If your favorite shows—like "You" and "Dead to Me"—ended on some serious cliffhangers last year, don't worry. Here's a comprehensive list of everything new and returning to Netflix in 2021. You won't be leaving your sofa for another couple of weeks.
Anatomy of a Scandal
The creator of "Big Little Lies" is creating an anthology series that details various high-profile public scandals. The first season will dive into sexual consent scandals and star Michelle Dockery, Rupert Friend, and Sienna Miller. If it's from the mind of David E. Kelley, you know it'll be twisty.
A Novel Adaptation
The Netflix series is based on the novel of the same name by Sarah Vaughan. It will be directed by S.J. Clarkson, who worked on "Succession" and "Jessica Jones." The book follows a Westminster politician whose marriage falls apart after he's accused of assault.
Angry Birds: Summer Madness
The "Angry Birds" franchise has taken off since the rise of the popular video game. After earning a number of film spin-offs, another one is in the works. This new animated kids series will hit screens later this year.
A New Cast of Characters
The show is set to air this summer and features a new set of hilarious characters. The plot is unrelated to either "Angry Birds" film, but the humor and tone are supposed to be familiar. The series will have 40 11-minute episodes.
Behind Her Eyes
The same studio that brought us "The Crown," Left Bank Pictures, is creating "Behind Her Eyes." It's a limited psychological thriller series that will have fans on the edge of their seats. It features Eve Hewson, Simona Brown, and Tom Bateman.
Another Novel Adaptation
The official description says the show is about "a single mother who enters a world of twisted mind games when she begins an affair with her psychiatrist while secretly befriending his mysterious wife." It is an adaptation of a novel with the same name, and apparently, we're in for one shocking ending.
Brand New Cherry Flavor
Rosa Salazar landed the lead role in this horror film. It follows a director living in 1990s LA and how her life takes a pretty horrific turn. The showrunners are famous Nick Antosca and Lenore Zion.
A Horrifying Look at Psychosis
The show is an adaptation of Todd Grimson's fantasy-horror novel, and co-stars Manny Jacinto from "The Good Place." The plot is described as "a supernatural revenge plot" and the pilot will be filmed by Arkasha Stevenson.
Clickbait
This American-Australian miniseries will detail the "dangerous and uncontrolled impulses fueled in the age of social media and reveals the ever-widening fractures between virtual and real-life personas."
Star-Studded Cast
The series has a pretty stacked cast. Adrien Grenier, Zoe Kazan, and Betty Gabriel play the leads, all of which are related characters. The story is set in the United States but was filmed in Melbourne, Australia.
Colin in Black & White
This Colin Kaepernick biopic stars Mary-Louise Parker and Nick Offerman as Kaepernick's real-life adoptive parents. It illustrates the struggles of white parents raising a black son in their white community. Jaden Michael will play a young version of the football star.
An Acclaimed Directorial Team
The production is fronted by acclaimed director Ava DuVernay and delves into Kaepernick's formative high school years. It shows how he rose through football's ranks and eventually became a voice for social change.
Country Comfort
Katharine McPhee and Eddie Cibrian are set to star in "Country Comfort," created by "The Nanny" producer Caryn Lucas. McPhee's character's life and career are both derailed, so she gets a job working as a nanny for a "rugged cowboy" and his five children.
A Can-Do Spirit
McPhee takes on a motherly figure for the five children, and brings "loads of Southern charm and a can-do attitude" to the set. She navigates family dynamics and also restarts her career thanks to the help of the patriarch's band.
Cowboy Bebop
The live-action adaptation of the acclaimed anime series will star John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, and Alex Hassell. It was initially set to air in 2019 but has been delayed twice.
Ragtag Intergalactic Bounty Hunters
The show follows Spike Spiegel, a bounty hunter from Mars, as he tracks down criminals across the galaxy. His team consists of Jet Black and Faye Valentine, two other pseudo-crime fighters. Their main mission is to defeat Vicious, Spike's nemesis and former partner.
DeadEndia
This new animated series is led by Hamish Steele and is based on graphic novels of the same name. It's a fantasy horror comedy and is set for release this fall. It's produced by Blink Industries.
Haunted Theme Park Adventures
The plot follows employees at a haunted-house theme park during the summer. It also happens to be a portal to hell. they're joined by a rotating cast of zombies, game show hosts, and witches.
Fate: The Winx Saga
This revamp of the cartoon of the same name takes on a darker tone than the original children's show. The cast is relatively new to the screen and features the talents of Abigail Cowen, Danny Griffin, and Hanna van der Westhuysen.
A Magical Fairy Universe
The original Winx series was set in a magical universe, home to fairies and witches. The main character, Bloom, attends a college to hone her magical skills. The show originated in Italy but earned widespread US success.
You
Penn Badgley returns as the manic Joe Goldberg in the third season of "You." This time, Love is pregnant with Joe's child and they live in a quiet suburb. However, it's likely this season gets more into Joe's past than previous seasons.
Love is Blind
The reality dating show took the beginning of quarantine by storm. The cast has to date through a wall before seeing their significant other, and then they agree to get married or part ways. Season 2 is set to feature just as much drama.
Dead to Me
The second season of "Dead to Me" showed James Marsden's twin hitting our main protagonists with his car while drunk driving. They so nearly got away with the accidental murder from season one, but this latest incident is certainly going to pose some challenges.
Emily in Paris
"Emily in Paris" faced a lot of criticism for portraying France and its people in a sort of caricature light. However, the show was still wildly successful, and we'll see Emily continue her work and romance through the city of lights.
Stranger Things
The hit sci-fi show is back for a fourth season this year. The original cast is set to return, and we get more backstory on Hopper. Production has managed to continue through the pandemic, and season 3 left a lot of unanswered questions that have fans on the edge of their seats.
The Umbrella Academy
The highlight of "The Umbrella Academy" season 3 is that the gang has to prevent some sort of impending armageddon. Filming began early in February and the show's stars, like Elliot Page, have already posted some teasers.
Big Mouth
Season 5 of "Big Mouth" is set to wrap up the gang's trials through eighth grade. Nick's hormone monster is Rick, and fans can likely expect some more romance. Jay dumped Lola at the end of the fourth season, so all the guys are single together.
The Circle
"The Circle" is an isolation-style challenge game in which the competitors can either interact with each other online as themselves or as catfishes. It was also wildly popular during the beginning of quarantine, and season 2 will certainly be just as exciting.
Grace & Frankie
The final season of "Grace & Frankie" will have 16 episodes, and Dolly Parton might even guest. Filming was put on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the network isn't taking any chances since much of the cast is aging. The plot of the final season is set to show the core characters making some major life changes.
Atypical
"Atypical" follows the story of Sam Gardner, an autistic teen navigating normal high school ups and downs. The plot revolves around him, his friends, and his family as they all learn how to give Sam his independence and watch him grow up. Season 4 is set to air later this year.
Disenchantment
Much of the plot of "Disenchantment" follows Bean (voiced by Abbi Jacobson) as she forgoes her princess duties. Her sidekicks, a demon and an elf, voiced by Eric Andre and Nat Faxon, help her cause just as much trouble. If you recognize the animation style, that's because it was created by "The Simpsons" artist Matt Groening.
The Witcher
Netflix made this one easy. Here's an official synopsis for season 2: "Convinced Yennefer’s life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, Geralt of Rivia brings Princess Cirilla to the safest place he knows, his childhood home of Kaer Morhen. While the Continent’s kings, elves, humans and demons strive for supremacy outside its walls, he must protect the girl from something far more dangerous: the mysterious power she possesses inside."
Virgin River
Season 3 of "Virgin River" is set to return this year, but nothing about the plot has been revealed. It's most definitely going to pick up where season 2's dramatic end left off, though. However, many of the characters were left in difficult circumstances and fans have been impatiently waiting for answers.
Dash & Lily
The first season of "Dash and Lily" followed the almost-couple through a series of clues planted by a shared journal. When they met up, they were both disappointed by who they were, and ultimately decided not to date. Of course, this next season is going to show them — you guessed it, dating.
#blackAF
Season 2 of #blackAF picks up where season 1 left off — Kenya and Joya's marriage is struggling, and so they booked a trip to Fiji to reset. When things don't go as planned, they find a new way to reconnect and vow to work out their issues.
Firefly Lane
This novel adaptation follows the story of two women navigating a friendship they've had for decades. Their relationship has been tumultuous at times, but it's overall a heartwarming story. Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke star as Tully and Kate grown up.
Maid
This "dramedy" is produced by Margot Robbie and is inspired by a memoir of the same name. With a huge cast, starring Margaret Qualley, Nick Robinson, and Andie MacDowell, Robbie has secured quite a project. It's set to wrap filming early this year with a possible winter release.
Ginny & Georgia
This has been dubbed a "spiritual successor" to Gilmore Girls. It's another show about a mother-daughter duo whose roles aren't exactly typical. The show's 10 episodes arrive early this year.
Halston
Ewan McGregor stars in this biopic produced by Ryan Murphy. It follows the rise and fall of fashion designer Halston. In typical Ryan Murphy fashion, the show is set to be avant-garde and full of suspense.
Headspace Guide to Meditation & Headspace Guide to Sleep
Netflix and the Headspace app are teaming up to bring two new series focused on calming you down and helping you sleep. The first series aired on January 1, 2021, and the other comes later this year. This is the perfect program to toss on while you're falling asleep.
History of Swear Words
Uh oh, Nicholas Cage is hosting this new series. It delves into the long, and hilarious, history of swear words, and who better to host it than this guy? It aired on January 5, 2021.
Inventing Anna
Julia Garner of "Ozark" plays the lead role in this biopic. It's about the con artist who was able to swindle money from New York's elite by posing as an heiress. The series is based on a New York Magazine article about her five-year-long scheme.
Jupiter's Legacy
This is Netflix's first attempt at their own superhero saga. It takes on a classic superhero feel with a modern story. Though it has had production issues, it's still set to be the first release of Millarworld productions on Netflix.
Lost Ollie
This sweet animated miniseries is just for the kids. It's about a little toy searching across the country for the boy who lost him. It's going to be a tear-jerker, no doubt.
Maya and the Three
This stunning animation comes from the mind of Jorge Gutierrez. It's Netflix's first limited animation series. It's about a warrior princess traveling on a quest to save the world of men and gods.
Pieces of Her
This show, based on the 2018 novel by Karin Slaughter, stars Toni Collete, Bella Heathcote, and David Wenham. The story follows a young woman who is caught in the middle of a deadly shooting in a diner as she watches her mother step in to intervene.
Midnight Mass
Mike Flanagan is spearheading this project, and it's one of several that he's contributing to Netflix this year. This one is about an isolated island community undergoing a series of strange and supernatural events. A young priest comes to the island to help get to the bottom of things.
Resident Evil
The showrunners of "Supernatural" are premiering this prequel project. Filming began this month, but it might not make it to streaming until late this year. It's a spin-off of the popular video game.
Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness
This anime version of the popular video game is set to debut later this year as well. It will feature many characters from the franchise and, though anime is usually targeted toward Japanese audiences, this one has a lot of Western appeal.
Sex/Life
Sarah Shahi, Mike Vogel, and Adam Demos star in this comedy. The main plot point follows a love triangle, something all audiences love. The series is run by Stacy Rukeyser.
Shadow and Bone
These Leigh Bardugo books are finally getting a long-awaited spinoff. A young girl discovers a power that "could unite the world and stop the forces of darkness."
Sweet Tooth
This superhero feature is an adaptation of a famous comic book of the same name by Jeff Lemire. Filming has apparently already finished, so it's likely we'll see this one soon. Robert Downey Jr. is slated as an executive producer, too.
The Netflix Afterparty
This Netflix's first weekly show since "The Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj" was discontinued. It's a promotion-type series for Netflix's library and showcases interviews and other exclusive content. It sars David Spade, London Hughes, and Fortune Feimster.
The Serpent
This BBC co-production aired in January in the UK, and we can expect it on Netflix later this year. It stars Jenna Coleman, Ellie Bamber, and Tahir Rahim. The plot follows a con-man and a mass-murderer on a spree in the 1970s.
Vikings: Valhalla
This historical drama is a spin-off of the popular Vikings series. The budget is apparently huge and filming wrapped up already. We can expect the first couple of episodes before the year ends.
Cobra Kai
The "Karate Kid" spinoff saw a ton of success at the beginning of this year. Ralph Macchio reprises his classic character and trains young karate proteges. We can likely expect the fourth season at the end of this year.
Green Eggs and Ham
The cast of this Dr. Seuss's "Green Eggs and Ham" is surprisingly star-studded. Michael Douglas is Guy-Am-I, Diane Keaton is Michelle, Adam DeVine is Sam-I-Am, and Keegan Michael Key is the narrator. Season 1 shows our protagonists meeting, and season 2 finds them traveling to "Flurbia" together.
The Goop Lab With Gwyneth Paltrow
Season 1 of "The Goop Lab" showed fans different techniques to harness their physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing with a rotating cast of specialists. Aside from Gwyneth Paltrow, Goop's founder, she is going to have a whole new set of specialists explaining alternative lifestyle practices.
The Baby-Sitters Club
A revamp of the classic books has turned into a comedy-drama starring Sophie Grace and Alicia Silverstone. Similar to the original plot, the story follows the lives and friendships of a group of middle school girls and their babysitting adventures in Stoneybrook, Connecticut.