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.

4 of 23 photo by Adam Rose/Netflix

82 Waffles and Mochi (Netflix)

(#17) One of a pair of Netflix children's shows from the Obamas to debut in 2021 (along with We the People), Waffles and Mochi even stars former first lady Michelle Obama, who joins a pair of puppets (who have never held public office) to teach kids about healthy eating. (Presumably, they eat neither waffles nor mochi because that would be ... weird.) Guests include Lionel Richie, celebrity chef Jose Andres, Sia, Gaten Matarazzo, and Tan France.

“An instant classic of children’s television; the magic is all in the imaginative, endlessly flexible premise and its outstanding execution.” —Judy Berman, Time

Watch it on Netflix (10 episodes + 1 holiday special)

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