Sarah’s Top 10 TV Shows of 2021

We’ve reached the end of another year, which means it’s time to look back at some of our favorite shows from the last 12 months. 2021 was quite the year of TV.

We said sentimental goodbyes to some favorites and welcomed some innovated new ones. There were breakout comedies from fresh new voices and high-profile dramas that lit up social media after every episode. 

Picking just ten wasn’t easy. It was almost painful not to include a few. But when it came down to it, the shows below are my essential ten. These are the ones that evoked the biggest feelings, sparked the best conversations, and that I couldn’t stop talking about no matter how much my friends and family wished I would.

In no particular order, here are my Top 10 TV Shows of 2021:

1. Wynonna Earp (SYFY)

It was a long and twisty road to get to Wynonna Earp Season 4. It came close to not happening, but fans fought, and they won. Because of that, Wynonna Earp Season 4 holds particular meaning for those that put so much effort and passion into seeing this season become a reality.

Big things happened in Purgatory during Season 4. Doc finally let go of his romanticized image of Wyatt Earp and broke with his past. Wynonna crossed a line that sent her spiraling and had to figure out who she was without the curse.

Waverly faced off with Jolene again, and after nearly losing her humanity to her angelic side, became the Ghost River Triangle’s protector — as she was always meant to be. And, of course, Nicole kicked a chicken. She also dealt with PTSD, guilt and became the Angel’s Shield to save the love of her life.

It all led to a finale that was a joyful celebration of everyone, and everything fans love about the show. A celebration centered beautifully on Waverly and Nicole’s wedding. It was quintessential Wynonna Earp, and it was perfection.

Season 4 wasn’t supposed to be Wynonna Earp last, but if it has to be, it is absolutely the season fans, and these characters deserve.

One last personal note. No show has meant as much to me as Wynonna Earp and likely never will. It was my inspiration to start writing again. I wouldn’t even be writing this list if not for this show. I’ll forever be grateful for all the things this little feminist sci-fi western brought into my life.

2. Ted Lasso (Apple TV)

No show’s return in 2021 was more hotly anticipated than Ted Lasso’s. Few shows sparked as much conversation and debate among its fans either. 

Ted Lasso Season 2 leaned into some of the darker themes hinted at in Season 1. As the team’s success on the field began to grow, the show started to explore the flip side of constant positivity.

That was always the plan. Series creator Jason Sudeikis has even likened Season 2 to The Empire Strikes Back from the original Star Wars trilogy.

The darker turn that the season took wasn’t always easy to watch, but it was always exquisitely written. It prompted countless conversations and think pieces about toxic positivity, anxiety, and trauma. The discussion that followed each episode was as much a part of the Ted Lasso experience as actually watching it. 

It wasn’t all heavy topics, though. Season 2 still had the charm and laughs of Season 1. The cast was still outstanding. Keely and Roy were still one of the best couples on TV, Roy Kent was still, well, Roy Kent, and Hannah Waddingham sang.

Ted Lasso is a show about optimism and kindness. That hasn’t changed. Still, it doesn’t pretend that those things are easy or cure-alls. It’s that tension that makes Ted Lasso hit so powerfully as it calls on us to be our best selves. 

3. Hacks (HBO Max)

There is something truly magical about witnessing a master at work, especially when given brilliant material to work with. That is just what we got on every episode of Hacks. Every week Jean Smart gave a master class in acting as she delivered some of the finest dialogue of the year.

Based on that alone, Hacks earned a top spot on the list of 2021’s best shows, but we got so much more than that. For one, we were introduced to Hannah Einbinder as Ava, whose face can communicate so much with a single horrified grimace.

Einbinder more than holds her own with Smart. The heart of the show is Deborah and Ava’s relationship. It’s the chemistry between Smart and Einbinder that created the spark that made their dynamic so much fun to watch. 

There is also the superb supporting cast. Kaitlin Olson — as Deborah’s daughter DJ — playing the theme to Jurassic Park on her birthday was one of the funniest moments on TV all year, simply because of how Olson plays it. 

Hacks is the smart, funny, amazing TV you get when insanely talented people come together and give each other their best. 

4. We Are Lady Parts (Peacock)

We Are Lady Parts is a breath of loud, rebellious fresh air. It is an underdog story that wears its heart on its sleeve with characters that subvert stereotypes and music that will stir your inner rock star.

The series, which follows a group of Muslim women in a band called Lady Parts, starts as a quippy comedy, a la something like Bridget Jones’s Diary. However, as the series progresses, it’s clear that We Are Lady Parts has a lot to say. It takes on things like social anxiety, finding your voice, and telling your story in really poignant ways. 

Along with the series music and writing, We Are Lady Parts has a fantastic cast. Everyone on the show does wonderful work, down to the smallest supporting role. Amina’s parents, played by Madhav Sharma and Shobu Kapoor, are particularly delightful additions, and Zaqi Ismail as Ahsan is equal parts swoon-worthy and adorably awkward. 

Then there is the main cast that makes up the members of Lady Parts. Sarah Kameela and Anjana Vasan ground the show with their vulnerable and touching performances. No one can deliver a line like Faith Omole, while Juilette Motamed and Lucie Shorthouse are the very epitomai of cool. They are all excellent on their own and even better together, especially in the scenes of the band performing. 

With an abundant about of passion and energy, We Are Lady Parts charms you with its wit before it steals your heart with its earnest idealism.

5. Arcane (Netflix)

Arcane grabs hold of your attention from its wordless opening scene and never lets go. Whether viewers are familiar with League of Legends (which the series is based on) or not, Arcane completely draws them into its massive world and the lives of its characters. 

Arcane is a visually stunning masterpiece. The unique animation technique that blends 3D CGI and 2D hand-drawn animation gives the series a unique look and flexibility to play with its style. It is incredibly cool and used to bring viewers into the mental and emotional state of important scenes.

As one might expect, there are several thrilling action sequences, but at its core, Arcane is a deeply moving story about sisters torn apart by trauma and political conflict. It can take your breath away as easily as it can break your heart. 

Adding to Arcane’s primary story, there is fantastic world-building, political intrigue, and the makings of the next great LGBTQ+ ship. It is rich, sophisticated storytelling that shows what’s possible when animation is given time and resources to bring the vision and ambition of creators to life.

6. This is Us (NBC)

The thing about This is Us is that it isn’t the high drama or twists that make it one of TV’s best shows. That’s the stuff we expect at this point. Instead, it’s the smaller relatable moments in between where this series shines. 

This is Us Season 5 is full of examples of this. It isn’t the twist that Randall’s mom didn’t die of an overdose that stays with you. It’s the beautiful journey of Randall getting to know her through learning her story and finding another piece of his identity in the process that does. 

Or, for example, one of the most authentic moments of the season is when Tess tells her mom, regarding her sexuality, that she knows Beth is trying but that she also knows she doesn’t have to try with Annie or Deja. That’s such a real feeling that countless LGBTQ+ kids experience even with the best-intentioned parents.

As we approach the end of This is Us in 2022, it’s worth stopping and reflecting on all the moments this series has given us between the time jumps and cliffhanger season finales that quietly resonated with us in personal and meaningful ways.

7. Insecure (HBO)

There wasn’t anything on TV like Insecure when it premiered five years ago. It burst onto the stage, and you knew it was important, that this would be a touchstone that people pointed to when they talked about TV history.

Five years later, it can be hard to remember that feeling, in part because of Insecure’s impact on the industry. While there is still tremendous work to be done, there has been an undeniable increase in the number and variety of Black-led shows in no small part because of Insecure’s success and Issa Rae’s arrival as a Hollywood powerhouse. 

Throughout its run, Insecure has consistently been one of the smartest and funniest shows on TV. It spoke, importantly, to the experiences of Black women in particular and the experiences of millennials in general.

Whether it was a friendship breakup or feeling like you should have it figured out by now but don’t, Insecure explored the thorny parts of young adulthood with honesty and with all the awkwardness and messiness that comes with it.

The end of Insecure feels like the end of an era. These are characters that many of us have grown up with — especially those of us who were already adults when it premiered. It will be odd not to see these characters on screen again, but rest assured, their impact will be felt for years to come.

8. Gentefied (Netflix)

If you haven’t watched Gentefied yet, do yourself a favor and correct that immediately.

The series follows the Morales family in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. It explores what it means to be part of a community and the tensions between supporting that community and surviving against the forces of things like gentrification. 

While Season 1 explored gentrification through the family’s efforts to save their grandfather’s — known as Pop — restaurant, Season 2 tackles immigration through the fight to keep Pop from being deported. 

The story is a powerful one that offers both an empathetic representation of what people and families dealing with the threat of deportation go through and political commentary on the way we talk about and treat undocumented people. Pop’s interview with Van Jones on Gentefied Season 2 Episode 7, “No More Band-Aids,” is one of the best of the series.

Beyond the cultural and political issues the show so deftly handles, Gentefied is a story about a family, told with authenticity and affection. It makes the political personal seamlessly and leaves your heart feeling full.

9. Legends Of Tomorrow (The CW)

If you had told any Arrowverse fan that Legends of Tomorrow would be celebrating its 100th episode back when it premiered, they probably would have laughed. Yet, here we are with Legends, not only in its seventh season but going strong as the Arrowverse’s most critically acclaimed show. 

In 2021 we got double the Legends, with Season 7 premiering just a month after the Season 6 finale. 

Legends of Tomorrow Season 6 was a big one for Avalance shippers. Ava and Sara — one of the Arrowverse best and most popular couples — tied the knot in the Season finale. The proposal and their wedding amid an alien invasion were everything you would expect from this series and exactly what fans had been waiting for. 

Season 7 has so far been the series best season since Season 3. The highlight of an already strong season was the series 100th episode, fittingly directed by Captain Lance herself, Caity Lotz. It was an inspired decision to look back at the team’s wild ride through the eyes of the newly human Gideon.

Long-time fans’ hearts swelled watching Gideon being welcomed to the team by current and former Legends, capturing the unabashedly sentimental spirit that has always been — and continues to be — the driving force of this joyfully irreverent and deliciously ridiculous series. 

10. WandaVison (Disney+)

Marvel swung for the fences with their first Disney+ series, WandaVision, and man, did they knock it out of the park. Rather than playing it safe and sticking close to the format that has brought them so much success, they chose to lead with an emotional story about grief and loss. 

Coming after a year where the world experienced so much real loss, there was something particularly salient about watching Wanda’s grief play out. Even her escape into sitcoms felt more poignant because, for so many of us, TV and movies had been our safe haven during challenging times too.

There are many things that you could point to that make WandaVison the artistic achievement it is. The thing, however, that pulls all of WandaVision’s outstanding parts together into a magnificent whole is Elizabeth Olsen’s portrayal of Wanda.

To be sure, the entire cast does a fabulous job. Kathryn Hahn is sublime as Agnes/Agatha. But it’s Olsen’s raw, gut-wrenching performance that is the emotional core and gives life to everything else this series strives to be. 

WandaVision is unlike anything else in the MCU. It was an unexpected choice for Marvel’s first outing on Disney+, but what a phenomenal choice it was. 

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What were your favorite shows of 2021? Let us know in the comments below!

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