We love TV, we really do. TV shows help us decompress after a long day. They give us something to look forward to when the months seem endless and the weeks and days are hard. A good TV show offers us a respite from the doom and gloom of the news and the pressures of social media, as well as a welcome escape into a world where our problems don't exist but happy endings do — and we really needed that in 2021, a year in which real life has continued to be utterly overwhelming and unpredictable.
We can count on our favorite TV shows to help us tune out the noise and our favorite characters to make us laugh — or cry — it out, and for that we're thankful, maybe more now than ever. In 2021, we certainly got a lot of gems. From frivolous romances and inspiring comedies to edge-of-your-seat thrillers and new seasons of old favorites, there was a lot of binge-worthy TV to enjoy in 2021.
Seriously, all of these shows helped us get through what was a rocky year. We needed the drama, we needed the laughs, we needed the romance, and we needed the connection. So just in case you want to catch up before year's end, here's a list of the 18 binge-worthy TV shows that got us through 2021.
'Bridgerton'
OK, so technically, Shonda Rhimes' Bridgerton came out on Christmas 2020, but most of us didn't watch it — or at least finish watching the first season — until the beginning of 2021. It provided the perfect escape after a truly scary year. Sexy, exciting, funny, and full of drama, it was just the dose of fluff that we all needed.
'Ted Lasso'
The first season of Ted Lasso, starring Jason Sudeikis, also came out in 2020, but it really started to pick up steam in 2021 when season two was released. The feel-good show about an American football coach who ends up managing a struggling English soccer team has earned itself seven Emmy Awards and a devoted fan base. We can't wait for more.
'Squid Game'
The Korean drama Squid Game took off like a viral YouTube video when Netflix premiered it in the fall of 2021. The suspenseful, gruesome, and just plain disturbing show somehow managed to hook even those of us who typically prefer lighter fare. It's already being credited with introducing a whole slew of Americans to the K-drama genre.
'Dexter: New Blood'
Dexter: New Blood may have come out late in the year, but it gave us something to be happy about for months before the premiere. Fans of the original Showtime series looked forward to this reboot for a long time before it finally happened — and it was totally worth the wait. A favorite character has returned to us with all the same heart — plus a fresh dose of suspense and intrigue — and we're here for it.
'You'
The third season of Netflix's You may not have topped the first or the second, but it was still a worthy watch for fans of the series and its creepy lead character, Joe Goldberg. The third season offered a natural progression of the plot that developed over the course of the previous two seasons, and plenty of scenes that reminded us of exactly why we love the series in the first place.
'Only Murders in the Building'
Hulu's Only Murders in the Building was exactly what Selena Gomez's career needed. The crime dramedy, which also stars comedy icons Steve Martin and Martin Short, was a bit of a surprise hit when it came out over the summer, but it looks like it's in for a long and successful run.
'Mare of Easttown'
Mare of Easttown's phenomenal cast, which includes Kate Winslet and Evan Peters, pretty much ensured that it would be good, but the widespread success of the HBO Max series was a bit of a surprise. A crime drama with a female lead isn't super common, and we think this one managed to blend the idea of a detective drama with just the right amount of realism to catch people's attention.
'Reservation Dogs'
Authentic Indigenous American representation has largely been absent on TV until now. But Reservation Dogs is changing that. Created by Sterlin Harjo (who himself is Indigenous American) and starring Indigenous actors, the series — which follows four native teenagers growing up on a reservation in Oklahoma — brings light to the experiences of various generations of Indigenous Americans in a way we truly haven't seen before.
'Yellowjackets'
Another Showtime hit, Yellowjackets, starring Sophie Thatcher, Juliette Lewis, and Christina Ricci, is an unusual series about a team of promising high school soccer players who survive a fatal plane crash deep in the woods of Canada. They end up doing everything and anything they can to survive and find some semblance of normalcy.
'Insecure'
We never get as much as we want with HBO's Insecure, but we always get what we need. Created by and starring Issa Rae, the series is currently in its fifth season, and we still love following along as Issa and Molly navigate love, friendship, careers, and everything else that life throws at them as successful and driven Black women. We need more shows where we get to see people of color living normal lives, and Insecure is pretty much the forerunner right now.
'The Great British Baking Show'
We had to — we really did. Because off-screen drama and on-screen innuendo aside, The Great British Baking Show still brings us so much joy. We can't not be happy spending an hour inside the baking tent and seeing all of the incredible treats that are created in it. It inspires us to get into the kitchen ourselves and at the end of every episode, we always want more.
'True Story'
True Story is by far actor and comedian Kevin Hart's best attempt at a serious role. He and Wesley Snipes are both phenomenal in the Netflix original series about a successful actor and comedian (yes, art imitates life to a degree) who gets caught up in a deceptive plot made against him, and winds up having to make some very difficult choices.
'Midnight Mass'
Horror fans went absolutely nuts for Netflix's Midnight Mass. It's an incredible series that touches on various real-life themes, while still managing to be thoroughly terrifying and remaining true to the genre. It's so well produced, directed, written, and acted that it could rival the best of the best horror films out there.
'WandaVison'
WandaVision is one of the best shows to come out of the Marvel universe to date. Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, and Kathryn Hahn, it's actually a sitcom about suburban superheroes who don't realize they have powers until they suddenly realize that something isn't quite right in their world.
'Shadow and Bone'
Netflix's Shadow and Bone was another surprising hit in 2021. The series is about a young orphan mapmaker who discovers she has a special power that may be able to help her save her war-ravaged home. The fantasy show is based on a book series and has been a huge hit with both fans and those just hearing the story for the first time.
'Money Heist'
The fifth and final season of the Spanish drama Money Heist came out in 2021, and only served to generate more buzz for the Netflix production than ever before. About a group of thieves planning a massive heist in the Royal Mint of Spain, the show is full of intrigue and drama. And while there may not be any new episodes to look forward to, there's no better time to binge watch the entire series.
'Queens'
The new ABC series Queens, starring Brandy Norwood and rapper Eve, is just pure fun. About a group of four aging singers trying to recapture the glory of their girl group prime, it's an absolute joy to watch, in part thanks to the healthy dose of nostalgia it offers up. We absolutely love it and hope it sticks around for a while.
'And Just Like That'
Because … of course! There's no way we could leave the Sex and the City spin-off off of this list, even if it didn't come out until the very end of 2021. And Just Like That is another series that will take you back to a different time and give you all the feels. There's nothing like getting to see the next chapter of characters you grew to know and love so well (though we could have done without that shocking death).
