2024 seemed to be the year when if something was good, then it was cancelled. We enjoyed a deluge of fantastic shows, such as Kaos and Acolyte, but all the best ones were cancelled after their first season.
Nonetheless, there have been some truly fantastic books, film, games, events and television shows to enjoy. As well as offering far more choice, there was also a far broader scope to choose from. Horror, fantasy and science fiction were all catered for, as well as explorations of their sub-genres, whether it is the urban fantasy of Dead Boy Detectives or the sci-fi/horror of Alien: Romulus.
So, Geek Pride’s Matt Geary, Peter Ray Allison, Mark Canty and Jonjo Cosgrove compiled their favourites… without falling out with each other.
Best film
Matt – The Iron Claw
There have been a lot of good films this year, such as Deadpool and Wolverine, but this gem of a film needs to be talked about.
A true story about the Von Erich wrestling family, Iron Claw depicts the unmitigated family tragedy that befalls the Von Erichs and it’s a hard watch. Not in a bad way, of course. It’s brilliantly drawn, but the sheer bleakness of it all is emotionally draining and left me just in shock at what I’d watched. One of those films, like The Road, where you come out thinking, that was brilliant, but I can’t watch it again!
Pete – Alien: Romulus
I rarely go to the cinema these days, but I made a point of watching Alien: Romulus, as I am a fan of the series. Romulus, perhaps wisely, is set between Alien and Aliens, but takes narrative cues from all the films. Unfortunately, all these callbacks created the feeling of it being overly derivative at times, which is a shame as the film shone when it told us something new about the setting.
Marc – Alien: Romulus
Alien: Romulus made Alien scary again, with an enjoyable plot, good effects, plenty of darkness and lots of scary, freaky aliens out in space. Everyone could hear them scream!
Jonjo – Dune: Part Two
The epic conclusion to the classic story is finally here. With various delays, Dune: Part Two could have easily struggled, but rose to become at one point the highest earning film of 2024. With Denis Villeneuve giving his best directing experience and Hans Zimmer making the best soundtrack of the year, this film was a truly memorable experience on the big screen. Not a single shot was wasted and no character is left out.
Best series
Matt – Shogun
I never read the book, but I played the boardgame and the Total War game, so to have a series based on a period of Japanese history I enjoy was bound to pique my interests. Amazingly acted, well-paced and beautifully shot, you have a series that showed what it needed in the limited time it had.
Pete – Supacell
Supacell is a grounded superhero story set in London, about five people discovering they have superpowers. I regularly visit London and the creator Rapman accurately portrayed the capital and its people to tell an incredibly human and relatable story.
Marc – Fallout
Lots of geeky and fantasy goodness across TV and streaming, with Amazon, Netflix and Disney throwing skips of money at the little screen. Fallout, from Amazon, was a great take on the well-known game universe, with many familiar elements, and it didn’t lose the snarky, sometimes vicious tone of the original games as we followed a lost, innocent girl into a twisted, post-atomic hellscape to find her dad.
Jonjo – X-Men ’97
X-Men ’97 hit the ground running with the return of many favourite characters, original voice actors and that theme tune. From Magneto going on trial to the sacrifice of Gambit, the show continually made your jaw drop every week. It serves as a perfect continuation of what came before, while respecting those who grew up with the original. The tone is more adult and at times quite dark, whilst the final shot of episode 9 will be forever burned into our minds.
Best game
Matt – Space Marine 2
One of the first reviews I did was for the original Space Marine. A 3rd-person shooter that followed Captain Titus and his fight through hordes of orcs and chaos daemons.
The newest incarnation, 13 years later, picked up from where we left off and ramped it up a notch. Instead of hordes of orcs we have swarms of Tyranids, and swarm is the operative word here. It’s stunning to watch these endless swarms of bugs head towards you and know that you and maybe a few guardsmen stand in the way of it.
A solid game with a lot of replayability, stunning graphics and a surprisingly captivating story that ties in with the first.
Pete – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Like many people my age, the Indiana Jones films were a formative part of my childhood, so I was waiting for the release of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle with eager anticipation. Given the hype surrounding the game, it more than lives up to expectations. The quips, dialogue and combat make you feels like you are Indiana Jones. Even the iconic shadow of Indy, with his fedora, battered leather jacket and bullwhip, is perfectly recreated.
Marc – Kill Team (3rd edition)
I am finding I much prefer small unit wargames as I get older. With eleven models maximum on each side, and the chance for each mini to have a lot of character, Kill Team is a lot of fun. The new rules mix the good parts of the 1st and 2nd editions, with a few new tweaks.
Jonjo – Helldivers II
The game holds various match targets, friendly teamwork and hilarious moments online. The fun comes from crushing a grand variety of enemies, while reaching your objectives within a timely manner. Just be careful friendly fire is always on. Although the initial buzz has died down, Helldivers II is still worth your time.
Best book
Matt – The End and The Death III
I started reading the Horus Heresy books when they first came out, so to finally have the final book was pretty special. It not only brought to an end a saga, but it told the story most Warhammer fans hear when getting into the game. The Emperor’s fight against Horus and the death of Sanguinis are etched into my brain and I was finally able to learn the full story of what happened.
Brilliantly written, well-paced and some proper gut-wrenching moments, The End and the Death III was a suitable end to a series that has been running for 18 years.
Pete – W0Rldtr33, by James Tynion IV
I have been enjoying James Tynion IV’s writing ever since Memetic, but W0Rldtr33 has to be my favourite so far. Set in the modern day, W0Rldtr33 follows a group of friends as they discover a secret architecture to the Internet. It is a story about friendships and the unintended consequences of technology; a theme that always interests me.
Marc – Starter Villain, by John Scalzi
My favourite book this year has probably been Starter Villain by John Scalzi, with his usual dry humour, a dash of the unreal and an enjoyable plot, I highly recommend it. If you get it on Audible, then you get it read by Wil Wheaton!
Jonjo – MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, by Dave Gonzales, Gavin Edwards and Joanna Robinson Originally released in late 2023, the chance to experience this in-depth look at the Marvel machine is one not to miss. The book features countless interviews and in-depth research into the studio. From the early days under Ike Perlmutter to the more recent Phase Five slate, this book gives you the ins and outs of the MCU. No secret is kept from this intriguing read. It is a long read, but a rewarding one for fans of Marvel.

Best event
Matt – UK Games Expo
It’s the same every year, and I’ll only stop choosing it when it stops being the best event on my geek calendar. The UK Games Expo is filled with all the table top games you’ll ever need and every event always has something different to see and play, and the only bad thing about it is its damage to my wallet!
This year we had the added bonus of recording our first live podcast in front of a dedicated audience. We didn’t fill the room, but it was thoroughly enjoyable and great to be given the opportunity.
Pete – D&D at the Castle
Dungeons & Dragons may not be one of my favourite roleplaying games (that is Vampire: The Masquerade and Mage: The Ascension), but how could I refuse the offer of running a game of D&D in a gothic country manor? It was a fantastic experience to run my scenario inspired by local history and folklore, and to set it in Elvaston Castle itself.
Marc – Doctor Who
How could I not mention about Doctor Who? With the 14th Doctor getting his first full series, and the wonderful Ruby Sunday, we got a mix of experiences, some better than others. Surprisingly, the best episode was the Doctor-lite 73 Yards, full of confusion, suspense and drama. Looking forward to the Christmas Special, but don’t want to wait for the next series now!
Jonjo – Marvel at SDCC 2024
Love it or hate it, Marvel got the world talking at the biggest event in the geek calendar. Eliminating Kang from Avengers 5 and announcing the return of the Russo Brothers would be news on its own, but Kevin Feige announced that Doctor Doom would serve as the big bad for Doomsday and Secret Wars, and that Robert Downey Jr. would be playing the major antagonist.