All the TV shows you must watch this year
The coronavirus pandemic allowed us to catch up on all the must-watch TV shows while in lockdown. Streaming services are putting out more quality series than ever. Producers are trying to keep up with the pace by changing their content to suit modern audiences.
With cold weather on the horizon, now is the perfect time to cozy up with a blanket on the couch & put on a show. There have been some viral hits on streaming services in 2021. We’re here to let you know of all the TV shows you must watch this year.
Squid Game
By now, you’ve probably at least heard of Squid Game. Since it premiered on Netflix on September 17th, the Korean series has become one of the must-watch TV shows of 2021. With Squid Game having the top ten marker tacked on its thumbnail, the series is on pace to beat out Bridgerton as the highest-viewed show in Netflix history.
Squid Game is heavily influenced by the Japanese horror film Battle Royale. The series follows the contestants of a game who must fight to the death in order to win a cash prize. Squid Game’s creator Hwang Dong-hyuk conceived of the series to satirize the plight of the lower class in South Korea.
Much like the 2020 Academy Award for Best Picture winner Parasite, Squid Game’s parable of income inequality has appeal beyond South Korea. In a time where many people are facing financial insecurity, Squid Game is a thoughtful critique of capitalism.
Reservation Dogs
FX has one of the TV shows you must watch this year. Reservation Dogs has a title & marketing scheme that seems like a play on Quentin Tarantino’s 1991 debut Reservoir Dogs. That’s where the comparisons end. The series chronicles the adventures of four Indigenous teenagers in Oklahoma.
Co-created by Jojo Rabbit director Taika Waititi & filmmaker Sterlin Harjo, Reservation Dogs brings Indigenous representation to streaming. The characters in Reservation Dogs commit various crimes in order to move out of their midwestern town and get to California. The series is available on Hulu.
Mare of Easttown
A 2021 Emmy winner, Mare of Easttown is one of the must-watch TV shows on HBO Max. Kate Winslet stars as detective Mare Sheehan as she investigates a homicide case in her rural Pennsylvanian town. Will Mare be able to catch the killer, or will she let the stress of her life get in the way?
Winslet’s performance in Mare of Easttown earned her an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Her co-star Evan Peters also won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. The show also features Guy Pearce and Jean Smart.
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson
If sketch comedy is your thing, then be sure to check out I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. Robinson, a former writer & featured player on Saturday Night Live, co-created this Netflix series with Zach Kanin. The first season consists of Robinson’s SNL skit ideas that were turned down.
Luckily for us, Netflix is letting Robinson showcase his absurdist style of comedy. I Think You Should Leave released its second season this year. The show has gained a cult following thanks in part to featured guests such as Bob Odenkirk, Steven Yeun, and Tim Heidecker.
I Think You Should Leave is one of Netflix’s must-watch TV shows thanks to some ridiculous jokes. Trust us when we say you won’t want to be out of the loop on the references. Stream it now to find out what a “sloppy steak” or a “coffin flop” is.
Nine Perfect Strangers
Hulu has created the latest streaming craze with Nine Perfect Strangers. The miniseries has an impressive cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, and Michael Shannon just to name a few. Based on a Liane Moriarty novel of the same title, Nine Perfect Strangers chronicles the activity at a wellness retreat called the Tranquillum House.
Kidman plays a Russian health guru named Masha Dmitrichenko who seeks to help the nine guests staying at Tranquillum House. As Nine Perfect Strangers progresses, we find out that Masha & her clients are all hiding secrets. Nothing is what it seems in this must-see miniseries from Hulu.
The Morning Show
Featuring heavy hitters Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell, The Morning Show is a reason to subscribe to Apple TV+. The series follows the rivalry between Alex Levy (Aniston) & Bradley Jackson (Witherspoon), co-hosts of a network breakfast news show.
Carell plays Mitch Kessler, a colleague of Levy’s who’s fired from his news anchor job after a sexual misconduct scandal. In the last season of The Morning Show, Jackson takes Kessler’s place and ignites animosity between her & Levy. Will their partnership prevail, or will their egos make the network fall apart? Watch the new season on Apple TV+ to find out.
Succession
With season three set to come out later this month, now is the opportune time to binge HBO’s Succession. This must-watch satirical dark comedy focuses on the Roy family. The Roys are moguls operating the multinational media & entertainment company Waystar RoyCo.
When father Logan Roy (Brian Cox) starts having health problems, his family fears that he may pass away and leave a leadership position at Waystar RoyCo vacant. His children Connor (Alan Ruck), Siobhan (Sarah Snook), Kendall (Jeremy Strong), and Roman (Kieran Culkin) all prepare to take his place.
Only Murders in the Building
Starring Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short as true crime aficionados, Only Murders in the Building is a Hulu series that combines mystery & comedy.
The trio decide to start a podcast after someone is murdered in their apartment complex. Will they be able to solve it? Watch to find out.
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With the fall TV lineup filling up fast, these are some shows that you won’t want to miss. What TV shows are you watching? Let us know in the comments!
