13 of the Best TV Show Episodes of 2021, According to the Lifehacker Staff

I Think You Should Leave is so quotable, it threatens to become Monty Python’s Holy Grail for millennials. But it’s more than a collection of zany quotes—it’s a show about the horrors of being human, especially a male human, and manages to be relatable on an emotional level, even when the scenarios are utterly batshit. I’ll probably never pitch a show featuring “body after body busting out of shit wood and hitting pavement,” but I know what it’s like to have a dream killed by folks who think I’m just some dumb hick.

The whole season is great, but the first two episodes of this season are the best, and episode one is flawless, with the most memed phrases of the season, if not the entire show (“I don’t even wanna be around anymore,” and, “There’s too much fucking shit on me,” as uttered by Karl Havoc; though I find myself saying, “It’s an old circus term” the most).—Claire Lower, senior food editor

Where to watch: Netflix

I don’t usually watch TV shows where no one is murdered, but I got really into this quiet story of a toxic relationship between a psychiatrist and his patient. It’s rare to see a complex emotional relationship presented on screen, and both Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell are excellent. Watching a larger-than-life comedian like Ferrell turn everything inward and play a tragic introvert like Marty Markowitz is fascinating.—Stephen Johnson, staff writer

Where to watch: Apple TV

I have strong feelings about Arcane, Netflix’s League of Legends-based animated drama that became an unexpected hit in November. The series is virtually perfect as far as I’m concerned, and my recommendation is to watch at least through episode 3, “The Base Violence Necessary for Change,” before deciding whether the show is right for you. That’s my favorite episode, not only for its stunning fights, but also because it reflects the trust that Arcane put in its audience. Episode 3 is when the major hook happens, a fracture point from which its characters won’t return, and it’s a hell of a turning point for what’s to come. And trust me: Everything that follows is amazing.—Jordan Calhoun, editor-in-chief

Where to watch: Netflix

I have a wary relationship with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I like its movies and shows just fine individually, but I also feel overwhelmed at the pace of their release, not to mention their complex continuity, which often requires me to watch all the other things before I can tell if this thing is worthwhile. Which is why it’s so surprising that the eighth episode of a series—spun off largely from a movie I still haven’t seen (Avengers: Age of Ultron)—would turn out to be my favorite piece of storytelling in the whole dang franchise. In revealing the source (and depths) of pain within Wanda Maximoff’s past, the show made her present-day efforts to shield herself from the grief of her husband’s death hit like a psychic blast, thanks in no small part to an incredibly empathetic performance from Elizabeth Olsen.—Joel Cunningham, deputy editor

Where to watch: Disney+

Disclaimer: I do not (1) know, (2) like, or (3) care about any video games. Even if I wanted to get into gaming, I know enough not to start off with League of Legends. And yet, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the stunning animation in Arcane, which is set in the League universe and tells the origin story for many of its characters.

You don’t need to know anything about the video game to fall in love with the characters and stories. I chose the kick-off to Act Three, “The Boy Savior,” due to the fight scene on the bridge (if you know, you know). I screamed out loud at the final shot of the season. This show was by far the most unexpected thing that I binged (twice!) this year.—Meredith Dietz, staff writer

Where to watch: Netflix

Most nights I nod off on my 3-year-old’s floor where I dutifully lie in the final coda of our simple, 27-step bedtime routine. I don’t have much time or bandwidth to watch TV, is what I’m saying. But I did watch Squid Game. And episode 6, “Gganbu” (loosely meaning “childhood friend”) was one of the most quietly harrowing things I’ve seen in a while. Watching the characters realize they’ll have to sacrifice their allies in a game of marbles in order to live—and the devastating, cold-hearted steeliness and unlikely affection they feel just before executing that betrayal—was a chilling look into human nature I won’t soon forget.—Sarah Showfety, staff writer

Where to watch: Netflix

What a TV show. Mare of Easttown really came out of nowhere for me, but became one of my favorite shows of 2021. I love a good crime drama, and Mare expertly mixes complex characters with a slow burn that builds to a truly satisfying conclusion. I love the show for its moments of laugh-out-loud humor and edge-of-your-seat anxiety (I will never stop thinking about this delivery from Jean Smart, even if it isn’t from episode 7).—Jake Peterson, senior tech editor

Where to watch: HBO Max

The Other Two is one of the most painfully funny comedies on television, precisely because it makes you care so much about the titular duo even though we should probably hate them.

Cary (Drew Tarver) and Brooke (Heléne York) are the decade-older siblings of a Justin Bieber-esque YouTube star whose mom has subsequently also become the biggest thing in daytime TV. Meanwhile, struggling actor Cary can’t book any gig, save for hosting obscure online talk shows (Age Net Worth Feet), while Brooke fakes it but never quite makes it as Chase’s and her mom’s manager. Both siblings seem to think they are owed success but have no idea how to earn it (relatable).

In the penultimate episode of the brilliant second season, Cary is on a flight to Los Angeles when he decides to send a nude picture to a guy on Grindr; it turns out he actually sends a “live” photo revealing his face, and sends his butthole shot on the roller coaster of social media, taking him from infamy to laughingstock to something approaching fame (“Cary, your two high school dreams: Becoming an actor and having Mark Ruffalo see your hole!”). It’s about as heartwarming as this show gets.—Joel

Where to watch: HBO Max

“Yuki” is a love letter. If you’re put off by the premise of Pen15, in which fully adult Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine play tween versions of themselves, then allow this episode to stand out for its minimal cringe and maximum heart.—Meredith 

Where to watch: Hulu

I love myth busting-type shows—from Penn & Teller: Bullshit, to MythBusters, to Adam Ruins Everything—and the million-time Emmy award-winning comedy Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is easily the best. The series excels not so much by the information it offers, but from a self-aware pragmatism about how information is understood, and my favorite episode this year is a great example: Instead of bashing vaccine deniers and skeptics, the series acknowledges that “the vaccine hesitant generally don’t respond well to hearing from politicians, celebrities, or athletes telling them to get the vaccine.”

He explains why we shouldn’t dismiss or judge people’s skepticism if we want to change their behavior, how his celebrity status is virtually meaningless, and that the people with the best chance of changing anyone’s mind are those of us who care about them.—Jordan

Where to watch: HBO Max

The White Lotus show is nuts. There are complicated storylines, complex ideas, and arguments of culture, all surrounded by zany hijinks, missteps, and adventures by the hotel’s guests and staff. There’s a lot to say about this show, especially its controversial ending, but when I think about it, I mostly think of episode 1. It’s a great hook: it gets you with that killer theme song (no pun intended), an early mystery, and a host of intriguing characters.—Jake

Where to watch: Hulu

Though episode 10 contained my favorite Easter egg of the season (Matt Berry playing a bit of the Toast of London theme song on the piano), “The Wellness Center” was my favorite. The entire season allowed Kayvan Novak to stretch out and bring depth and nuance to a troubled Nandor, and his issues come to a head. Brilliant physical comedy, outstanding choreography (both dancing and fighting), and truly poignant moments that examine loneliness and enui—they pack a lot into 25 minutes, yet it never feels rushed or forced.—Claire

Where to watch: Hulu

It’s hard to believe that this episode was this year, but Jules’ special episode of Euphoria aired in January 2021, shortly after Rue’s special episode aired in December. Both were written in the same style, completely dialogue-based episodes between two people—Rue with her sponsor, and Jules with a new therapist—and both episodes are masterpieces. Jules explains how she feels that Rue is the only person who loves her for who she is, but also the difficulty of sharing the weight of Rue’s sobriety. The episode is heartbreaking as we get to know more about Jules than we had before, and it leaves you both desperate for the second season to begin and grateful that TV this good can exist. It’s simply one of the best episodes in one of the best dramas on television.—Jordan 

Where to watch: HBO Max