My Top 20 TV Shows of 2021
These TV gems were impactful & entertaining and made 2021 worth sitting in front of the tele. I watched a lot, though not everything of course, and these were my favorites.
1. LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM (S2)
The second season of this show was even more charming and inspiring than the first. This Australian reality series focuses on a group of autistic men and women searching for true love. What they go through is powerful and relatable and reminds us of what’s really important when it comes to romance.
2. SQUID GAME (S1)
This South Korean smash hit series was impossible to ignore this year. It broke all kinds of records for Netflix. It centers around a group of strangers brought together by a mysterious organization to play a game to their death where the winner gets a life-changing money prize. The backstories are captivating. The acting and directing are top-notch.
3. DOPESICK (LIMITED SERIES)
Michael Keaton, and the rest of the cast, deliver powerful performances here that must not be overlooked. Based on the opioid crisis in the U.S. and the gripping stories concerning the drug OxyContin. An eye-opening look into the pharmaceutical and health care system in the U.S.
4. IMPEACHMENT: AMERICAN CRIME STORY (S3)
The third installment of this stand-alone anthology series focused in the impeachment of President Clinton during his administration and his involvement with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The all-star cast and Ryan Murphy’s direction keep you hooked while giving you insight into one of the most publicized scandals in American History.
5. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (S11)
This fresh season from the HBO series created by and starring Larry David (creator of Seinfeld) is better than ever. This time, this situational comedy series sees Larry in a dilemma when a burglar robs Larry. The burglar’s brother then extorts Larry and demands that he cast his daughter in his new Netflix show.
6. NIGHT STALKER: THE HUNT FOR A SERIAL KILLER (LIMITED SERIES)
This documentary series reveals shocking and at times graphic content about serial killer Richard Ramirez who terrorized California (mostly the Los Angeles area) in 1980s. Ramirez was known for being brutal and having no victim profiling. He killed anyone from any race, age, sex, and social status.
7. MONEY HEIST (S3)
This season is set years after the events of the first heist. It shows the robbers living the life in the lap of luxury. That is, until it all comes crashing down as one of them is captured by Europol. This Spanish high action, fast-paced, thriller screams excitement at every turn.
8. MORNING SHOW (S2)
UBA is now is distress after the aftermath of the scandals in S1. This season is set during the Covid crisis as it creeps as the network now deals with racism, agism, and yet again sexism. All-around surprising, the storylines are unpredictable and thought-provoking.
9. MARE OF EASTTOWN (LIMITED SERIES)
Kate Winslet stars in this drama set in Pennsylvania following a detective whose live is in shambles as she deals with trying to solve the case of a murdered young woman and the growing number of missing women in the area. The writing is stellar and the relationships masterfully crafted.
10. TED LASSO (S2)
This endearing British TV series is back for more heartwarming storylines and characters. Still pushing to get Lasso to pull together his English soccer (or should I say football) team to win the championship. Make sure to also watch the short-form bonus content Christmas special, The Missing Christmas Mustache.
11. POSE (S3-FINAL SEASON)
This groundbreaking series comes to an end in dazzling, explosive manner. It centers around the underground ball scene of the 1980s-90s in NYC. The diverse casting and the leading performance by Billy Porter pointedly depict the AIDS pandemic and the surround issues in the LGBTQ+ community at the time.
12. THE WHITE LOTUS (S1)
This show gets more and more interesting with every episode. You won’t be able to stop watching. An exclusive resort in Hawaii becomes the set for this comedy-drama showcasing the, at times disturbing, hilarious employees and guests of the resort during a special week.
13. THE SIMPSONS (S32)
Yes, this beloved animated series is still alive and kicking. This season they explored an array of political, social, economic, and environmental issues, including Covid. If you haven’t watched The Simpsons in a while, this was a great season to get back into it—ahead of the anticipated The Simpsons Movie 2 coming out next year.
14. THE SHRINK NEXT DOOR (LIMITED SERIES)
Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell give electrifying performances in this new drama. Based on Joe Nocera's true-crime podcast of the same name, this show explores the decades long relationship between a therapist who slowly took over the life of his client.
15. HAUNTED (S3)
This documentary series has each episode focus on a person or family coming together to share their story of being haunted and terrorized by powerful dark, malevolent spirits. This show may not be for everyone, but the stories are true, interesting, and the fact that it’s told by the people who lived them adds to the immediacy of the tales.
16. ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING (S1)
This mystery-comedy show has icons Martin Short and Steve Martin leading its stellar cast. It follows three strangers who become involved in a murder that occurs in their NY Upper West Side building, which the police ruled as a suicide. They launch their own investigation while sharing an obsessive passion over a true-crime podcast.
17. MIDNIGHT MASS (LIMITED SERIES)
When a young priest arrives in this small island community in Maine, a new awakening for Christianity develops within the village. As people in the island begin to vanish, all hell breaks loose as dark forces take over trying to destroy the lives and faith of the villagers. Beautifully shot, highly intense, and full of stylized performances in a show created by Mike Flanagan.
18. LISEY’S STORY (LIMITED SERIES)
Based on the Stephen King bestseller of the same name, this terrifying story revolves around a widow who recalls the disturbing events of her marriage to an acclaimed author. Julianne Moore and Clive Owen lead the cast here and their performances alone are worth the watch.
19. WANDAVISION (S1)
One the most recent and explosive hits of the ever-expanding Marvel Universe, this series is about Wanda, who has a mental breakdown after the death of her husband Vision. Unable to cope, Wanda creates an alternate reality where her husband and children are alive and together again.
20. BIG BROTHER (S23)
This season pushed all boundaries of this reality game and became one of the most beloved seasons yet. Filled with social themes and surprisingly relatable stories, a very diverse cast is put in a house with no outside world contact for three months where they must evict each other through a high powered summer of competitions. All gearing up to handing the winner a prize of $750,000. The trailer below does not do it justice. Watch the show and see what I mean.