MoviesTV Shows

Top 10 Shows of 2021

Shows from the Marvel Cinematic Universe were probably the biggest introductions to the medium this year. With four big-budget tv shows streaming on Disney Plus, Marvel has successfully entered the television platform with more content making its way in 2022. Meanwhile, International shows, particularly Korean shows like Squid Game making the headlines was a welcoming change to the industry as well. 

While streaming services continue to compete and dominate each other, cable and network TV shows too had their fair share of great content. We have compiled a list of best or must-watch shows from 2021, so let’s see if your favourites made the cut!

10. Hacks

Hacks is a comedy-drama series that focuses on a young comedy writer (Hannah Einbinder) and a legendary stand-up comedienne (Jean Smart). The duo has great chemistry which combined with sharp writing and narrative makes it a fun watch on our list. Not to mention, the amazing Jean Smart won an Emmy as a lead actress for this role. 

Available on: HBO Max

9. Reservation Dogs

Reservation Dogs focuses on the four indigenous teens (Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Lane Factor, and Paulina Alexis) who live on a Native American Reservation with the hope of getting out. What makes this series stand out is that it features an almost entirely Indigenous North American cast and provides an authentic voice to the underrepresented population. Oh, and it is created by Taika Waititi and Sterlin Harjo. 

Available on: Hulu

8. The White Lotus

The White Lotus is a satirical comedy-drama series that depicts white privilege in all its ugly and selfish demeanour. The first season consists of six episodes which have an amazing ensemble cast of talented actors such as Jennifer Coolidge, Alexandra Daddario, Natasha Rothwell and many more. It has been renewed as an anthology series for its second run.

Available on: HBO Max

7. Succession

Succession is a drama television series that centres around the Roy family, the dysfunctional owners of Waystar RoyCo, a global media and entertainment conglomerate. The series created by Jesse Armstrong released its third season which pushes the ensemble cast to newer places. After a nail-biting finale, the show has been renewed for a fourth season which gives you enough time to catch up. 

Available on: HBO Max

6. Midnight Mass

In all honesty, the less you know about this series, the more you’ll enjoy it, so we will let the official plot describe it best –  The arrival of a charismatic young priest brings glorious miracles, ominous mysteries and renewed religious fervour to a dying town desperate to believe. The show is a slow burn but keep at it, because when the twist arrives – it will be worth it. 

Available on: Netflix

5. Squid Game

There probably isn’t any other show that made a name for itself so quickly as the survival show Squid Game. The Netflix K-drama show brings to light the obvious capitalism fact where the rich get richer and the poor are left scrambling for bits to make ends meet. While the dub and subtitles are decent enough to understand the story, native Korean speakers have criticised the flawed translations. It still is a must watch though!

Available on: Netflix

4. Ted Lasso

Season 2 of Ted Lasso explored the limitations of the titular characters optimism and brought a focus on the importance of mental health in sports. The warm-hearted kindness of the show manages to stay fresh and positions itself for an even better Season 3. 

Available on: AppleTV+ 

3. Loki

Loki, featuring Tom Hiddleston as the God of Mischief was the best and most well-received Marvel TV show in 2021. The story follows Loki as he escapes with the Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame. It has an ensemble cast of well-known actors including  Owen Wilson, Sophia DiMartino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, and Jonathan Major. The events that occur in Loki create a ripple effect that will be seen in future MCU films or even TV shows – which puts this on a must watch list for Marvel fans. 

Available on: Disney Plus

2. Mare on Easttown

The detective drama show featuring Kate Winslet is a classic whodunnit that builds the suspense element to keep viewers at the edge of their seats after every episode. The narrative takes place in Philadelphia where Kate Winslet plays a local detective who is under pressure to discover the killer of a girl’s murder. The seven-episode series delivers top-notch performances, a great story and believable twists that put it over other shows in the saturated genre. 

Available on: HBO Max

1. The Sinner

What sets The Sinner apart from the overcrowded crime-solving genre is its ability to uncover the pain, trauma and complexities behind criminal cases. The fourth and final season carefully balances the character-led drama and mystery thriller element of the narrative that keeps the audience guessing, even till the final minutes of the finale. 

Available on: USA Network