We’re not certain of much headed into 2021, but the upcoming TV slate gives us reason to hope.
Despite pandemic related delays, tons of shows are launching and returning in the new year — giving those of us still socially distancing plenty to sift through. Impeachment: American Crime Story, Tuca & Bertie Season 2, Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings series, HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot, and many more exciting projects are in the works right now.
What do we know we’ll be watching ASAP? Here are our top 10 picks for most anticipated TV shows to look forward to in 2021. (Oh yeah, there’s Marvel on here. Lots of Marvel.)
1. Mr. Mayor, NBC (Jan. 7)
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NBC’s beloved The Good Place finally crossed over in 2020. Luckily, a new comedy from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock should fill the Ted Danson-sized hole it left in our hearts. Mr. Mayor stars Danson as Ned, a retired businessman who runs for Mayor of Los Angeles on a whim — and wins. With a delightful trailer, a killer supporting cast, and a confirmed release date of Jan. 7, Mr. Mayor seems like a safe bet for a favorite new show in 2021. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
2. WandaVision, Disney+ (Jan. 15)
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2020 will be remembered for a lot of things, among them being the first year with no new Marvel movies since 2008. Thankfully the MCU picks up again in January with WandaVision, the first of many, many new in-universe Marvel shows on Disney+. Marketing for the show has been cryptic, teasing a reality-bending, genre-hopping story about Wanda Maximoff seemingly reviving the late hero Vision in a series of episodes that mimic different eras of television programming. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter
3. The Equalizer, CBS (Feb. 7)
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Justice has a new face when The Equalizer returns to TV in 2021. This time, Queen Latifah will take on the role of the retired secret agent who dedicates her life to solving other people’s problems with the Equalizer’s signature flair. And by flair, we mean “creative violence elevated to an art form.” Everything’s a weapon when The Equalizer walks into a room, and anyone causing problems for her clients ought to watch their back, their front, the floorboards, and should also check the ceiling to be safe. — A.N.
4. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Disney+ (March)
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The second Marvel show coming to Disney+ in 2021 is The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, an action/thriller starring Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan as two Team Cap members in a post-Cap world. The trailer for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier teases a threat to Captain America’s legacy, a mysterious group of masked criminals, and a grudging partnership between Sam and Bucky to save the day, shield or no shield. — A.N.
5. Loki, Disney+ (May)
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Loki’s death in Avengers: Infinity War spawned a thousand fan theories regarding how the MCU’s trickster god may have actually pulled a fast one and survived. Those theories were only partially right. The Loki of Loki on Disney+ is a past version of Tom Hiddleston’s iconic antihero, pulled out of time by the events of Avengers: Endgame and embarking on a whole new adventure in a far off corner of the galaxy. What does that mean for Thor and the “corrected” MCU? Gotta watch Loki in May to find out. — A.N.
6. Love is Blind Season 2, Netflix (TBA)
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There isn’t much that happened in 2020 we actually want to repeat. But of course, Netflix’s outrageous Love is Blind should feel free to return whenever it likes. The high-tech, low-logic dating show hosted by Vanessa and Nick Lachey introduced reality TV lovers to the magical world of pod-based matchmaking last February. We’re still waiting on an official date for Season 2, but casting rumors indicate we may be getting a fresh lineup of drama-prone singles very soon. — A.F.
7. Schmigadoon!, Apple TV+ (TBA)
My 3 Rules for shooting Schmigadoon:
1) Dancers always shot head to toe;
2) Musical numbers done in long takes, with minimal edits;
3) Whenever possible, record actors singing live.You can do all this when you have the MOST AMAZING CAST EVER. Can’t wait for you all to see it.
— Cinco Paul (@cincopedia) December 22, 2020
Musical theater folks: we eatin’ in 2021. The main dish on the table is Schmigadoon!, an Apple TV+ series about a pair of curmudgeons who accidentally travel to a town where everyone behaves as if they’re in a musical. Get ready for original songs, huge dance numbers, and more Broadway tropes than you can shake a chorus girl’s ridiculously long leg at. The stacked cast includes Cecily Strong, Aaron Tveit, Keegan Michael-Key, Ann Harada, Kristin Chenowith, Jane Krakowski, and Alan Cumming, so you know no one’s messing around on those live recorded vocals. — A.N.
8. Succession Season 3, HBO (TBA)
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America’s worst fictional family appears to be set for a 2021 return. The Roys produced a hell of a cliffhanger with that father-son double-cross during the Season 2 finale, aired on Oct. 13, 2019 (aka a lifetime ago.) But now that HBO’s satirical drama has resumed production, we can finally begin to expect answers about the future Logan, Kendall, and all of the totally well-adjusted employees at Waystar RoyCo. Nothing is official yet, but our hopes are penthouse high. — A.F.
9. Atlanta Season 3, FX (TBA)
It has been *way* too long, Earn.
Even more overdue than Succession Season 3, Donald Glover’s brilliant Atlanta will make its triumphant return in 2021 after a nearly three year hiatus. In September, FX execs confirmed both Atlanta Seasons 3 and 4 would be filmed back to back early this year, and that Season 3 was expected to air in 2021. Narratively, we’re not speculating where this show is headed, but damn if we’re not excited to see what Glover came up with over the pandemic. — A.F.
10. The Book of Boba Fett, Disney+ (December)
The Book of Boba Fett, a new Original Series, starring Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen and executive produced by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and Robert Rodriguez, set within the timeline of The Mandalorian, is coming to @DisneyPlus Dec. 2021. pic.twitter.com/YT2zbLufI8
— Star Wars (@starwars) December 21, 2020
Boba Fett’s triumphant return in The Mandalorian Season 2 was easily one of the coolest TV moments of 2020. Temuera Morrison’s terse, ass-kicking, and surprisingly funny take on the iconic bounty hunter seemed perfect for a solo series, and the post-credit stinger in The Mandalorian finale delivered on that promise. The Book of Boba Fett, co-starring Ming-Na Wen as Fennec Shand, premieres in December 2021. — A.N.
Honorable mention: Friends reunion special, HBO Max (TBA)
The One Where They Kiss, But In 2021!!
Image: Robert Isenberg/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Aaaaahhhh! It’s The One Where They Reunite For HBO Max!! After years of speculation surrounding when, how, and if the Friends cast would ever return to our screens, fans of the ‘90s sitcom can rejoice in the promise of a release window. In November, star Matthew Perry confirmed via Twitter that HBO Max’s Friends reunion special (slated for early 2020, but delayed thanks to the pandemic) was officially set to begin filming in early 2021. Details are sparse, but all six main cast members will be there for you. When the rain starts to pour, like they’ve been there before, etc. — A.F.