My Favorite Things 2021: TV

As 2021, comes to a close. I’ll be sharing my favorites of the year, and chatting about my top picks. I actually didn’t watch as much TV as I usually do due to my busy schedule. Even though I’ve had many binge-watching sessions throughout the year, I’m still playing catch up with a lot of newer releases as well as older shows. Here’s a list of shows I watched in 2021 that topped my favorites list.

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“What We Do in the Shadows” is a documentary-style look into the daily (or rather, nightly) lives of four vampires who’ve “lived” together for hundreds of years in Staten Island. The series follows the lives of three traditional vampires, Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja; Colin Robinson, an energy vampire; and Guillermo, Nandor’s familiar. The series revolves around the centuries-old vampires interacting with the modern world and other supernatural beings.

I’m late to the bandwagon with just starting this show in 2021. What attracted me to this show was its mockumentary style of the show which is carried over from the original movie it’s based on. The writing is so good, the jokes, witty banter, and overall comedy are golden. Each episode has made me laugh out loud numerous times and the characters are so entertaining which is why this show is so memorable for its viewers. I’ve only finished Seasons One & Two and I can’t wait to watch Season Three. This is a must-watch comedy!

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Grammy-winning rapper Killer Mike uses his fame to serve as an activist, hoping to bring to light and confront important social issues, especially those that impact the black community. On “Trigger Warning,” Killer Mike — whose real name is Michael Render — examines cultural taboos and allows viewers to examine the “what ifs” and “why nots” that limit how people operate in the world.

Trigger Warning was a show that’s been sitting on my queue for a long while. Each episode is based around a different social issue and Mike takes the topics head-on to show how they affect people and ways they could be improved. I appreciate the show’s satirical and humorous takes while also focusing on being very serious about bringing awareness to issues that need to be fixed. It was eye-opening to learn about some of the topics and I learned a lot from watching this show.

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Synopsis: Teens attending an adventure camp on the opposite side of Isla Nublar must band together to survive when dinosaurs wreak havoc on the island.

I’m a huge fan of the Jurassic Park films and have been eyeing this series ever since it was released. I would recommend this show to fans of the franchise. Season Four just dropped on Netflix recently so I plan to watch it over the Christmas break. It’s a well-written series set in the Jurassic Park universe featuring teens from all walks of life. The show is thrilling and action-packed while also allowing itself to have quieter moments to show character growth. It’s a show for all ages, but I’m glad that it actually keeps the beauty of the park but also has the underlying danger of being trapped on a dino island. A very thrilling and adventure-filled show!

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Synopsis: Oh Yoon-Seo is a popular actress. She is famous for her beautiful appearance, but her acting is bad. She gets involved in a scandal with the son from a chaebol family. Her acting career declines precipitously.

Oh Yoon-Seo hears that a famous screenwriter wants her to play the lead female role for a drama series. The character works as a secretary for a lawyer. To gain experience for the role, Oh Yoon-Seo is required to work as a lawyer’s secretary for a few months. Meanwhile, Kwon Jung-Rok is an attorney for a law firm. He is arrogant and cold-hearted. One day, his boss asks Kwon Jung-Rok to let actress Oh Yoon-Seo work as his secretary for 3 months. He is not happy about the situation, but he has to accept.

I love the two leading actors in this drama and when I heard they were starring in a drama I was intrigued. This drama is a lot of fun to watch! Though it has a law office setting, it’s more of a romantic comedy between a lawyer and an actress. For the most part, this drama is lighthearted and very comedic. The banter of the employees at the Always Law Office made it feel like a family and the cast has great on-screen chemistry. I will say to be wary of trigger warnings but for the most part, this drama focuses on the balance between love and work life. I was so impressed by this show and I’m hoping Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In-na will work together on future shows.

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Synopsis: Ghost Club members embark on adventures all around Los Angeles as they interview ghosts, solve problems and learn about their city’s history.

City of Ghosts is the most wholesome and heartwarming show I’ve seen (in animation) in a while. I love how the show has some solid representation and shows people from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures. In each episode, the ghosts have a story to share that introduces us to various parts of Los Angeles and the history of the city. I enjoyed learning about the history and connecting with the Ghost Club members. The animation style reminds me of Animal Crossing and it is too cute. This show was so soothing for me and I hope they create another season!

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Synopsis: The complicated life of a modern-day first generation Indian American teenage girl, inspired by Mindy Kaling’s own childhood.

This is a show that had been popping up on my radar for a while now and I’m so glad I took a chance on it. I think it does a nice job of blending comedy and drama through the lens of a coming-of-age story. Most of all I appreciated how diverse the casting is and how the show tackles multiple issues while representing people from different backgrounds. It was hard for me to watch at times because the MC can be very unlikeable (which is due to a lot of the trauma she faced). I’m curious to see how the story will continue in Season Two which I plan to watch soon.

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Synopsis: Chang Le was once a free and untamable female bandit. However, she becomes a fake bride in marriage to crown prince Li Che. Stepping into the confines of the palace, Chang Le finds it difficult to adjust after being repeatedly humiliated. Despite her situation, she learns to adapt like a feral cat showing her true stripes. Li Che who has traced every step vigilantly finds himself gradually attracted by Chang Le’s liveliness. Each wearing a mask to hide their own motives, the two people find comfort in each other.

I’ve never watched a Chinese Drama before, but while browsing through Amazon Prime’s catalog of shows this one caught my eye. For the most part, it’s a lighthearted rom-com of a bandit trying to keep her cover as a crown princess in a royal place. The set designs and clothing are so beautiful in this show that it’s mesmerizing. I also like that it’s action-packed while being on the fluffier side of dramas. There are some interesting sub-plots that I thought were fleshed out nicely and even some suspense elements as there are so many politics brewing among the royals. I think the writing and set design/costumes are really what pulls the viewer into this show. I would love to check out some other Chinese Dramas too. Show recommendations are appreciated!

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Synopsis: Ssanggab Cart Bar opens only at night on the rooftop of a building. Wol-Ju runs the mysterious food cart. Customers who visit Ssanggab Cart Bar consist of normal people and the dead. While drinking alcohol and eating dishes with Wol-Ju, the customers of Ssanggab Cart Bar talk about themselves and try to heal their internal wounds.

Netflix has been picking up more and more adaptations each year, one of them being Mystic Pop-Up Bar. This series is based on a South Korean webtoon and it’s a contemporary story with many fantasy/paranormal elements. I am a big fan of the lead actress (I’ve enjoyed many of her other dramas) and I was intrigued by the synopsis. Not only does this series features scenes with delicious foods, but it’s got an intriguing story that flips back from the past to the present. There’s romance, comedy, bittersweet stories, and lots of action-packed scenes. I like the underlying mystery elements and the chemistry of the cast. It was fast-paced, sometimes emotional, but best of all this drama had so much heart and I think that’s its charm.

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Synopsis: In the sitcom “Schitt’s Creek,” a wealthy couple — video store magnate Johnny and his soap opera star wife Moira — suddenly find themselves completely broke. With only one remaining asset, a small town called Schitt’s Creek, which the Roses bought years earlier as a joke, this once-wealthy couple must give up life as they know it. With their two spoiled children in tow and their pampered lives behind them, the Rose family is forced to face their newfound poverty head-on and come together as a family to survive.

I’m kind of late to the game with watching this show, but I love it! The comedy is spot on and I enjoy the fish out of water narrative which adds to the entertainment factor. Some elements of the show remind me of Ouran High School Host Club reversed since the family has such high tastes and then struggles to adapt to small-town life. The acting is what does it for me when watching this show and I feel the cast chemistry is spot on. I binged watched the first season in one day and am slowly working my way through the remaining seasons. So far I’ve watched the first three seasons!

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And that concludes the list of My Favorite TV Shows of 2021! What are some of your favorite TV shows that you loved watching in 2021? Comment below!