By Kevin L. Clark ·March 6, 2021March 6, 2021
New year, new TV, beautiful Black people.
2021 is stacked to the brim with some of the biggest names in film taking their talents to the small screen of television, and it is worth celebrating. With less than two weeks until spring gets sprung, the changing of the seasons comes with many cinephiles and TV watchers locking in as a new slew of shows begin to air on cable and streaming services.
You’ve likely heard the insane line-ups of content coming to Disney Plus, Amazon, Netflix, HBO Max, and Peacock, but for every eagerly-anticipated series, there is hope that heavy hitters like Atlanta and Underground can return for their upcoming third seasons. In a time where most people had more than enough time than expected to sit on their couches and watch television, it looks like 2021 is not going to be much different than last year.
The good news is that there are a wealth of hotly anticipated (and rumored) shows, from the return of Jamie Foxx to the small screen to new epic fantasy and animated worlds to get lost in. Here are all of the things to keep on your radar, and for even more things to watch and listen to in 2021, check out our lists of artists, directors, and women in film pathmakers.
The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards (March 14)
Yes, yes, this is technically not a show, but the Grammys are an annual watch for Black Twitter and our families. Originally scheduled for Jan. 31, the spread of the pandemic in Los Angeles caused a necessary postponement. Now, the ceremony, which is to be hosted by Trevor Noah, organized and in motion—we will gather once again to possibly watch a H-Town reunion with Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé live on stage.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (March 19)
Ask anyone who has been watching WandaVision this winter and you’ll understand just how well Marvel properties work as TV shows. The hype train continues as Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan reprise their roles for Disney+’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Their team-up will come with unlikely results as comic book stans and lovers of the MCU will be excited to see how long these two impatient heroes can stand to work together.
Genius: Aretha (March 21)
Need a fix to hold you down before Jennifer Hudson’s take on Aretha Franklin’s life hits theaters and streaming services? Don’t worry, National Geographic have you covered with their own take. Cynthia Erivo (Harriet) puts on that expensive mink for Genius: Aretha, which will bring audiences into the Queen of Soul’s life. With Courtney B. Vance, David Cross, and Antonique Smith attached, Erivo as Franklin is certainly going to be one to watch with the Black Twitterati.
Invincible (March 26)
Based on a comic by The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman and artist Cory Walker, Invincible could possibly become your favorite show and you ain’t even know it! With animation that’s a cut above other shows you see on TV these days, Invincible is about Mark Grayson, a high school student who finds out his dad is Omni-Man, a Superman-like superhero figure carrying a dark secret. With Steven Yeun (Minari) and JK Simmons (Spider-Man: Far From Home) playing the son and father, respectively, Invincible brags an ensemble of big names—including Zazie Beetz, Sandra Oh, and Mark Hamill.
Law & Order: Organized Crime (April 1)
Ten years after he quit Special Victims Unit and left Mariska Hargitay (his partner) hanging to appear in very un-SVU shows like Underground and Pose, Christopher Meloni—and his character, NYPD detective Elliot Stabler—return for NBC’s newest
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