From the global phenomenon of Squid Game to the courtroom theatrics of Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard , 2021 was a year where the lines between cinema, television, TikTok, and trial coverage dissolved entirely. Here is the definitive breakdown of the trends, hits, and misses that shaped the year.

Other notable theatrical events included Venom: Let There Be Carnage (which gave us the absurdly meme-able "There’s a symbiote in the multiverse" line) and No Time to Die , which finally gave Daniel Craig’s James Bond a fitting, melancholic send-off. Meanwhile, Dune: Part One was a visual triumph that felt "too big for streaming," forcing Warner Bros. to greenlight the sequel immediately.

Did we miss your favorite show or song from 2021? The beauty of the streaming era is that it’s never too late to recommend it to your algorithm.