2021 TV Preview: Firefly Lane, Clarice, Lord Of The Rings, Y: The Last Man, Loki And 15 More Shows We're Excited About

There are plenty of reasons to welcome 2021 with open arms, and an abundance of new television is high on our list.

All month long, we've looked back at 2020 via our extensive Year in Review, which highlighted the good, bad and grotesque TV moments of the past 12 months. Now, we're looking ahead to the broadcast, cable and streaming offerings that we're most highly anticipating in 2021.

The list below features 20 series that Team TVLine can't wait to watch in the new year. Many of them are brand-new additions to the freshman class (like Netflix's Katherine Heigl vehicle Firefly Lane), while others are returning favorites that have been on hiatus for quite a while. (More Succession now, please and thank you!)

Our picks also include some long-gestating adaptations that should finally arrive in 2021, such as Netflix's Cowboy Bebop and FX on Hulu's Y: The Last Man. And though it's worth noting that not every show on our list has announced a precise premiere date just yet, we've included the most up-to-date scheduling details for each project.

Scroll through the list below to see the 20 series we're most excited about in 2021, then drop a comment with the shows you can't wait to watch next year.

WHY IT EXCITES US: This dramatic reimagining of the beloved '90s sitcom starring Will Smith is, in a word, fresh. The upcoming series, which is based off Morgan Cooper's viral 2019 trailer, promises a modern coming-of-age story that will explore more of Will's tumultuous background as he adjusts to a life with his affluent relatives. With Smith, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air executive producers Quincy Jones and Benny Medina, and creators Andy and Susan Borowitz on board — along with The Wire's Chris Collins serving as showrunner — we're hyped to see how this intriguing take breathes new life into Smith's iconic story.

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: Having thrown out Season 8's first four scripts in the wake of George Floyd's death, we're curious to see how the long-running cop comedy ultimately addresses police brutality. And on a much lighter note, we're excited to see Jake and Amy navigate parenthood following the birth of firstborn son Mac.

SEASON 8 PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: While NBC's Hannibal fed our hunger for deeper insight into what makes the iconic serial killer tick, Silence of the Lambs' FBI agent Clarice Starling is overdue for greater exploration. Can Rebecca Breeds (The Originals) sufficiently pick up where Jodie Foster left off? That is the question. Meanwhile, the TV series' inclusion of Buffalo Bill kidnapping victim Catherine "It Places the Lotion in the Basket" Martin, as a "funhouse-mirror version of Clarice," has us intrigued.

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Thursday, Feb. 11 at 10/9c

WHY IT EXCITES US: We've been patiently waiting for our first look at Netflix's live-action version of the revered sci-fi anime classic, with a gang of bounty hunters and a hyper-intelligent corgi chasing bad guys across the solar system — and if it's even half as fun and weird as the original, sign us up. We're encouraged by the casting of John Cho (The Exorcist) as ultra-cool "cowboy" Spike Spiegel... and even more encouraged by Cho's vow that "we've gotta keep it strange."

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: We're actually a bit nervous for the Spanish teen drama's fourth season, which will not include several of our favorite characters (Carla, Lu, Nadia and Valerio). But with a bevy of new cast members joining the fray, the potential for juicy new hookups and exploits has us more curious than scared about what's in store. Plus, at least Guzmán and Samuel's bromance is still intact.

SEASON 4 PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: Season 1 ended with Kristen realizing that she just might be possessed by a demon. Meanwhile, her partner's first sober vision in a long time indicated that the forces of darkness were stepping up their game. So now, we can't wait to see how David and Kristen deal with everything that happened in the finale (like Orson LeRoux's murder!) and still manage to push back on Beelzebub & Co.

SEASON 2 PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: The closing moments of Avengers: Endgame dropped a lot of responsibility in Sam Wilson's lap, when Steve Rogers bestowed his teammate with the Captain America shield. How does one transition from sidekick into iconic hero? And how will Cap's BFF Bucky Barnes figure into it? Consider us quite curious, while also excited to see MCU vets Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan teamed up in a small-screen two-hander.

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Friday, March 19

WHY IT EXCITES US: We're a sucker for stories about female friendships that span multiple decades and hairstyles. We also love a good comeback, and the warm and fuzzy trailer has us thinking this could be just the career pivot Katherine Heigl needed. Also, full disclosure: We'll watch, and very likely obsess over, anything that Sarah Chalke is in.

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: Wednesday, Feb. 3

WHY IT EXCITES US: Sara Bareilles (Little Voice), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Altered Carbon) and Busy Philipps (Cougar Town) are the grown-up members of a '90s girl group trying for a revival. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's Meredith Scardino and 30 Rock's Tina Fey and Robert Carlock are the comedy's executive producers. And we... are... hype.

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: We were equally excited for Impeachment last year, back when we thought it would premiere in September 2020. The coronavirus pandemic ultimately delayed Crime Story's third season, but we remain eager to see the show's take on Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky's infamous sex scandal, with Clive Owen (Closer) and Beanie Feldstein (Booksmart) playing the lead roles. Plus, after seeing Sarah Paulson's complete transformation into Linda Tripp, we're doubly excited for the season's eventual debut.

SEASON PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: Tom Hiddleston has been stealing MCU scenes since his first appearance as the God of Mischief in 2011's Thor. Now leading his own series, we're intrigued to see new sides of Hiddleston's witty (but complex!) character, and the action-packed trailer suggests Loki will go even deeper into Marvel Comics canon.

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: May 2021

WHY IT EXCITES US: It's been six years since we last ventured to Middle Earth (Lord of the Rings prequel film The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies released in 2014), and we're looking forward to revisiting Tolkien's fantastical world filled with hobbits, elves and dwarves. The forthcoming series will be one for the ages — The Second Age, to be exact — as it explores Sauron's ascension to big-league baddie and how those pesky rings of power came into existence. The story takes place long before the Fellowship set out to destroy the One Ring — meaning you won't see the likes of Aragorn and Frodo — but other familiar characters will pop up, including a younger version of the elven queen Galadriel (played by Cate Blanchett in Peter Jackson's big-screen trilogies). We're holding out hope that Elrond and his dazzling headbands will also make an appearance.

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: Saturday Night Live's recurring MacGyver spoof, which found Will Forte disarming bombs under ludicrously high-pressure scenarios, was merely the tip of the iceberg. MacGruber leapt to the big screen in 2010, and true fans have been clamoring for more of that very specific, very stupid (but also kind of brilliant?) content ever since. Forte is the eight-episode comedy's only confirmed cast member as of now, but we're holding out hope that Kristen Wiig and Ryan Phillippe will both return in some capacity.

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: Um, have you perused Nicole Kidman and David E. Kelley's track record of late? After the duo's successful collaboration on HBO's Big Little Lies and this fall's buzzy whodunit The Undoing, we have high hopes for their latest small-screen offering, especially since BLL author Liane Moriarty is once again providing the source material. And did we mention Melissa McCarthy is Kidman's co-lead? Gimme now, Hulu!

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: Martin Short and Steve Martin are a match made in comedy heaven. (In addition to the classic Three Amigos, you should check out their 2018 Netflix special An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life.) We're still a bit wary about Selena Gomez's casting, but the premise (three strangers who share an obsession with true crime suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one) and creatives (which include This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman) have our interest piqued.

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: Not only does Taika Waititi have a proven track record of casting brilliant young talent (look no further than films Jojo Rabbit and Boy for proof), but his particular brand of comedy is sharp, quirky and dripping with humanity. With Waititi's wit behind it, this coming-of-age tale about four Native youths' misadventures in crime sounds exactly like the type of series for which we should save some DVR space.

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: It's been over a year since we last checked in with the Roy family, and we're dying to know what happens next in the simmering power struggle between patriarch Logan and upstart scion Kendall. (Plus, we can already imagine how the upper-crust Roys are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Maybe they just stayed on that luxury yacht?)

SEASON 3 PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's post-apocalyptic comic book series was always meant for the small screen. The story, about a mysterious plague that wipes out every man on earth but one, promises to be a twisty, turny ride full of sci-fi fun and survivalism. After spending years in development, we're beyond ready to see Yorick and his pet monkey in the flesh.

SERIES PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: This one's a little bittersweet. While we can't wait to reunite with our favorite characters (i.e. every single one of them), and we're always down for a good Diana Trout statement necklace, we were also told by series creator Darren Star that Younger's seventh season is being considered its unofficial swan song. Even with a Kelsey-centric spinoff in the works, with Hilary Duff attached to star, it's going to be tough to say goodbye to Liza and the gang.

SEASON 7 PREMIERE DATE: TBA

WHY IT EXCITES US: The joyful, achingly poignant and, at times, downright hilarious musical dramedy is the perfect antidote to the quarantine blues. And having seen Season 2's first three episodes, we can attest that the show's ability to weave humor, heart and whimsy is just as extraordinary as ever.

SEASON 2 PREMIERE DATE: Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 8/7c