Confinement periods are being extended in different parts of the world, specially in Europe. Vaccination has started but it remains unclear how soon the safety measures will be eased. Some people choose to read or do puzzles, play the piano or practice tai chi. Others enjoy watching movies and TV series. Forecasting which premieres will be successful is never easy, even more so in a period when many productions have been postponed or derailed. Despite all this, what has reached the final cut in 2021 promises to deliver good quality entertainment for many.
In the suggestions below, you’ll find the long-awaited series from Marvel’s cinematographic universe called WandaVision. Some of the productions have been imported from the literary world including The Lord of The Rings, Foundation and The Underground Railroad. On the other hand, Cowboy Bebop and Y: The Last Man are less known yet appealing in many ways. Have a look at the list we have complied for you and take your pick for a placid evening in bed, slouched, having the drink of your choice.
1. Gossip Girl – HBO
The original version of Gossip Girl has come out at a perfect time. This reboot of Josh Schwartz’s creation – who will also be involved in this version – will include a new elite of young people living in New York. They will probably no longer write on blogs and everything will happen in real time. It will be interesting to see how it is adapted to the reality of 2021.
2. Foundation – Apple TV+
The competition among streaming giants has these things: each one tries to grab a huge literary universe to bring followers. Apple is adapting one of the pillars of 20th century science fiction: Foundation, by Isaac Asimov. If it really debuts in 2021, it will be one of the great events of science fiction on television.
3. Cowboy Bebop – Netflix
Everything indicates that the premiere will happen in 2021 but it is not yet confirmed: the much awaited adaptation of the fabulous 1990s animated series should arrive in the coming months. Cowboy Bebop promises to be a series with a dystopian planet as the scenario and the inevitable end of humanity as a concrete possibility.
4. WandaVision – Disney+
Scarlet Witch and Vision live the suburban dream after what happened in the last movie of ‘The Avengers’. This is how the first mini-series of Phase 4 of Marvel’s Cinematographic Universe, probably the biggest premiere of the beginning of the year, starts on January 15th on Disney+. The series mixes classic sitcom elements with the imaginary of superheroes. There’s a lot of curiosity to see how the life of a couple of superheroes develops as if they were normal people.
5. Y: The Last Man – HBO
The pandemic delayed the debut of this post-apocalyptic drama created in comics by Brian K. Vaughan, in which a man is the only survivor in a world where only women live. Ben Schnetzer will be the protagonist of one of the best post-apocalyptic stories of this decade. It is expected to finally arrive in 2021.
6. The Watch – BBC
This BBC America production is expected to reach a streaming platform in the coming months. If you miss something refreshing in the ‘CSI’ family series with a twist, this could be for you. ‘The Watch’ is a fantastic cop inspired by Terry Pratchett’s ‘Discworld’ universe.
7. The Nevers – HBO
Joss Whedon has been a little away from the spotlight in recent years, so there’s great anticipation about his first television project. ‘The Nevers’ takes place in Victorian times and the story revolves around women with superpowers fighting crime. It will be a breath of fresh air for many.
8. The Lord Of The Rings – Amazon Prime Video
There’s been talk about this production for a long time, and it seems that somewhere in 2021 Amazon will show the world its megalomaniac project around the universe of J.R.R. Tolkien. Not much is known about the series yet – it has been revealed, however, that a second season has been commissioned – but the foundation revolves around stories that happen before the events of Peter Jackson’s trilogy.
9. Headspace Guide to Meditation – Netflix
This series of eight episodes on meditation premiered on January 1st. Each episode of 20 minutes will teach different techniques and ways to reach the full potential of an activity that gained a lot more importance in 2020. Good way to start the year and put some resolutions into practice immediately.
10. The Underground Railroad – Amazon Prime Video
The director of ‘Moonlight’, Barry Jenkins, is in charge of bringing to the small screen the adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel. The story follows a young slave girl fleeing the plantation where she works – in the southern United States – and discovering the construction of secret, underground railroads. The television version will take place in mini-series format.