Heels, The Chair, and the 6 best new shows coming out in August 2021

Another month is upon us which means we have another opportunity to check out new television shows and buzzy upcoming projects! It’s impossible to know 100% which of the projected best new shows will be critically acclaimed in advance, but based on the stars attached and buzz surrounding the following shows, these are the upcoming series in August 2021 we anticipate being some of the month’s most acclaimed offerings!

It’s really hard to keep tabs on the constant barrage of new content so here at Show Snob we’ve done our best to narrow down your options to the shows there will likely be the most worth your while!

Keep reading to learn more about the 6 best new shows arriving in August 2021

6. Heels

Premiering on Starz in less than two weeks, Heels is a primetime wrestling drama starring Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig as brothers Jack and Ace Spade at the small-town Georgia wrestling league. Not only does the show follow the spectacle of professional wrestling, but it’s a very interior show with lots of complex characters and relationship dynamics.

Even if you’re not into wrestling (like me), this is a show worth checking out. Like Friday Night Lights, Heels uses wrestling as a window into the world of the Duffy Wrestling League and the many characters that inhabit that space. The first episode drops Sunday, August 15 and it seems likely that Heels will be a big win for Starz.

5. Nine Perfect Strangers

Based on the book of the same name by Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers follows a group of nine individuals plagued by mental health struggles and daily stresses. This group of nine “perfect” strangers embarks on an extravagant 10-day wellness retreat that is meant to fundamentally alter who they are at the deepest, most intrinsic level.

MORE: Nine Perfect Strangers: 9 best moments from the official trailer

Running the boutique health-and-wellness resort is Masha, an ambitious and eccentric woman who believes her methods can fully alter just about anyone who walks into her retreat. Of course, these strangers will soon discover that they’re in for far more than they bargained for.

With an all-star cast including Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Luke Evans, Manny Jacinto, Regina Hall, Michael Shannon, Bobby Cannavale and more, it’s hard to imagine this show being bad. The first three episodes will drop on August 18 on Hulu followed by one new episode released weekly after that.

4. The Chair

The Chair is a new dark comedy series starring the Golden Globe Award-winner Sandra Oh herself. The Grey’s Anatomy and Killing Eve alum stars in as the new English department chair in a failing department and must figure out how to save it.

She’s also the first woman and woman of color to take on the position. Apart from Oh, the series also stars Jay Duplass and Holland Taylor. The Chair Season 1 premieres on Netflix on August 20.

3. Hit & Run

Airing this Friday, August 6, on Netflix, Hit & Run is an upcoming nine-episode suspense thriller following Fauda star Lior Raz as Segev, a man seeking revenge to avenge his wife’s murder. While it sounds like a story we’ve heard countless times, Hit & Run adds in some fascinating twists to its narrative including a big mystery surrounding the circumstances of Danielle’s death. Sanaa Lathan and Greg Henry also star.

2. What If…?

It’s hard to imagine Disney producing a terrible Marvel movie or television show. Even if everyone shares differing opinions about the various Marvel properties, most agree that they’re at least good, even if not fantastic. Critics are pretty unanimous in praising the films and series with all three Disney+ Marvel series receiving high ratings thus far.

I’m guessing that trend will continue with the upcoming What If…?, an animated series that sees many returning favorites voice their characters in alternate settings. I think it’s highly likely it will be considered one of the best new shows released in August. It’s possible that we’ll even see some of these multiverse worlds again in live-action properties! The first episode premieres August 11 on Disney+.

1. Only Murders in the Building

Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez star as an unlikely trio of true crime enthusiasts that find themselves smack-dab at the center of a murder investigation when one occurs in their Upper West Side apartment building in New York.

Suspecting that something is seriously amiss in their building, the trio bands together to solve the mystery of the grisly death. Fearing the killer might be among them, they must race to decipher the clues before it’s too late. The first three episodes of Only Murders in the Building drop August 31 on Hulu.

Which of the series from this list of possible best new shows releasing in August 2021 are you most looking forward to watching? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.