This year has released many new tv shows and seasons that have broken the charts and expanded universes. Most of these shows relate to themes of testing humanity/society and individual choices.

Walking Dead World Beyond (AMC) – Horror, Serial Drama, and Zombie apocalypse.

Walking Dead World Beyond is the third installment into The Walking Dead universe. This story takes place 10 years after the initial zombie apocalypse and follows a group of teenagers in a Civic Republic Military (CRM) ally compound, called Omaha, located in Omaha, Nebraska. The teenagers receive messages from their father and become inspired to reconnect with him once again. This leads them to leave their safety of their community and travel across the country to find their father. Along the way they encounter the dead and mystery’s the CRM is hiding, changing them individually forever.

Reasons to watch: New and interesting cast. Viewers don’t need to watch the Walking Dead to start watching this series. Good plot that tests the characters.

The Circle (Netflix) – Reality Competition.

The Circle Season 3 is a reality television competition that takes a social experiment to the next level. The show takes people of all different backgrounds and puts them all into one building. The catch is that the players aren’t able to see each other in person. They are given social media profiles, where they can either be true to themselves or set up catfish accounts where they pretend to be someone they aren’t. The players interact through group chats, games, and more. Their jobs are to gain popularity within the group, and become top influencers through ranked ratings that occur each week. The top two highest influencers then chose who gets voted out, until the game has only four player remaining. Only one will win the $100,000 prize.

Reasons to watch: New and interesting twists that change up the game. The show provides the viewer with likable and hate able personalities. You also get very involved as well.

Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+) – Superhero, Action, Buddy Comedy.

An unlikely duo that shares a common friend in the beloved Steve Rogers (Captain America), Buckey Barnes (Winter Soldier) and Sam Wilson (Falcon), embark on a global journey. With the fall of Captain America, Sam Wilson denied the opportunity to take over the legacy so, the idea of what will happen to his legacy was in the hands of the government. US veteran, John Walker takes the place as Captain America, but cracks quickly appear when he tries to match Captain Americas super human strength. Wilson and Barnes works to stop Captain Americas legacy from being destroyed all while taking down a global terrorist organization called, the Flag-Smashers.

Reasons to watch: Good starring characters. Don’t need to be a huge Marvel fan to understand, introduces “new” heroes, and plot tests morals and characters.

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) – Comedy, Mystery.

Three true crime obsessed fans, find themselves caught up inside a real murder mystery inside their own building complex. With only recently becoming friends, the three work together, coming up with theories and reasons behind who and why one of their neighbors was murdered. Snooping around in things they shouldn’t be brings them some trouble. This trouble leads the three to become suspicious of each other. The idea of one of them being behind the murder becomes a real investigation.

Reasons to watch: Good set of starring actors that make the show funny and entertaining.  Good plot that keeps the true murderers identity hidden until the reveal.

Squid Game (Netflix) – Drama, Thriller, Horror Fiction.

Following the trials and tribulations of a single dad, Seong Gi-Hun, trying to stay connected with his daughter, but, because of his financial situation caused by his gambling addiction, Hun gets roped into a game. The money that Gi-Hun earns makes him greedy to earn more.  He is not alone. This new game has 456 financially poor South Korean citizens, being tricked into a seemingly easy game to win money. This is their last resort to “win big.” The chance to win money fills them with hope. The contestants quickly realize this isn’t any ordinary competition. The games are presented as traditional children’s games with a twist, if they fail, they die. The season continues to follow Hun and other players as they traverse through the game, testing their morals, their thought processes, and their sacrifices.

Reasons to watch: Brings a new light to international media. The show questions society and the problems it causes in the poor. A very good/lovable cast. Has a good plot that setups up another season, which many people are excited for.

Manifest (Netflix) – Drama, Supernatural.

After five years, Montego Air flight 828 reappears out of thin air. For the passengers it was only a couple hours, but for everyone else it was years since the plane had mysteriously disappeared. All was lost for the people not on the flight, but then the impossible happened. Everyone was perplexed and confused on how this occurred, leaving the government to have high interest in the passengers, thinking they may have been abducted by another country or the pilot had held them hostage. All of those soon to not be the case when the passengers begin to discover new things about themselves that brings them to the conclusion they are here for a greater purpose. Though being released in 2018, the third season of the show was released in 2021 where it brought many people to binge the show to catch up, making it the #1 show in the US for a while on Netflix.

Reasons to watch: Lots to watch since this show has only become popular in 2021. Interesting story line and character development. Entertaining characters that keeps you watching.

Hawkeye (Disney+) – Action-adventure, Crime, Superhero.

Stepping back from the hero spotlight, Clinton Barton (Hawkeye) spends time with his kids in NYC before Christmas. This quickly comes to an end when he sees someone wearing his Ronin outfit on the news. Trying to hide the suit, Barton hunts down the impersonator. When he tracks them down, they have gotten into a little scramble with the Tracksuit Mafia. When Barton unmasks the Ronin, he finds a girl named Kate Bishop. Bishop a fellow archer who was inspired as a kid from watching Hawkeye in the 2012 battle of New York. Now wrapped up in the Tracksuit Mafia, Barton and Bishop work together to take them down and look into Bishops Mom and Stepdad along the way.

Reasons to watch: Good cast that bounce of each other well. The show explains the background information for easy understanding. Show has a funny tone to it and has an enjoyable atmosphere being set during Christmas.

WandaVision (Disney+) – Drama, Superhero, Romance, Mystery, Sitcom.

Taking place directly after the events of Endgame, this story follows characters, Wanda Maximoff and Vision. The show begins with Wanda and Vision living in a typical American sitcom style suburb named Westview as they try to hide their powers from their neighbors. Life soon quickly unfolds for Wanda and we learn the true origin behind Westview. Everything in this “perfect” maybe isn’t so perfect.

Reasons to watch: Interesting setting for a show. Visually appealing with the different decades the show takes. Good actors and new/expanded characters. Sets up for a lot in the MCU, if you like Marvel. Provides background in the show so you understand whats going on.

Survivor (CBS) – Reality Competition.

A long running show with their 41st season released during 2021. This season takes a whole new take on what survivor once was. Immunities and advantages coming into play constantly, falling into the survivors hands with new capabilities not seen before. Beyond the increase in advantages, the show implements new twists that can give a player the power to change the game entirely. Host Jeff Probst said, “Drop the 4 keep the 1 because this is a new game”.

Reasons to watch: New cast involving a lot of diversity and new twists/advantages to keep you guessing.

Loki (Disney+) – Action-adventure, Crime thriller, Science fiction, Superhero.

Ever wondered where Loki went when he grabbed the Tesseract and teleported away in Endgame? Well now you can find out. This show allows Loki to step out of Thor’s shadow and embark on a journey of his own where the viewer learns more about Loki as a character. This journey takes a new look into the universe, introducing the organization the Time Variance Authority (TVA). Loki is captured and brought to the TVA headquarters where he is being detained for messing with the stability of the timeline. There he begins exploring and discovering the TVA and what they do and what is beyond their own universe.

Reasons to watch: Funny main character, introduces a new lovable character, Sylvie, good pacing, and introduces so much potential and exploration for the MCU to come.