24 moments from 2024 - part two: on the screen

 

Like many people, I have watched so many series, documentaries and films this year but I challenged myself to pick six, so here goes:

1. Slow Horses, Season 4 - perhaps the best one since series 1? One of the few shows we all gathered to watch on release day, so it must have been good. Of course we all love River but it is Jackson Lamb/Gary Oldman who steals the show.

2. Ripley - I am a big fan of Andrew Scott (see, also, entries 4 and 6 below), and I enjoyed the film based on the book with Jude Law - but this is a whole other level of dark and sinister. It was gruesome too, but helped by the entire series being in black and white. It was full of suspense but also glamorous and slowly built to the conclusion (although I am not sure about the final disguise).

3. Kaos - we stumbled upon this and managed to already be immersed when it was being hailed as a 'must watch'. It reimagines Greek mythology, and was colourful, fast, hilarious and sometimes shocking. Jeff Goldblum never disappoints me, and his Zeus was darkly brilliant. Billie Piper as Cassandra for the win...

4. All of Us Strangers - I went to see this at the cinema on my own because of my Andrew Scott obsession. But it is also beautiful and sad, thought-provoking and shocking. I was not expecting it to end the way it did, and I really must watch it again to view it slightly differently.

5. The Traitors, Season 2 - I totally missed season one and because I tend to avoid 'reality TV' these days I had no intention of watching but then... it was Claudia, and she was wearing amazing clothes, and I also have a fringe... and then I was hooked. Genuinely excellent television (and no animals are put in stressful situations so win-win). I am looking forward to Season 3.

6. Present Laughter, National Theatre Live - I have always wanted to see an NT Live in a small theatre so this year I took my friend for his birthday (the other member of my Andrew Scott Fan Club). It was such a good performance I forgot I wasn't seeing it live and all the actors were excellent. Highly recommended.