The 20 Best New TV Shows of 2021 So Far

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – July 1, 2021

Which newcomers on the small screen have impressed reviewers the most during the first half of the year? Above, find the highest-scoring first-year TV shows (including limited series and specials) debuting between January 1, 2021 and June 30, 2021. Only shows with at least 7 reviews from professional critics are included.

16 of 21 photo by Netflix

90 #5: Last Chance U: Basketball: Season 1

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.

“It's one of 2021's early standouts for all of the reasons you expect and a few you don't see coming. ... Without helmets or masks, it's a sport where emotions are on full display and it's also a sport that allows closer camera access, especially for a team that doesn't play in a cavernous arena packed with fans. Add in that basketball teams simply play more games and that means that Last Chance U: Basketball has more and more intimate sports action than its predecessors, delivered with the usual propulsive sense of in-game momentum.” —Dan Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

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