THE BEST OF 2021 - The Best COMICS Of The Year

THE BEST COMICS OF 2021:

- As with 2020, comic books were, for me, one of the great comforts of this crazy, mixed-up pandemic year. Perusing the Comixology website to buy my weekly digital books became an important ritual - a guarantee that, no matter how insane or dire things out in the real world got, I'd still be able to look forward to some quality time curled up with my iPad and some comic books - because really, what's better than that?

While comic distribution stuck to a pretty regular schedule this year, the market still felt like it was missing some of its heavy hitters. Brian K. Vaughn, for example, was mostly MIA - his fan-favorite sci-fi adventure Saga now slated for a 2022 return. But nature abhors a vacuum, and this meant that I discovered a lot of new favorite creative talent this year. Writer Mariko Tamaki is a prime example - until recently, I wasn't at all familiar with her work - but she wowed me this year with her versatile writing on DC's flagship Batman book Detective Comics and on their banter-filled father-daughter team-up book Crush & Lobo. Additionally, rising stars really found their groove this year - James Tynion IV went from "one of my new favorites" to "maybe the best in the biz right now," with his stellar, cerebral, page-turning work on everything from DC's Batman and related spinoffs to Image books like The Department of Truth and The Nice House on the Lake. 

Speaking of DC, they had a pretty good year. Their Batman books enjoyed one of the more engaging big-event stories in a while in the Tynion and Tamaki-penned Fear State saga, about an authoritarian regime known as The Magistrate taking over Gotham (with the help of the villainous Scarecrow). The mainline story, as well as its various spin-off one-shots, were excellent. DC also continued to use its recent status-quo changes (thanks to events like Infinite Frontier) to bring back long-missing pieces of its continuity from limbo, like fan-favorite characters Connor Hawke (who popped up in the Robin comic) or the original members of the JSA (also featured on the TV series Stargirl). Now that the pieces are in place, I hope that DC can really deliver on some can't-miss big event storytelling next year. 

As for Marvel, I tend to be more into their standalone stories as opposed to their big events. This year saw acclaimed writer Jonathan Hickman wind down his celebrated run on X-Men, which was one of my favorite books of 2020 and continued to entertain me so long as Hickman and his unique, mind-bending storytelling were driving things. I also continue to be a huge fan of writer Kelly Thompson and the fun, witty, action-packed vibe she brings to her Marvel books like Captain Marvel and Black Widow.

Of course, so much of what's great about comics is the cool stuff that can be found on the fringes. There's always more to discover - new books to find, new writers and artists to become a fan of. So I hope you enjoy my picks below, and maybe even find a new favorite comic book.

Oh, and one more thing! After years of thinking about it, this coming year I'm actually doing it - I'm writing and publishing my own comic book! Yep, keep an eye out for HALLOWEEN TEAM - coming in 2022 - written by me, with art by the uber-talented Matt Shults. It's going to be awesome.

 

DANNY'S BEST COMICS OF 2021:


1.) The Department of Truth

- James Tynion's ongoing book from Image has, gradually, became my favorite comic going today. It's a dark, thought-provoking X-Files for the current era, with a brilliant twist on the classic conspiracy theory genre: that conspiracy theories are only true when enough people believe them to be so. This metaphysical spin allows Tynion to really dig into modern American history, and explore exactly why and how certain ideas developed from fiction into supposed fact - from the Kennedy assassination to the "Satanic Panic" of the 80's to urban legends about aliens, Bigfoot, and more. If you want to really go down the rabbit hole, you've got to read this one.

2.) Reckless

- For the second year in a row, Ed Brubaker's graphic novel series Reckless is near the top of my list. With two new Reckless books out this year, Brubaker again shows why he's absolutely one of the best to ever write comics and one of the true masters of pulp crime-fiction. Set in the seedy Los Angeles of the 1980's, these brutal, page-turning pulp-fictions are filled with compelling mysteries and memorable characters. Brubaker at his best (and fantastic art from his partner in crime Sean Phillips as well).

3.) The Nice House On The Lake

- And here's James Tynion again - with another book with a banger of a premise: a group of people whose only connection is a mysterious mutual friend end up in an isolated vacation home together, only to discover that the world has ended and they - thanks to the supernatural influence of their friend - are the earth's last survivors. Killer premise aside, Tynion makes each chapter pack a punch - with well-drawn characters and cliffhangers a plenty.

4.) The Other History of the DC Universe

- This one made my Top 10 list last year despite being only one issue in - and so of course it's back again for 2021, now that award-winning screenwriter John Ridley has completed his sprawling profiles of some of DC Comics most underutilized heroes of color. Ridley deftly mixes the DC Universe's most seismic storylines with the real-world politics and news stories of of the era in which each issue takes place. In doing so, Ridley not only gives new depth to characters like Katana and Renee Montoya, but also succeeds in giving a broader historical and socio-political context to the DC comics of various decades. A masterwork.


5.) Rorschach

- Many understandably rolled their eyes at the idea of writer Tom King doing a Watchmen pseudo-sequel series. DC had made rather prolific use of the once-untouchable characters from Alan Moore's classic in recent years, and it was easy to wonder if this was a bridge best not crossed. But Tom King truly brought his A-game to this one - and crafted a wonderfully intriguing mystery that blends the impending-doom deconstruction of Watchmen with the style and aesthetic of classic 70's paranoid conspiracy thriller films. The result is a surprisingly fantastic maxiseries that really wowed me, featuring an unexpected spin on one of Watchmen's iconic characters.

6.) Batman: Fear State - Secret Files Specials (Miracle Molly, Peacekeeper-01, The Gardner)

- As I mentioned above, the big Batman event of 2021, Fear State, was pretty excellent. The story detailed Gotham on the brink of a full-fledged dystopia, with Batman having to rely on new allies and new tactics to not just stop the badguys, but win over the people of Gotham to his side. While the main story that ran through monthly books like Batman and Detective Comics was very good, the true highlights of the event were the series of "Secret Files" specials, each written by James Tynion (there's that name again!), and each spotlighting one of the new characters introduced as part of this event. The standout, to me, was Miracle Molly - the leader of an underground revolutionary group who Batman forms a reluctant partnership with. The story of how Molly mind-wipes herself in order to cleanse herself of mental baggage - consequences be damned - was both harrowing and affecting.

 
7.) Crush & Lobo

- Lobo is an iconic DC character - an over-the-top riff on antiheroes like Wolverine, Lobo quickly developed his own fanboy following throughout the 90's. But what to do in 2021 with a character whose central joke is perhaps slightly played out? Easy - give him a badass but still self-doubting LGBTQ teenaged daughter named Crush. Crush, introduced a few years ago over in the Teen Titans comics, has become one of DC's breakout characters, and it was great to see her get the spotlight here. Written by new fave Mariko Tamaki, this was a fun, banter-filled outer space adventure with humor and heart a-plenty.


8.) The Joker

- Okay, fine - one more book from James Tynion on my Top 10 (yep, the guy was everywhere this year). But The Joker is more than deserving of placement on this list. And it's funny, because I don't know that almost anyone was sold that The Joker needed his own series. But the genius here is that this isn't *really* a Joker series - it's a James Gordon series. And it's a series that dives deep into the long, messy history between Gordon and the Joker, and takes a hard look at the moral difficulties of being a purveyor of justice in an unjust world that would allow an insane killer like The Joker to continually cause havoc. A great read month in and month out.


9.) Nightwing

- Yes, it was a good year for the Bat-family books. Nightwing has had a lot of strong runs over the last couple of decades, but the character is currently enjoying another renaissance thanks to the fantastic creative team of writer Tom Taylor and artist Bruno Redondo. From great relationship-y stuff (Taylor addresses the will-they/won't-they Dick Grayson/Barbara Gordon romance head-on, with a lot of nuance and heart) to really interesting social justice questions (Dick uses his fortune in interesting ways to help the people of his adopted hometown Bludhaven) - Taylor gives a little bit of everything here. And Redondo's smooth, cinematic art makes the action scenes sing.


10.) Mazebook

- Jeff Lemire had another prolific year in 2021 (not to mention his seminal Sweet Tooth series getting adapted for Netflix). I'm a big fan of almost all of his work, and in 2021 I enjoyed everything from his Black Hammer franchise books to a weird pets-in-space sci-fi story called Primordial. But my favorite of his 2021 output was Mazebook from Dark Horse Comics - a very intimate story that's also a real page-turner. Written and drawn by Lemire, it's the story of a middle-aged man convinced that his long-dead daughter might still, somehow, be alive - and that solving a strange, all-encompassing maze might be the key to finding her. This is the kind of story that Lemire always nails, and I hope we get more like this from him in 2022.


OTHER FAVORITES FROM 2021:

Batman (James Tynion run)
Detective Comics (Mariko Tamaki run)
Captain Marvel by Kelly Thompson
Robin by Joshua Williamson
Black Hammer: Reborn
Catwoman by Ram V
Fantastic Four: Life Story
Life Is Strange
The Human Target
X-Men: Inferno
Fantastic Four by Dan Slott
Task Force Z
Superman and the Authority
The United States of Captain America
Batman: Urban Legends
Lazarus: Risen
Shadecraft
Batman: The Adventure Continues
The Next Batman
Dark Knights of Steel
Firepower
One-Star Squadron
Deathstroke Inc.
Stranger Things: The Tomb of Ybwen
Swamp Thing by Ram V
Made in Korea
Home
Barbalien: Red Planet
Superman '78
Action Comics by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Superman: Son of Kal-El
Far Sector 

WRITERS OF THE YEAR:

1.) James Tynion IV (The Department of Truth, The Joker, Batman, The Nice House On The Lake)
2.) Mariko Tamaki (Detective Comics, Crush & Lobo)
3.) John Ridley (The Other History of the DC Universe, The Next Batman)
4.) Ed Brubaker (Reckless)
5.) Tom Taylor (Nightwing, Dark Knights of Steel)
6.) Jeff Lemire (Mazebook, Black Hammer: Reborn)
7.) Tom King (Rorschach, The Human Target)
8.) Matthew Rosenberg (Batman: Urban Legends, Task Force Z)
9.) Joshua Williamson (Robin, Deathstroke Inc.)
10.) Mark Russell (Fantastic Four: Life Story, One-Star Squadron)


ARTISTS OF THE YEAR:

1.) Bruno Redondo (Nightwing)
2.) Sean Phillips (Reckless)
3.) Dan Mora (Detective Comics)
4.) Jorge Fornes (Rorschach)
5.) Martin Simmonds (The Department of Truth)
6.) Alvaro Martinez (The Nice House on the Lake)
7.) Mike Perkins (Swamp Thing)
8.) Jorge Fornés (Rorschach)
9.) Amancay Nahuelpan (Crush & Lobo)
10.) Jeff Lemire (Mazebook)

 

THE BEST OF 2021 - The Best ROCK Of The Year

 

 

- The last concert I saw in 2020 was in February - an 80's-themed throwback show in downtown Los Angeles, featuring a dozen or so retro bands like Flock of Seagulls and Wang Chung and even MC Hammer. It was a fun night, but little did I realize at the time that, in about a month's time ... the whole world was about to shut down. It was a long year and a half of quarantine, anxiety, and no live performances.

But luckily, vaccines helped to pave the way for the return of live shows this past summer. For a moment at least, things seemed to be getting better. Since the summer, I've seen some amazing live shows. Green Day/Weezer/Fall Out Boy at Dodger Stadium and Alanis Morissette/Garbage at the Hollywood Bowl were both incredible concerts, and hugely cathartic after a year of being mostly trapped indoors. It's funny (and a bit sad) how so many of Green Day's Bush-era American Idiot anthems took on new resonance in the here and now. And, the show was this long-time Weezer fan's first *ever* time seeing the band live. In any case, hearing the stadium-shaking rock songs from those bands as well as Fall Out Boy quite simply hit different given that we were all freshly-emerged from months of the stay-at-home blues. As for Alanis, she's been one of my favorites forever, but I'd never seen her in concert until now. She absolutely killed it and put on a show for the ages. If anything, the show reinforced just how incredible of an album Jagged Little Pill was (and is, 26 years in) - just one iconic song after another.

I also returned to the theater to see some musicals, thanks to strict proof-of-vax and masking requirements in the City of LA. I *finally* saw Hamilton live for the first time ever (it was great!), at the Pantages theater, after having had tickets for April 2020 and that show obviously getting canceled as the pandemic raged. I also saw a great musical called The Band's Visit, which was really interesting - an Israel-set musical with some great songs and fun characters.

Will we still be able to go to concerts and live shows in 2022? Here's hoping. It's one of my favorite things to do, and in normal times there's so many great venues and shows to check out here in LA - it's one of the best parts of living in this city. 

Now, as for new music in 2021 - there were some killer new releases, and some of my favorite new albums in a while. Many long-delayed projects finally released, and some of my favorite bands finally came out with new stuff, a lot of it excellent. So without further ado ... here are my picks for the best of the year.


DANNY'S TOP ROCK SONGS OF 2021:


1.) Dead Sara - "Heroes"

- Dead Sara has been one of my favorite modern rock bands for a long time now, and their latest album Ain't It Tragic is both a kickass return to form and an interesting evolution of their sound. "Heroes" is my favorite track from the new release - a soulful rocker that takes full advantage of singer Emily Armstrong's husky yet powerful vocals. The song's lyrics seem to lament the state of the world in a way that I found poignant and powerful. But ultimately, this is just an awesome rock song - one of the band's best ever.


2.) Iron Maiden - "Writing on the Wall"

- Iron Maiden returned this year with an absolutely incredible double album, Senjutsu - an epic rock adventure that runs of the gamut from fast-paced head-bangers to slow-build metal ballads. For me, the album's lead single "Writing on the Wall" was my favorite - a straightforward rocker tinged with Western and medieval sounds, a killer chorus, and even an awesome animated music video that's like Heavy Metal meets Mad Max: Fury Road. Iron Maiden in peak form, baby.


3.) The Offspring - "Let the Bad Times Roll"

- Punk rockers The Offspring returned with a new album this year after a lengthy hiatus, and it was worth the wait if only for some legit great new songs like "Let the Bad Times Roll" - a vintage Offspring pop-punk rocker with lyrics that speak to the modern era of darkest-timeline insanity. So good.


4.) Weezer - "I Need Some of That"

- Weezer's album of 80's-style rock songs, Van Weezer, was delayed so many times that I kind of wondered if it would ever release (the band even did a whole other album in between Van Weezer's announcement and eventual 2021 release, and the first single off the album, "The End of the Game," made my Best of 2019 list!). But ultimately, this was worth the wait, as in my opinion this was Weezer's best overall album in many years - especially, if, like me, you're more a fan of their vintage pop-punk sound vs. their forays into mellower emo fare. "I Need Some of That" is about as pop-punk as you can get, an upbeat rocker that still contains bursts of Weezer quirk. And it references Aerosmith to boot, so you *know* I'm going to dig it.

5.) The Dropkick Murphys - "Lee Boy"

- The Murphys released a new album this year, and it was a comfort-food pleasure to get another dose of the band's trademark Irish-flavored punk rock. Boston's favorite sons almost always deliver solid albums, and this one was no exception. One standout track is Lee Boy - a fist-pumper of the vintage DKM variety, a feel-good ode to a friend of the band who seems to be, well, just a pretty solid dude. And in this day and age, that's something well worth celebrating.


6.) The Pretty Reckless - "Only Love Can Save Me Now"

- The Pretty Reckless returned this year with more of their soulful, goth-tinged hard rock - and it's tracks like this one that remind why they're such a welcome throwback to the rock n' roll glory days when guitar gods reigned supreme. This one's got some badass riffs and, of course, singer Taylor Momsen's deep-voiced growl. "The sound, the sound, the world is spinnin' out ...". Yeah, that tracks.


7.) Iron Maiden - "Death of the Celts"

- I had to throw in one more track from Iron Maiden's latest album. Whereas "The Writing on the Wall" is the standout straight-up rocker, "Death of the Celts" is an epic ballad that take some time before it can really sink its hooks into you. It's an Iron Maiden oddity for sure, but the almost medieval-like balladry combined with Bruce Dickinson's ever-operatic voice make for a new Maiden classic.


8.) The Darkness - "Motorheart"

- The Darkness' new album Motorheart gives us more of the UK band's vintage glam-rock stylings, with their usual mix of earnest rocking and tongue-in-cheek absurdity. The title track is the perfect emblem of the band's style - it legit rocks, but it also tells a crazy, over-the-top tale of finding love in all the wrong, robotic places.


9.) The Linda Lindas - "Racist, Sexist Boy"

- This out-of-nowhere viral punk rock hit warmed the heart - a couple of teenage girls raging against the machine ... or, in this case, a racist sexist boy who was, seemingly, racist and sexist and absolutely deserving of the verbal smackdown laid upon him in this anthem for the ages. The punk rock of it all is only heightened by the fact that the original viral video featured the band performing ad hoc in, of all places, their school library. Now that's badass.


10.) Dead Sara - "Hypnotic"

- Okay, fine, one more from Dead Sara. They had such an awesome new album this year that they deserve it. And "Hypnotic" is one of those risky departures from the band's usual sound that totally pays off - it's a banger ... a bouncy techno-rock song that makes you want to throw your hands up and get down. Do I want this to be the new direction of the band? Not really. But hey, it's always cool when an old favorite can surprise you.

THE BEST OF 2021 - The Best TV Of The Year

THE BEST OF 2021 - The Best TV Shows of The Year

- And we're back. But, wait - what year is it, again? Was 2021 really a thing, or did we just live 2020 again on repeat?

While there were some glimpses of hope in 2021 - moments where it seemed like we'd emerged from the proverbial muck of 2020 and that some degree of normalcy would soon resume ... this still felt like the slightly less-darkest-timeline spinoff of the hellscape that was last year. And nobody, it seemed, quite knew how to process that.

But if we're talking TV (and we are!), that weird murkiness about the state of the zeitgeist meant a constant discourse about what, exactly, the people demanded in these strange times. Was it feel-good fare like (well, on the surface, at least) Ted Lasso? Dark social satire like Squid Game? Or brain-dead reality TV to simply help tune out the noise? Turns out, the answer is all of the above. Not to worry though - there was content a-plenty in 2021, as production resumed and the floodgates of the post-golden-age age of "too much content" resumed. There was a seemingly infinite supply of television this past year, and there was absolutely no way most could keep up with even a fraction of it all. But hey, the good news is that there was something for every taste. And if your taste happened to be, say, Marvel superheroes - well, your plate in 2021 was likely overloaded *just* from the deluge of MCU content that hit Disney+ throughout the year. <Exhales>

There was more TV in 2021 than anyone knew what to do with. But the macro-level question here is: who, exactly, is all this for? With Gen Z's media time occupied by shortform social media videos, gaming, etc. - the whirlwind of content often felt like it was competing for the increasingly short attention spans of an ever-shrinking media marketplace. Actual on-air TV ratings were worse than ever, while the success of streaming series was kept close to the vest - frustrating the pundits used to Nielsen numbers to contextualize the marketplace. Something like Squid Game saw viral success seemingly out of nowhere - and to me, that's super cool. It allowed a Korean-language import - that, in past eras would have been relegated to, at best, cult classic status - to become one of the most watched series in America and around the world. Pretty awesome, right? At the same time, plenty of high-profile, big budget series bombed - a victim of the hard-to-navigate tsunami of content that is streaming-era TV, where a big-name cast is often less valuable than a novel premise that gets people talking on social media. And unfortunately, the Netflix's of the world are often quicker to swing the ol' cancellation axe than even network TV back in the day. How is all of this sustainable? Honestly, I have no idea. It speaks to the chaotic nature of TV now that so many streamers are going back to the tried and true "one episode per week" method of releasing - at least, there, you have a proven method to sustain a series' time in the conversation beyond just that first weekend of release.

Despite the chaos, I'm still heartened by the sheer variety of cool content out there right now. Not all of it is amazing, but we're seeing concepts thrive that *never* would have gotten past traditional network development back in the pre-streaming era. The doors that were opened by the likes of Lost, The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, The Office, The Walking Dead, and Game of Thrones have led to a world where no genre or premise is off limits. And even still, there is room for something like Squid Game to surprise.

Caveats for my list: it goes without saying, but there is way too much TV for even me to watch. I've yet to catch up on Succession or Hacks, I'm behind on several shows like The Other Two, Locke & Key, and Doom Patrol, and just at the tail end of this month alone there's been new stuff dropping like MacGruber, The Witcher S2, and The Book of Boba Fett that I haven't yet seen. 

I also just want to give a shout-out to the programming that perhaps did the most to keep me sane during this crazy year: pro-wrestling. The rise of AEW as legit competition to WWE has been a joy to behold - and while my interest in WWE has waned, I'm positively pumped to tune in each Wednesday evening to AEW's flagship series Dynamite - especially now that heavy hitters like Bryan Danielson and CM Punk have joined the fray. High-quality wrestling, a stacked roster, and a refreshing sense of unpredictability have all helped to make AEW programming feel like can't-miss event TV. If you're a lapsed wrasslin' fan, check it out if you haven't already. Shout-out too to the documentary series Dark Side of the Ring on Vice TV, which is an ultra-compelling show chronicling some of the most sordid and tragic moments in the always-crazy pro-wrestling industry.

Oh. a shout-out too for a notable piece of content from the very beginning of 2021 - In and Of Itself, the remarkable Hulu special featuring Derek DelGaudio. The special - a filmed performance of DelGaudio's one man show in New York (well, an amalgam of various performances of the show) - is thought-provoking mind-#$&% of magic, mystery, and storytelling that ponders any number of deep questions. Another highly-recommended, slightly uncategorizable pop-culture thing I loved in 2021.

And finally, I've got to mention that 2021 brought the end of CONAN - Conan O'Brien's long-running TBS late-night talk show. In turn, this marks the likely end of Conan's storied career as a late-night talk show host. While he's set to return to TV with a new HBO Max variety show, his talk show ending is, truly, the end of an era. And of course, as a former intern for Late Night With Conan O'Brien, I have a special attachment to the show even beyond my longtime fandom. But man, there was so much hilarity on the TBS show over the years - some of the funniest stuff Conan ever did with the format. From the instant-classic Jordan Schlansky remote sketches to the "Conan Without Borders" travelogue specials, Conan's TBS show was an amazing run of late-night that was too often under-appreciated. During the pandemic, too, Conan was daily slice of comfort-food TV - an old-reliable that never failed to cheer me up in these crazy times. I'm sad to see the show end, but here's hoping that Conan's TV absence won't be long, and that whatever he does next will be something special.

And now, on to my picks ...


DANNY'S TOP TV SHOWS OF 2021:


1. SQUID GAME

- Squid Game, for me, was *the* series of 2021, no contest. I watched each episode hanging on every word and moment, on the edge of my seat. You can talk about the show's astute social commentary and capitalist critique - that's a big part, no doubt, of why it resonated so much. But ultimately, Squid Game is just an example of flat-out fantastic storytelling that transcended language or nationality: memorable characters, a jaw-dropping and increasingly insane premise, kick-ass world-building, and killer cliffhangers. More, please.

2. THE HANDMAID'S TALE

- The best acting I saw on TV this year was from the always-formidable Elizabeth Moss as June - the titular Handmaid who, over the course of four seasons, has gone from enslaved servant in the dystopian future of Gilead to mother of the coming revolution. I know, I know - many dropped off from the show in S2 or S3. But Season 4 was the series' best since its first - filled with drama of the highest order, and the sort of fight-the-power spirit that is still very much needed and appreciated.

3. RESERVATION DOGS

- Another out-of-nowhere surprise favorite was Hulu's Reservation Dogs - a new series about a bunch of Native American teens trying to escape their bleak lives on the reservation. I absolutely loved this series - it's hilarious, for one thing. And though it dabbles in some absurdist humor and magical realism, it's also an incredibly authentic-feeling show that actually taught me a lot about Native American culture. But yeah, it's funny as heck and filled with heart as well. It's hard not to love this one.

4. WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

- With S3, it's safe to say that What We Do In the Shadows is, officially, one of the comedy greats. Put it right up there with modern classics like The Office, 30 Rock, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The show is at that glorious moment in a comedy's lifespan where it's just firing on all cylinders - the jokes are popping, the characters' chemistry is a well-oiled machine, and yet, the show still manages to surprise and delight at every turn. The quick pitch is that this is The Office but with vampires. The reality is that, whether that premise immediately appeals to you or not, this is arguably *the* must-see comedy on TV right now.

5. MARE OF EASTTOWN

- I was late to the Mare of Easttown party, but when I finally caught up late this year, I was sort of blown away. For one, this is a moody, gritty crime-noir that's a little bit Fargo, a little bit True Detective, and a lot Kate Winslet. Winslet delivers one of the finest performances of the year, making Mare - ever driven, often ornery, and always haunted - into an instant-classic character. The whodunnit mystery at the heart of the show was incredibly compelling - but it was Winslet's iconic performance that made this a must-see.

6. ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

- Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez (along with a killer supporting cast) joined forces to bring us one of the best series of 2021. Only Murders is an absolute delight - a legit murder mystery that's also filled with hilarious comedy from two of the all-time greats (and a very game Gomez). Watching Steve Martin and Martin Short play off of each other was a real treat, and Gomez fit right in - bringing an almost Veronica Mars-esque vibe to her droll, sardonic character. Bring on Season 2.

7. MIDNIGHT MASS

- Mike Flanagan does it again - in what may be his best TV outing to date. Indeed, the creative force behind Netflix's Haunting of Hill House and Haunting of Bly Manor (not to mention kickass horror movies like Doctor Sleep) returned in 2021 with an absolute banger of a show that, for the sake of not spoiling its many twists and turns, will only say is a total must-watch. This series - gorgeously directed - is a Stephen King-esque slice of gothic small-town horror that's got a ton to say about religion, morality, prejudice, and conformity. It's got one of the best performances of the year in Hamish Linklater's turn as the mysterious Father Paul Hill (I mean, seriously - damn!). I can't wait for whatever Flanagan does next.


8. IMPEACHMENT: AMERICAN CRIME STORY

- I went into this one a bit weary (like many, I'm sure) - but my curiosity and interest in politics led me to give it a shot. And, wow, what a surprise this was - an absolutely riveting series that was just the right mix of high drama, astute political commentary, and winking Ryan Murphy camp. The cast was truly all-star, but let's take a moment to call out the all-timer performance of Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp - which was mind-blowingly good, and arguably a career highlight for the always-great Paulson. The series turned the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal into a story both fascinating for its intrigue and for the way it hits differently when viewed from a modern lens.


9. INVINCIBLE

- I was a huge fan of Robert Kirkman's Invincible comic book series, so was curious to see how Amazon would adapt it as an animated series. Turns out ... incredibly faithfully! Season 1 of Invincible not only captures the aesthetic of the comic book art from Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley, but it also, thankfully, captures Kirkman's unique storytelling style, offbeat sense of humor, penchant for hyper-violent action, and his talent for epic cliffhangers. The show adds to that with a top-notch voice cast, including Steven Yeun as our lead hero. The result: a hugely entertaining, highly-binge-able season of TV. This is a bar-raiser for comic book adaptations.

10. TED LASSO

- I have a lot of complicated thoughts about Ted Lasso. To me, it's the most misunderstood show out there. So many hold it up as an example of light, feel-good TV - when in fact, it's a pretty dark series in a lot of ways. Yes, Ted's outward persona is that of an almost preternaturally cheerful and good-natured dude, but, as Season 2 explored with a lot of depth and nuance, that is in many ways a manufactured personality hiding a lot of pain and anxiety. In S2, the show explored that in ways both hilarious (Ted's evil persona "Led Tasso") and serious (Ted's panic attacks). And really, this is a show about broken people working out their issues - and so it is ultimately hopeful, but also not exactly "light." But when it's at its best, man, this show can be great. In fact, my absolute favorite TV episode of the year was the Coach Beard-centric S2, Ep 9 - an absolutely sublime long night's journey into day that was a total stunner.


The Next Best:


11. PEN15

- This one was tough to exclude from the Top 10, because the second and final season of PEN15 was so fantastic. And the truth is, I was a latecomer to the show, and throughout 2021 the series was one of my big comfort binges. Rarely has there been such a funny and poignant look at adolescence. I'm going to miss this one.

12. BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

- Speaking of shows I'm going to miss ... all hail Brooklyn Nine-Nine, aka one of the greatest TV comedies of all-time. The show's final season - airing two episodes per week in rapid succession, flew by - and I wish the series had had a more drawn-out send-off with a longer season and a lot more fanfare. But, man, the show was funny to the end. Special shout-out to Andre Braugher, who over the course of the series made Captain Holt one of the great comedy supporting characters ever. Nine-Nine!


13. SCHMIGADOON

- Another fun surprise, this Apple TV series was a comedic homage to old-timey musicals that was incredibly creative, stacked with an amazing cast, and legitimately funny af. The musical numbers were hilarious but also extremely well done, and Keegan Michael Key and Cecily Strong were fantastic as the leads.

14. SWEET TOOTH

- I'm a longtime fan of the Sweet Tooth comic book series and of its writer/artist Jeff Lemite, so I completely geeked-out for the first major adaptation of one of Lemire's works (and, in Sweet Tooth, arguably his magnum opus). The show made changes to the story, but I thought they largely worked - blending Lemire's quirk with Spielbergian awe and wonder to craft a unique and gripping adventure.

15. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM

- The long-awaited return of Curb was a much-needed dose of familiarity during these uncertain times, as one thing is indeed certain about this long-running series: Larry David will never change. And thank god for that. This latest season of Curb was slightly uneven at times, but delivered a handful of classic episodes and great finale to boot. Pretty, pretty good.

16. HELLBOUND

- Squid Game wasn't the only buzzworthy, high-concept Korean series to make waves on Netflix this year. Hot on the heels of that series, Hellbound also gained traction with an insane yet thought-provoking premise: what happens when an otherworldly force appears, and decrees that various people are sinners who will be condemned to hell (and then massive demons come to drag them straight there)? Shocking and unpredictable, the show came from the director of Train to Busan - and that same grim, pulpy, anything-can-happen vibe was on full display here.

17. COBRA KAI

- Cobra Kai was maybe my number one pandemic binge this year - somehow, I'd yet to see a show despite it seemingly have been created specifically for me. I absolutely loved S1 of the series, dug S2, and enjoyed S3 as well. While the series gets progressively more cartoon-ish and over-the-top as it goes, S3 still delivers some fist-pumping moments that are among the series' best and most memorable. Cobra Kai, you really are the best around.

18. THE WHITE LOTUS

- From the razorsharp comedic mind of Mike White comes a show that's hard to like but easy to love. What I mean by that is: The White Lotus is filled with characters who are snobby, smarmy, obnoxious, and just plain unlikable - but the brilliance here is the way in which the show examines the lives of its privileged protagonists with a keenly satirical eye (not to mention the way the all-star cast makes each character uniquely unforgettable). 

19. LOKI

- My favorite of this year's many MCU series, Loki gave us Marvel's version of Dr. Who - and was the perfect platform for Tom Hiddleston as Loki (aka, in my view, the MCU's greatest character). This series was filled with witty banter, whimsical imagination, and memorable moments. And it was worth the price of admission alone for all the great Hiddleston / Owen Wilson back-and-forth. "Glorious purpose," indeed.

20. RESIDENT ALIEN

- One of my favorite TV performances of the year was Alan Tudyk playing an alien, stranded on earth, inhabiting an unfamiliar human body in the Syfy series Resident Alien. This show was so funny and weird and interesting - really, unlike anything else on TV. Go seek it out if you haven't seen it!

21. WANDAVISION

- The first Disney+ MCU series felt like a minor miracle in the very dark days of early 2021. Unable to go to the movies (or basically anywhere), Wandavision brought the Marvel movies to our homes in a compellingly serialized form that, smartly, let us savor one new episode per week. The series' trippy weekly homages to classic TV sitcoms were an awesome blast of the past, and the ultimate "Agatha All Along" reveal was one for the ages.

22. THE WHEEL OF TIME

- Amazon's new epic fantasy adaptation brings a brightly-colored, Lord of the Rings-esque adventure to life with plenty of awe, wonder, and cool world-building. While the initial season of eight episodes has its ups and downs, the series delivers some fantastic action and visual prowess. Rosamund Pike, meanwhile, slays as the series' Gandalf-esque magical guide.

23. BIG MOUTH

- As always, Big Mouth is gleefully profane in a way that I'm not sure any other show has ever been. While one might argue that the show is beginning to lose a little steam as it ages, it still delivers some of the biggest laughs of any series out there. The latest season managed to provide some stuff that will likely be endlessly referenced (that whole "edging" episode, for one) by fans.

24. I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE

- If you need a fix of weird sketch comedy, this is your show. Season 2 was all over the map, but there's no denying that it gave us some all-time classic bits of comedy. Dan Flashes, anyone? 

25. SHADOW & BONE

- Shadow & Bone gave us epic fantasy with a decidedly YA bent - and while this Netflix series took time to really ramp up, it went out with a bang and really amped things up in its final few episodes of S1. The show also gave us some of the coolest new characters of any show this year - like the trio of loveable yet deadly thieves known as The Crows.

Just Missed the Cut:

- Yellowjackets (caveat: by this time next year, the show could be much higher!)
- Stargirl
- Rick & Morty
- Hawkeye
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
- The Great North

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:


The Best TV Heroes of 2021:

1.) Invincible - Invincible
2.) Kate Bishop / Hawkeye - Hawkeye
3.) Moiraine Damodred - The Wheel of Time
4.) Gus - Sweet Tooth
5.) Stargirl - Stargirl

The Best TV Villains of 2021:

1.) Father Paul Hill - Midnight Mass
2.) The Front Man - Squid Gam
3.) Omni-Man - Invincible
4.) Aunt Lydia -The Handmaid's Tal
5.) The Darkling - Shadow & Bone
 

The Best TV Anti-Heroes of 2021:

1.) Seong Gi-Hun - Squid Game
2.) Kaz Brekker - Shadow & Bone
3.) Loki - Loki
4.) Johnny Lawrence - Cobra Kai
5.) Mare Sheehan - Mare of Easttown