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.

17 of 23 photo by PBS

88 Muhammad Ali (PBS)

(#4) This year's annual fall PBS miniseries from Ken Burns was another winner. Spanning eight hours, his latest (co-directed by his Jackie Robinson collaborators Sarah Burns and David McMahon) examines numerous facets of the storied life of heavyweight champion and activist Muhammad Ali from his childhood in 1940s Kentucky up through his death in 2016.

“With a steady hand, the series details the ins and outs of Ali’s unparalleled boxing career, his significance as an unapologetic Black Muslim, and his singular place in history as a lightning rod who never shied away from the storm. ... But it’s hard to begrudge the directors too much for rushing at the end when the rest of the series is so thoughtful and thorough, bringing fresh insight to a story so many think they already know.” —Caroline Framke, Variety

Watch it on PBS (4 episodes)

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