The new year will bring with it a variety of newcomers, the return of some favorites, and some “what was that?!” gems. Here’s our list of the best TV shows of 2021.
1. EastEnders: Dixie will discover Abi is pregnant and Jack confesses to Max.
2. Broadchurch: In 2015, Gracie’s father died, prompting Jimmy to take matters into his own hands.
3. The Handmaid’s Tale: Offred (Elisabeth Moss) returns to the scene of the crime — where she serves a court-sanctioned life sentence.
4. Star Trek: Picard: Next to speak with the Vulcan is a no-more Picard, with Michael Dorn taking over the role for the series premiere.
5. Sex Education: This series will feature a teenager who, until her parents unknowingly allow her to attend a sex therapy class, had been seen as asexual.
6. Orange Is the New Black: One of the inmates of Litchfield tries to start a new life by re-opening the basketball team.
7. The Americans: Soviet spies are beginning to question their loyalty to their country.
8. Fuller House: DJ (Candace Cameron Bure) returns to her beloved family after a 12-year absence.
9. 13 Reasons Why: Hannah Baker’s suicide has sparked a global debate.
10. Good Doctor: The latest real-life cure for autism takes center stage.
11. Elementary: Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) are back on the case.
12. Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The new series stars Andy Samberg and Terry Crews.
13. The Inexplicable: This series consists of four short episodes about the very essence of creation.
14. Handmaid’s Tale Season 2: Waterford reveals the truth about Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) while Serena reveals that Eleanor (Madeline Brewer) is in danger.
15. Grey’s Anatomy: Joining the swelling cast is Kristin Bell, who will play the mother of Callie’s (Sara Ramirez) baby.
16. Westworld: The rest of the story of William and Edmond is revealed.
17. Twin Peaks: Det. Hawk (Sean Bridgers) must choose between getting ahead of the suspect.
18. Billions: Nominee for the Golden Globe for Best Drama Series.
19. Crashing: Pete (Pablo Schreiber) leaves live-in girlfriend Sadie (Rita Wilson) for Amanda (Rachel Dratch), while Debbie (Jennifer Finnigan) remains in the shelter.
20. Emmy Wada series: This series, to be based on Wada’s father-in-law, will highlight life with an entire family of extraordinary people.
21. The Twilight Zone: Trying to read in a massive forest sounds like a healthy way to break the monotony of modern life, right?
22. Bridget Jones’s Baby: Unmarried Jack (Colin Firth) gets pregnant and Emily (Renee Zellweger) learns how to be a mother.
23. The Deuce: Showrunner David Simon returns to HBO with an exploration of the sex industry in 1970s New York.
24. Whiskey Cavalier: After a very public sex scandal, Hunt (Scott Foley) wrestles with a number of issues before running into Jeremy (James Van Der Beek) and his old pals.
25. The Chi: Chicago is rocked by its first ever homicide.
26. Survivor: It’s off to a very rocky start for a number of castaways.
27. Homecoming: The terrifying and dangerous world of Walter Keane (Emmy Rossum) continues to unravel.
28. Mary Kills People: After the death of her boyfriend, Mary (Juliette Lewis) begins helping terminally ill patients end their lives.
29. American Horror Story: Evan Peters returns as Supreme Chadwick Boseman, but the clues point to Evan’s brother’s madness.
30. The Chi: Malcolm Lee directs himself again, having previously directed some of the best episodes of the crime drama.