Cade’s Top 10 TV Shows of 2021

2021 was filled with a myriad of shows that exceeded expectations left and right. These series devoted their sole purpose to shining a spotlight on injustices in the world, making laughter a priority, and causing you to bite your nails in suspense.

Finding new shows to immerse yourself in can be difficult, but 2021’s surplus of new and returning series made the task relatively easy. However, the abundance of series readily available at times can be overwhelming. There aren’t enough hours in the day to consume the amount of exquisite series there are.

For me, shows that included valid queer and cultural representation while showcasing the importance of love, family, and bringing laughter. Oh, and drama, of course. Who doesn’t love a little bit of drama on-screen?

Trying to determine my top shows of the year was a challenge, especially with the vast number of series that popped up last minute and demanded attention with their electrifying stories.

In no particular order, here are my top 10 TV shows of 2021:

1. Motherland: Fort Salem

Motherland: Fort Salem Season 2 continues its captivating and gorgeous world-building, diving deeper into the lore. There’s no surprise why the showrunners initially wanted seven seasons; there’s too much story to touch on and more than enough mythology to push the series further and further.

Season 2 is not without its flaws, like any show on the air, but it excels at creating a sense of authenticity and leaves the viewers wanting more. One fan-favorite aspect of the season is joining forces between Anacostia and Scylla. This dynamic duo involves enough chemistry, badassery, and laughter to fill an entire season.

Season 3 will be one like no other as the war between witches and humans begins, and I’m ready for the chaos.

The story is compelling enough to easily be turned into a book series and become a best seller. However, there’s no doubt that it’s one of the better and more original witch shows to grace our television screens in the past few years.

Fingers crossed that it has the opportunity to continue after Season 3 with a new network. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough series with queer representation that also puts female-driven storylines in the center of importance.

The cast of Motherland: Fort Salem has the ability to bring a smile to my face even on the darker days.

2. I Know What You Did Last Summer

While the show may share a name with the famous 1997 thriller, I can guarantee they are nothing alike. I Know What You Did Last Summer attaches a daring new twist to the 90’s story, following Alison, played by Madison Iseman, as she pretends to be her twin sister, Lennon, in the wake of her death.

In a tragic case of mistaken identity, Alison drives away from a party as Lennon’s friends hop in her car, unaware they are speaking to Alison.

Suddenly, on the drive home, Lennon appears in the middle of the road, getting struck down by Alison and the group of friends. Before Alison has time to register what has happened, her friends begin to scramble, trying to figure out how to hide “Alison’s” body — leaving her no chance to explain. 

Lennon’s death is the life-altering moment that changes everything for Alison. In the beginning, everything is fine, and Alison is living as Lennon the best she can at her father’s advice, immersing herself in the lie and trying to believe it as facts.

However, when she comes back home for the summer a year later, her friends begin to drop like flies. The killer’s reveal is a genuine shock, as few hints are leaning towards multiple people who could be behind the killings. The twists don’t stop there.

The last fifteen minutes of  I Know What You Did Last Summer Season 1 Episode 8, “Your Next Life Could Be So Much Happier,” is messy, twisted, anger-inducing, and leaves a lot of questions to be answered.

3. Brand New Cherry Flavor

Brand New Cherry Flavor is an American horror drama based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Todd Grimson. Nick Antosca and Lenore Zion created the series for television. The creators pull out all the punches to make the story as unique as possible.

The story follows Lisa Nova, an aspiring film director in the world of 90’s Los Angeles, where she embarks on a journey that changes her life forever.

After being lied to, used, and abused by a slimy producer in Los Angeles, Nova resorts to dark magic and the supernatural to enact the level of revenge that best suites the damages inflicted upon her.

Brand New Cherry Flavor has a touch of everything; comedy, romance, feminist-driven plots, and a unique twist on dark stories. It’s inventive, genre-bending, and incredibly well-written from beginning to end, making it stand out against competing shows in 2021.

The series truly deserves to be in its own category with originality and inventiveness. Rosa Salazar, Catherine Keener, and Hannah Levien are bold, alluring, mesmerizing, and pull the viewers deeper with each episode.

4. Legacies

Legacies Season 4 is a total game-changer, elevating the series to a state that it hasn’t seen before.

This season of Legacies has consistently blown the prior seasons out of the water as the show moves from its ‘monster of the week’ format into a more storyline-based composition. Changing the formatting is the best move for the entire series.

Hope embraces her Tribrid side, Lizzie’s taking a turn with darkness and risking it all, new love stories are being developed, and Malivore is in the rearview mirror; what could be better?

Season 4 is only halfway through, which means that Legacies has the opportunity to elevate to yet another level before the finale, which is very much possible at the current rate the series is going.

5. Kevin Can F**k Himself

Kevin Can F**k Himself intertwines the comedic sitcom and drama genres in a way that is unique, original, and never done before. The show follows Allison McRoberts, played by the effervescent and charismatic Annie Murphy, contemplating her life and where she went wrong.

Allison is married to a nitwit, Kevin, who cannot grasp how lucky he is to be with her, and instead focuses the majority of his energy on his father and neighbor, Neil. Finally, Allison has had enough and decides that the only way she can escape the torment of her day-to-day life is to kill Kevin.

What makes Kevin Can F**k Himself so special is the directing styles of Anna Dokoza and Oz Rodriguez. The two of them effortlessly switch between Allison’s sitcom wife persona around the family and her authentic, struggling self when alone and around others outside of the house.

While the story itself could use a bit of elevation, the use of lighting and angles throughout the series truly makes it shine.

6. Yellowjackets

The premise of Yellowjackets is what initially intrigued me. But, the show’s visceral, jaw-dropping, and calculated plot keeps me coming back week after week. This show is addicting!

All I can do in between episodes week to week is theorize about how the plot will turn out, who the leader will be, and who could be the next to die.

The cast is filled with a diverse, incredibly talented set of actors that bring their A-game week after week, not letting up at all. Yellowjackets is sure to be one of the best mystery drama series of the year for many people with its dark, engrossing backstory and intricately woven plots.

Christina Ricci, Juliette Lewis, Tawny Cypress, Melanie Lynskey, and Courtney Eaton shine in this series with their astounding performances. There will be no surprise when the awards begin to roll in for this bunch.

Seeing as how the show will not hit wintertime by the end of Season 1, the renewal for Season 2 makes perfect sense. However, imagine the series had been canceled after a mere season. I suspect there would be an uproar online and petitions made demanding more seasons from its growing fanbase that deem themselves The Citizen Detectives.

7. Dopesick

Dopesick is not for the faint of heart.

The series centers around the big pharma company responsible for the biggest opioid epidemic that America has ever seen. While the show can be hard to watch at times, its importance is significant. It accurately portrays the life-threatening effects of oxycontin and how it ravaged the country beyond belief.

Kaitlyn Dever, Rosario Dawson, and Michael Keaton shine in this gripping, must-see story. So many emotions are evoked while watching Dopesick and witnessing the path of destruction and death left behind by oxycontin.

For people who are unaware of how drastically oxycontin ruined innocent people’s lives and how devious, destructive, and manipulative the drug companies are in reality, this is a must-watch.

This series does a beautiful job of opening the viewer’s eyes to the horrors of certain pharmaceutical companies.

8. Only Murders in the Building 

Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short bring to life the best crime-solving comedy series of the year with the best trio you didn’t know that you needed. The chemistry between Gomez, Martin, and Short is astounding, and frankly, unbelievable.

While Gomez may be a talented musician, she shines as an actress, and if people didn’t already know that, they will after watching her performance of Mabel Mora.

Only Murders in the Building blows the competition out of the water and sets new standards for the murder mystery genre. There are no filler episodes or dull moments throughout the series, keeping the audience engrossed and engaged.

Even during episodes with heavy content that isn’t joyous, the series finds a way to bring about some form of comedy.

9. With Love

With Love premiered on December 17th, 2021, making it a super late addition to my list of favorite shows of the year, but there’s a reason for that. The immense joy and heart-warming feelings that emit from With Love are unlike anything I’ve seen on a series this year — or in many years.

Gloria Calderón Kellett has crafted a masterpiece of a show without having to inflict lasting trauma on the characters she has created.

There is an average amount of drama because no show is complete without a little bit of tension and hysterics. But, it’s how Kellett navigates issues such as gender dysphoria, trans love that isn’t hypersexualized, family dynamics during the holidays, and chasing love that will have people re-watching time and time again.

This series is what people need right now, especially during the time of Covid. Watching With Love feels like a warm, embracing hug from a friend that you didn’t know you needed.

The depiction of joy, pure joy, without the infliction of pain is often unheard of. However, Kellett lays down the law and shows that you can do just that.

10. Dynasty

Dynasty Season 4 has issues finding its footing initially, but towards the end, there’s a clear goal: the destruction of an empire.

Fallon Carrington, played by none other than the enthralling Elizabeth Gillies, has been focusing entirely too hard on her job and putting it above everything else in her life. But, she gets a much-needed wake-up call from a psychotic assistant, Eva, who attempts to steal her husband, and then shoots her.

Season 4 focuses on her rise to the head of the dynasty, testing Fallon’s ability to juggle a marriage and a full-time business. When everything crashes and burns around her, Fallon realizes she might need to alter her priorities in life.

Throughout all of the dramatic antics, feuds, and manipulations, no matter what, family always rises above, and that’s what makes Dynasty so loveable.

While there have been many a storyline thrown at viewers throughout the season, the best thing to happen to Season 4, hands down, is Amanda Carrington’s arrival. Shoot, I’d go as far as to say that her arrival is the best thing since Steven Carrington’s departure.

Eliza Bennett is a phenomenal actress and steals the season’s spotlight with only six episodes under her belt. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Amanda in Season 5 because I know whatever it is, Bennett is going to give one of the best performances.

—

Did your favorite TV shows make my list? Let me know your favorite shows in the comments below!

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

20 Best Limited TV Series of 2021