I watched a LOT of great TV this year – some made me think, same made me smile, some made me hungry and a few even made me angry. It was a GREAT year for TV. Here in no particular order are my Top 10 things I watched in 2021…
- Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist – Breaking into song, when done well, can be so much fun. I am sad this show didn’t get more seasons but am grateful for a holiday wrap up movie!
- WandaVision – I love my superheroes with a side of TV sitcom history and this show was just what I needed last winter. It was clever and I appreciated that you don’t have to be really into the MCU to get all the references.
- Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy – I will always love Anthony Bourdain and his style of TV. Last year I thought Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi might fill the Bourdain sized hole in my heart, and it does too (Taste the Nation Holiday Edition would have been 11 on this list), but Stanley Tucci’s love of Italy – the people and the culture was such a joy to watch each week. I can’t wait for the next season.
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine – I have loved this series from the beginning and this final season was a perfect sendoff. If you somehow missed this show and you’re a fan of Parks & Rec, Happy Endings and smart comedies, add it to your holiday binge to do list.
- Top Chef Portland – I was surprised how grateful I was that this season was not only in my home state, but also that they embraced the pandemic. This season was so much fun and even though the wrong person won (Team Sara all the way!) this was exactly what this Oregonian needed during the pandemic.
- The Story of Late Night – Really any of the CCN “The Story of…” series from this past year could be included here. The Story of Late Night was such a great history of television and pop culture and race and gender. If you missed the series and miss Letterman like my dad does, this is for you.
- Hacks – This show is perfect and Jean Smart deserves every award she gets. I wasn’t sure during the pilot if I was going to make it, but that final scene driving down the worlds longest driveway was EVERYTHING. And it just got better from there.
- The White Lotus – The absurdity of this show was what I loved most. Molly Shannon should be in everything (and she was – honorable mention to The Other Two this season!) and Jennifer Coolidge is a national treasure. The spreading of ashes at sea is one of my very favorite moments of television, ever.
- Ted Lasso – People love to hate on a sophomore slump, but I disagree! We got a Christmas episode in July that was an instant holiday classic. We had one of the greatest character twists over this season that I continue to think about. And we had to decide who to replace Earl Greyhound with: Tina Feyhound or Macy Greyhound. #teamfeyhound
- Only Murders in the Building – Funny old white guys making themselves laugh is DEFINITELY what I thought this show was going to be. And I was oh so pleasantly wrong. Only Murders harnessed the craziness of Martin Short that can drive me crazy and used it to his strength. And holy crap did Selena Gomez hold her own with these two comedy legends. I can’t WAIT for the next season…
What shows helped you get though 2021? What shows are you excited for in 2022? Need my full list for recommendations over the holiday break?
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