Favorite streaming shows of the first half of 2024 | members only

Many of the pay TV networks and streaming services rolled out a steady buffet of new shows this year, boasting stars including Ewan McGregor as a Russian aristocrat just after the Bolshevik

Revolution in _A Gentleman in Moscow_ and Andrew Scott as the latest iteration of the grifter Tom Ripley in _Ripley._ We’ve also seen the long-awaited return of familiar faces such as Larry

David in the final season of _Curb Your Enthusiasm_ and Jean Smart as a Joan Rivers–style comedian in the bold and intriguing third season of _Hacks_. Here are AARP’s picks for the best

streaming shows of the year so far. Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning in "Baby Reindeer." Ed Miller/Netflix _BABY REINDEER _(NETFLIX) Netflix’s latest surprise hit is not for

everyone. It begins in familiar quirky comedy land, with an aspiring comedian/bartender (Richard Gadd) being stalked by a woman (Jessica Gunning) who claims to have a high-paid, glamorous

legal career. But midway through the series, which Gadd adapted from his supposedly fact-based stage play, the show takes a shockingly dark, squirm-inducing turn — as Gadd’s Donny finally

confronts traumatic episodes of sexual abuse from his past that have crippled his relationships. We also learn more about his stalker, a walking avatar of the phrase “hurt people hurt

people.” (A woman who claims she’s the model for the character filed a defamation lawsuit; Netflix disputes her claims.) The show can be hard to watch but harder to look away from, right up

until the note-perfect final scene. Where to watch _Baby Reindeer_ Hugh Sachs and Golda Rosheuvel in "Bridgerton." LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX _BRIDGERTON_ (NETFLIX) In its third season,

Shonda Rhimes’ deliberately anachronistic period romance series still boasts many, many elaborate balls where a racially diverse cast dons elaborate costumes to dance to orchestral versions

of 21st-century pop tunes — then doffs them for raunchy hookups (including a particularly steamy one in a carriage). This time, the focus is on Nicola Coughlan as curvy Penelope (the secret

author of Lady Whistledown’s gossipy newsletters), who finally catches the eye of her longtime crush, Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). Where to watch _Bridgerton_ Larry David in "Curb

Your Enthusiasm." John Johnson/HBO _CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM_ (HBO/MAX) Larry David, 76, says the 12th really, truly is the final season of his HBO comedy (spread out over 24 years). He

milks a lot of characteristically awkward laughs from his final swings around the golf course with his celeb buddies — including Richard Lewis, who died in February at age 76. The season

focuses on David’s obnoxious girlfriend (Tracey Ullman, 64) and an escalating legal issue that culminates in a courtroom scene that echoes the widely criticized one in the 1998 _Seinfeld

_series finale. Where to watch _Curb Your Enthusiasm_ Fleur Geffrier and Tomohisa Yamashita in "Drops of God." Apple TV+ _DROPS OF GOD_ (APPLE TV+) Apple’s newest multilingual

series is a savvy heir to _Succession_ with a Bravo-style reality competition twist. When renowned French wine expert Alexandre Léger dies, his will sets up an elaborate wine-tasting

competition for his prized cellar, worth $148 million. The competitors are his long-estranged daughter (Fleur Geffrier) and his master-taster protégé (Tomohisa Yamashita). French

screenwriter Quoc Dang Tran, best known for the Netflix hit _Call My Agent!,_ has created a full-bodied winner, an absorbing drama that lingers long on the palate. Where to watch _Drops of

God_