Favorite TV Shows of 2021 – Part 1!

Hello, and welcome to what will be a two part series on my blog where I will be talking all about my favorite TV shows of 2021!  I must say, this was indeed a great year for television!  We are currently living in the golden age of television where there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of TV shows.  It was tough to choose only just a few TV shows to acknowledge as the best of last year, but this TV Nerd was up for the challenge!  What TV shows did I think were the best of 2021?  Keep reading to find out!

!!! There Will Be Spoilers Throughout This Article !!!

10. American Horror Story (Season 10- Part 1)

When talking about this past season of American Horror Story, I will be talking exclusively about just the first part of Season 10.  I haven’t seen Part 2 of Season 10 just yet, but I’m sure I’ll get around to watching that part of the season eventually.

Season 10 (Part 1) was so good!  American Horror Story over the years has gone from that show that you just can’t miss, to that show that may or may not disappoint you in its season’s story.  Whatever the case may be, Season 10 (Part 1) is, for sure, one of the best storylines the show has had in years.  This season’s story was able to reel viewers in and keep their interest.  The story dealt with the lengths that one would be willing to go to, as well as what one would be willing to give up in their life in order to be the very, very best at what they felt they were born to do.  Although, in order to achieve that success they would have to give up something in return because nothing in life is ever free.

An element of Season 10 (Part 1) that I loved was the location of where the story took place.  The writer’s of the show perfectly captured what it’s like to live in a tourist town, where the summers are crazy busy with people soaking in the summer weather.  Then the summer ends, the tourists leave, and that same tourist friendly town is now abandoned during the cold winter months.  The tourist friendly town that was hopping in the summer, appears now as almost a ghost town with not a soul in sight.  The town almost felt as though it was another character on the show.  The writer’s wrote about the location in a way that felt very authentic which in turn really added to the story. 

If American Horror Story is a show that you gave up on, Season 10 (Part 1) is a reason to give this show another chance.  I must say though, I do think that instead of making two parts to this season, I do think the first part of this season should have been the entire season.  There were so many layers to this story that there definitely could have been more story to tell.  Either way, the first half of this season was top notch, super interesting, and definitely a season to tune into!  

9. Kevin Can F Himself

Kevin Can F Himself is truly a one of a kind TV show.  It’s a very existential dark drama that perfectly captures what it feels like to feel stuck in one’s life.  The show centers around Allison (played wonderfully by Annie Murphy).  Allison is completely unhappy in her life.  The main reason for her unhappiness comes from being married to someone who she can no longer stand to be around.  Allison’s coping mechanism to feeling this way is that she imagines her life as a comedy show on TV (laugh track included).  

In this TV comedy, (that Allison plays in her head when she’s around husband) Allison’s life plays out like an episode of The King of Queens.  There’s no problem in this TV comedy that can’t be solved or fixed.  In this world, Allison is happy, Allison is fine!  Life is happy, life is fine!  Life isn’t dull or depressing, it’s great and super fun!  When Allison isn’t in the presence of her husband though, that TV comedy that includes a laugh track vanishes, showing viewers how Allison really feels.

Annie Murphy gives an incredible performance as Allison.  Murphy is best known for playing Alexis Rose on Schitt’s Creek.  Her character on that show had a very happy and bubbly personality.  Murphy’s character on Kevin Can F Himself is the complete opposite of Alexis Rose.  Murphy really shows her range as a performer on Kevin Can F Himself.  Her performance on this series was one of the best on television last year.  It’s a performance that definitely deserves to be acknowledged at this year’s Emmy Awards. 

I’ve never seen a show on TV quite like this one before.  Kevin Can F Himself has the feel of both a TV comedy such as The King of Queens, as well as the feel of an intense dark existential drama such as The Leftovers or Six Feet Under.  This show is just wonderful, and definitely one worth checking out!

8. Dexter

Michael C. Hall will forever and always be my favorite TV actor of all time.  I am a mega fan of the HBO series Six Feet Under, a show that Hall was on before his time on Dexter.  Hall is an amazing actor with a lot of depth and thought in his acting where you can’t help but recognize how great of an actor he is.  

Dexter was a very popular series that played on Showtime from 2006 to 2013.  The show is mostly remembered though, not for Hall’s great acting, but for having what some considered to be one the most disappointing series finales of all time.

Over the years, there was always the question of if this show would ever return to TV.  At the very end of the show’s series finale, Dexter is shown to be alive.  This left viewers thinking that the show could always return at some point in the future.  After many, many years that hope of a Dexter revival finally came true with the series officially returning back to Showtime in November of last year!

The revival takes place ten years after the original series ended.  Dexter is now living in a town called Iron Lakes, and lives a simple life.  When Dexter left Miami, he left behind his life there and who he was.  In Iron Lakes, Dexter reinvented himself.  He now goes by the name Jim Lindsay.  He has a job, friends, and a girlfriend.  No one knows about his dark past in Miami, or what he’s done.  He’s been living a simple, quiet life under the radar as Jim Lindsay in the town of Iron Lakes for ten years. 

After a decade of living as Jim Lindsay, Dexter’s life gets turned upside down when the son he abandoned appears at his doorstep, along with a spree of missing people disappearing from town.  Will Dexter tell his son the real truth about why he abandoned him?  Will Dexter’s true identity be revealed?  And who is responsible for the missing people disappearing from town?  All these questions are answered in the Dexter revival.

At the time of this article, the series still has a few more episodes to go before its season finale.  I have no idea how the show will end.  Will this Dexter finale be remembered as great or another dud?  I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!  Either way, it’s so nice to see Hall back on TV again! 

7. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist

Before I get into my love for this musical television series gem, let me just say thank you to the streaming service Roku for giving this show a chance to continue its story!  Although, I must admit I haven’t actually watched the TV movie just yet.  Yes, bad TV Nerd, I know.  So, I’ll just be talking about my thoughts on the series itself here.

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist continued to be just as great in Season 2 as it was in Season 1.  What I love so much about this series is how everyone on the show is just always there for one another.  If there’s a time when someone needs someone to talk to, or just someone to listen, someone is just always there.  This show has such a kind heart show that one can’t help but fall in love with its kindness.

A big part of this series has been about Zoey’s love interests.  Zoey’s heart has been torn in two for most of this series between Simon and Max.  By the end of Season 2, Zoey realizes that she has more feelings for Max than she does Simon.  The finale to Season 2 was where the show got really interesting.  Max has known about Zoey’s ability to hear the innermost thoughts of those around her in song for some time.  Literally, moments after Zoey tells Max how she feels about him in the Season 2 finale, Max then begins to hear Zoey’s innermost thoughts in song!  WHAT?!  I know!

After the show’s Season 2 finale, which may be the biggest cliffhanger on TV last season, NBC went ahead and decided to not renew this lovable and wonderful TV gem for another season.  I have to say, there are many, many great shows on Network TV.  I have many favorite shows on this platform.  These days though, shows on Network TV aren’t as talked about as they once were.  Why is that?  Well, along with Network TV, there is also now cable and streaming services that one can turn to when wanting to watch a TV show.  The fact that Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist was able to find a loyal fan base during its two seasons on NBC is quite impressive and shows how there was an audience out there for this series.  That’s why NBC not renewing this show will just always puzzle me.

Thankfully though, Roku picked up this series in the form of a TV movie.  I have no idea if this means Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist will eventually get another season, but this fan certainly hopes that happens!    

6. Housebroken

This funny and charming animated TV gem is what got this gal through summer 2021.  It’s about a group of animals who have weekly get- togethers to talk about how they’re doing, how they’re feeling, about their families, and anything else that they may have on their minds.  It’s basically a support group for animals because it’s not just humans who need someone to talk to every once in a while.

I just loved, loved, loved this show!  On the show, there are these cats who take walks around their neighborhood, just roaming the streets from block to block around their town.  These scenes reminded me of the cats that walk around my neighborhood who I see from time to time outside.  Nowhere to be, just going for their daily walk.  I just love it!

Well, that’s it for the first part of this series!  Have you watched any of these shows?  What were your favorite TV shows of 2021?  Be sure to let me know in the comments!  

Thanks so much for tuning in!  Be sure to check out my next article in this series where I’ll be talking about a few more of my favorite TV shows of 2021! 

Until Next Time TV Nerds!

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