New year. New you. New TV series!
It’s safe to say that COVID-19 has made our lives unpredictable. With new variants showing up every few months, it's difficult to make any long term plans and think ahead. This uncertainty can cause us all to be a little wary of going into 2022. However, if there is one thing that we can be certain of, it’s the many new shows that are premiering in 2022, that are sure to offer us the escapism we all need.
Side note: we're not so sure Shakespeare would have written “King Lear” during a pandemic, if steaming services were available back then. Just sayin’.
So, as 2021 comes to a close, we have selected the 9 most anticipated shows of 2022. Whether you like romance, comedy, drama, action or fantasy, there is something here for everyone! There are also plenty of spinoffs, reboots and miniseries. We may not know what the new year will bring, but if this list is any indication, we can count on top quality entertainment. Keep scrolling to check them out!
1. Bel Air (Peacock)
Speaking of the 90’s, Bel Air is a reboot of the beloved 90’s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. West Philadelphia local, Jabari Banks, has been cast as Will, while the “real'' Will Smith acts as executive producer. Like the original series, Will is forced to leave Philly and finds himself in the affluent neighborhood of Bel Air. However, unlike its predecessor, this reboot will have a more dramatic tone and explore complex themes in a way which was not presented 30 years ago.
Release Date: TBD
Predicted Rating: 🍿🍿🍿🍿
2. How I Met Your Father (Hulu)
How I Met Your Mother was very popular in the early-mid 2000’s, and now a new generation can enjoy its spinoff series, How I Met Your Father, a 10 episode comedy series, with Hilary Duff as Sophie, our protagonist, who tells her son the story of how she met his father. Based on the trailer, we can assume hilarity and awkwardness ensue amongst her and her friends as they try to navigate dating in the modern age.
Release Date: January 22, 2022
Predicted Rating: 🍿🍿🍿
3. Inventing Anna (Netflix)
Inventing Anna is based on the true story of con-woman Anna Sorokin (Julia Garner), who infiltrated New York’s elite social circle, by pretending to be a wealthy German heiress only to scam thousands of dollars from banks, hotels and acquaintances. Shonda Rhimes, the woman behind Bridgerton, Scandal, and Grey's Anatomy, created and wrote the series, so needless to say, expectations are high.
Release Date: February 2022
Predicted Rating: 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
4. House of the Dragon (HBO)
Game of Thrones fans, rejoice! House of the Dragon is a prequel series to GOT, set 300 years before the events of the original series. The 10-episode series, based on George Martin's 2018 novel Fire & Blood, depicts the story of the Targaryen civil war.
Release Date: TBD
Predicted Rating: 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
5. Lord of the Rings (Amazon Prime)
It looks like prequels are going strong in 2022. LOTR is a 10 episode series, telling the tale of the Second Age of Middle-Earth before the events of the Lord of the Rings novels and films transpire. The series is expected to be the most expensive series ever made - the first season alone (Amazon has already renewed it for a second season) had a $465 million dollar budget.
Release Date: September 22, 2022
Predicted Rating: 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
6. The Peacemaker (HBO MAX)
A good anti hero always makes for good television. The Peacemaker, aka Christopher Smith (John Cena) is a live action comedy series, which serves as a spin off of the 2021 film “Suicide Squad” and is based off a DC comics villian of the same name. The Peacemaker will kill anyone in his way of achieving his goal of world peace. Quite the oxymoron.
Release date: January 12, 2022
Predicted rating: 🍿🍿🍿🍿
7. Ms. Marvel (Disney +)
Ms. Marvel, expands the Marvel Universe further, and follows Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), a 16-year-old Muslim Pakistani-American from Jersey City. A dedicated Marvel fan and Avengers enthusiast, she learns that she too has superpowers. It’s certainly very refreshing to see a woman of color as a Marvel superhero on our screens,
Release Date: TBD
Predicted Rating: 🍿🍿🍿🍿
8. The After Party (Apple TV +)
For those of you who enjoyed Only Murders in the Building, this one is for you - another murder mystery comedy that takes place in a high school reunion party. After one of the guests is murdered, each attendee gives his/her version of events of the night (I’m getting real Agatha Christie vibes from this).
Release Date: January 28th, 2022
Predicted Rating: 🍿🍿🍿🍿
9. The First Lady (Showtime)
While there are numerous shows detailing the lives of the POTUS (“The West Wing”, “Scandal”, “House of Cards”), not many have given center stage to the First Ladies of the East Wing. The First Lady, an anthology drama series, addresses this gap by depicting the lives of Michelle Obama, Betty Ford and Eleanor Roosevelt, played by Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson respectively. I can hear the Emmy nominations already!
Release Date: Spring 2022
Predicted Dating: 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
We don’t know about you, but this list has us looking forward to 2022! Happy New Year, ya’ll!
YOUR NEXT READ: Bridgerton to Return for Season 2 on March 25