8/8: Manifesting Our TV Dreams for 2024 and Beyond

If you believe in the power of manifestation, today is an important day for making your dreams come true. Aug. 8, also known as 8/8, is apparently the most powerful day under the Lion's Gate Portal, which is when the Leo sun aligns with Sirius (the brightest star), the constellation Orion, and Earth. It's a day for envisioning the future you want and believing that future is not only possible, but guaranteed. We're taking the day to envision the TV future we want, especially during this turbulent time in the entertainment industry with both the writers and actors on strike. In this future we're manifesting, the strikes have been resolved with fair deals, and production is not just up and running, but we're deep into the new golden age of television promised by today's biggest shows and stars. Hey, a website can dream. 

Behold, our TV vision board: 

'Severance' Season 2 was incredible

Despite reports of on-set tension between creator Dan Erickson and executive producer Mark Friedman that created a "toxic" work environment, the cast and crew of this acclaimed Apple TV+ drama settled their differences and came together to give us an incredibly thrilling second season that made the long wait after that Season 1 cliffhanger totally worth it.

'The OA' really was pulling off Season 3 this whole time

When Netflix first pulled the plug on The OA, the highly inventive and absorbing sci-fi drama, some fans suspected that it might just be a ruse, and that the meta ending indicated the cancellation itself was just part of the show. And lo, they were right. The OA finally returned for Part III and gave Prairie and Homer a chance to finally finish their love story and for all of the companions to find their place in the many universes. –Amanda Bell

Ayo Edebiri is an Emmy winner who now has her own shows

After taking home the trophy for The Bear, Edebiri created her own hit comedy and is also hosting a movie review show so that her reviews aren't just limited to Letterboxd. She's the biggest star on TV.

The Jon Snow spinoff fixed (almost) everything that went wrong with 'Game of Thrones' Season 8

There was no unringing the bell when it came to Daenerys Targaryen's abrupt and deeply upsetting heel turn into the "Mad Queen" in Game of Thrones' final season, but otherwise? That Jon Snow spinoff actually did wonders in fixing the things that went wrong in Season 8. For starters, everyone learned really quickly that having a human surveillance state as king was a terrible idea, so he was ousted from power with the help of a red witch (and Bronn was also duly removed from his very shortsighted post as the Master of Coin). Instead, Sansa took the throne for the Seven Kingdoms after a popular stint as Queen in the North and brought Winterfell and the Red Keep back to their former glory — this time, fully united. Queen Sansa took up Daenerys' mission to rid the kingdom of slavery, thus finally breaking the wheel. As for Jon? Well, he found new purpose for the wildlings and those who took the black in uniting the houses north of the wall into what may be an eighth kingdom. –Amanda Bell

The 'Ted Lasso' spinoff with Keeley, Roy, Jamie, Rebecca and Sam was a huge success

Who knew the best Season 4 for Ted Lasso was no Ted Lasso (and no Nate)? Jason Sudeikis finished the story he wanted to tell, but we're so glad other writers and actors still had gas in the tank. How did they manage to reinvent the love triangle in 2024 to keep fans of both Roy and Jamie happy, while also reuniting Rebecca and Sam in such a beautiful way? We're in awe. 

'Jury Duty's' followup was somehow just as good 

We all thought there was no way they could re-create the magic of Jury Duty, but Freevee totally pulled it off once again with a new setting that we won't spoil for those who haven't watched yet. We still don't know if this anthology series should be called a reality show or a comedy, but it's perfect either way. 

'Vanderpump Rules' got even better after Scandoval

While we worried the show would lose steam in the wake of Scandoval — and that we'd be overwhelmed with Vanderpump content thanks to the spinoff — Vanderpump Rules only continued to improve. It was delicious to watch Tom Sandoval squirm while Ariana Madix made millions of dollars in sponcon, and while everyone was at the top of their game, no one was so horrible that it was hard to watch. That includes Jax Taylor! Wow!

'Grey's Anatomy' ended with the Meredith and Cristina reunion of our dreams

It was so nice to say goodbye to a TV legend with the reunion of two more TV legends as Sandra Oh joined Ellen Pompeo for one last round of dancing it out. The fact that Katherine Heigl, Sara Ramirez and Jessica Capshaw also showed up was just icing on the cake. It was also such a welcome surprise that DeLuca returned after he had faked his death to go undercover to take down human traffickers.

Not a single contestant on 'The Bachelor' or 'The Bachelorette' was racist

The casting department really did their due diligence and made sure not to cast anyone who had ever tweeted or liked or reposted anything racist or offensive, and all of the contestants on both shows were normal nice people who genuinely wanted to find love, but who were also funny and worth following on Instagram. Some of the women were bigger than a size 2! And everybody's still together!

'The Golden Bachelor' was a huge success. 

Up next: The Regular Aged Bachelor, a man in his 30s or 40s looking to settle down with someone also in their 30s or 40s.  

HBO's 'The Westing Game' adaptation was so worth the wait. 

It felt like this show would never happen, but finally, one of the best YA mystery books of all time got the silver screen treatment it deserved, and it was everything we wanted and more. We do not regret waiting our entire lives/since 1978 for this show, which won many Emmys and earned much critical acclaim. 

'Abbott Elementary' perfected the will they/won't they formula 

It's a trope as old as time, but Abbott Elementary pulled off the Janine and Gregory will they/won't they like no other sitcom has managed before. The show actually got better after its central sexual tension was resolved, which is practically unheard of. Quinta Brunson stays winning.

We finally got 'The Real Housewives of Chicago' 

It doesn't matter if it was good or bad. We got it, and that's what matters. All we wanted was to see a Schaumburg mom fight with a River North mom in a Portillo's over hot dog toppings, and we have now seen that! Thank you, Andy Cohen. 

'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' got good again

It turns out that Jen Shah was not the biggest star in SLC and other women are capable of being shah-mazing too. Casting just had to find them!

That Kendall Roy 'Succession' spinoff sure was something 

Maybe this wasn't the best way to get Jeremy Strong back on our screens, but we fully appreciate it anyway. 

'Euphoria' took a bow with happy endings for all

Their teenage years were rough, but as shown in the optimistic series finale, all of those kids grew up to be functional happy adults who learned from their mistakes and drank plenty of water. Zendaya also won more Emmys.

Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale Showed Up in 'HSMTMTS' Season 4

The final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series dropped Aug. 9, 2023, featuring the entire main cast of the original High School Musical. That includes not just the ones we knew about before it premiered, but also Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale, who showed up in the final episodes to complete the clashing of the High School Musical universes. The show even gave Ryan (Lucas Grabeel) a boyfriend, and it was the perfect send-off for a show that was always far better than it ever should have been for a show called High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. –Megan Vick

'Manifest' manifested a spinoff featuring Ben Stone wearing sweaters

If we're manifesting and we're not manifesting more Manifest, what is even the point?

The AMPTP agreed to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA's demands 

Isn't it nice to live in a world where you know that everyone involved in the TV show or movie you're watching was paid a fair wage for their work, and they won't ever be replaced by AI?