Like yearly, 2024 was stuffed with highs and lows. A few of the worst (properly, nerdiest) lows got here from the fictional losses we endured: a TV present coming to an finish, or a useless character or three. Be part of us in wanting again on those that received’t be becoming a member of us in 2025 and past—and put together for some spoilers forward, however you already knew that.
Scavengers Reign
Scavengers Reign is a present that I’ll without end be mad about not getting another season. Not solely is it one of the crucial refreshing animated stories I’ve skilled this yr, it’s additionally one that really lived as much as its alien premise. There was plenty of copium on my and lots of followers’ behalf assuming the present would obtain a second chance at life on Netflix. However I feel all of us forgot that streamer has a knack for being the place the place season two hopes go to die. *Shakes fist within the sky at David Zaslav* – Isaiah Colbert
Outer Vary
Prime Video’s sci-fi Western a few rancher (Josh Brolin) hiding a time-travel portal in one among his pastures was virtually too bizarre when it premiered in 2022—however its mish-mash of genres nonetheless managed to fascinate, utilizing a cosmic thriller to look at rival households sharing an intertwined disaster. That Outer Vary obtained a second season in any respect was a TV miracle, and we’re grateful we obtained to spend a bit extra time exploring its oddities. – Cheryl Eddy
Star Trek: Decrease Decks
Sony’s Spider-Man Universe
On one hand, Sony’s very weird approach to its Spider-Man-free Marvel films led to some charmingly bizarre work like Venom and Madame Internet (debatable). Alternatively, it was actually clear Sony didn’t know what it was doing aside from filling launch slots. After watching Venom 3 or Kraven, it received’t be any thriller as to why audiences obtained sick of that runaround. Ah properly, not less than there’s Spider-Verse 3, ultimately. – Justin Carter
The Acolyte
Say what you need about The Acolyte, and many, many Star Wars fans have. However we thought it was a dynamite present that each acted as a great entry point to Star Wars, whereas additionally enriching the lore for longtime followers. So to see the present get canceled after its first season, with so many desirable tales left untold, was one of many greatest bummers of the yr. – Germain Lussier
Evil
Evil premiered in 2019 on CBS, then after one season shifted to Paramount+. Streaming made extra sense for the collection’ adventurous tone—it could possibly be terrifying and humorous multi functional scene, not to mention one episode, to not point out provocative, heartfelt, well timed, and deeply insightful. Not dangerous for a present a few crew of investigators employed by the Catholic Church to look into possessions and different bizarre phenomena, whereas additionally uncovering corruption and giving us characters we genuinely cherished (or cherished to hate) alongside the best way. We want it had gotten 666 more seasons. – Cheryl Eddy
Assault on Titan
Whether or not or not you watched Assault on Titan, you most likely knew it lasted for fairly some time, notably towards the tip. Its ultimate season famously concluded in 4 components, after which concluded once more with a film version of the second half. With luck, that was the collection’ true finish, and Mappa isn’t cooking up some remake or enhanced version to place out in a couple of years. – Justin Carter
The Umbrella Academy
Umbrella Academy’s shortened fourth season wasn’t essentially the most triumphant strategy to finish the Netflix present primarily based (very loosely) on the Darkish Horse Comics collection, however we’ll at all times have the primary three seasons—filled with all of the apocalyptic drama its pack of misfit superhero siblings might carry to the desk, to not point out quirky comedy, intelligent plot twists, killer struggle scenes, and even a couple of dance numbers. – Cheryl Eddy
Chucky
DC/CW Universe
A part of why superheroes have been so widespread on display screen previously 20 years must be owed to the CW. From Smallville all the best way again within the day to Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and the not too long ago ended Superman & Lois, the community kept DC’s heroes round within the public eye by means of present after present of fluctuating high quality. They weren’t all excellent, and a few of them ran a bit too lengthy, however they made many strides and stored the style alive, and that ain’t nothing. – Justin Carter
What We Do within the Shadows
Aerith Gainsborough (Ultimate Fantasy VII Rebirth)
The dying of Aerith is among the most well-known of all in video video games, and Rebirth, the middle-chapter of Sq. Enix’s formidable re-imagining of Ultimate Fantasy VII‘s legendary legacy, could be very keenly conscious of the expectation gamers have round that second for all of its huge runtime. Not content material with merely recreating that fateful climax, Rebirth carries on in Remake‘s footsteps of being a narrative about what it means to remake Ultimate Fantasy VII by continually enjoying with this meta-awareness round Aerith, because it facilities her increasingly more within the sport’s twinned tales of echoing the unique sport whereas additionally making ready to subvert it. So when existence splits on the steps of the Metropolis of the Ancients in Rebirth‘s ultimate hours—one timeline the place Aerith dies at Sephiroth’s fingers, one other the place she lives on and helps push him again, concurrently co-existing within the thoughts of Cloud—Rebirth has its cake and eats it too, giving us the hope of a rebirth that gamers have longed for for nearly 30 years whereas additionally nonetheless getting to sit down within the tragedy of her passing yet again. We’ll be ready a couple of extra years simply to see what actually occurs, however there’s nonetheless a way of loss on this limbo Rebirth leaves us and Aerith alike in. – James Whitbrook
Victor Aguilar (The Penguin)
Vic was Oswald’s final redeeming tether earlier than the long run crime lord bought his soul so nothing might stand in his approach. Part of me hopes Vic isn’t useless, simply left very near-death for Batman to seek out and take beneath his (evening) wing. He was the guts of the marginalized individuals of Gotham—squashed earlier than our eyes, hoping he’ll be the hope for his or her revenge too. – Sabina Graves
Claudia de Lioncourt (Interview With the Vampire)
Delainey Hayles ought to be nominated for awards for her tour-de-force efficiency as Claudia de Lioncourt. The company and tenacity with which she was written in Interview with the Vampire’s TV adaptation ought to be studied, as a result of it gave the e book’s doll-like youngster characters multitudes. Growing older her up a bit gave us a lady trapped without end on the verge of womanhood. As a fan, I knew she was destined to die, however Hayles’ efficiency made me want that if artistic liberty was allowed, then perhaps, simply perhaps, she wouldn’t burn. My coronary heart broke within the scene the place Armand bought her out utterly. She was the most effective of Louis and the more serious of Lestat all rolled into one, however that mixture gave her an influence that that shone proper till her final second. I would like her to have haunted each face in that theater that allow her die. – Sabina Graves
Varric Tethras (Dragon Age: The Veilguard)
The Veilguard takes Varric out of the motion fairly early, however you’re set as much as spend a lot of the sport with him recuperating in your house base as a trusted advisor for Rook to show to at any time when they falter of their perception they’re worthy of saving the world. That will be unhappy sufficient, that one of many franchise’s finest characters is left to sit down on the sidelines, however Veilguard‘s ultimate act twist—that Varric was really useless, and what Rook was seeing for a lot of the sport was a magical, manipulative deception by Solas—hits you want a ton of bricks, even in case you began getting the sensation one thing was off sooner than that second of revelation. RIP to Thedas’ most interesting storyteller-slash-crossbow-
Gambit (X-Males ’97)
Arthur Fleck (Joker: Folie à Deux)
Like most of us, I didn’t love Joker 2. I didn’t actually even love Joker. However I did love the massive swing for the fences Joaquin Phoenix took with the DC character, incomes him an Oscar the primary time round. So to see the character type of surrender on his wrestle, after which be killed, was actually disappointing. You needed extra for this character. You needed to see him actually impression some change. Heck, perhaps you even needed to see him on display screen with Batman. Alas, now none of that may occur. – Germain Lussier
Delia Deetz (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice)
One among Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s greatest strengths was the Deetz ladies being centered within the movie. Catherine O’Hara, the lady she is, slipped so comfortably again into her eccentric useless kooky stepmother character with out lacking a beat. Barbara might have been extra of a mom within the first movie, however Delia turned the most effective pal Lydia wanted when Astrid turned a rebellious teen. Delia and Astrid’s crew as much as name out the boys in Lydia’s life and even sync up for a brand new poltergeist occasion music second made me need extra of them in future films. Alas, pricey Delia obtained obtained by some asps. Within the Netherworld, she rejoins together with her headless husband, however they don’t board the soul practice, so right here’s hoping if a Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will get greenlit, we’ll see her working the place. – Sabina Graves
Kwon (Cobra Kai)
One of many points with current seasons of Cobra Kai is there hasn’t been a great younger villain. That modified not too long ago with Kwon, performed by Brandon H. Lee. The evil Cobra Kai captain was not simply extremely intimidating, he regarded extremely cool doing it. The type of dangerous man you like to hate. You most likely would’ve watched a complete “Kwon” present—however alas, as a result of he was so beloved, the character needed to die on the finish of the second collection of episodes. His dying, whereas brutal and unhappy, actually raised the stakes going into the ultimate episodes. – Germain Lussier
Agatha’s Coven (Agatha All Alongside)
We type of knew coming into Marvel’s witchy seasons that not all of Agatha’s ragtag new coven would make it down, down the Witches’ Highway alive, however the present did such a great job of connecting us to those characters it nonetheless stung to lose them (sure, even Sharon Davis, dragged alongside for the trip). Each Alice and Lilia’s deaths have been bittersweet for various causes—Alice’s coming from an act of kindness and so quickly after the emotional catharsis of her personal standout episode of the season, and Lilia’s on the climax of what stays among the finest episodes of TV Marvel’s ever made. However all that goodness simply made the knife twist a bit deeper in our hearts. – James Whitbrook
Need extra io9 information? Take a look at when to anticipate the most recent Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on film and TV, and every part it’s good to find out about the way forward for Doctor Who.
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