Release Date: October 14, 2022

Despite the number of adaptations revolving around the murder Emmit Till and its impact on the Civil Rights Movement, something about director Chinonye Chukwu’s feature film feels definitive. 

Also helping is an Oscar-level performance from Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till-Bradley alongside the supporting cast, including Whoopi Goldberg, Jalyn Hall, and Frankie Faison.

Release Date: July 22, 2022

It looks like the writer, director, and producer Jordan Peele is 3-for-3 with the sci-fi thriller Nope. On the surface level, the film about two siblings, played by Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, hoping to get footage of a UFO is equally moody as it is suspenseful. 

Behind that is a feature that makes a constructive argument about the nature of capturing content for social media.

Release Date: September 16, 2022

Controversy over the subject matter aside, The Woman King is considered one of the best historical action dramas released this past decade. 

It doesn’t hurt that an all-Black woman cast led by Viola Davis does a phenomenal job of capturing the Agojie unit of warriors who protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey.

Release Date: October 21, 2022

Though Marvel’s MCU dominates the box office in comic book adaptations, DC pulled off something clever through Black Adam. 

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars as the titular anti-hero released from a magical prison to save a nation ravaged by a crime syndicate. Besides some clever ties to other DCEU films, comic book fans will appreciate the debut of The Justice Society and the return of a certain Kryptonian superhero.

Release Date: November 11, 2022

Director Ryan Coogler had the hopes of a nation over his head, primarily if he could not only deliver an excellent sequel to the world-changing Black Panther film. 

Without Chadwick Boseman, the late actor’s presence was still immensely missed while the sequel was building its rollout. Fears were set aside alongside some tears with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever not only stood on its own as a geopolitical action-thriller but also a befitting tribute to Boseman. 

And it doesn’t hurt that Rihanna also led the film’s soundtrack.

Release Date: September 2, 2022

A biting yet comical satire of Black mega-church culture, Honk For Jesus. In her directorial debut, Save Your Soul is written, directed, and produced by Adamma Ebo. 

Inspired by Ebo’s short film released in 2018, the film stars Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown as the heads of an Atlanta-based church that has seen better days.

Release Date: September 30, 2022

A companion piece to Kid Cudi’s eighth studio album, Entergalactic is a beautifully animated rom-com from the minds of the modern music legend and Black-ish creator Kenya Barris. 

The Netflix exclusive stars Cudi as Jabari, a buzzing cartoonist caught between his past romantic life and future with his photographer neighbor Meadow, played by Jessica Williams.

Release Date: August 11, 2022

A hallmark of BET+, Ms. Pat Show season two continues the raunchy family-style sitcom that earned the first season an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. 

Led by the gut-busting comedy of Ms. Pat, some serious subject matter is explored this time, including abortion, the struggle of battling addiction, generational trauma, and more.

Release Date: August 14, 2022

Probably considered one of the highlighted series within 50 Cent’s Power universe, Power Book III: Raising Kanan works better than other spin-offs due to its early ‘90s timeline choice and lead cast. 

Season Two takes Kanan into even darker territory as he tries to learn about his mother’s drug empire while trying to find a way out.

Release Date: June 3, 2022

P-Valley was considered one of last year’s best debuts, with the series inspired by a play about a Mississippi strip club. 

The crew of The Pynk — including Mercedes (Brandee Evans), Uncle Clifford (Nicco Annan), and Lil Murda (J. Alphonse Nicholson) — are back for a Second Season that flips the series in some fairly exciting directions. 

Everything from the Covid-19 pandemic and woman’s right to choose to African mysticism is explored in strange yet unique ways.

Release Date: September 21, 2022

Season one of ABC’s breakout mockumentary sitcom Abbott Elementary came as a near end-of-the-year surprise that led to three Emmy wins. 

Season Two of the Quinta Brunson-created and starring series has her as Janine Teagues trying to push forward as a second-grade teacher of an underfunded Philadelphia public school. 

Series regulars, including Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, and newly minted Emmy winner Sheryl Lee Ralph, return to deliver more positive vibes and laughter.

Release Date: March 24, 2022 & September 15, 2022

Following a hiatus that felt like forever, the Donald Glover-created surrealist dramedy Atlanta returned as unpredictable as ever. The final two seasons were released in one year, and Season Three felt like its own spin-off as the cast explored Europe while on tour with Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry). 

With the show concluded, Atlanta wrapped up many character developments from the award-winning first two seasons. Without spoiling anything, Atlanta, for all of its conversation-starting creativity, will remain a significant benchmark in television.

Release Date: February 13, 2022.

It's one thing to receive a complete series order from a major TV company when adapting a book or film. It's another when you're offered a greenlight to remix one of the best Black sitcoms created from a viral (yet imaginative) trailer. 

Now, having that re-imagined series become a success is another feat. Morgan Cooper’s Bel-Air works not only because of the source material that The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air provided. 

But also because of the series’ top-tier cast led by Jabari Banks (Will), BET Amplified star Coco Jones (Hillary Banks), and Adrian Holmes (Philip Banks), which together create a captivating fish-out-of-water story.

Ural Garrett is a Los Angeles-based entertainment and tech writer documenting the intersections of pop and digital culture. Follow him at @UralG on Twitter.