2021 saw the release of many wildly popular and critically acclaimed shows, making it a big year for television. The film and TV industry officially came back in near-full force this year after months of uncertain inertia and cautious recovery in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite production setbacks and numerous COVID-related obstacles, quality television still managed to flourish, providing much-needed escapism and distraction during especially difficult times.
The biggest shows of the year were mostly dominated by streaming services, with Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max all making significant contributions. However, Disney+ certainly stood out as the newest and strongest contender for streaming supremacy. Early in 2021 the platform finally premiered its lineup of Marvel Cinematic Universe tie-in series to much success and massive viewer engagement. With lots more to come in 2022, Disney+ has quickly risen towards the top of today’s ever-evolving television hierarchy.
As the amount of content and streaming services continues to grow each year, it is increasingly difficult for many series to attract collective, mainstream attention given all the choices available. However, the shows on this list make it clear that, while we may no longer have water-cooler television in the traditional sense, there are still a few exceptional shows that manage to generate a large amount of cultural conversation and draw in an impressive number of eyeballs. Here are some of the most talked-about, popular, and well-received shows of 2021.
Squid Game
South Korea’s Squid Game was without a doubt the biggest television hit of 2021. With viewers around the world watching an astonishing 1.65 billion hours of the show within the first 28 days of its premiere, Netflix has already confirmed that there will be a Squid Game season 2 that will continue the story. It was the most-tweeted-about show of the year and broke records as Netflix’s most popular series ever. Indeed, for a few weeks this fall, the world came together in its collective obsession with Squid Game; everyone seemed to be talking about it, and escape attempts were futile.
The premise is centered around a large group of adults that are competing in children’s games to win a huge sum of money. When the games are revealed to be a sadistic form of entertainment for the ultra-rich, many still choose to play (and consequently die) in pursuit of the tantalizing, unfathomable wealth being offered at a steep moral cost. Through Squid Game’s memorable characters, haunting set pieces, cynical social commentary, and killer twists and turns, it manages to be both horrifically captivating and relentlessly entertaining, making Squid Game the spark for a cultural phenomenon on a scale that we may not see again for years.
WandaVision
Few shows have ever been as endlessly creative, visually stunning, and downright wacky as WandaVision. Premiering in January, it was the first of Disney+’s MCU TV series to drop on the platform, setting an impressive precedent for the production and storytelling quality of all the Marvel shows going forward. Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), whose prior appearances in the MCU have largely been as part of an ensemble in the Avengers movies, is the star of this series which plays with the format of television itself. WandaVision’s early episodes are homages to sitcoms of different eras, with the show’s tone and style denoting a stark contrast from those of the usual MCU superhero films.
Marvel took a big leap with the unconventional conceit of this odd and groundbreaking show, and it certainly paid off. WandaVision was nominated for 23 Emmys, coming out with 3 wins for the relatively new Disney+. Additionally, it was one of the top streaming shows of 2021 in terms of viewership and made out as the second most-tweeted-about series on Twitter. “Agatha All Along,” an original song from the show, was even nominated for a Grammy after charting on iTunes and blowing up on social media. Though WandaVision was a mini-series, people loved the character of Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) so much that she will be getting her own Disney+ spinoff series, Agatha: House of Harkness.
The White Lotus
HBO’s The White Lotus is about the colorful patrons and jaded staff of an extravagant Hawaiian resort during one fateful week that culminates in a murder. Starring an array of enormously talented actors such as Jennifer Coolidge, Connie Britton, and Steve Zahn, the series is a scathing critique of privilege couched in mesmerizing iconography of magnificent beaches and island views. The inane fixations of rich hotel guests push employees to the brink with conversations that feel achingly (and sometimes comically) familiar in their astute portrayal of racial and social power imbalances.
An ensemble cast of flawed, realistic characters provides the main draw of The White Lotus, along with its witty dialogue and uncomfortable humor. The show is already earning Emmy buzz for next year, especially for actress Jennifer Coolidge. HBO has confirmed that The White Lotus will return for season 2, although it will feature a different cast at a new hotel property.
Succession
Succession is easily one of the best TV shows of the past few years, and its recently concluded third season did not disappoint. Another HBO show about the eccentricities of the rich, Succession follows the massively wealthy and perpetually unhappy Roy family. Their patriarch, Logan (Brian Cox), is the head of a vast media empire that his children are hoping to make a dynasty, with each having designs to take over the company after their father. Juicy, hilarious, and heartbreaking drama ensues.
The dialogue of Succession is absolutely unparalleled by any other series on television. Every episode manages to produce a few iconic lines that light up Twitter, destined to live and flourish forevermore on the internet. Created by British writer Jesse Armstrong and produced by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell, the show has won 9 Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2020. Succession season 4 has already been confirmed by HBO.
Loki
Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is one of the oldest and most beloved characters in the MCU, making the premiere of his solo Disney+ series in June a highly anticipated event. Loki proved thoroughly entertaining, if also heavily convoluted, and managed to earn the largest viewership numbers of any MCU show after a strong start in early episodes. Introducing audiences to the TVA, a time travel agency that detects and removes variants that would cause harm to the Sacred Timeline, Loki pairs its titular character up with Mobius (Owen Wilson) to help catch a seemingly villainous variant of the trickster god himself.
Loki was the ninth most tweeted-about show of 2021, and a major success for Disney+. It is the only MCU series (so far) to be picked up for a second season. Presumably, after the events of the season 1 finale, Loki will have a significant impact on future MCU projects – especially where the multiverse is concerned.
Ted Lasso
After the success of its first season, Ted Lasso season 2 had a lot to live up to, with audiences looking towards the show in hopes of more joyful fare during the pandemic. It has earned the distinguishment of being the most-watched show on Apple TV+ and recently won 7 Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series for 2021. Ted Lasso is about an American football coach who moves to England to coach a very different kind of football. Season 1 follows a fairly traditional sitcom format and provided refreshing and uplifting entertainment at a time when it was direly needed.
Season 2 proves a bit darker, and far less traditional. As the season progresses, the episode lengths become longer and the format more experimental, showing that Apple is willing to give their most successful show free rein on creative expression. Where season 1 establishes the show’s premise, season 2 takes the time to explore its characters more thoroughly. However, this tonal and thematic evolution brought Ted Lasso season 2 backlash from some fans, ultimately causing it to be even more prominent a topic of cultural conversation than ever before. Whether people loved it or hated it, they certainly talked about it. Apple TV+ has renewed the show for season 3, which will begin filming in February.
What We Do In The Shadows
What We Do In The Shadows, based on the Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement film of the same name, is a mockumentary-style comedy about vampires in Staten Island. The show really hit its stride in season 2, becoming one of the most consistently funny shows on television. Season 3 may be even better, as it finally sees the vampires’ often mistreated familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillen) get some well-deserved respect, which mixes up the established character dynamics in an exciting and refreshing way.
The Emmy-nominated series continues to be utterly original and ridiculously fun, played to perfection by its amazing cast. Featuring some surprising cameos and guest stars, What We Do In The Shadows never fails to delight. Though season 3 recently came to an end on FX, a fourth season is in the works.
Hawkeye
The last of the Disney+ MCU shows to debut in 2021, Hawkeye is a Christmas-themed series that finally gives Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) his due. It also introduces Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), setting her up to play a huge role in the MCU going forward. Based largely on Matt Fraction’s beloved Hawkeye comics, this show is fairly grounded compared to the other Disney+ MCU series, with no magic or multiversal interference. Instead, it focuses on regular people operating in a superheroic world where they struggle to find their place.
Hawkeye didn’t earn the kind of viewership numbers that Loki did, but it was still one of the most popular and talked-about shows of the year, with exciting tie-ins and character crossovers. The return of Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) were both much anticipated, and MCU easter eggs were prevalent throughout the series. The Hawkeye finale aired just before Christmas, and there is no word yet on whether or not it is planning a second season.
Only Murders In The Building
Only Murders in the Building is one of the best new comedies of the year. Starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, the series has a rare and refreshing cross-generational appeal. Its exceptional cast, clever writing, and perpetual plot twists make this addictively fun Hulu show a must-watch for 2021.
Co-created by Steve Martin himself, Only Murders in the Building is about three loners who live in the same apartment building and are each equally obsessed with true crime. When a murder occurs in their complex, they jump on the chance to solve it, fumbling into a mystery far more complex and dangerous than they imagined. With guest stars ranging from Tina Fey to Sting, there are surprises at every turn for the audience as well as the protagonists. Fortunately for the show’s fans, season 2 of Only Murders in the Building is currently filming in preparation for release later in the year.
The Beatles: Get Back
Get Back is Peter Jackson’s long-awaited Disney+ Beatles documentary, showing hours of unseen restored footage of the band as they head slowly but steadily towards their inevitable break-up. It provides a fascinating window into the creative process of the most famous band in the world, as well as deep insight into who its members were as artists, people, and friends. Get Back is a long and unhurried nostalgia trip that makes the old new again in the best possible way.
Produced by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison, and Yoko Ono, this is a true gift for fans of The Beatles, and perhaps a gateway towards deeper appreciation for any others who are interested. Though we of course know that The Beatles broke up, it’s difficult not to root for a different outcome anyway while watching these brilliant people pull musical legends out of thin air in between jokes and smokes. Thanks to Get Back, a fifty-year-old band was able to inspire new memes and viral tweets, proving that The Beatles are still a staple of pop culture in 2021 – and they will continue to be long after.
