The 2024 Emmy Awards had 8 nominated drama series in its Outstanding Drama Series category. This year’s Emmy had several top shows on the ballot, so it was practically hard to call a winner until Sunday night, September 15, 2024. The award ceremony was held in the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, the same venue as the previous year. With the ever-growing number of new and returning drama series, it is hard to know where to start.
A good place to get started is with these Emmy-worthy nominated series. These eight nominated drama series cover a wide range of the drama genre. From historical, post-apocalyptic Sci-fi Western, spy action, satire tragicomedy, black comedy, and fantasy-mystery Sci-fi thriller, there’s something for every drama audience. These are the 2024 Emmy Award-nominated drama series to add to your watchlist.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Smith is an Amazon Prime Video spy action drama series. Released on February 2, 2024, the show is one of the new series on the list. With each episode having a runtime between 42 to 63 minutes, the 8-episode Mr. & Mrs. Smith season 1 makes for an excellent binge-able TV show if you love spy action shows. Mr. & Mrs. Smith is loosely based on the 2005 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie-led film of the same name. The Prime Video series stars Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) and Maya Erskine, who play John and Jane Smith, respectively.
However, instead of the couple spy couple storyline from the 2005 film, Glover and Erskine characters are strangers paired up to live as a married couple. They are assigned the names John and Jane Smith to live undercover. They are both secretly elite spies working for a shadowy organization. Mr. & Mrs. Smith leans heavily into its spy-action premise, with each episode introducing new missions cleverly designed to test the Smiths’ physical capabilities and emotional bonds. Besides being renewed for a second season, Mr. & Mrs. Smith received 16 nominations at the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards.
Watch Mr. & Mrs. Smith on Amazon Prime Video
Shōgun
FX’s historical drama Shōgun premiered on February 27, 2024. The first season only had 10 episodes, with runtimes between 53 and 70 minutes. It featured an ensemble cast led by Hiroyuki Sanada. Shōgun is set in the 17th century and follows a Protestant English maritime pilot, Major John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), who becomes involved in the political intrigues of feudal Japan.
As he navigates the complex and often treacherous social structures of the time, he bonds with a powerful warlord, Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada). He experiences the clash of cultures between the East and West. Shōgun received the highest number of nominations, with 25 nominations, at the 2024 Emmy Awards. If that isn’t enough reason to watch the series, Shōgun won the Best Outstanding Drama Series category. It became the first Japanese language drama series to win the category. Also, Shōgun won 18 of its 25 nominations to become the night’s top winner.
3 Body Problem
HBO’s Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss co-created Netflix’s 3 Body Problem alongside Alexander Woo. The show is a sci-fi fantasy-mystery thriller based on Liu Cixin’s science fiction novel Remembrance of Earth’s Past. Netflix’s 3 Body Problem was released on March 21, 2024, with an 8-episode, binge-worthy season 1. The show is a mind-bending science fiction story that jumps between China’s cultural revolution and the present.
It centers around a secret military project and a virtual reality game that conceals a shocking truth about humanity’s place in the universe. While the plot leans heavily on science fiction and alien technology, it makes for a captivating and thought-provoking watch. 3 Body Problem stars notable names like Liam Cunningham, Eiza González, Benedict Wong, Jonathan Pryce, and Rosalind Chao. 3 Body Problem received six nominations at the 2024 Emmy Awards.
Watch 3 Body Problem on Netflix
Fallout
Amazon Prime Video’s Fallout TV series has been one of 2024 most-watched shows. Fallout is adapted from the famous role-playing video game of the same name. Like the video game, the Fallout TV series is set in a post-apocalyptic world where society has been devastated by nuclear war. It follows Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell), a Vault Dweller, on a journey searching for her father. Fallout also starred Kyle MacLachlan, Leslie Uggams, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins, and Moisés Arias. The 8-episode Fallout season 1 premiered on April 10, 2024. Fallout also had 16 nominations at the 2024 Emmy Awards.
Watch Fallout on Amazon Prime Video
Slow Horses
If you’re looking for a running series to add to the watchlist, the Apple TV+ spy thriller Slow Horses is a great way to get started. Slow Horses received 9 nominations at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2024. The show’s fourth season premiered on September 4, 2024, with season 5 already renewed for production in January 2024. The British spy thriller follows a group of MI5 agents who have been relegated to the Slough House, London, after making career-ending mistakes. The Slough House is led by the cynical Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). Notable stars who have starred in or joined the show include Sophie Okonedo, Jonathan Pryce, Hugo Weaving, and Olivia Cooke.
Watch Slow Horses on Apple TV+
The Gilded Age
The Gilded Age also premiered in 2022. It is the only HBO series on the list and currently has 2 seasons. The Gilded Age season 2 premiered on October 29, 2023, and was renewed for a third season. The historical drama series is set in 19th-century New York City.
It follows Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson), an impoverished young gentlewoman from the countryside who moves in with her old money, van Rhijns, in the bustling metropolis of New York City. The Gilded Age delves into the stark contrast between the opulent lifestyles of the upper class, the struggles of the middle class, and their domestic workers. The show’s lavish sets and period costumes bring the Gilded Age to life, making it a must-watch for historical drama audiences.
The Morning Show
With 3 aired seasons, the Apple TV+ The Morning Show is one of the highest Emmy-nominated shows on the list. If that isn’t enough proof that it is a must-watch, its star-studded cast delivers a spellbinding and hilarious performance. The Morning Show is a satire tragicomedy that delves into the cutthroat world of morning news and the lives of the people who help produce it.
The show explores the power dynamics, personal and professional struggles, and the #MeToo movement within the media industry. Notable mentions in its star-studded cast include Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Steve Carell, Jon Hamm, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Mark Duplass. The Morning Show received 16 nominations at the 2024 Emmy Awards.
Watch The Morning Show on Apple TV+
The Crown
Netflix’s The Crown is the longest-running drama series on the list. The show consists of 6 seasons, spanning almost six decades. The Crown premiered on November 4, 2016, and aired its finale on December 14, 2023. The historical drama series follows the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
The show provides an intimate look at the personal and political challenges faced by the Queen as she navigates her role as the leader of the British monarchy. The Crown is one of Netflix’s most-watched and most-nominated TV shows. If the British monarchy and history interest you, The Crown tops the list of any other series available. Besides these 8 Emmy Award nominated drama series, these August 2024 Netflix originals are also a must-watch.
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