10. Everything's Gonna Be Okay - I loved Please Like Me, and I think Josh Thomas continues to knock it out of the park with Freeform's Everything's Gonna Be Okay. The first season focused on grief, the second season builds on grief, and transforms into a story about love, sex, disease, friendship, and moving on. A wonderfully, funny, heartfelt, and honest show.
9. The White Lotus - Whew. This show was a jaw-dropper. It created horrible characters that you could not stop watching, made us feel delightfully uncomfortable, and dove into the furthest depths of the human psyche, a true feat considering the vapid nature of the characters. An endlessly watchable show that could have been smug, too judgmental, and too soapy, managed to be none of those things, and so much more.
8. (TIE) Superstore and Mom - Superstore and Mom both ended their runs in 2021, and they will be sorely missed. Broadcast sitcoms, while remaining popular among fans, have gone from being the center of comedy, to inducing eye-rolls among television critics, and members of the Television Academy. Some of that is deserved, but often, it is proven wrong. These two shows proved that Broadcast shows can be funny, well-acted, and deftly dive into society's issues. Sitcoms have done this for years, and these two shows continue that legacy and bring it into the 21st Century. I will miss their laughs and their brilliant commentary.
7. Hacks - Jean Smart is a legend. It is time to cement that status for her. She didn't need Hacks prove it. Although it surely did. Hacks is brutally honest, laugh-out-loud funny, and spot on it its commentary regarding women in comedy. It also features a great new talent in Hannah Einbinder, who plays so well off of Smart. A great new comedy that demands a binge watch.
6. Mare of Easttown - I'm not the biggest fan of murder mysteries. But boy did I get sucked in to Mare of Easttown. It was a well-written mystery that featured jaw-dropping performances, particularly from Kate Winslet, who continues to amaze me. But a lot of murder mysteries have those two things. I think what set Mare apart, aside from its compelling lead character, is its soul. The little side stories that accompany the bigger over-arching narrative, the characters, the small-town feel. It might have been a murder mystery at is core, but it is also a compelling human drama about the ups and downs of a small town, and it is those moments of humanity that make it a soulful experience.
5. (TIE) Pose and It's a Sin - LGBTQ+ television just continues to reach new heights, a welcomed development that is way overdue. This year, we had two excellent outings. First, Pose's final season was emotionally draining. I mean that in a good way. It had me sobbing in tears, not only because it was beautifully done, but also because it means that this beautiful series has ended its run. This year also brought a refreshing new miniseries from Russell T. Davis. It's a Sin feels like the natural successor to Angels in America, the 21st Century update that continues to shine light on the horrible AIDS epidemic. And like its predecessor, It's a Sin will long be remembered for its wit, heartache, and honesty.
4. Succession - Why? Why is it that we can't quit this family? Succession is brilliant, dark, funny, horrific, and has one of the best ensembles on television. I know that there is going to get to a point of diminishing returns for this series. There is only so much hell these writers can put the characters through, right? Or is there? As long as they keep churning out dramatic gold like Season 3, there is no limit to the success of this show.
3. (TIE) Girls5Eva and Ted Lasso - 2021 is finally (FINALLY!) over and it was a rough one. In these troubling times, we need to look to shows that bring us pure joy. Two shows come to mind. Actually, Ted Lasso Season 2 had some darker moments, some that divided fans, but I think they worked impeccably. Despite that, the enthusiasm that exudes from the screen in the show's first two season are infectious, and explain why this series was the awards darling of the year. I also enjoyed Girls5Eva from Peacock. Combining great music (well some of it was good, the rest was pure early millennium cheese and I love it), and pure comedic joy, the journey of these four women, all of whom were brought brilliantly to life by their brilliant actors, was impossible not to love. Thank you to the creators of these two shows for putting a smile on this blogger's face.
2. What We Do in the Shadows - What We Do in the Shadows has been building to its third season, and while the previous two outings were fantastic, they pale in comparison to the third time around. The new power they have earned as the leaders of the Vampiric Council has given our characters so much hilarious material, and the talented cast rise to the occasion in spectacular fashion. This series could have been an one-off, but Taika Waiti and his team just continue to raise the bar on comedic genius.
1. Insecure - When I first started watching Insecure, it was an undiscovered gem that I got to tell everyone about. Now it is an Emmy-winning smash hit that tops top ten lists, earns rave reviews, and is finally getting the recognition it deserves as a cultural milestone and phenomenon. I cannot think of a more deserving show, and a more deserving cast and crew. The worst part, is that, after five magnificent season, it is ending. I will miss Issa, Molly, Kelly, and the whole gang. I will miss the raw honesty of this show's characters, the flawed lines that make them funny, absorbing, at times frustrating, and always endlessly watchable. Issa Rae and her team have created a modern comedic masterpiece that will be remembered long after its final scene goes black.
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