As we near the end of 2021, it’s time to reflect on the past year and all the TV we consumed. To that end, for the next two weeks we’ll be sharing our top five favorite things we watched that aired in 2021.
Here are Adina’s top five picks (in no particular order):
Kevin Can F*** Himself season 1 (available on AMC+)
Anyone who’s spoken to me this year already knows I can’t stop talking about this show. It’s got everything I love: it offers meta-commentary on TV by using sitcom versus single camera style as a theatrical device, it mimics the structure of Tom Stoppard’s play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, it’s got women attempting murder, and it’s set in Massachusetts! Plus, Annie Murphy and Mary Hollis Inboden deliver incredible performances. I can’t wait for season 2 next year.
Mythic Quest season 2 (available on Apple TV+)
I loved Mythic Quest’s first season (though I took issue with the clunky title “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet”, which mercifully got dropped for season 2), and I loved their between-seasons pandemic episode. Season 2 continued to live up to the level of quality Mythic Quest set for itself, deepening the relationships between everyone working on this game while remaining hilarious. I love watching Poppy and Ian’s friends-rivals-collaborators-brother-sister-who-knows-what relationship evolve. Rachel and Dana’s rocky but sweet romance remains a treat as well. Mythic Quest also gets major points for being one of the few shows that does self-contained/solo character episodes really well.
Hacks season 1 (available on HBO Max)
I’m sure everyone’s heard of this show by now, if only for Jean Smart’s incredible performance as Deborah Vance. I won’t lie, she’s the main draw of this show, but the supporting cast is great too, and the writing is funny if a bit up its own ass at times (but I suppose that’s the point of this show about comedians who are up their own asses). Though Deborah and Ava’s biting repartee seemed like it might get stale quickly, this show managed to push their relationship into a new direction at the close of season 1, so I’m hoping next season will keep that momentum going and keep the show fresh and funny.
Schmigadoon! Season 1 (available on Apple TV+)
I already wrote in a previous issue about why I loved this TV-musical, so I’ll limit my gushing here, but Schmigadoon! was a great execution of what sounds like a gimmicky idea. It manages to poke fun about what musical-haters hate about musicals, while also paying tribute to what musical-lovers love about them, which is no small feat. I have to wonder what a Season 2 of this show would look like… but the creator Cinco Paul says he has it figured out, if the show does get renewed. (No news on that yet, but we can hope!)
What We Do In the Shadows season 3 (available on Hulu)
Out of all these shows that brought me immense joy, What We Do in the Shadows might have brought me the most delight this year. A third season is often where a show starts to decline or really hits its stride, and luckily this one falls in the latter category. I don’t want to say too much more to ruin any of the bonkers-fun plots for anyone who isn’t caught up, but consider this your reminder to watch Season 3 if you haven’t yet – or, your push to give this mockumentary about dumbass horny vampire roommates a try.
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