10 best – and worst – TV shows of 2021: Selena Gomez’s Only Murders in the Building, Netflix’s Hellbound and Amazon Prime’s Invincible were hits, but Gossip Girl and Alter Ego flopped badly

Dec 9 , 2021

This year brought us hit TV shows (Maid, Squid Game) ... as well as some flops (Gossip Girl, Cowboy Bebop.) Photos: Netflix, HBO

Which TV shows had the highest ratings on Rotten Tomatoes? Critics loved HBO Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls and Made for Love, but its Gossip Girl reboot fell short

Only Murders in the Building starring Selena Gomez scored a perfect 100 per cent, but John Cho’s star power couldn’t save Cowboy Bebop, adapted from the anime

Another year of the “new normal” meant home entertainment was as important to the popular culture conversation as ever in 2021. And naturally, critics have plenty to say about the wealth of new series reaching our homes via the magic of streaming.

So while inventive shows like Only Murders in the Building and Squid Game became critical hits, the likes of Alter Ego, Walker and I Know What You Did Last Summer flopped.

Here are 10 of the best – and 10 of the worst – TV shows of 2021.

The best

Only Murders in the Building

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 per cent

On this Hulu original, three neighbours (Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Steve Martin) bond over their shared love of true crime podcasts after a murder happens in their building.

Critics praised the comedic drama for its witty dialogue, magnetic characters and riveting storytelling.

“The show creates a unique character dynamic that’s not only emotionally affecting, but ripe for the comedic picking as well,” Lauren Coates wrote for The Mary Sue.