2021, much like 2020, wasn’t the best on the sociopolitical or economic front. Thankfully, we’ve got entertainment and pop culture aplenty to keep us sated amid this seemingly never-ending and downright terrifying pandemic. Who doesn’t love diving headfirst into a favorite TV show, video game, movie or song?
So, we at GGA, being the adorkable geeks we are, compiled a list of our favorite things yielded by 2021. Here’s hoping 2022 continues to bear entertaining fruit!
RELATED: Curious about what we loved last year? Check out our favorite things from 2020!
Deathloop
My coworker Emily Rose might kill me for saying this, but I did not go into Deathloop expecting to love it. I’m not a fan of Dishonored or 1960s art aesthetics. But Deathloop won me over, and what an achievement it is! In this time-looping murder mystery, Colt has one day to kill eight targets to shut down an apocalyptic party. His counterpart Julianna attempts to stop him and preserve the time loop.
Despite the loop offering an incentive for endless trial-and-error, Deathloop is a game rewarding gradual progression and patient observation. The player’s ability to analyze clues is as valuable as going in “guns blazing.” 2021 is the first actual year of the new console generation, but Deathloop isn’t just a standout PlayStation 5 game. Deathloop is an exciting prospect for the future of first-person shooters.
With great systems design and a story that keeps you guessing until the end, Deathloop defied my expectations and became my favorite video game of 2021. — Tyler Boyce
What We Do in the Shadows
They urge us not to sing if we want to live long because they have no use for our song, but we have use for What We Do in the Shadows. Season Three issues forth some of the series’ best moments, from that hilarious Twilight homage (It’s about damn time!) to Nandor’s “Eat, ‘Prey,’ Love” journey. It’s hard to pinpoint a standout performer because everyone brings their A-game.
Each cast member sinks their teeth into the show with their respective comedic styles, culminating in one of the smartest, cleverest, fang-in-cheek comedies of 2021. It’s a Gothic bright spot on a seemingly never-ending, perpetually dark time in our lives (the vampire references stop here, thankfully). Read Noetta Harjo‘s recaps for the show here!
Spotify
I know — it’s like I live under a rock. But 2021 was the year I got back into music. I’ve had a Spotify Premium account for a few years now, but this year is the first that I’ve honestly used it. I make writing playlists, listen to other writers’ playlists and have my workout mixes. It’s also a great way to share a piece of myself with my friends who are far away. — Melis Amber
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Reservation Dogs
I was late to the Reservation Dogs party. When I finally got around to it, I binged the show in almost a day. I forced myself to stop around episode seven, so I could try to savor every moment. Not only does the series provide much-needed and long-overdue Indigenous representation, but its sharp humor, all-around fantastic performances and brilliant writing make it one of the best new comedies out there.
Paulina Alexis steals the show as fan-favorite Willie Jack, serving up many of the Reservation Dogs’ comedic moments and gut-wrenching beats in equal measure. She knocks it out of the park in “Hunting,” while co-lead Devery Jacobs also breaks our hearts in “California Dreamin’.” And if you’re a Zahn McClarnon fan, “Come and Get Your Love” puts his versatility as a performer on display.
Psst: mosey on over here to read Noetta’s recaps for Reservation Dogs!
Chucky
One of my favorite things this year is Chucky! Initially, I was skeptical about how well the Child’s Play franchise would translate to a TV series format, but I love it! The story picks up after the Cult of Chucky when we learn he split his soul into multiple pieces.
This discovery plays a significant part in the show. Even though it’s a continuation, it took me back to the classic Child’s Play feel, especially since Brad Dourif and Jennifer Tilly reprise their roles as Chucky and Tiffany.
However, unlike the previous installments, Chucky is somewhat an antihero in the first episode. He still goes full-on villain, but there’s a moment where he almost seems to care about Jake (Zachary Arthur). It doesn’t last, of course. Overall, Chucky gave me all the nostalgic feels, plus a fantastic new story! — Becca Stalnaker
Dickinson
If “hope is the thing with feathers,” then Dickinson is our winged salvation.
Hailee Steinfeld leads the charge with her emotionally resonant, cheeky and spirited take on a legendary poet. Dickinson’s third and final season delves into hope as Emily Dickinson and her family endure The Civil War. While the battle rages on the frontlines and at home, Emily strives to heal her loved ones with her infectious optimism.
Dickinson’s beautiful LGBTQIA+ representation and insistence on not falling prey to the “bury your gays” trope elevate it to another level. Its vivid imagery and analysis of Dickinson’s poetry should make it a requirement for English and creative writing classes.
If you want to watch a clever and heartwarming series with great performances, lush cinematography and modern sensibilities in a vintage world, Dickinson is for you.
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Ted Lasso
I, like everyone, was obsessed with Ted Lasso this year. I’ve already watched every episode more than once and love it even more with every viewing. Season One was all about optimism, and it would have been easy for the second season to keep doing the same thing.
Instead, the show went much deeper. It wasn’t afraid to prove that no one, not even Ted himself, is perfect. Few stories can successfully shift from laughs to tears in the same episode, but Ted Lasso pulls it off effortlessly. — Alex Faccibene
Wynonna Earp
Wynonna Earp‘s strength lies in its nuanced characters, namely its complicated titular lead, Wynonna. Melanie Scrofano deftly occupies that space between the dialogue, with her uncanny ability to say so much without uttering a word. The show’s devotion to its fans, the Earpers, is unlike anything seen elsewhere.
The cast and crew spent years forging a close bond with Wynonna Earp’s loyal fanbase, and the Season Four finale on Syfy, “Old Souls,” is a love letter to Earpers everywhere. If you want another prime example of how not to “bury your gays,” look no further than Wynonna Earp.
Toss in fast-paced, witty one-liners, intricate show mythology and heartwarming family moments, and you’ve got a series that, frankly, didn’t deserve the treatment it received at the hands of Syfy.
Pride Anthologies Go Mainstream
In 2021, Pride finally went mainstream, at least in comics. Although we can probably all agree the comic book industry should have come out of the closet before 2021, it didn’t. So, I’m tired of mourning the past and want to focus on building a better tomorrow.
Let’s celebrate the publication — comic book fans are seeing something new regarding how the industry celebrates queer identity for the first time. The industry’s two largest publishers released Pride anthologies showcasing each company’s queer creators and characters.
Marvel Comics released the 88-page Marvel’s Voices: Pride, derived from the fantastic podcast Marvel’s Voices with Angélique Roché, and DC Comics released the 80-page DC Pride anthology. Excitingly, at Marvel Comics, the demand for the Pride anthology was so great it returned for a second printing! Here’s to more in 2022! — Rebecca Kaplan
RELATED: We Are Lady Parts Is Fierce, Delightful and Pure Punk Rock
We Are Lady Parts
Punk rock is alive, and you’ll find it thriving in Peacock’s We Are Lady Parts. Featuring an all-female Muslim punk band called Lady Parts, the show follows the eponymous rock outfit while they attempt to breach stardom. Fiercely funny, joyous and uncompromising, We Are Lady Parts is a balm for the soul. The soundtrack also kicks all of the ass.
While everyone churns in masterful performances, Sarah Kameela Impey and Anjana Vasan stand out as Saira and Amina, respectively. Impey infuses Saira with a fiery passion, while Vasan endears us to the anxious and imaginative Amina.
The show explores duality, racism, sexism, xenophobia and what it means to be Muslim. It’s thoughtful and hilarious in equal measure. Lady Parts for life!
Resident Evil
In 2021, we celebrated Resident Evil‘s 25th birthday with tons of new additions to the franchise. But nothing rocked my socks more than Resident Evil Village. Aside from facing off against Lady Dimitrescu and Miranda’s other children, this newest addition delivered on the nightmarish horrors we have come to love and expect from the franchise.
Outside of the nine-foot vampire mom, I loved that the lore within this game ties into the franchise’s origins. Exploring Miranda’s lab has tons of fun Easter eggs for fans to enjoy. — Julia Roth
Blindspotting
You won’t find a better, more heartfelt love letter to Oakland than Blindspotting, the new Starz series borne from the 2018 film of the same name. Jasmine Cephas Jones gives a boldly nuanced, achingly vulnerable performance as Ashley Jones. Ashley navigates an existential crisis after the unexpected incarceration of her partner, Miles (Rafael Casal).
What transpires is a thought-provoking, poetic and delightful journey through day-to-day life, complete with gorgeous, lyrical dancing and sharp spoken prose. When Ashley intermittently breaks the fourth wall, Blindspotting becomes more than your typical dramedy.
It tackles vital issues like racism, police brutality and injustices in our legal system with humor and heart. Benjamin Earl Turner‘s performance in “The Ballad of Earl” stirs the soul and will move you to tears.
Trekkies
I’ve always been a Trekkie. But lately, it’s more like, “Why would anyone like any other science fiction franchise?”-type of love. If you Marie Kondo-ed television, it’s all about Star Trek for me, followed by Elizabeth Olsen in just anything she does. When will she be cast alongside Dave Bautista‘s fancast of himself as a Klingon?
Anyway, the best thing about being a Trekkie is that the Star Trek community is for everyone, and the franchise makes that clear by its choices on and off-screen. I love Star Trek’s courage to stand with the trans community and queer community by not casting us as subordinate background characters but as leading roles, showing the trolls the franchise won’t back down from doing what’s right.
It shows in the solidarity and support in the fandom. Live long and prosper, from one Trekkie to another and Future Trekkies. — Rebecca Kaplan
If you’ve got a hankering for more Star Trek, read Rebecca’s Star Trek: Prodigy recaps and Star Trek: Discovery recaps, here and here.
WandaVision
The MCU’s official foray into TV came this past January with WandaVision. It’s not a perfect show, but it struck a chord with me and countless others for its visceral and touching depiction of grief. Elizabeth Olsen gives a career-best performance as the grieving Wanda Maximoff, imbuing an all-powerful hero with humanity not often seen in Marvel movies.
WandaVision’s profundity and pathos blindsided me, as it was a far cry from the snarkiness and campiness we’ve come to expect in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Vision’s (Paul Bettany) monologue about grief and his line “But what is grief if not love persevering?” shook me to my core (so much that I had to write about it).
By the show’s end, I became a fierce protector of Wanda. Here’s hoping Marvel slows its roll regarding her trauma soon.
Read Leona Laurie‘s WandaVision recaps here!
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Shadow and Bone
Netflix’s adaptation of Leigh Bardugo‘s Shadow and Bone took the world by storm – mine included. It not only gave us an exciting version of her novel of the same name while also introducing and giving us a backstory adventure for The Crows. Jessie Mei Li‘s portrayal of Alina is one of my favorite performances this year. Plus, who doesn’t want to join Kaz’s (Freddy Carter) crew? One day with Kaz, Jesper (Kit Young) and Inej (Amita Suman) would be a dream come true! This fantasy drama is a must-watch of 2021. — Julia Roth
Check out Julia’s Shadow and Bone recaps here!
What are your favorite things from 2021? Sound off in the comments!
This article was originally published 12/18/21.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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