The Worst TV Shows Of 2024 So Far

With more than half of 2024 already behind us, it feels like a good time to look back at what the year has offered in terms of television. The first half of 2024 was kind to TV lovers, with the return of fan-favorite shows like "The Boys" and "House of the Dragon." Meanwhile, debuting series such as "Fallout" and "Shōgun" blew viewers away and were very much deserving of all the plaudits. However, not all that glitters on the small screen is gold, as evidenced by a number of shows that sank below the depths of mediocrity in the first part of 2024. In some cases, not even a stellar cast or goodwill from fans of the original IP could save some of the shows on this list.

How did we come up with this list of the worst TV shows of 2024 so far, you may be wondering? Well, we weighed our experiences watching the following series against the opinions of a range of TV critics to come up with a fair and balanced bunch of disappointing shows. Of course, it's all subjective — one person's trash TV is another person's guilty pleasure, after all. Maybe you'll find a show that you actually enjoyed on this list. However, if you do, then you'll be in the minority, because a lot of people think that these are the worst TV shows of the year so far.

Minor spoilers ahead.

Cast: Giancarlo Esposito, Zackary Momoh, Paula Malcomson

Creator: Danny Brocklehurst

Rating: TV-14

Number of episodes: 6

Where to watch: AMC+

Developed by Danny Brocklehurst (and based on his British series "The Driver"), "Parish" features a rather familiar setup. It follows Gracián "Gray" Parish, who lives an honest and good life to provide for his family, because that's what a family man does, right? His past that he long left behind holds many hidden secrets, as he used to be involved in the world of crime as a wheelman. Rather predictably, a tragic event sees him crack his knuckles and return to his old stomping ground to settle a few scores. If this sounds similar to the plot for almost every crime thriller released in the past decade or two, that's because it pretty much is.

Critics agree that "Parish" crashes into one cliché after the other, failing to add anything new to the crime thriller genre. With a 33% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the general opinion about the show is that while Giancarlo Esposito puts in a typically engaging performance as Parish, he's let down by a weak and hackneyed script that doesn't make full use of his talents. Esposito's "Breaking Bad" co-star Bob Odenkirk successfully became an action star for the hit film "Nobody," which shares several similarities to the premise of "Parish," but his show didn't receive the same kind of reception.

Cast: Shane Gillis, Steve Gerben, Chris O'Connor

Creators: Shane Gillis, Steve Gerben, and John McKeever

Rating: TV-MA

Number of episodes: 6

Where to watch: Netflix

Who doesn't love a workplace comedy where the boys like to slam back a few beers and gawk over half-naked women like real men used to back in the day? The majority of TV critics in 2024, that's who. Netflix's "Tires" tries to lure the viewer in with a combination of bro humor and the promise of a show about men with heart, but it has too little of the latter and too much of the former. The story follows the workers of Valley Forge Automotive Center as they attempt to turn around a flailing business.

While general audiences have been a lot kinder in their assessment, the critical consensus is a largely grim one, with many calling the show out for recycling tired jokes from a bygone era of comedy and leaning into offensive stereotypes. Those who weren't offended simply didn't enjoy it. "I wasn't outraged — the humor, like the characters, is too pointedly juvenile to take that seriously," said critic Robert Lloyd Still in a review for the Los Angeles Times, adding: "I didn't laugh once." Maybe they should think about changing the name of the show to "Tired."

Cast: Jeff Daniels, Diane Lane, Tom Pelphrey

Creator: David E. Kelley

Rating: TV-MA

Number of episodes: 6

Where to watch: Netflix

Butterflies in the stomach must have been what fans felt when they saw Jeff Daniels cast in the Netflix series "A Man in Full," which was created by "The Practice," "Ally McBeal," and "Big Little Lies" mastermind David E. Kelley and features episodes directed by the supremely talented Regina King and Thomas Schlamme. On paper, this sounds like prestige TV through and through. Unfortunately, this show about a bankrupt real estate mogul battling against all those who are trying to finish him off doesn't capitalize on its full potential.

The majority of critics and audience reviewers gave it the thumbs down, with many people saying that "A Man in Full" lacks the impact of the Tom Wolfe novel the series is adapted from. As Los Angeles Times critic Robert Lloyd wrote: "'A Man in Full' comes off as smaller and shallower and more obvious than the novel, and on its own feels like not the best episode of one of Kelley's old soap-operatic lawyer shows." That said, the Jeff Daniels miniseries still blew up on Netflix, once again proving that bad critical reviews aren't always a death sentence.

Cast: Mindy Kaling, Glenn Howerton, Sam Richardson

Creator: Charlie Grandy

Rating: TV-14

Number of episodes: 10

Where to watch: Max

"Velma" became known as one of the worst TV shows of 2023 when its disastrous fist season dropped, and Season 2 is no better. The "Scooby-Doo"-inspired show continues to be a monumental misfire as it tries to reinvent the classic children's series into an adult animated comedy. While much of the criticism about the first season — such as Velma Dinkley's general unlikability and the painfully convoluted storyline — seems to have been addressed, the series still hasn't turned the ship around. There's been no announcement regarding a third season yet, but it's probably unlikely at this stage, though there are rumors of a possible Halloween special.

It was always going to be challenging to overcome the brutal backlash that "Velma" Season 1 brought on, but the follow-up season comes nowhere close to making amends. The show lacks direction and, in the minds of many, purpose — what's the point of a "Scooby-Doo" revival without Scooby himself? As IGN critic Brittany Vincent stated: "This riff on the classic Hanna-Barbera character is all too content to turn its back on its source material, but it has no idea where to go next." Never mind 2024: "Velma" is on its way to being remembered as one of the most misguided shows in recent memory.

Cast: Lyon Daniels, Christian Slater, Joe Bryant

Creator: Aron Eli Coleite

Rating: TV-PG

Number of episodes: 8

Where to watch: The Roku Channel

"The Spiderwick Chronicles" already had a live-action adaptation in the form of the 2008 film starring Freddie Highmore and Mary-Louise Parker. The movie didn't do too badly with critics, receiving overwhelmingly positive praise, but, while a haul of $164.2 million from a $90 million budget wasn't exactly disastrous, it wasn't exactly a box office smash. Fans of the original fantasy book series by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black were no doubt thrilled when a TV series was announced, but things started going wrong for "The Spiderwick Chronicles" when the Mouse House accounted a shake-up.

The new series was produced by Paramount Television Studios and 20th Television, who found a home for it on Disney+, but the Disney brass decided to introduce new cost-cutting methods to help its streaming service become profitable. They dropped "The Spiderwick Chronicle" and it was shopped around, finally finding a home on The Roku Channel. It was now eight episodes long instead of six, but, according to a number of critics, that was eight episodes too many.

While some reviewed it fondly, the majority of critics gave "The Spiderwick Chronicles" a thumbs down. "The Roku Channel adventure is undone by the most mundane of missteps: repetitive plotting, lumpy pacing, underdeveloped characters making inexplicable decisions," said Angie Han from The Hollywood Reporter. Elsewhere, Josh Sharpe at Paste magazine wrote, "Between its distractingly bad dialogue and the tedious story, there is no magic to be seen here."

Cast: James McArdle, Emun Elliott, Sarah Greene

Creator: Michael Caleo

Rating: TV-MA

Number of episodes: 8

Where to watch: Paramount+

The Paramount+ series "Sexy Beast" — not to be mistaken with Netflix's bonkers reality show "Sexy Beasts" — serves as a prequel series to the Jonathan Glazer-directed film of the same name. It follows the intricate dynamic between a younger Gal Dove (James McArdle) and Don Logan (Emun Elliott) as they meet and become embroiled in a life of crime. It had some very large shoes to fill, considering the underseen but much-celebrated2000 film featured Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley as Gal and Don, with both turning in memorable performances.

Were those big shoes filled? In short: no. While audiences did seem to enjoy it, the pros weren't overly impressed, leading to a poor 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The majority of critics are of the opinion that the "Sexy Beast" show is not on the same level of the original movie, as it lacks both the ambition and genius of its predecessor. Even worse, it's utterly pointless: The show "dedicates itself to filling in backstory and answering questions that have likely never occurred to fans of the original," wrote Alison Herman in a review for Variety.

Cast: Annette Bening, Sam Neill, Jake Lacy

Creator: Melanie Marnich

Rating: TV-MA

Number of episodes: 7

Where to watch: Peacock

"Apples Never Fall" promises a gripping mystery but only delivers on the surface level. Based on Liane Moriarty's novel of the same name, the show is about Stan (Sam Neill) and Joy Delaney (Annette Bening), a couple who retire from running their tennis academy to look forward to the next phase of their lives. However, that's all upended when Joy disappears and Stan and the children need to explore the secrets of their past in an effort to find her. While Neill and Bening are believable in the roles, they are let down by a numb, dull script that doesn't match their stellar efforts.

On Rotten Tomatoes, more than half of all critics and audience reviewers did not enjoy the show, with a variety of reasons put forward for this, including the finale. "Arguably one of the worst and most boring shows I have ever had the displeasure of watching," wrote Rotten Tomatoes user Chiena A. "The ending is so stupid and ridiculous, that it renders everything utterly pointless." Elsewhere, Matt Roush from TV Insider simply said: "To me, it all just felt a bit silly." Considering the pedigree of the cast and the author of the source material, "Apples Never Fall" should really be a lot more gripping than it is.

Cast: Jay Pharoah, Marsai Martin, Gerald "Slink" Johnson

Creator: Ranada Shepard

Rating: TV-MA

Number of episodes: 10

Where to watch: Netflix

The original "Good Times" sitcom holds a special place in the hearts of American audiences, running for six seasons on CBS and turning the Evans clan into one of TV's most beloved (and funniest) families. The Netflix animated series follows the adventures of the current generation of Evans, serving as a legacy sequel to its predecessor. The show tugged on the nostalgia factor to reel in an audience but did little to keep people watching, with audiences and critics alike delivering a damning verdict. At the time of writing, "Good Times" holds an 11% critical approval rating and a 19% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, numbers that are hard to overcome.

Viewers haven't held back in their criticism of "Good Times," with Rotten Tomatoes user Afrikan C writing: "Everyone involved with this show ought to be ashamed of themselves. This show is absolute garbage. It hangs its hat on tropes and stereotypes with no depth, substance or heart, which is what made the original namesake iconic." In a review for Variety, Aramide Tinubu accused the animated Netflix comedy of perpetuating industry-wide issues, writing: "It's pathetic Hollywood is championing depictions that reduce Black people, racism and systemic issues into one-dimensional minstrels lacking present-day relevance. What's worse is that the writing in 'Good Times' just isn't funny."

Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Domhnall Gleeson, Aisling Bea

Creator: Victor Levin

Rating: TV-14

Number of episodes: 6

Where to watch: PBS Masterpiece

"Alice & Jack" tracks the turbulent lives of Alice (Andrea Riseborough) and Jack (Domhnall Gleeson) over a decade and a half and how they keep coming back to each other despite the setbacks and their own personal issues. It's not the first show to explore the dynamics of relationships and how they are difficult to master, but it fails where others have succeeded largely because of the unlikable protagonists. "They're insufferably selfish and callously indifferent to the emotional wreckage they leave in their wake," said Pat Stacey of the Irish Independent.

The fact that the show is about two people who are impossible to like isn't the only issue, either. The parts of Alice and Jack are both underwritten, so even if they were likeable, it would still be hard to root for them. Riseborough and Gleeson do their best to get viewers on board, but they're fighting a loosing battle from start to finish — no actors could overcome this undercooked script. As Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter put it: "'Alice & Jack' shoots for the vertigo of a star-crossed romance, but does too little work to convince us of the relationship's validity."

Cast: Jing Lusi, Richard Armitage, Lesley Sharp

Creator: Peter A. Dowling

Rating: Not rated

Number of episodes: 6

Where to watch: ITVX

On paper, the British thriller series "Red Eye" has all the ingredients to be a success, but it failed to impress over six increasingly tiresome episodes. It follows Doctor Matthew Nolan (Richard Armitage), who discovers that he has been accused of committing a murder at a medical conference he previously attended in Beijing. Nolan vehemently denies the charges, but he is ordered to be extradited back to China, with officer Hana Li (Jing Lusi) accompanying him on the trip. However, they soon uncover a larger conspiracy and danger in play while on their flight.

The premise alone should have the average person chewing on their fingernails and wondering what happens next. "Red Eye" generates plenty of intrigue in its early episodes, but it quickly becomes clear that the show isn't as smart or twisty as advertised. The majority of critics gave it a thumbs down, and the British press was particularly harsh in its appraisal. London's Evening Standard said: "ITV's new thriller, 'Red Eye,' has many similarities with the real thing. For the uninitiated, red eyes are long haul overnight flights. Usually, they're drawn-out, boring affairs. Well, the same applies to the show."

Cast: Vicky McClure, Tom Cullen, India Fowler

Creator: Sarah Pinborough

Rating: Not rated

Number of episodes: 6

Where to watch: Paramount+

If you've experienced insomnia, then you'll know all about that feeling of being lost in the uncertainty of whether something is real or not — it's said that around 80% of people are likely to have hallucinations when deprived of sleep for long enough. Created by Sarah Pinborough (and based on her novel of the same name), the British series "Insomnia" takes a look at the topic through the eyes of Emma Averill (Vicky McClure), who questions her own sanity and loses grip on her life as she struggles to sleep. Viewers shouldn't have a problem sleeping, though, as "Insomnia" is a bit of a snooze fest.

Some critics enjoyed the mystery of not knowing exactly what Emma was experiencing, but most lambasted the show for not picking a genre lane and sticking to it. Viewers were even less impressed, leading to a 29% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. "Not only were the false leads predictable, but the pacing was strangely dull for a thriller," said one user, while another called the premise "preposterous." McClure is a talented actor, as evidenced by her turns in "Line of Duty" and the hit crime drama show "Broadchurch," but "Insomnia" doesn't make the most of her skillset.