6 best Netflix shows to watch (and 3 to skip) on New Year’s Day 2021

Happy New Year! It’s finally 2022, and while it doesn’t seem like much has changed since 2021, your Netflix watch list could use some resolutions. If you’re looking for some Netflix shows to watch (or skip) to celebrate New Year’s Day, we have your picks.

The past year brought some of the best new Netflix shows as well as incredible new seasons of fan-favorite original series we couldn’t stop watching. There were also plenty of breakout hits from all corners, whether it was Squid Game or Manifest.

New Year’s Day is the perfect opportunity to catch up on the shows you might have missed back in 2021, get back into a show you fell behind on, or give something new a shot.

However, there are certain shows you should skip for a post-holiday, back-to-work wind down or just skip altogether. Allow us to guide you through the ultimate chill day off watch list for every New Year’s Day mood.

Best Netflix shows New Year’s Day

Whether you’re looking for comedies, dramas, mysteries, or docuseries, we’re sharing the best Netflix shows to spend the first day of the new year binge-watching or skipping. Let’s get things started below with the under-appreciated sitcom Pretty Smart.

Pretty Smart

Watch! Forget everything you’ve heard about the Netflix original sitcom. Pretty Smart debuted in fall 2021 to mixed critical reception (okay, fine, negative critical reception), but it’s cute and fun and completely underrated. Start 2022 with some easy laughs and one of the strongest sitcom ensembles in recent memory.

Ozark

Watch! As of New Year’s Day, there’s only 20 days left to sneak in a catch up binge-watch of Ozark before the first part of the fourth and final season premieres. That’s right, seven episodes of the final season debut on Jan. 21, and it’s high time to get up to speed with the Byrdes before the swan song takes flight later this month.

Cheer

Skip! Unless you’re desperately looking to catch up on what you missed since the first season of Cheer premiered on Netflix in January 2020 (a virtual lifetime ago), pass on rewatching the cheerleading docuseries. Season 2 debuts on Jan. 12 and will surely be the talk of the town for another brief window of online buzz.

Manifest

Watch! One of the biggest shows of 2021 was definitely Manifest, and before the fourth and final season comes to Netflix later in 2022, those who still haven’t boarded Flight 828 should give it a shot. There’s no better time to dive into an expansive mystery than New Year’s Day.

Anxious People

Skip! You’re probably seeing a series called Anxious People popping up on Netflix and wondering what’s up with the new series. It’s a Swedish miniseries about a bank robbery with interesting fallout. If you’re in the mood for something new, definitely check this one out on New Year’s Day, but don’t feel bad skipping Anxious People for another time.

Dynasty

Watch! Five seasons into an underrated run, Dynasty deserves so much more fanfare. The primetime soap reboot has mastered the genre and turned the world of the Carringtons into a totally new experience. For an addictive binge full of shocking drama and unexpected laughs, watch The CW hit on Netflix.

Happy Endings

Watch! If you’re still missing Friends on Netflix and Seinfeld isn’t quite scratching that itch, here’s an a-mah-zing option for you. Happy Endings remains one of the most beloved cult favorite comedies, and all three hilarious seasons are streaming on Netflix. Run, don’t walk!

Queer Eye

Skip! On New Year’s Eve, Queer Eye season 6 premiered on Netflix, and there’s no doubt many fans started binge-watching right away. If you’re a fan, you should totally watch. But even though you might want to start 2022 off on a feel-good note, save those feels for post-work weeknights. It’s New Year’s Day, your day off! Watch something else on your watch list.

Emily in Paris

Watch! Emily in Paris fans more than likely devoured the second season when it premiered ahead of the Christmas holiday (and are ready for season 3), but any remaining holdouts should make the trip to Paris for New Year’s Day. It’s the most charming rom-com escape to kick off the new year.

What Netflix shows will you be watching and skipping on New Year’s Day? Share your picks in the comments!