20 TV shows to look out for in 2021

From Unforgotten and It’s a Sin to Sex Education and Line of Duty, there’s a lot to choose from

2021 TV shows (Sky, Channel 4, Netflix, BBC)

Last year, we inhaled TV like never before. Boxset after boxset was binged as lockdowns stretched out over months – and it looks like for the first part of 2021, we’ll be needing many more series to get through.

The good news is, there’s set to be a huge roster of fantastic police dramas, teen comedies and dark thrillers to escape into.  

From Russell T Davies’ gay drama It’s a Sin and the Gossip Girl reboot, to returning favourites such as Sex Education and Line of Duty, it’s going to be a great year for telly.

Here’s our pick of the top 20 to look out for…

It’s a Sin (Channel 4)

It’s a Sin (Channel 4)

Russell T Davies, the mastermind behind Queer as Folk and A Very English Scandal, is back with a new drama set during the Aids crisis. Starring Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander, Stephen Fry and Neil Patrick Harris, it deals with the conspiracy theories, misinformation and the blame culture that surrounded the epidemic, so is sure to resonate strongly with audiences this year.

The Flight Attendant (Sky Atlantic)

Kaley Cuoco’s post-Big Bang Theory career is off to a flying start with this mystery drama following a flight attendant who wakes up in her Dubai hotel room to find a dead body lying next to her. With no memory of what happened, she continues her morning as if nothing happened – but begins to wonder whether she was the one who committed the act. The show, which gripped US viewers in 2020, will arrive in the UK at some point this year. 

Line of Duty (BBC One)

Mother of God! The sixth series of cop corruption drama Line of Duty arrives this year, with guest star Kelly McDonald joining regulars Adrian Dunbar, Martin Compston and Vicky McClure. Creator Jed Mercurio described the scripts for the new season as “ludicrously implausible”, so that’s some escapism to look forward to.

The White Lotus (Sky Atlantic)

Mike White returns with his first new TV show since Enlightened was prematurely axed in 2011. Not much is known save for the fact it’s a satire following residents of an exclusive tropical resort played by Connie Britton, Alexandra Daddario and American Pie star Jennifer Coolidge.

Your Honor (Sky Atlantic)

According to early reviews in the US, Bryan Cranston is superb as a New Orleans judge in this new drama, which traverses similar themes to Breaking Bad. He plays Michael Desiato, a respected judge who repeatedly breaks the law to cover up his teenage son’s crime. Walter White, eat your heart out.

Big Sky (Disney+: Star)

David E Kelley is giving Ryan Murphy a run for his money as one of TV’s hardest working producers. Fresh off of The Undoing, he returns with Big Sky, a procedural following two private detectives as they search for two sisters after they’re abducted by a truck driver on a remote highway. Expect plenty of twists and turns.

Four Lives (BBC One)

This factual drama is based on the true story of four men who were raped and killed by The Grindr Killer. It’s made by Jeff Pope and Neil McKay, who previously worked together on The Moorside and Appropriate Adult, and stars Stephen Merchant and Sheridan Smith.

In Treatment (Sky Atlantic)

In a time of uncertainty, the return of In Treatment – HBO’s critical darling that became a word-of-mouth hit over its three years on the air – comes as a welcome surprise. Not much is known about this next run, but Orange is the New Black’s Uzo Aduba will take Gabriel Byrne’s place as the lead.

Landscapers (Sky Atlantic)

Olivia Colman plays a killer in this drama inspired by real events and written by her husband, Ed Sinclair. Set in Nineties Mansfield, it tells the story of Susan Edwards who, along with her husband, murdered her own parents and buried them in their back garden.

Unforgotten (ITV)

Forget Broadchurch – this crime drama not only delivered a breathtaking first season, but capitalised on its success with not one, but two worthy follow-ups. It follows two detectives – played by Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar – as they solve murder cases in London. Here’s hoping its fourth series will see Walker get Olivia Colman-levels of recognition.  

Succession (Sky Atlantic)

Kieran Culkin, Jeremy Strong in Succession (HBO)

Prepare for backstabbing, drug-taking and obscene displays of wealth; Succession is back for a third series in 2021. Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and the rest of the Logan family are all expected to return for the new series of the slick dynasty drama.

Atlanta (FOX)

After a tough year, the return of Earn (Donald Glover), Darius (LaKeith Stanfield) and Paperboi (Brian Tyree Henry) could well be the best medicine. Having delivered two standout seasons thus far, anticipation is high for new episodes of the acclaimed comedy.

The Nevers (Sky Atlantic)

This epic science fiction drama follows a troupe of Victorian women. While the plot details are largely under wraps, we do know that the women have unusual abilities and find themselves embarking on a world-changing mission. Laura Donnelly, Olivia Williams, Nick Frost, James Norton and Kiran Sonia Sawar star.

The Gilded Age (Sky Atlantic)

Quite simply, a new series from Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellowes led by The Leftovers breakout Carrie Coon should be high up on everyone’s list of shows to look out for this year. Charting the boom years of 1880s New York, The Gilded Age could well be the world’s next glitzy, big-budget must-watch.

Gossip Girl (Sky Atlantic)

HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot is set eight years after the original series ended, and centres on a fresh generation of New York private school teenagers who find themselves under the watchful eye of Gossip Girl. All eyes will be on this series to see if it lives up to the original, and how it translates in the age of Instagram.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+)

Disney’s second Marvel TV show after this month’s WandaVision is the one that’s been in development for the longest. Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan’s characters will lock heads in the espionage drama set in the aftermath of their mutual friend Captain America’s departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Avengers: Endgame.

Feel Good (Netflix)

Mae Martin’s semi-autobiographical comedy, a thoughtful and often hilarious examination of addiction and sexuality, is back. Starring Charlotte Ritchie as Martin’s girlfriend and Lisa Kudrow as her caustic mother, it was one of the most addictive debuts of last year.

Gentleman Jack (BBC One)

Although a release date is yet to be announced, the second series of Sally Wainwright’s acclaimed drama Gentleman Jack has been in production since October. Suranne Jones will return as Anne Lister, a landowner who starts a secret lesbian relationship in 1800s England.

Sex Education (Netflix)

Asa Butterfield and Ncuti Gatwa in Sex Education (Netflix)

Otis, Eric, Maeve and the gang are returning for a third series of messy teenage sex. Expect more excruciating masturbation scenes, Gillian Anderson wearing kimonos and awkward birds-and-bees conversations, all in the style of a John Hughes teen comedy.

The Book of Boba Fett (Disney+)

The most recently announced TV show on this list is a series focused on the Star Wars bounty hunter following his return in The Mandalorian. Teased at the very end of the spin-off’s most recent season, The Book of Boba Fett will follow the character and his accomplice, Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen), in new intergalactic adventures.