovely character moments. If that is Eggman’s end, I absolutely wouldn’t mind. It was so well done. As was everything relating to the relationship between Shadow and Maria, and by extension Gerald Robotnik.

I did say I was waiting for it all to be released before watching, so the start of 2024 was dedicated to me finally seeing more than a handful of episodes of Pokémon Journeys: The Series. This world-spanning adventure had by Ash and Goh was a great one. Plenty of great episodes, a lot of Eevee love, and the Masters Eight tournament was one of the best tournaments the series has produced. Then, after that whirlwind of action, Ash’s finale with To Be A Pokémon Master held some lovely, small scale fun and nostalgia to bring this era to a close.

Though there wasn’t a new season of Miraculous this year, the special that aired tied directly to the finale of season five. Miraculous World: London started things off directly after the wish of Gabriel Agreste. To a new user of the Butterfly Miraculous who almost ends the current timeline. There’s a very mournful atmosphere with this one as it deals with the aftermath of that previous season. Though there’s still plenty of fun to be found with it.

Another Miraculous World released at the start of the year, though debuted in France in 2023. Miraculous World: Paris brings a reverse of the three main powers of the series through the use of alternate dimensions. A good Gabriel as Betterfly fighting against the dark duo of Shadybug and Claw Noir. This one provides a lot of fun action and some character moments as the good pair of Marinette and Adrien help their dark versions let go of the feelings that turned them to darkness.

What would Christmas be without some Wallace & Gromit? And a new one at that! Aired on Christmas Day, Vengeance Most Fowl brings the return of Feathers McGraw. And a Wallace who has become too independent on his inventions. There’s plenty to love about this one, as Aardman deliver another excellent outing for the duo. It might not reach the highs of Curse of the Were-Rabbit, but it is still a worthwhile watch for everyone else when it arrives on Netflix early next year.

For something that I wasn’t familiar with, the announcement of the game Sand Land had me interested in playing it. So looking it up, I found a series would also be releasing around the same time. And that this adaptation of the original manga was being expanded with a new story. When it came to watching the series, I loved the action it held and the characters I was introduced to. It balanced the silly and serious sides very well, with it being one of my favourite non-core watches of the year.

I love the world of Monsters, Inc.. So when the series of Monsters At Work was first announced, I felt it would be a good watch. And it was! But I never expected a second season to come. That second season had such a good character-driven story to it, with Tylor being manipulated by the top scream energy company’s boss to leave Monsters, Inc. behind. So many lovely character moments, and a surprising return, make the finale of this one just as great as the first season.

Another surprise relating to Pixar properties was LEGO Pixar BrickToons. Five shorts telling stories in five worlds of Pixar. Each of these shorts was a fun ride, with a few focused on characterful moments, such as with the Coco short. Or just providing some silly fun, such as Lightning McQueen winning a race as a monster truck. Each short recreates its franchise perfectly, and I hope there’s more to come.

Last for this article is the absolute end of an era. From 2003, the motoring madness of Clarkson, Hammond, and May was always a joy to see. Those three had such a great rapport with each other that it was pretty much the glue that held the series together. As seen when they moved across to Amazon for The Grand Tour. With the latest episode of that series, One For The Road, this trio have now hung up their helmets for good. That episode had a great road trip, ending at a location from one of their first Top Gear adventures. It was an emotional last ride. But a great one.

That shows most of my 2024 watching. Alongside the new series of Doctor Who, which I thought was a fun time, there were a few other things I’m not including here. Some of which I did highlight in the Looking Ahead To 2024 article. There’s some good stuff coming next year, which I will be highlighting in the 2025 look ahead article in the new year.

Images Taken From:
LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy | Teaser Trailer | Star Wars
Masters Eight Tournament | Bulbapedia
Monsters at Work (TV Series…) – Photos | IMDb