The 10 Biggest Series Premieres of 2021 (So Far): ‘Walker,’ ‘WandaVision’ & More
All TV creators want their shows to be a hit. But even among those who are so lucky, only a few see their shows take off right away like the ones did that we list below.
Parrot Analytics has been tracking the demand of 2021’s U.S. series premieres so far-which is a measure of a show’s popularity across all platforms like broadcast, on demand and streaming- and the top two shows are 38 times more popular than the average show demand.
Here’s a hint about the shows on the ranking: Only two of the top 10 are new concepts: The others are adaptations, reboots, and continuations.
Want more clues? Six of the shows are streaming titles, while the other four run on broadcast networks either totally or partly owned by ViacomCBS. Six of the shows have the main character’s name in the title. Oh, and the top four are all superhero shows.
OK, enough hints. Scroll down to see the top 10—and to see a chart showing just how far ahead of the pack the top two titles are.
10. ‘Lupin’
Omar Sy stars in this French-language Netflix series about a charming criminal following in the footsteps of “gentleman thief” character Arsène Lupin.
9. ‘Walker’
Supernatural left The CW last year, but Jared Padalecki didn’t. The actor stars as the titular Texas Ranger of this drama, succeeding Chuck Norris in the role.
7. ‘Clarice’
This CBS psychological drama picks up right after the events of the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs, with Rebecca Breeds playing FBI wunderkind Clarice Starling.
6. ‘Ginny & Georgia’
Brianne Howey and Antonia Gentry lead the cast of this Netflix dramedy about a co-dependent mother-daughter duo—cue the Gilmore Girls comparisons!
5. ‘The Equalizer’
A 1980s crime drama begat a 2010s Denzel Washington film franchise and now this 2020s CBS drama, which features Queen Latifah playing the eponymous vigilante.
4. ‘Superman & Lois’
Faster than a speeding bullet, viewers flocked to this CW superhero series—the latest entry in the Arrowverse—about Metropolis’ most famous duo.
3. ‘Invincible’
Robert Kirkman adapted his famous comic book series—no, not that one, the other one—for an animated Amazon Prime Video series about a teen becoming a superhero just like his dad.
2. ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’
Two supporting superheroes from the Captain America and Avengers film series get their moment in the spotlight in this Disney+ series starring Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan.
1. ‘WandaVision’
This Disney+ series, meanwhile, features two other superheroes from the Avengers—played by Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany—as they move into what is initially an idyllic suburb straight out of a 1950s sitcom.
