Lauren’s Top 10 TV Shows of 2021

If I had to describe my TV watching habits in 2021, it would be escapist.

This year I needed television to transport me away from the world and give me dimensional characters in immersive worlds, so I could forget the news for an hour at a time. Even when TV series referenced current events, I wanted to stick with the characters I was seeing on screen in their world.

Television delivered this year, delivering everything from a poignant story about grief to a darker and edgier version of a comic book town.

Here are my ten favorite TV series of 2021, in no particular order:

1. WandaVision (Disney+)

I wouldn’t describe myself as someone who is deeply invested in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but from the first episode of this series, I was drawn in.

WandaVision blended in two of my favorite things; witches and classical television. The way it showed the story of Wanda and Vision through the lens of different decades of television was so intriguing and such an odd concept, but it worked.

By the end of the limited series, it became much more than a standard Marvel offering. We got to get invested in Wanda’s story, her powers, and her heartbreak. It was a limited series at its finest and a great way to kick off 2021.

2. Wynonna Earp (Syfy)

After finding Wynonna Earp last year, I was really sad to see that Syfy decided to cancel this series. I was immediately drawn to this show for its three female protagonists who were all complex, whole characters in their own rights.

The second half of Season 4 is a great testament to everything that this show is. The characters continued to be complicated in a world that was both dangerous and funny. Each of the actors brought everything to their scenes and each one had their time to shine.

Plus, the series got to conclude one of the best queer representations on television with one of the best weddings of 2021.

3. Motherland: Fort Salem (Freeform)

The last few years have made one thing really clear to me: I love witchy shows. When I encountered Motherland: Fort Salem last year, I was somewhat confused by the concept, but I came to really enjoy the series and the world that it existed in.

So when Season 2 premiered I was ready to take this ride. I was invested in the characters, the new enemy that returned, and the relationships that they’d formed. This season didn’t disappoint, bringing a powerful enemy out of the shadows while still keeping the character-driven heart of the series that draw me into it.

The witches of Fort Salem dealt with a lot this season as well including owning up to forgotten history. These are all things that feel uniquely relevant in today’s society and I think it’s one of the reason’s the show resonates with its audience.

4. You (Netflix)

You is the addictive series that feels so wrong to enjoy but also feels so right.

You has been on my list to watch for a while now, and I will admit to seeing Season 3 before anything else. I was visiting a couple of friends and one put the series on and while I was working on something else I kept finding myself drawn to Joe and Love’s dysfunction.

The dynamic between the two main characters is sharp, and it vaguely reminds me of one of Dexter Morgan’s relationships. That biting edge gives the series a unique advantage of being able to suck viewers in.

5. Shameless (Showtime)

Shameless is the show I would describe as my big binge of 2021. I only encountered the series this fall, and I would binge entire seasons on weekends. The series has a way of creating comedy that isn’t afraid to brush up against current issues.

At the same time, the characters evolve and grow as they get older.

While it often plays with dark humor it is refreshing to see these characters rise to different challenges and mature over time. The final season does deal with some more heavy issues, but it never feels untrue to who the characters are at their core.

6. SurrealEstate (Syfy)

When I first heard that SurrealEstate was about selling haunting houses I thought, “That has potential.” What I didn’t expect was that not only did the series know how to write Gothic stories in neat one-hour packages, it also knew how to deliver them with a biting wit.

Immediately after meeting the Roman agency, I wanted to know more about each and every one of the characters. The series also got to the heart of the matter and delivered an emotional punch in addition to the scares.

It saddens me that this series isn’t getting a second season because it felt like there was so much more to the story and I would love to see where it was headed.

7. Doctor Who: Flux (BBC America)

Doctor Who is one of the shows that I turn to when things get me down. It’s the kind of series that is always about hope and facing challenges, and Doctor Who: Flux exemplified that in spades.

It was exciting to watch a Thirteenth Doctor storyline that was all centered around one central problem. That itself fixed a lot of what I always felt was missing with a lot of Jodie Whittaker’s storyline, and the attempts to rectify it helped strengthen a connection between the audience and the Doctor.

Despite its faults, it’s definitely some of the strongest writing of Whittaker’s era, and I am looking forward to the binge.

8. 4400 (The CW)

4400 was the series that I was most looking forward to in 2021.

I was a fan of the original series when it premiered on USA Network in 2004, and I loved the concept of people being taken out of time. The original series never got their plot to play out, and I have always been disappointed by that fact.

So when it was announced that The CW was going to remake the series, I was looking forward to it. Their idea to leverage the premise for underrepresented backgrounds was such an interesting idea and I wanted to see how The CW would choose to execute it.

So far, only about half of the first season has aired, but it’s chosen a new perspective centered around the returnees that proving to be more engaging.

9. The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

I have long held the belief that The Handmaid’s Tale thrives when it leaves Gilead. After three seasons, the show started to feel somewhat hopeful.

Yes, Gilead is still terrifying, but as we see June escape and reconnect with the others who made it to Canada, and Commander Lawrence starts to mount his resistance, it feels like change is coming and the fall of Gilead is near.

Plus, let’s not forget that absolutely cathartic final episode.

10. Riverdale (The CW)

I equate Riverdale to popcorn.

When I start with one episode, I just want to go straight through and binge it. When I tend to consume heavier series, this is one that I like to watch mostly for the glossy atmosphere that I can truly get lost in.

Riverdale had two seasons air in 2021 and us a much-needed flash-forward Season 6 showed us a darker and scary shadow town known as Rivervale. I got lost in the parallel universe and the darker version of Riverdale that this season presented. It was a welcome vacation from some of the other heavier series I watched this year.

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What was your favorite series this year? Let us know in the comments below.

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