The 20 Best New TV Shows of 2021

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – December 28, 2021

Above are the highest-scoring first-year TV series (including limited series) debuting in the United States between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. Shows are ranked by Metascore (an average of grades from top professional critics on a 0-100 scale) prior to rounding based on scores as of December 24, 2021, and any programs with fewer than 7 reviews are excluded. One-off TV specials and made-for TV movies are ranked separately at the end of the gallery.

10 of 23 photo by Apple

(#11) Asif Kapadia (Amy, Senna) directs this eight-episode look at the music that emerged 50 years ago during one of the most fruitful periods in rock and R&B history. Based on David Hepworth's book 1971: Never a Dull Moment, the Apple TV+ docuseries blends archival footage and new interviews to explore not just the records released in 1971 (including key works from Marvin Gaye, David Bowie, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, Lou Reed, and The Who, among other artists featured) and that year's major concerts, but also the social and political climate that contributed to the musical bounty. It's just one of a number of stellar entries in both film and TV (including a few more we'll get to in a moment) in what has turned out to be the greatest year for music documentaries in recent memory.

“This is the definitive visual history of one of the most tumultuous years in American history — and arguably the greatest year ever for rock, pop and soul.” —Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

Watch it on Apple TV+ (8 episodes)

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