Here are our picks for the best of the best on television with the top 10 shows of 2021…
By Damon Martin — Editor/Lead Writer
It’s tough to say if the so called “golden age of television” is still happening right now or not but there’s little doubt that the amount of options available are greater than ever before.
Evidence of that fact comes from the wide range of series currently airing across network TV, cable, and dozens of streaming platforms. The cookie cutter days of making shows that are appealing to the widest audience possible are long since dead and buried and the reality is TV is better for it.
That’s how you can get a show like “Succession,” which features a cast of truly deplorable characters with more money than they could spend in a lifetime trying to run a right-wing media empire, yet it’s quite possibly the most talked about series on TV. The only show that trumps (no pun intended) “Succession” in terms of popularity, is another series that takes a deep dive into the world of power and those scratching and clawing to hold onto it except this one is set against the backdrop of rural Montana.
Yes, “Yellowstone” is just about the biggest show on television these days but you’ll rarely hear buzzy conversations about this series the way you would about “Succession” yet at the core, they actually share a lot of similarities.
While “Succession” and “Yellowstone” both have a massive TV machine behind them with HBO and Paramount, the little show that could in 2021 was none other than “Squid Game” — a South Korean import that ended up as the the most watched series of the year with millions upon millions of viewers flooding Netflix to see what this show was all about.
The good news is “Squid Game” wasn’t all hype — the series actually dealt with some serious issues when it comes to the haves and the have nots with wealth disparity and what those without much money would do to attain it. This is the series no one saw coming in 2021 but by the end of the year, just about everybody knew something about “Squid Game” even if it was just the iconic imagery from the series.
Following a year where the pandemic shut down production on just about every television series out there, many prestige shows came roaring back in 2021 and it almost seems unfair to only pick the 10 best but that’s what we’ve done. So without further ado, here are our picks for the top 10 television shows of 2021!
10) Mayor of Kingstown
The first but not the last series to appear on this list from Taylor Sheridan is the new show he created alongside veteran character actor Hugh Dillon that centers around a corrupt town in Michigan filled with prisons that all turn to one man to keep the place from exploding in violence.
“Mayor of Kingstown” was a highly publicized show when it was first ordered to series on Paramount Plus — the new streaming service from Viacom — in large part thanks to Sheridan and the fact that he got Jeremy Renner to serve as the start of the show.
It must be stated that this series isn’t for everybody — because at its heart “Mayor of Kingstown” deals with extreme violence, abuse, and the gritty underbelly of society that a lot of folks would rather not think about much less turn over that stone and see what’s actually hiding there. But similar in tone to shows like “Sons of Anarchy” or “The Shield” that dealt with dirty and often times really difficult subject matter, “Mayor of Kingstown” is the kind of biting commentary that’s like a bullet in the ass to conventional television.
Like “Yellowstone,” Sheridan writes every single episode by himself and he manages to weave a really complicated web with the characters and the stories involved with this show. In “Mayor of Kingstown,” nobody is innocent — there are just varying degrees of guilt and no one would want to actually live inside Sheridan’s story yet there are likely neighborhoods and towns just like this one only a few blocks away from everybody’s favorite Starbucks and Whole Foods.
This show is brutal but it’s very important, especially when examining criminal justice and the broken for-profit prison system that’s one of the nastiest industries running in the U.S. today. Don’t expect to ever feel good at the end of an episode of “Mayor of Kingstown” but it’s impossible to stop watching because the next one is likely even better.
9) Invincible
Robert Kirkman may have built an empire around zombies with his series “The Walking Dead” but arguably the best single season of television he’s been involved with came in 2021 with the animated version of his comic book “Invincible” on Amazon Prime.
The series follows a young man named Mark Grayson, who happens to be the son of the world’s greatest superhero — an alien named Omni-Man — as he starts to grow and evolve with his own powers while attempting to follow in his father’s rather large footsteps. When a tragic attack leaves a group of heroes dead and his father left in a coma, Mark is forced to step up to save the day while trying to figure out who was behind it all.
While there’s no shortage of great animated series that invoke plenty of emotion — look no further than the multitude of “Star Wars” programming available — “Invincible” was a rare coming of age story that had plenty of adult themes and more than a few bloody battles that could even make “The Boys” flinch.
The voiceover work from the entire cast was fantastic and the actual animation in the series was truly amazing but like every other series on this list, “Invincible” truly boiled down to great storytelling and a finale that rivaled anything else on television in 2021.
8) WandaVision
When Marvel announced plans to launch a number of series on Disney+, “WandaVision” was actually not supposed to be the first to air on the streaming service. It’s understandable why Marvel wanted to wait to push “WandaVision” out to the masses because it was unlike anything the studio had ever really done before.
The series followed Wanda Maximoff (played by Elizabeth Olsen) and her husband Vision ( played by Paul Bettany) as they existed in a strange sitcom universe that paid homage to classic series like “I Love Lucy” and “The Brady Bunch” with each episode dishing out a few more clues about what was really happening beneath the veneer of family tranquility in small town U.S.A.
The show was really centered around grief as Wanda dealt with the tragic death of Vision in “Avengers: Infinity War” while exploring the true nature of her world-altering powers.
The series also managed to deliver arguably the best line in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Vision talked with Wanda in a flashback scene when they first connected as members of the Avengers. Attempting to move forward following the death of her brother, Wanda was alone and struggling to find her place in the world and that’s when Vision delivered this line:
“But what is grief if not love persevering?”
That became the calling card for the entire series because dealing with grief really was at the heart of everything “WandaVision” was trying to accomplish. When you add in a deliciously giddy performance from Kathryn Hahn and a theme song that will get stuck in your head for days, “WandaVision” was the biggest swing yet for Marvel and the studio managed to hit a massive homerun.
7) Cobra Kai
When “Cobra Kai” first launched, there was plenty of nostalgia surrounding the series that planned to carry on the story of “The Karate Kid” franchise from the 1980s. No one could have possibly imagined that three seasons later, “Cobra Kai” has become a show bubbling over with heart, humor and fun that’s almost unmatched by anything else on television.
While some shows will drown you in emotion and others will have you falling over in laughter, “Cobra Kai” manages to blend elements from both of those genres along with some seriously enjoyable action scenes that capture the thrilling aspect of martial arts.
“Cobra Kai” season 3 details the continued rivalry between Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso but now they’ve been caught in the crossfire after their attempt to revive karate instruction in the California valley where they live ended up with a massive fight at school that left one boy nearly paralyzed. In the aftermath of that tragic event, Johnny and Daniel have to question everything they’ve been doing to teach these kids the skills taught to them by their teachers many years ago.
As Johnny starts to understand the truly toxic nature of his relationship with Sensei John Kreese, Daniel is stuck trying to figure out how he veered off course from the brilliant life lessons instilled in him by Mr. Miyagi.
Sure, “Cobra Kai” goes over the top from time to time — but that’s part of the charm that makes this series so special and one of the reasons why there’s so much anticipation for season 4 debuting on Dec. 31.
6) Hawkeye
No one does magic quite like Marvel Studios when it comes to blockbuster movies but 2021 saw the Disney-owned company start to dish out television shows with the same kind of production value, performances and writing that have made them billions at the box office.
While there was a lot of talk about various Marvel shows throughout the year, the one that nobody saw coming was “Hawkeye,” which tackled a Herculean task to make the most forgettable Avenger a character audiences would finally care about.
In the series, Clint Barton (played by Jeremy Renner, who reprised his role from the films) is trying to move forward with his life after helping to save the world in “Avengers: Endgame.” The only problem is Clint’s past comes back to haunt him after the outfit he wore to exact bloody revenge on criminals during the five year span after Thanos wiped out half of life in the universe has suddenly reappeared.
Clint suddenly gets mixed up with trying to put the lid back on the genie bottle that’s been opened while he simultaneously attempts to protect a young girl named Kate Bishop, who actually worships him as her favorite Avenger, yet she gets in over her head with a criminal organization determined to make her dead.
It’s really hard to find any fault in “Hawkeye” over six really great episodes.
The story stays small — there are no infinity stones or plans for world domination in this series — but that’s also what makes it so enjoyable. At the heart of it all, Clint Barton is just a man without any super serum coursing through his veins or a billion dollar tech company building him iron suits but he’s got a bow and an arrow and a sense of right and wrong that’s helped to make him a hero. Add in Kate Bishop (played by the incredibly charming Hailee Steinfeld) and this becomes a winning combination for one of the best series of the year and honestly one of the top Marvel projects in 2021 alongside “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
5) Mare of Easttown
Murder mysteries have been at the heart of hundreds of television series but finding a new and inventive way to create a “whodunnit” story takes a lot of talent, especially in this day and age, but that’s exactly what the HBO series “Mare of Easttown” managed.
Set in a rundown town near Philadelphia, “Mare of Easttown” follows the only detective on the entire police force (played by Oscar winner Kate Winslett) as she investigates a horrific murder of a teenage girl. While the murder takes center stage for the entire series, “Mare of Easttown” also manages to delve into the lives of just about everybody surrounding the lead character Mare Sheehan, who was once revered as a conquering hero for a state basketball title won 25 years earlier but lately she’s been faced with accusations of poor police work after she was unable to solve a crime involving a missing girl from town.
While “Mare of Easttown” might look like a spinoff of “True Detective” on the surface, this is a much different kind of show albeit with a similar mystery at the heart of it all. The performances are all stunning — as evidenced by the Emmy nominations and wins already handed out earlier this year — and the writing is nothing short of superb.
If you haven’t watched “Mare of Easttown” yet, run don’t walk to get that HBO Max subscription because this is one series worth your time and money.
4) Midnight Mass
Mike Flanagan has built quite a horror universe over at Netflix with his series “The Haunting of Hill House” and “The Haunting of Bly Manor” but it’s possible that his new show in 2021 was the best of the bunch.
“Midnight Mass” — a series that has been stuck in Flanagan’s head for decades — was originally conceived as a movie and pitched around to just about anybody who would listen yet nobody was interested. Flanagan got so discouraged that he’d never actually get to make “Midnight Mass” that he ended up sticking it into his film “Hush” as a book written by the lead character (played by his wife Kate Siegel).
Of course, making a pair of hit series for a streaming giant like Netflix will suddenly get executives interested in whatever else a creator has in store — that’s the only way to explain some of the truly bizarre shows that Ryan Murphy still gets to make — and so Flanagan finally got to make “Midnight Mass” and he did not disappoint.
Set on a small isolated island, “Midnight Mass” involves a charismatic young priest joining the congregation in place of the ailing pastor who served these people for decades and his message really strikes at the heart of the entire community. Not only that but the priest starts pulling off actual miracles, which only deepens the faith these people find in him.
Needless to say there’s something much more nefarious and sinister happening than a priest suddenly performing miracles and that’s where “Midnight Mass” really starts to get scary and somehow even more intriguing.
While there was a lot to like about this series, the best scene arguably came down to a conversation held between two characters about what they believed would happen when they die. Zach Gilford delivers an all-time great soliloquy that rivals anything else on television in the past 20 years with Siegel serving as his counterpart in a truly beautiful moment that was unmatched by anything else in 2021.
“Midnight Mass” really delivered the goods and proved once again why Flanagan might just be the most important voice in horror today.
3) Squid Game
There was a lot to like about the South Korean series “Squid Game” but at the top of the list was the originality that went into this show.
The concept features hundreds of financially needy players roped into playing children’s games with deadly consequences all for the chance to walk away with millions of dollars as a prize … if anyone can actually survive. The fact that the entire game is orchestrated by the wealthiest 1-percent as nothing more than a game for their own amusement is equal parts twisted and yet still somehow every believable.
While part of the buzz surrounding this series started building because of the completely unexpected way that the first game played out — a version of red light-green light where the slightest movement at the wrong time ends with a sniper’s bullet through the brain — what kept people coming back to “Squid Game” was the deeply emotional story at the heart of it all combined with a number of truly interesting characters.
There are more than a few deaths in this show that will leave you rattled and almost hesitant to press play on the next episode because at times “Squid Game” is truly disturbing but this was truly one of the best binge watches of all time. Each episode is somehow better than the last and the last couple of hours will definitely leave your jaw on the floor.
2) Yellowstone
When Kevin Costner first signed on to star in “Yellowstone,” it was pitched as a limited series from Oscar nominated writer Taylor Sheridan. The story about the owner of the largest ranch in the United States trying to maintain control over his land from any number of developers trying to take it away from him may not sound like the most thrilling story but somehow that’s exactly what this show has transformed into through four seasons.
Costner obviously decided to stick around beyond the initial 10 episode order and now “Yellowstone” is the most watched TV series on cable, routinely demolishing just about every other show in its wake.
The most criminal part about the success that “Yellowstone” has found is that there hasn’t been more appreciation for the performances on this show. Costner is an Oscar winner so it’s easy to believe he should be recognized but the fact that Kelly Reilly, who plays his spitfire, foul-mouthed daughter Beth isn’t polishing up a couple of Emmy awards is absolutely ridiculous.
Of course, the Paramount Network — which completely abandoned plans for all original series except for this one — would probably much rather have the ratings that “Yellowstone” receives than the awards but it’s impossible not to notice how critics just seem to overlook this show when talking about the best of the best on television.
“Yellowstone” season 4 has once again upped the ante with John Dutton (Costner) not only trying to maintain control over his land after the Montana government ruled against him when a corporate giant decided to build an airport smack dab in the middle of his ranch but now he’s facing new enemies much closer to home after ending up at odds with his adopted son Jamie, who turned against him after learning that he was only a Dutton in name but not blood.
It’s entirely possible that “Yellowstone” actually ends up as the best show of 2021 — but with the finale not taking place until Jan. 2, it’s impossible to know right now whether or not the last episode sticks the landing. So far, “Yellowstone” finales have been nothing short of epic but consider this series nipping at the heels of No. 1 based on what’s already happened through nine episodes in season 4.
1) Succession
It’s not wrong to say that “Succession” has been a bit repetitive in terms of storytelling over three seasons but the cutting dialogue, the knockout performances and the small tweaks and changes from episode to episode are what helped this HBO juggernaut become the best television series in 2021.
The constant battle for control over Waystar-Royco — a right wing media corporation that also runs a theme park and a cruise ship line — has been at the heart of “Succession” from the very beginning with family patriarch Logan Roy fighting to not only to maintain his kingdom but also attempting to discover if any of his children will one day be worthy of taking the throne.
When “Succession” season 3 started, Logan was gathering his forces to play defense after his son Kendall turned on a flamethrower and aimed it directly at his father for illegalities that were carried on for decades under his watch. As the season progressed it was clear that Logan’s ability to get the better of not only Kendall but all of his children proved that he was still the king and there wasn’t a prince or princess capable of taking him down.
“Succession” is that special kind of series that blurs a lot of lines when trying to define the show.
Is it a comedy? Is it a drama?
The answer is yes to both — how else you could have a scene in the season finale where Jeremy Strong is literally breaking down from the emotional turmoil that’s been building up inside his character for the past 30 episodes while confessing to killing a waiter at his sister’s wedding and his sibling played by Kieran Culkin manages to pull off arguably the funniest line of the entire season by complaining that his death was the reason why he got stuck waiting so long for the gin and tonic he ordered at the reception.
It’s that kind of genius that makes series creator Jesse Armstrong one of the best showrunners in Hollywood and why “Succession” continues to serve as the most compelling watch on television every week.
