‘It’s a beautiful tribute to a friend and a gentle reminder of how joyful life can be’

It feels odd to name a series that left me in floods of tears as my show of the year, but here we are.

Channel 4’s silly university sitcom has charmed me since its first fabulous outing, crammed with nostalgia and coincidentally set when I myself went to uni, which added to my sense of belonging to this oddball group.

I had the pleasure of speaking to creator Jack Rooke for Broadcast before it came out back in 2022 and was aware of the show’s Edinburgh Fringe roots and what likely lay ahead.

Because of this, I’d put off watching the final series, not wanting to end the ride. The way Rooke brought life to these characters is just phenomenal and I had formed my attachments. With all of its humour and perfect 2010s references, I laughed myself into a false sense of security and, despite knowing what was coming, felt my stomach drop at the realisation of the implied. It is heartbreaking.

Those trademark cultural touchpoints are not only genuinely hilarious, but an emotional punch in the gut at moments too. Without spoiling things, there’s a moment where Jack discusses how much meal deals have gone up by, which still makes me emotional when selecting a sandwich in Tesco at lunch. These touches make Big Boys one of the defining sitcoms of recent years.

Despite absolutely devastating me, Big Boys also fills you with so much love, warmth and optimism. It’s a beautiful tribute to a friend and a gentle reminder of how joyful life can be. In an era of toxic masculinity, this is a poignant celebration of male friendship and vulnerability. It makes you want to text your friends and tell them you love them.

STREAMING SHOW OF THE YEAR

Andor, Disney+

I wouldn’t exactly call myself a mega Star Wars fan. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an incredible franchise and universe, but having been introduced to it in adulthood, I have missed the cosy nostalgia train and instead find some of the titles a little watered-down, considering the implied horrors of interstellar dictatorships and rebel alliances.

Andor 1

Andor however, has stuck the landing when it comes to gritty galactic reality. Its debut Disney+ series was gripping, but this year’s second and final run really brought home the brutality. Given that my chosen show of the year for 2024 was HBO’s The Penguin, violent spin-offs seem to be the way to my heart. Something to evaluate.

Despite taking place in a galaxy far, far away, its exploration of the collapse of truth and the rise of fascism is bleakly and compellingly apt – “the distance between what is said and what is known to be true has become an abyss” is perfect for the age of disinformation. And yet, it has enough humour and heart to make it bearable to watch and slip away from reality.

Making full use of its Disney budget, the drama is beautifully made and Diego Luna’s performance as the titular hero strains every emotion with such nuance, you are transfixed by his every word.

I am often sceptical of spin-offs of huge franchises and in an increasingly risk-averse commissioning environment, we should all be championing original ideas whenever we can. But if you’re considering one in the future, I beg Andor be your blueprint.

 Top five UK broadcaster shows  Top five streamer shows
1 Big Boys, Roughcut TV for C4   1 Andor, Disney+
2 Celebrity Traitors, Studio Lambert for BBC1   2 Last One Laughing, Zeppotron and Initial for Prime Video
3 Taskmaster S19, Avalon for C4   3 Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers, Netflix
4 7/7: The London Bombings, The Slate Works for BBC2   4 Stranger Things, Netflix
5 The Assembly, Rockerdale Studios for ITV1   5 Adolescence, Warp Films, Matriarch Productions, Plan B for Netflix

Heather Fallon headshot cropped

  • Heather Fallon is a senior reporter, Broadcast

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