15 Best TV Shows Of 2021 (So Far)
1. Time
The best show of the year, though - despite the stiff competition - has to be Jimmy McGovern's three-part prison drama Time, which stars Sean Bean and Stephen Graham in two of their most powerful roles to date.
Bean stars as Mark Cobden, a regretful criminal forced to adapt to life behind bars, whilst Graham plays conflicted prison officer Eric McNally, who's caught between his duty and his family.
A show that demands to be seen for its enthralling central performances alone, Time backs up its star power with a tale that is at once a crushing character study, a breakneck thriller, and a damning examination of the UK's flawed prison system.
McGovern's vision isn't merely provocative and enraging, it's also educational, confronting big issues rarely talked about whilst allowing his stars to dig deep into the morality and deep-rooted regret of their characters.
Though far from an easy watch, Time is nonetheless the best show to debut on this side of 2021, a spotless snapshot into the genius of Jimmy McGovern, Bean and Graham, and a gritty drama that the rest of this year's shows will have a tough time trying to beat.