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.

18 of 23 photo by Netflix

90 Last Chance U: Basketball (Netflix)

(#3) The documentary team behind Netflix's Last Chance U (about junior college football) and Cheer (competitive college cheerleading) returned to the junior college circuit early this year, this time focusing on basketball—and, in particular, the recently resurgent team at East Los Angeles College. The result is the best-reviewed series of the three.

“Last Chance U: Basketball would have been an excellent sports docuseries under any circumstances, but what makes it extraordinary is the fact that it was filmed during the 2019–2020 season, which means that certain real-life events collide with the Huskies’ story.” —Jen Chaney, Vulture

Watch it on Netflix (8 episodes)

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