Now that 2020 is behind us, what better way to celebrate the New Year than to look at all the content we have to look forward to next? Join Wonderwall.com as we take a look at 21 television events we can’t wait for in 2021… starting with the reboot of a popular teen drama. For those of us who couldn’t get enough of the incredibly dramatic and lavish lifestyles of Manhattan’s Upper East Siders, fear not — they’re coming back! A new crop of stars including Emily Alyn Lind, Thomas Doherty, Evan Mock, Eli Brown and Zion Moreno star in the “Gossip Girl” reboot, which will address the ways in which living in the age of social media intensifies Gossip Girl’s influence. Kristen Bell, who famously voiced Gossip Girl on the original series, has also signed on to reprise her role on the HBO Max reboot. Keep reading for more…
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All good things (and lucrative reality television series) must come to an end! In September 2020, the Kardashian-Jenner family announced that their E! reality show, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” would come to an end in early 2021. “After what will be 14 years, 20 seasons, hundreds of episodes and numerous spinoff shows, we are beyond grateful to all of you who’ve watched us for all of these years — through the good times, the bad times, the happiness, the tears, and the many relationships and children,” the family said in a statement.
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After multiple delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, the highly-anticipated “Friends” reunion — which was supposed to coincide with the launch of HBO Max in 2020 — is now confirmed for 2021. According to a November 2020 tweet from star Matthew Perry, the “Friends reunion [is] being rescheduled for the beginning of March. Looks like we have a busy year coming up. And that’s the way I like it!” The reunion special, which was initially intended to celebrate the sitcom’s 25th anniversary, will see all of its main stars returning: Matthew plus Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer will come together on the original “Friends” soundstage — stage 24 — on the Warner Bros. lot in Los Angeles.
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On Jan. 7, 2021, Mariska Hargitay returns as NYPD Captain Olivia Benson on NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” for the long-running procedural’s 22nd season. “It’s official! The bands back together! We had our first read thru today. #zoom Remember me in quarantine. #SVU22,” she wrote on Instagram in September 2020. In addition to the season premiere of “SVU,” fans of the series are also awaiting news about the spinoff series starring Chris Meloni’s Elliot Stabler. “Law & Order: Organize Crime” was set to premiere on NBC in 2020, though due to the pandemic, it’s been rescheduled to premiere sometime during 2021.
As fans continue to wait for the highly-anticipated second season of HBO’s gritty drama “Euphoria,” creator Sam Levinson has thankfully given us another special episode to look forward to. While the first episode focused entirely on Rue’s (Zendaya) struggles with mental health, addiction and identity, the second will shift its focus to Jules (Hunter Schafer) over the Christmas season. The episode entitled “F*** Anyone Who’s Not A Sea Blob” debuts on HBO Max on Jan. 24, 2021.
We can’t wait! On Jan. 4, 2021, fans can finally watch Matt James as the new leading man on the 25th season of ABC’s “The Bachelor.” Matt’s made history as the show’s first Black lead (Rachel Lindsay made history in 2017 when she became the first Black leading lady on “The Bachelorette”).
After the 93rd Annual Academy Awards pushed back its telecast by two months, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association snapped up the Oscars’ original date of Feb. 28 to air the 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards, which normally take place in early January. The show — whose nominees will be revealed on Feb. 3 — will again be hosted by “Saturday Night Live” alums Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Catch the award show live from the Beverly Hilton hotel on NBC.
On Jan. 31, 2020, the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards will air on CBS! This year’s crop of nominees includes Beyonce — who leads the pack with nine nominations — Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Justin Bieber and more. The Grammys will be hosted by Trevor Noah, the Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning host of “The Daily Show.”
While the teams have yet to be determined, the date has been set! On Feb. 7, 2021, Super Bowl LV will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The halftime show headliner, however, has already been announced: It’s The Weeknd. Controversy erupted in late 2020 after he was snubbed when 2021 Grammy nominations were announced despite widely being expected to score multiple nods. TMZ reported that he was initially given an ultimatum by the Recording Academy, which Grammy brass have denied: Perform during their award show or at Super Bowl LV, which are just days apart.
Another award show we can’t help but get excited for? The 93rd Annual Academy Awards, which will air live on ABC on April 25, 2021. While the prestigious show — which last year saw “Parasite” take home four Oscars including best picture and best director for Bong Joon-ho — was originally scheduled for Feb. 28, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it’s been postponed as the eligibility period for films has been extended.
Yet another reason to love Disney+? The miniseries “WandaVision” is slated to hit the streaming service on Jan. 15. The story takes place following the events of the 2019 film “Avengers: Endgame” and will see Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reprise their respective roles as Wanda Maximoff and Vision. “WandaVision” — the first series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four — also stars Kathryn Hahn, Randall Park, Kat Dennings and Teyonah Parris.
Mark your calendars! On Jan. 17, 2021, The CW’s “Batwoman” series returns for its second season. Following Ruby Rose’s exit from The CW superhero drama after its first season in May 2020, the series found its new lead in Javicia Leslie. Her casting, which was announced in July 2020, makes her the first Black actress to take on the role of Batwoman in a live-action television show or film, according to the network.
March 4, 2021, marks the return of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” following a mid-season hiatus. While there’s no definitive answer as to whether or not this will be the medical drama’s final season, star and producer Ellen Pompeo has hinted at the possibility. “We don’t know when the show is really ending yet,” she told Variety. “But the truth is, this year could be it.”
The fall 2020 conclusion of the cult hit fantasy series “Supernatural” marked the end of an era, but fans of star Jared Padalecki won’t have to wait long until they’re able to see him on the small screen once again! On Jan. 21, the “Gilmore Girls” alum’s latest series, “Walker,” premieres on The CW. The show, on which Jared stars as Cordell Walker, is a reboot of “Walker, Texas Ranger,” which aired from 1993 to 2001. Jared’s wife, Genevieve Padalecki, plays a recurring character, Emily — Cordell’s late wife.
The 2018 film “Blindspotting” is being adapted into a television series for STARZ in 2021. The eight-part limited series — which is written and produced by screenwriter Rafael Casal and “Hamilton” alum Daveed Diggs — follows an Oakland, California-based woman as she navigates an existential crisis following the sudden imprisonment of her partner of 12 years. “This story, the incredible cast and the production team are a dream. We are making the kind of show we have long hoped to see on television, centered around just some of the amazing kinds of characters the Bay Area has to offer,” Rafael told Deadline. Jasmine Cephas Jones, who also starred in “Hamilton” on Broadway alongside Daveed, will reprise her starring role from the film and serve as a producer of the half-hour dramedy.
2021 is yet another year of reboots! On Oct. 14, Deadline reported that Showtime will be relaunching “Dexter” as a new limited series. Michael C. Hall, who played the show’s titular blood spatter specialist by day and serial killer by night, is reprising his starring role. The series is set to go into production in early 2021 and will debut on Showtime in the fall. “We would only revisit this unique character if we could find a creative take that was truly worthy of the brilliant, original series,” said Showtime’s co-president of entertainment, Gary Levine. “Well, I’m happy to report that Clyde Phillips and Michael C. Hall have found it, and we can’t wait to shoot it and show it to the world.”
Feb. 3, 2021, marks the date that the drama “Firefly Lane” hits Netflix! The series, which is based on the Kristin Hannah novel of the same name, stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke as two women who go through the ups and downs of life together. The series also stars Ben Lawson, Beau Garrett and Yael Yurman and includes Brandon Jay McLaren, Patrick Sabongui, Chelah Horsdal, Brendan Taylor, Jon Ecker and Jenna Rosenow in recurring roles.
Who doesn’t love a musical dramedy? “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” starring Jane Levy returns to NBC for its second season on Jan. 5. The series chronicles the personal and professional pursuits of Zoey Clarke as she navigates life with her newfound ability to hear people sing their private, innermost thoughts. Skylar Astin, Lauren Graham, Alex Newell, John Clarence Stewart, Mary Steenburgen and Peter Gallagher also star.
On Jan. 5, the beloved NBC family drama “This Is Us” returns for the remainder of its fifth season. As made apparent in the first half of the season, “TIU” will continue to reflect the current state of the world, namely the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. “We have a show that explores both a white family and a Black family inside of the same family, and to not be looking at everything right now, I feel it would not be truthful,” series creator Dan Fogelman told Entertainment Weekly. “Sterling [K. Brown] has a gigantic arc this season as he deals with this fallout from his brother first and the situation with his mother. There’s a lot going on. We’re addressing it head-on.”
Also set to debut in 2021? Freeform’s buzzed-about thriller “Cruel Summer” from screenwriter Bert V. Royal and Jessica Biel. The series, which takes place over the course of three summers between 1993 and 1995 in a rural Texas town, co-stars Olivia Holt (pictured) as an abducted teen and Chiara Aurelia as a teen who goes from awkward and unnoticed to the most popular girl in school to the most hated person in the country.
“Riverdale” fans can delight in their favorite teen drama’s return to The CW on Jan. 20 for its fifth season. The series starring KJ Apa, Cole Sprouse, Camila Mendes and Lili Reinhart is sure to serve up yet another season of romance, mystery and endless amounts of drama! What we know so far? It will feature a substantial time jump. “Season 5 is graduation and then they’re going to jump-cut seven years after a few episodes,” Mark Consuelos, who plays Hiram Lodge, told SiriusXM’s “Quarantined with Bruce.”
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