If 2021 is beginning to feel a little like Groundhog Day, with the same endless rounds of lockdowns and restrictions which blighted 2020, on a happier note, it also means more time to binge watch TV!
And even though there are times when we’d rather be out – staying home right now is not just the right thing to do, it’s also the most public spirited thing we can do.
Which means that, in a strange kind of way, binge watching TV is almost a patriotic duty!
Keen to play our part in this national effort, we’ve compiled a list of the best television shows to look forward to in 2021. From cosy love stories to deadly serious true life crime dramas – we’ve got something to suit every taste.
So, draw the curtains, grab the munchies, settle back – it’s time to binge for England, baby!
1 Conversations With Friends
BBC
When: late 2021
Sally Rooney’s follow up to the phenomenally successful Normal People was always going to be a big deal, however, the fact that the author’s second novel is being adapted by the same team who handled her first TV outing has raised expectations by another couple of notches. Conversations with Friends depicts another romance, this time between Frances and Bobbi. Could lightening strike the same spot twice? You’ll just have to tune in to find out.
2 Landscapers
HBO
When: Mid 2021
This darkly comic true-crime drama has everything it could possibly need to ensure TV success: a) a great story b) a great script c) Olivia Colman.
It is the latter who headlines this new series. The Oscar winning star plays real life murderer Susan Edwards in the drama, which tells the story of how Edwards and her husband came to murder her elderly parents,
Based on extensive research, hours of interviews and direct access to the accused, Landscapers promises to tells a most disturbing story with a meticulous eye for detail and an understanding of the black comedy of the leading characters.
3 It’s A Sin
Channel 4
When: 22nd January 2021
Russell T Davies’ semi-autobiographical tv series takes us back to 1980s London, as three young gay men arrive in the capital intent on experiencing everything the city has to offer. Unfortunately, on the other side of the world, the AIDS pandemic is just rearing its ugly head, and the effect of the illness will be increasingly felt by the three unwitting protagonists.
With an all star cast featuring Stephen Fry, Neil Patrick Harris and Keeley Hawes and pop singer Olly Alexander making his TV debut as Ritchie, It’s A Sin looks sure to wow viewers when it debuts on Channel 4 in early 2021.
4 Inventing Anna
Netflix
When: February 2021
Netflix’s latest blockbuster drama follows the story of a penniless drifter who manages to convince the cream of New York’s high society that she is a European heiress worth over 60 million pounds. In a five year crime spree, Sorokin (under the name Anna Delvey) amasses over $100,000 of unpaid debt, while borrowing even more from her unsuspecting new friends. Sound like a hoot? It’ll be on in February.
5 The Flight Attendant
Sky Atlantic
When: early 2021
This gripping drama, which wowed audiences in America in 2020, arrives in the UK later this year with expectations not surprisingly running at fever pitch. The show tells the story of a flight attendant who wakes up in a hotel room in Dubai with a dead body next to her. As Cassie Bowden slowly begins to realise that she has no memory of what transpired the night before, the stewardess begins to wonder whether she might now be a murderer.
6 Devils
Sky Atlantic
When: January 2021
Set in the cut throat world of international finance, the series follows a charismatic Italian Banker (Massimo Ruggero) who ends up uncovering a massive international conspiracy when he sets out to clear his name following the murder of a business rival. Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey’s head up an international cast in Sky Atlantic’s stylish thriller.
7 My Name is Lizzie
Channel 4
When: tbc
Yet another true crime drama, but this one tackles its subject matter from an unusual perspective. My Name is Lizzie exploring the impact of the investigation into the murder of Rachel Nickell on a suspect in the case. The drama tells the story of an undercover officer, Lizzie, who is used as sexual bait to snare the unsuspecting Colin Stagg.
8 Line of Duty series 6
BBC1
When: March 2021
Is there any need to explain at this point why Jed Mercurio’s Police corruption drama is in our top ten?! Or should we advise doubters to go and watch seasons 1-5 of this epic adventure?
It’s been a long wait for season six however we are nearly there! Delayed due to the pandemic, season six of the show only finished filming in November last year. However, with Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and DS Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) onboard and Kelly Mcdonald on board as the bent copper – it looks like the next installment of the saga will be more than worth the wait!
9 Nine Perfect Strangers
No UK Broadcaster
When: tbc
Following on from her star turn in 2020’s blockbuster drama The Undoing, Nicole Kidman is at it again with an appearance in another potential blockbuster: this time Liane Moriarity’s Nine Perfect Strangers.
Melissa McCarthy and Luke Evans co-star in a series which follows a group of people who meet at a wellness retreat. with very little in common. Each has a compelling reason for coming to the retreat but none know the truth behind their stay.
Although Nine Perfect Strangers doesn’t have a UK broadcaster as of yet, the series is almost certain to arrive on our shores at some point this year.
10 The Pursuit of Love
BBC1
When: Early 2021
With Hollywood star Lily James leading the cast, and support from the likes of Dominic West and Fleabag’s Andrew Scott, the BBC’s adaptation of Nancy Mitford’s classic, The Pursuit of Love, looks set to wow viewers when it debuts on the channel later this year.
Downton Abbey star James plays the central role of ‘fearless feminist’ Linda Radlett, who sets out on a riotous trip around Europe with her best friend Fanny (Emily Beecham). With excellent source material and a red hot cast too boot, the BBC’s latest adaptation of Mitford looks like a surefire hit.
