Below is our updated running tally of the TV shows most frequently mentioned by individual critics in their year-end Top Ten lists. Note that if a critic ranks more than the standard 10 shows, we will not include titles ranked 11th or worse. (We do include unranked lists of 11-20 titles, though each title gets just one-half of a point.) In case of a tie for first or second, each show will receive the full points for that position.
https://www.metacritic.com/feature/tv-critics-pick-10-best-tv-shows-of-2021
Updated: 2022-01-14
V O T E S
Apple tv
→ Severance // 26
→ Pachinko // 17
→ Slow Horses S02. // 9
→ Bad Sisters // 7
→ The Afterparty // 5
→ Black Bird — ended // 4
→ Shining Girls — ended // 3
→ Now and Then // 3
→ The Essex Serpent — ended // 2
→ WeCrashed — ended // 2
→ For All Mankind S03. // 2
→ Suspicion — ended
→ Surface
Star+
→ The Bear // 19
→ Reservation Dogs S02. // 13
→ Abbott Elementary // 12
→ The Dropout — ended // 9
→ Better Things S05. — ended // 6
→ Atlanta S04. — ended // 6
→ Pam & Tommy — ended // 5
→ Under the Banner of Heaven — ended // 5
→ What We Do in the Shadows S04. // 4
→ Chucky S02. // 2
→ Conversations with Friends — ended // 2
→ Only Murders in the Building S02.// 2
→ Pistol — ended
→ Reboot
→ Santa Evita — ended
HBO
→ House of the Dragon // 13
→ The Rehearsal // 10
→ Somebody Somewhere // 8
→ Station Eleven — ended // 8
→ This Is Going to Hurt — ended // 8
→ The White Lotus S02. // 8
→ Barry S03. // 8
→ Tokyo Vice — ended // 6
→ The Staircase — ended // 5
→ Peacemaker // 5
→ We Own This City — ended // 5
→ Minx // 4
→ Our Flag Means Death // 4
→ Industry S02. // 4
→ Irma Vep // 3
→ Los Espookys S02. — canceled // 3
→ Julia // 2
→ The Old Man // 2
→ The Last Movie Stars — ended // 2
→ Sort Of S02. // 2
→ Euphoria S02. // 2
→ The Tourist
→ Hacks S02.
→ Starstruck S02.
Netflix
→ Better Call Saul S06. — ended // 11
→ Heartstopper // 10
→ Inventing Anna — ended // 6
→ The Sandman // 6
→ Wednesday // 6
→ Dahmer — ended // 4
→ Derry Girls S04 — ended // 4
→ Stranger Things S04 // 3
→ All of Us Are Dead // 3
→ Archive 81 — canceled // 3
→ Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities // 3
→ 1899 // 3
→ Intimacy — ended // 2
→ Mo // 2
→ Anatomy of a Scandal — ended
→ Borgen - Power & Glory
→ Human Resources
→ Las de la última fila — ended
→ Sagrada Familia
→ The Cuphead Show!
→ The Andy Warhol Diaries — ended
→ Blockbuster
→ Peaky Blinders
→ Dead to Me S03 — ended
→ Russian Doll S02
Amazon
→ The Rings of Power // 8
→ A League of Their Own // 3
→ The Peripheral // 3
→ Paper Girls — canceled // 3
→ The Boys S03 // 3
→ The Good Fight S06. — ended // 3
→ As We See It — canceled // 2
→ Chloe — ended // 2
→ Outer Range // 2
→ The Devil's Hour
Paramount+
→ Yellowjackets S01. // 3
→ I Love That for You
Disney+
→ Star Wars: Andor // 20
→ Ms. Marvel — ended // 5
→ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law — ended // 5
→ Moon Knight — ended // 4
→ Willow // 2
~
→ The English // 5
→ The Patient — ended // 5
→ High School // 4
→ Offworld (Apagón) — ended // 2
→ Interview with the Vampire // 2
→ Girls5eva S02. // 2
→ Gaslit — ended // 2
→ The Responder // 2
→ The Girl From Plainville // 2
→ Evil S03. // 2
→ Big Boys
→ Ellie & Natasia
→ Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams
→ Sherwood
→ Ghosts
→ Mood — ended
→ Ramy S03.
New shows and seasons in 2021. Only includes seasons with announced air dates. Ranked by show's IMDb rating.
Last Updated: May 17, 2024
January:
February:
March:
April:
May:
June:
July:
August:
September:
October:
November:
December:
December
→ New Girl { season 5 }
→ Inside No. 9 { season 3 }
→ PEN15 { season 1 }
→ Gen V { season 1 }
→ Jury Duty { season 1 }
→ Carol & the End of the World: Limited Series
→ PEN15 { season 2 }
November
→ Only Murders in the Building { season 3 }
→ The Fall of the House of Usher: Miniseries
→ The Narcosatanist
→ American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson
October
→ Sex Education { season 4 }
→ The Boys { season 1 }
→ The Boys { season 2 }
→ Ted Lasso { season 3 }
September
→ Dexter { season 7 }
→ Ted Lasso { season 2 }
→ The Bear { season 1 }
→ The Bear { season 2 }
→ Sky Rojo { season 1 }
→ Sky Rojo { season 2 }
→ Sky Rojo { season 3 }
August
→ Ted Lasso { season 1 }
→ Dexter { season 6 }
→ New Girl { season 4 }
→ Heartstopper { season 2 }
July
→ Inside no. 9 { season 2 }
→ Dexter { season 3 }
→ New Girl { season 3 }
→ Dexter { season 4 }
→ Rupaul { season 15 }
→ The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea
June
→ Dexter { season 2 }
→ Abbott Elemntary { season 2 }
→ Queer Eye { season 7 }
→ Skip To Loafer
→ Black Mirror { season 6 }
→ Inside no. 9 { season 1 }
→ New Girl { season 2 }
May
→ Search Party { season 2 }
→ Search Party { season 3 }
→ Search Party { season 4 }
→ Maricon Perdido (miniserie)
→ Search Party { season 5 }
→ Tuca & Bertie { season 3 }
→ Dexter { season 1 }
→ Love & Death (miniserie)
→ Succession { season 4 }
→ New Girl { season 1 }
→ Atlanta { season 3 }
→ Copenhagen Cowboy { season 1 }
April
→ Succession { season 2 }
→ The Confessions of Frannie Langton
→ Trying { season 2 }
→ BEEF { season 1 }
→ Tiny Beautiful Things
→ Abbott Elementary { season 1 }
→ Trying { season 3 }
→ Search Party { season 1 }
March
→ We Are Lady Parts
→ In My Skin { season 1 }
→ In My Skin { season 2 }
→ The White Lotus { season 1 }
→ The White Lotus { season 2 }
→ Upright { season 1 }
→ Upright { season 2 }
→ Gannibal { season 1 }
→ Servant { season 4 }
→ The Dropout
→ Succession { season 1 }
→ Allen v. Farrow
→ Trying { season 1 }
February
→ La Chica de Nieve
→ The Office { season 1 }
→ The Patient
→ Dopesick
→ Gilmore Girls { season 5 }
→ Better Things { season 5 }
January
→ Alice in Borderland { season 2 }
→ Hacks { season 2 }
→ Gilmore Girls { season 4 }
→ The L Word: Generation Q { season 3 }
shows i do not plan on finishing
https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-tv-shows-of-2021/
Episodes Watched:
Show (Season) - Episodes Watched/Total
Completed The Season
Took A Break And Belatedly Finished It
January
Arcane (1) - 9/9
Nathan For You (1) - 8/8
The West Wing (1) - 22/22
Nathan For You (2) - 8/8
Ash vs. Evil Dead (1) - 1/10
Shadow and Bone (1) - 8/8
Nathan For You (3) - 8/8
Nine Perfect Strangers (1) - 8/8
Nathan For You (4) - 7/7
Alrawabi School for Girls (1) - 1/6
American Crime Story (2) - 9/9
Emily in Paris (1) - 10/10
Emily in Paris (2) - 10/10
Maid (1) - 10/10
True Detective (3) - 8/8
Mindhunter (1) - 1/10
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1) - 12/12
Cheer (2) - 9/9
Succession (1) - 10/10
Succession (2) - 10/10
The Book of Boba Fett (1) - 4/7
Succession (3) - 10/10
Archive 81 (1) - 8/8
Mad Men (7) - 14/14
Hannibal (3) - 13/13
What We Do In The Shadows (1) - 10/10
Peacemaker (1) - 1/8
February
Silicon Valley (1) - 8/8
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2) - 20/22
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (5) - 4/20
Boardwalk Empire (1) - 1/12
Kitz (1) - 2/6
Euphoria (1) - 8/8
Euphoria: Specials - 2/2
Chernobyl (1) - 5/5
Raised by Wolves (1) - 6/10
Godless (1) - 2/7
The Circle (3) - 13/13
Stranger Things (3) - 8/8
Invincible (1) - 8/8
Veep (7) - 7/7
Trailer Park Boys (1) - 6/6
Trailer Park Boys (2) - 7/7
Euphoria (2) - 8/8
Killing Eve (4) - 1/8
March
Dickinson (1) - 10/10
Sex & The City (1) - 12/12
Servant (1) - 10/10
The Afterparty (1) - 8/8
Pieces of Her (1) - 2/8
The Boys: Diabolical (1) - 8/8
Our Flag Means Death - 2/10
Sex and the City (2) - 18/18
Pam & Tommy (1) - 8/8
Servant (2) - 2/10
Sex and the City (3) - 18/18
See (1) - 2/8
The Gilded Age (1) - 9/9
April
Severance (1) - 9/9
Pachinko (1) - 1/8
Elitè (5) - 3/8
Moon Knight (1) - 3/6
Rupaul's Drag Race (14) - 16/16
Abbott Elementary (1) - 13/13
The Baby (1) - 1/6
We Own This City (1) - 1/6
That 70's Show (1) - 25/25
Tokyo Vice (1) - 8/8
May
Schmigadoon! (1) - 6/6
The Americans (1) - 13/13
How To With John Wilson (2) - 6/6
The Americans (2) - 3/13
How To With John Wilson (1) - 6/6
Demon Slayer (1) - 3/22
Over The Garden Wall (1) - 10/10
Six Feet Under (1) - 13/13
Barry (1) - 8/8
Barry (2) - 4/8
The Other Two (1) - 3/10
The Righteous Gemstones (2) - 1/10
Detroiters (1) - 1/10
Only Murders in the Building (1) - 10/10
30 Rock (6) - 22/22
Six Feet Under (2) - 13/13
30 Rock (7) - 13/13
Sex & The City (4) - 18/18
The Time Traveler's Wife - 1/8
Sex & The City (5) - 8/8
Now & Then (1) - 1/8
The White Lotus (1) - 6/6
SPY x FAMILY (1) - 3/25
Sex & The City (6) - 15/20
True Detective (2) - 8/8
Prehistoric Planet - 1/5
Obi Wan Kenobi (1) - 1/6
Six Feet Under (3) - 13/13
June
Ted Lasso (1) - 10/10
The Essex Serpent - 4/6
Shining Girls (1) - 8/8
Under the Banner of Heaven (1) - 7/7
The Staircase (1) - 8/8
Squid Game (1) - 9/9
Yellowjackets (1) - 6/10
Irma Vep - 2/8
Ozark (1) - 10/10
Dopesick (1) - 8/8
The Dropout (1) - 8/8
Ozark (2) - 8/10
Joe Pera Talks With You (1) - 2/9
Documentary Now (1) - 7/7
Documentary Now (3) - 7/7
Station Eleven (1) - 10/10
The Bear (1) - 8/8
Documentary Now (2) - 7/7
Black Mirror (1) - 3/3
Black Mirror (2) - 3/3
Community (5) - 13/13
July
Community (6) - 13/13
Stranger Things (4) - 9/9
The Sopranos (6) - 21/21
The Man Who Fell To Earth (1) - 1/10
The Boys (3) - 8/8
Inside Job (1) - 6/10
What We Do In The Shadows (2) - 10/10
Hacks (1) - 10/10
Hacks (2) - 8/8
For All Mankind (1) - 10/10
The Wire (1) - 7/13
What We Do In The Shadows (3) - 5/10
Rap Sh!t (1) - 1/10
For All Mankind (2) - 10/10
Vanderpump Rules (9) - 17/17
Players (1) - 10/10
Rupaul's Drag Race All Stars (7) - 12/12
Paper Girls (1) - 1/10
August
Black Bird (1) - 6/6
The Sandman (1) - 1/11
The Morning Show (1) - 10/10
The Morning Show (2) - 10/10
Reservation Dogs (1) - 8/8
For All Mankind (3) - 10/10
Slow Horses (1) - 2/8
Locke & Key (3) - 8/8
Acapulco (1) - 10/10
The Rehearsal (1) - 6/6
Rupaul's Drag Race UK (3) - 10/10
Only Murders in the Building (2) - 10/10
Westworld (4) - 8/8
Mythic Quest (1) - 11/11
Physical (1) - 10/10
Patriot (1) - 3/10
Mythic Quest (2) - 6/9
September
Mr. Robot (1) - 6/10
The Rings of Power (1) - 3/10
The Patient (1) - 4/10
Central Park (1) - 10/10
Reboot (1) - 3/8
Welcome to Wrexham (1) - 6/10
Reservation Dogs (2) - 10/10
Central Park (2) - 16/16
OCTOBER
Party Down (1) - 10/10
The Midnight Club (1) - 10/10
Bad Sisters (1) - 10/10
House of the Dragon (1) - 10/10
Pantheon (1) - 8/8
Abbott Elementary (2) - 4/22
Andor (1) - 12/12
Rupaul's Drag Race UK (4) - /10
Interview with the Vampire (1) - 8/8
Trying (1) - /10
<- last updated 10/26
<- last checked missing 9/22/22
Parameters: Season Finale had to have aired in 2022
Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fNF_zgWK0qp6S_S3MyZjMgptyusiLtAXmjh4UPkHWpI/edit?usp=sharing
An attempt at a ranking. Includes only seasons with at least half of its episodes released in 2021.
The best rated seasons
Metacritic - Best of 2021: Television Critic Top 10 Lists
by Marcil