2021 was another great year for television. With more streaming options than ever and movie theaters not quite back to their pre-pandemic capacity, the small screen had more than enough to offer every type of viewer. From event series to revivals, comedies and dramas to genre offerings, we barely were able to watch it all. With hundreds of shows to choose from and thousands of hours of programming, here is our list of the best tv shows of 2021.
Being the entertainment gluttons that we are, we put together a nice video of the Top 10 series of the year while the full text list of the 20 best is ranked below. Some shows like The Book of Boba Fett did not screen in time for this list, so keep in mind this list includes series that were released in 2021 that we were able to screen by December 1st.
Honorable Mentions:
Physical, Schmigadoon, Cowboy Bebop, The Shrink Next Door, Dr. Death, Mr. Corman, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Master of None, Lisey’s Story, Impeachment: American Crime Story, Servant, Resident Alien, Masters of the Universe Revelation, The Mosquito Coast, The Witcher, Station Eleven
Even keeping this list to just twenty titles was challenging. The pandemic has made more and more streaming programs available to us to compensate for our boredom and quarantine. Any other year, the series listed above could have cracked the best of the year, but here they just barely missed the cutoff. Some limited series like Station Eleven and Schmigadoon brought something unique to screens while other offerings here featured solid performances from talented actors. All said I would have no problem recommending any of these to you if you haven’t seen them.
20. The Expanse (Prime Video)
The final season of this epic science fiction series pulls off what Game of Thrones failed to do: deliver a satisfying ending. The novel series continues past the point where the television adaptation decided to draw the line, but that allows for the show to go out on its own terms as well as leave the door open for future seasons. Steven Strait and Dominique Tipper lead the crew of the Rocinante to a final showdown with Keon Alexander’s Marco Inaros. It is an emotional conclusion to the best series that not enough people watch
19. What We Do In The Shadows (FX)
I never thought this show would work. Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s horror mockumentary was a hilarious feature film and making it into a series without any of the main cast seemed like a bad idea. Well, three seasons in and the small screen version may actually be better than the movie. The cast is all hilarious and the ongoing cameos featured each year continue to impress. With the vampires now in charge of the council, this season felt more like a workplace comedy than ever before. Plus, the characters all share storylines more consistently making this season the best so far.
18. Maid (Netflix)
Led by Margaret Qualley’s performance, Maid is based on the true story of a young mother dealing with an abusive relationship while trying to scrape together enough money to support her daughter. Not a happy-go-lucky watch, Maid is tough to see but will make you rethink how you treat the workers you encounter on a daily basis. Nick Robinson and Billy Burke add to the supporting cast, but Andie MacDowell, Margaret Qualley’s real-life mother, does an astounding job as a fictional parent as well.
17. Kevin Can F**k Himself (AMC)
With the second and final season on the way, this short-lived series is the most unique show of the year. Annie Murphy gained fame as Alexis Rose on Schitt’s Creek but here gets to stretch her dramatic talents as much as her comedic ones. As the wife of a buffoon, Allison’s life is literally a sitcom. Presented as a multi-camera network show, when the titular spouse leaves the scene, the show shifts to a single-camera look at what real life is like. Mary Hollis Inboden is a perfect partner for Allison who is on a quest to break free from the prison of her marriage. Hilariously dark, this is a really good show.
16. True Story (Netflix)
Kevin Hart is not content to just make the same thing over and over. From stand-up to big-screen movies, animation to reality shows, Hart has shown his range, but never more than in this drama. Working with Wesley Snipes, who gives one of his best performances in years, Hart plays a comedian who gets in over his head with murder and gangsters. It sounds cliche, but it is a very good dramatic turn for Hart who still manages to find some laughs in the material. As a limited series, you know that when you reach the end that this was a well-written narrative that will be forever a highlight in Kevin Hart’s career.
15. Loki (Disney+)
Tom Hiddleston was one of the first breakout stars in the MCU and finally gets his own show. This series feels like a Marvel’s version of Doctor Who with wacky characters, complex genre ideas, and a sense of humor. Playing with the concept of the multiverse, Loki is not the same character we came to love on the big screen but rather a variant. On his quest, he meets multiple different takes on himself including Sylvie (Sophie Di Martino). Teaming with Mobius (Owen Wilson), Loki plots to take down the TVA and discover the menacing villain behind everything. With a cliffhanger ending announcing we would get a second season of this show, the future for the Asgardian prince looks as good as ever.
14. Dopesick (Hulu)
A lot of people were turned off by this series which dramatizes Purdue Pharma and the rise of Oxycontin. It is a hard show to watch but a vital one. Similar to HBO’s Chernobyl, this series tells the other side of a famous news story that will make your jaw drop that something so evil could have happened without oversight. A great cast including Rosario Dawson, Peter Saarsgard, Will Poulter, and Kaitlyn Dever makes this challenging material entertaining. Michael Keaton delivers a character unlike anything he has played in recent years and it is devastating to watch.
13. WandaVision (Disney+)
The first MCU series on Disney+ was also the most unique. Presented as classic sitcoms from the last century, WandaVision managed to reveal new elements of the Marvel Cinematic Universe while deepening our love of Wanda and Vision. Both Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany do great work in these shifting settings while setting up what is coming in Phase Four on the big screen. Balancing action and comedy is hard for any show, but WandaVision managed to make black and white TV shows look as epic as an Avengers movie. We also got to see the great Kathryn Hahn week after week in a role so good that she earned her own spin-off.
12. Scenes From A Marriage (HBO)
Remaking anything is a risky endeavor, but remaking a critically acclaimed work by Ingmar Bergman sounds like a bad idea. Bringing this story into the 21st century, Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain are brilliant as a married couple whose relationship falls apart. Children, infidelity, religion, and more factor into the downfall of this marriage as we see specific moments over the years. It is like looking at something we are not meant to see. Raw and real, this is a masterclass in acting from two of the best working today.
11. Mare of Easttown (HBO)
In many ways, this show could be looked at like the fourth season of True Detective. But, I would rather not undermine how good of a show this is by labeling it as part of something else. Led by Kate Winslet, this series is partially a detective mystery but one that is wrapped deep in a character drama. The close-knit community at the core of this show is a character unto itself and while you may spend episode after episode trying to figure out whodunit, the most rewarding element of this tale is the people who inhabit it. Another tough emotional watch, Mare of Easttown makes you care deeply about everyone on screen as they endure the worst you could imagine. Evan Peters, Guy Pearce, and Jean Smart shine alongside Winslet who is going to win a lot of awards for this.
10. Sweet Tooth (Netflix)
Based on Jeff Lemire’s comic book, Sweet Tooth is far less disturbing on-screen than its source material. Adopting more of an all ages-Amblin vibe, Sweet Tooth has some thrills and chills but ends up more of a hopeful and epic journey for the titular human-animal hybrid. Team Downey produced this stellar show from director Jim Mickle which is already set for a second season at Netflix. Nonso Anozie and Christian Convery make a great team as Big Man Jeppard and Gus with supporting turns from Adeel Akhtar and Dania Ramirez that made this the show of the summer.
9. Cobra Kai III and IV (Netflix)
Premiering at the very beginning of January, the third season of Cobra Kai delivered on the cliffhanger ending of the second run and made a hell of a debut on Netflix. We finally got to see the return of Elizabeth Shue as Ali Mills, the origin story for Martin Kove as John Kreese, Ralph Macchio returning to Okinawa, and the tease of Thomas Ian Griffith’s return as Terry Silver. Season four premieres on the last day of 2021 giving us two solid years for this series that will hopefully run for years to come.
8. The Underground Railroad (Prime Video)
Barry Jenkins’ adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s alternate history novel features a literal underground railroad, but beyond that one change, this series remains one of the most emotionally brutal and relevatory portraits of the Civil War ever put to screen. Haunting and beautifully shot, this mini-series features exceptional performances from Joel Edgerton, Chase Dillon, William Jackson Harper, Aaron Pierre, and a star-making turn from Thuso Mbedu as Cora. Not an easy watch buy a very rewarding one.
7. The White Lotus (HBO)
I didn’t watch Mike White’s series when it initially premiered but after hearing everyone talk about the first two episodes, I became hooked myself. A wonderful ensemble cast helped make this pitch black comedy as engrossing a mystery as it is a character study. Everyone from Steve Zahn and Alexandra Daddario to Jake Lacy and Connie Britton make this good, but the performances from Murray Bartlett as manager Armond and Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya earn this series a spot in the top ten. Season two looks like it will feature a new cast of characters, so enjoy this first season as a standalone limited series.
6. Squid Game (Netflix)
The hit South Korean series is a blend of Battle Royale and The Hunger Games and earns all of the buzz that made it one of the biggest series of the year. The over-the-top acting and intricate plotting of this series made it a perfectly bingeable series and made all of the games we played in kindergarten take on a whole new level of menace. Even if the ultra-violent subject matter may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, Squid Game has introduced audiences to the world of K-dramas and opened up viewing possibilities across the board.
5. Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
The reunion of Steve Martin and Martin Short was easily the only selling point most of us needed to check out this series, but it ended up being so much better than I imagined. A quirky spin on the popularity of true crime podcasts, Short and Martin don’t miss a beat with their comic timing and turn in truly solid dramatic performances as well. Selena Gomez holds her own as a performer opposite the legendary comedians and made this weekly released series destination viewing. Thankfully, we know a second season is already on the way, assuring us of more from these three amigos.
4. Yellowstone (Paramount+)
Taylor Sheridan’s small screen universe is expanding with two spin-offs of this series as well as Mayor of Kingstown, but nothing beats the original. After a shocking season finale, we had to wait a very long time to learn the fates of the Dutton clan. Thankfully, this season started with a bang and even tighter writing than ever before. I don’t know how long this series can continue churning out the quality it has, but with four seasons not mis-stepping once, it may be a long time that we get to venture to the cold-blooded outskirts of Montana.
3. Midnight Mass (Netflix)
Mike Flanagan has become a household name thanks to his Stephen King adaptations Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep, but his Netflix offerings The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor have become Halloween mainstays. His latest and most personal project is this unique horror story that blends vampire mythology with philosophical musings on faith, religion, and addiction. With most of his repertoire of actors on board including Henry Thomas, Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli, Samantha Sloyan, Alex Essoe, and new additions including the great Hamish Linklater and Zach Gilford, Midnight Mass combines the beautiful horror of Bly Manor with the intricate plotting of Hill House. It is truly one of the best series of the year and possibly the best work of Flanagan’s career.
2. Succession (HBO)
While Yellowstone gives us the hats, horses, and gunplay of the western genre, Succession delivers urban cowboys armed with deadly insults and murderous one-liners. The Roy family return for Shakespearean backstabbing that allows us to enjoy watching the filthy rich tear themselves apart for our enjoyment. Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong go head to head more than they have in previous seasons while Sarah Snook and Kieran Culkin join the fray as well. No one is safe as Waystar Royco fights enemies internally and from the outside while we get to enjoy from our living rooms. This series, which started out as a satire, has turned into so much more and consistently makes this dysfunctional clan make our own families seem quaint by comparison. The additions of Adrien Brody and Alexander Skarsgard just enhance what was already the best show from HBO since Game of Thrones.
1. Ted Lasso (AppleTV+)
2020 was a disaster and what helped us through it was the endearing and unyielding positivity of Ted Lasso. Based on a series of ESPN commercials, Jason Sudeikis’ story of a football turned soccer coach in London went from being a riff on baseball classic Major League into something much better. Season two showed us Ted’s personal struggles, made us love Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca and Brett Goldstein’s Roy Kent, and made us all believe. It is unusual for a comedy to earn the top spot on our best of list here, but Ted Lasso is just as heartfelt as it is funny and the entire cast, including Jeremy Swift, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, Phil Dunster, and Juno Temple along with all of the AFC Richmond players make this cast worthy of the top spot.