2021 was a year full of top-tier television. From electrifying new seasons of favorite shows to dozens of new shows premiering, there's a lot one could have missed over the past year. But what new series from 2021 are worth checking out?
When looking for the best new shows of the year, Rotten Tomatoes is often the best tool for the job. The site's collection of critic reviews and individual scores being amalgamated into one number generally gives the best impression of whether something is worth watching or not. Some of the best television of the year was on streaming and primetime cable, focusing on complex female stories and lots of comedy. For anyone who hasn't seen these series, they are worth the time!
Starstruck (100%)
First up is a British comedy that has captured the hearts of its viewers. Airing on HBO Max, Starstruck follows Jessie (played by the hilarious Rose Matafeo), a millennial in London with two unfulfilling jobs to keep the apartment she shares with her flatmate, Kate (Emma Sidi.) Jessie has a one-night stand on New Year's but soon discovers that her hookup is actually a famous movie star.
Their lives are completely different, but in usual romantic comedy fashion, Jessie and the charming Tom Kapoor (Nikesh Patel) keep circling each other's orbits and finding each other again. Besides its wonderful acting and writing, Starstruck is a show that feels like the best of television — happy escapism that is relatable and sweet from start to finish. Another installment of the series has been announced by creator Rose Matafeo, so the best time to catch up is now.
Yellowjackets (100%)
With an impressive cult following, Yellowjackets might be the best series you haven't heard of yet. The Showtime drama series begins in 1996 when a New Jersey girl's high school soccer team is thrown into chaos when their flight to nationals in Seattle crashes in the Canadian wilderness. The team members that survive impact are left to fend for themselves for nineteen months, while shocking events occur in the name of survival.
Yellowjackets cuts back and forth from the initial crash to the survivors' lives in the present day, almost 30 years after the ordeal (and with actresses like Christina Ricci playing the older version of the girls.) The show has been praised for its mystery-filled plot and depiction of trauma over a period of time. There's no need to worry for those just now checking out the series, as it has recently been renewed for another season.
We Are Lady Parts (100%)
Badass gals? Check. Badass gals in a punk rock band? Check! We Are Lady Parts is another sitcom hailing from the United Kingdom and focuses on the lives of the band members of Lady Parts: a punk rock band made up of Muslim women. The series begins as Amina, a Ph.D. student for biochemical engineering, has become the unlikely lead guitarist for the band. Viewers watch as Lady Parts tries to book their first proper gig, while Amina struggles to learn who she really is. We Are Lady Parts is also full of amazing original songs performed by the budding band, which win audiences over — if the infectious energy of the cast didn't already.
Hacks (100%)
The next show is a drama-comedy from HBO Max that racked up three Emmys this past year. Hacks centers on Deborah Vance (played by the legendary and award-winning Jean Smart), who is a famous Las Vegas comedienne fighting to stay popular in a changing and modern world. On the other end of the spectrum, Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) is an out-of-work comedy writer after being fired for an insensitive tweet.
The two women team up and form an unlikely partnership to bring Deborah’s material up to 2021 standards. Critics have praised the acting duo of Smart and Einbinder, and also the sharp criticism the show takes on modern comedy. After its immediate success, there's no surprise that this series has already been picked up for another season by HBO Max.
Only Murders In The Building (100%)
Created by comedy legend Steve Martin and streaming on Hulu, Only Murders In The Building is a refreshing take on the murder mystery and hilarious all the way through. Starring Steve Martin, Martin Short (another iconic face in comedy), and Selena Gomez as three tenants in the same lavish new York city apartment building. When the mysterious death of Tim Kono (Julian Chi) occurs in their building, the three learn of their shared love for a true-crime podcast and attempt to start their own to investigate the death, which has been ruled a suicide.
The show works so well because of its smart writing, which is perfectly aware of the noir and crime genre most of the jokes are parodying, and the dynamic between Short, Martin, and Gomez — who is a particular standout. There are also amazing guest stars and cameos throughout the series, from recurring roles by Nathan Lane and Tina Fey, to a fictionalized version of Sting who resides in the infamous apartment building.