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Top Ten TV Shows from 2021

2021 was the first year where I followed most of the new TV that was coming out. As a result, my list of the best shows will heavily be populated with these new series, but still there are some exceptions to be found. These are ten best shows as well as new seasons that I watched during 2021.

10. Big Mouth Season 5

I really enjoyed this season of Big Mouth. It isn’t quite as strong as its predecessor, but still I loved every second of it. The true MVP of the season was Maury due to many hilarious lines of dialogue. The addition of the anger theme was also very well handled.

9. A Series of Unfortunate Events

Some questionable casting choices and storytelling changes aside, Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events was still a commendable adaptation of one of my childhood favorite book series. The acting was at times terrific while the technical aspects were quite polished.

8. Blood of Zeus

This is an American animated show that is heavily inspired by anime. It also deals with Greek Mythology. So, what is not to like here? It was basically tailor-made for me, so of course I ate it up. The animation and the action are particularly amazing here. Netflix is really killing it with adult animation in recent years.

7. It’s a Sin

This miniseries was not a pleasant watch, not by a long shot. But along with ‘Pose’, it was undoubtedly one of the best depictions of the horrors of the AIDS pandemic and how it deeply impacted the LGBT community. The complicated relationship between this issue and parenting responsibilities was also surprisingly boldly handled.

6. Hacks

The best new HBO show of 2021 was undoubtedly Hacks. Its first season tackled the differences between old and new Hollywood with a lot of insight and honesty. Jean Smart was absolutely brilliant here, which thankfully the Emmys noticed. I can’t wait for the second season.

5. Squid Game

This South Korean Netflix sensation also won my heart due to its plethora of likable, complicated and superbly realized characters. The acting is brilliant as well. The show’s main strength lies in its mythology and fantastic themes that are all too relevant for today’s audiences. It is also a show that is full of twists and heartbreaking moments.

4. Midnight Mass

My favorite new show of 2021 is this horror miniseries directed by the incredible Mike Flanagan. He truly is a horror auteur and he did his own spin on the vampire genre, creating something altogether new and exciting. The heavy emphasis on dialogue and religious themes made for a thought-provoking show that is actually very underrated as it is as close to a masterpiece as this genre can get.

3. Castlevania

During the last month of this year I watched the entirety of Castlevania and I loved every second of it. An incredible adaptation of a classic game series, this animated show is dark, edgy and very sophisticated as it tackles so many different themes and it does them mostly very well. It is populated by many instantly memorable animated characters while its visual style was also wonderful. I cannot wait to see the new spin-off that is being planned by Netflix.

2. Succession Season 3

The third season of Succession started off slowly, but it ended up with a glorious bang. That finale must be one of the greatest episodes in the history of television. Yes, I would go that far as it was just powerful how everything turned out and twisted on its head. The acting across the board is insanely good while the changed character dynamics and power plays make me excited for the next season. This show just keeps getting better somehow.

1. Dark

Quite possibly the greatest sci-fi series ever made, Netflix’s Dark brought German shows to the forefront. It features an enormously expansive and convoluted storyline that is worth following all the way through as it leads to a breathtaking, extremely satisfactory finale. Sophisticated, authentic and altogether superbly written in its many mysteries and great dialogue, Dark is one SF show that will be difficult to top in years to come and the best series I watched during 2021.