The 20 Best New TV Shows of 2021 So Far
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.
The best original series produced directly for the year-old HBO Max to date, the dark comedy Hacks was created by Broad City alumni Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky and produced by Parks & Rec's Mike Schur. The great Jean Smart stars as a bitter, aging Las Vegas stand-up comic (think Joan Rivers) who—while on the verge of losing her career—becomes an unlikely mentor to a young comedy writer played by Hannah Einbinder. Kaitlin Olson and Carl Clemons-Hopkins also star in the 10-episode first season, which gets better as it progresses. It'll return for a second season next year.
“For all its gut-punch humor, ‘’Hacks’’ is dead serious about how show business treats women. You might be laughing too hard to hear it, but there’s a low frequency scream running just beneath the comedy. This show makes a rich contribution to the buddy comedy tradition, never superficial or skin deep and always very, very funny.” —Chris Vognar, San Francisco Chronicle