The best part of working at Digg is getting to know the incredible staff that make this website what it is. Even when they eventually decide to leave, we do our best to stay in touch. So when it came time to talk about our favorite media from 2024, we knew we had to include staff both past and present.

Last week, we rounded up our favorite movies, games and books, so now we're turning our attention to TV shows and albums that came out this year.

Let's jump in, and recognize all of the wonderful creations that have kept us entertained throughout a very unusual period in human history.

Our Favorite TV Shows

'Slow Horses' (Apple TV+)

I only caught on to this show when its fourth season aired this year, but I was hooked on to it at pretty much its first scene. "Slow Horses" is about a team of MI5 screwups and the espionage activities they find themselves entangled in. It's smart, funny and tightly paced.

After I finished all four seasons, I went back and started devouring the book series the show is based on because I loved the world. — Pang-Chieh Ho

'The Traitors' (Peacock)

No single reality show gave us more memes and moments this year than "The Traitors." Whether it was Phaedra Parks' affected lament, an unwanted MJ Javid backing out of a room, or commentary on Alan Cummings' pitch-perfect wardrobe, the internet couldn't get enough of this Peacock hit. The second season smartly shifted to feature an entire cast of C-list celebrities with big personalities — from retired athletes to Bravo mainstays to inexplicably, a former member of British Parliament.

The game's back-stabbing and strategy was as compelling as you'd expect from legendary "Survivor" and "Big Brother" contestants, but the big bet on including "Real Housewives" and drag stars truly made the season shine. Catch me glued to the TV come January to see what Britney Spears's ex and Chrishell Stause get up to in the turrets after dark. — Annie Johnson

'Shōgun' (Hulu)

TV was excellent this year. There were a half dozen shows that could have been my #1 in any other year ("The Penguin," "Agatha All Along," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," etc.), but I think the least-controversial opinion to have this year is saying I've never seen something like "Shōgun" accomplished since "Game of Thrones" ended.

A complicated, sweeping international epic for adults — one where every dollar is on screen, and there's not a wasted moment or performance. Stunning cinematography, complex characters and a career-making turn by Anna Sawai makes this the clear frontrunner for Show of the Year. And if the Emmy's were any indication, it definitely received the accolades it deserves. — Jared Russo

'A Man on the Inside' (Netflix)

Sometimes, you can judge a book by its cover, and Netflix's "A Man on the Inside" turned out to be exactly what you'd expect when you hear "a comedy series created by Mike Schur and starring Ted Danson as a widower who infiltrates a retirement community as a private eye:" A cozy mix of laughs, tears and good vibes. — Dan Fallon

Various Reality Shows (Netflix)

Over the last several years, Netflix has taken the concept of the reality show, and made it, somehow, even more stripped down. In "Outlast," they take a bunch of people, toss them into the remote Alaskan wilderness, and have them, well, outlast one another. In "Squid Game: The Challenge," they make regular people like you and me do the "Squid Game" challenges. In "The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On," one half of a couple is challenged to marry their partner or leave. You get the point.

Now, reality shows have been dumb from the get go (see everything on Bravo), but somehow these feel juicier, without being incredibly mind-numbing. Plus, they can be a bit more on the R-rated end of the spectrum because their not on network TV. Netflix has taken the reality formula, and advanced the genre in a shocking way. — Mike Ayers

Our Favorite Albums

'Tangk' by Idles

"Tangk" is controlled chaos — exactly what's needed when life demands both precision and grit. It punches hard with relentless energy — the kind that mirrors the focused intensity of a great workout or the rhythm of a driving 4/4 drum beat. But, what sets "Tangk" apart is its emotional depth beneath the aggression; it's raw, reflective and unapologetically human, much like the creative process itself.

Tracks pulse with cathartic release, the guitars snarling and percussive grooves hitting with athletic precision, yet there's an undercurrent of vulnerability that speaks to finding balance — whether it's in setting boundaries, building something new or just showing up authentically. This is music that makes me want to create, think and build anew all at once — a soundtrack for progress and purpose.

Hauntingly beautiful, yet confrontational, "Tangk" is a fantastic snapshot of 2024. "Don’t let pricks take your inch to a mile," indeed, Mr. Talbot. 15/10, must listen. — Josh Schnell

'Fabiana Palladino' by Fabiana Palladino

It should come as no surprise that Fabiana Palladino's debut record is excellent. On the one hand, she was a part of England's new wave, alongside the likes of James Blake and others, cutting her teeth touring and playing with folks like Jessie Ware, and on the other, she is the child of a bass player and singer. Not just any bass player, but Pino Palladino, whose bass notes on songs from D'Angelo, The Who and John Mayer Trio have likely gotten your feet tapping.

Fabiana's debut record isn't supposed to be a break-up record, but it sure sounds like one. It's warm and vulnerable, and its grooviest parts are a reminder of how sonically sound Fabiana is.

'Hit Me Hard and Soft' by Billie Eilish

It's easy to think that major pop stars tend to be cut from the same cloth these days, and perhaps a lot of them are. But Billie Eilish has made a giant leap forward this year with "Hit Me Hard and Soft," a record that is weird and sad and breezy and, above all, delightful.

So, sure, she's selling out arenas with the best of them, and her fans are singing along to literally every word, but she's doing so with unconventional song structures, vocal phrasings and presentations. It's incredibly fun to see someone get this big, by doing things that aren't exactly normal. — Mike Ayers

'Brat' by Charli XCX

Charli XCX's "Brat" is a reboot of what pop music can be in the 2020s. As an artist who's been in the industry since 2007, Charli is best known to many for hits like "Boom Clap" and "I Love It," but her catalog has always been much more daring, with albums that reject chasing Billboard success or TikTok fame. With "Brat," Charli is finally getting the flowers she deserves. The title perfectly captures her spirit — she's always been a "brat" and in the best sense, refusing to conform. This album feels like her ultimate temper tantrum. One that broke the industry.

It was a cultural phenomenon, with "Brat Summer" dominating social media and even influencing the 2024 U.S. Presidential campaign. In a single album, Charli bridged generations of pop music, collaborating with icons like Tinashe and Kesha while uplifting rising stars like Tate McRae and Addison Rae. And she did it unapologetically. Even the neon-green album cover, reminiscent of filler stock art from pirated music files, feels like a playful nod to being a disruptive "virus" in the music industry — proving that staying true to your art is more powerful than any superficial algorithm. — Joel Leal