For those who have lost track I am dealing with basic+ cable plus Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. So I am mostly limited from the HBOs and whatnots as well as some other streamers. I did have a free apple+ subscription that I held onto (aka paid for) long enough to finish the second season of Ted Lasso but specifically kept myself from getting into any of their dramas. I am also plotting a quick subscription to Paramount+ to catch up on Evil and The Good Fight since I’ve enjoyed earlier seasons of those (doing some math on just buying various seasons). Oh and I watched Breaking Bad, so you know that took up some time.
So yes I could watch TV for much longer to see all the shows that people proclaim were the best of 2021 but here’s where I ended up. For critic’s picks check out metacritic.
- Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) – This was just the perfect tone and content for where I was at when I got to this, great star power with Steven Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, and it both poked fun at and told a conveying murder tale with fun twists, can’t wait for another season.
- The Great (Hulu) – The occasionally true retelling of Catherine the Great did a fun job of taking us into the second season, lots of hilarity and hijinks here and love/hate people and relationships.
- Ted Lasso (App+) – Although I heard some of the rumblings I thought overall they really took the show in a direction that worked as it evolved, will revisit App+ when we get around to another.
- Mythic Quest (App+) – The other show I let myself enjoy while I had the subscription, they really mastered the ongoing odd work environment and characters with killer standalone episodes, don’t be put off by the setting of a video game company.
- Resident Alien (Syfy) – Alan Tudyk is really such a winner in this role but the whole cast has great charm as we watch this alien become more human and it might even stop him from destroying the world.
- Ghosts (CBS) – I’ve appreciated Rose McIver since iZombie and she’s got herself a fun new role in seeing ghosts and translating to her husband, the ghosts themselves do a great job of bringing good characters from different time periods and living pretty full lives.
- Big Leap (Fox) – While this isn’t a show for everyone the behind the scenes of a reality dance competition was for me a great balance of looking at the machinations of stirring up reality drama with a sweet side both in front of and behind the cameras, hoping for another season.
- Squid Game (Net) – Whatever you want to say about this it sure was compelling, brutal, but compelling, and I’m very curious as to what they’re going to do in a second season.
- Sex Education (Net) – I still enjoy my time with these students and their families dealing with sex and relationships.
- Lupin (Net) – A good caper can’t be beat and I was happy to take another jaunt in this somewhat ridiculous next chapter.
Honorable: Bo Burnham: Inside (Net), Bridgerton (Net), Everything’s Going to Be Okay (Free), Girls5eva (Pea), Kim’s Convenience (CBC/Net), Leverage: Redemption (IMDB), Reservation Dogs (Fx/Hulu), The Underground Railroad (Prime), What We Do In the Shadows (Fx), We Are Lady Parts (Pea), You (Net).
What were your faves last year?
