The Most Anticipated TV Shows of 2022 (So Far)
Over the past handful of years, binge-watching culture has transformed how viewers enjoy their favorite television series. There’s just an incredible amount of shows to watch between broadcast, cable, and the rise of streaming networks. This year alone has provided much talked about television from the long-awaited third season of Atlanta to P-Valley’s second season.
Most importantly, representation is all over the place when it comes to showing various ideas of Blackness. There’s literally something for everyone. As the summer and fall season approaches, we look into what the year’s latter half has in store for viewers.
Resident Evil
Network: Netflix
Date: July 14, 2022
Netflix’s live-action Resident Evil television series has some interesting ideas up its sleeve. Starring Ella Balinska, Lance Reddick, Siena Agudong, and Adeline Rudolph among others, the series actually takes place within the gaming universe that inspired it.
Taking things further, the events of the recently released Resident Evil Village game actually take place at the same time as the upcoming show. This means explaining how Albert Wesker is now a Black man played by Reddick.
Rap Sh!t
Network: HBO Max
Date: July 21, 2022
Emmy nominee Issa Rae (Insecure) is back with an original comedy series called Rap Sh!t, which is highly anticipated by her HOORAE brand. The series, which stars Aida Osman and KaMillion, follows two estranged high school friends from Miami, who reunite to form a rap group.
Osman, who originally was brought on as a writer for the show, actualizes the current time in hip hop when it comes to women rappers, and Rap Sh!t shows how such an abundance can impact all facets of entertainment.
With City Girls on board as executive producers, this is going to be one of the most talked-about shows of the year.
Ms. Pat Show (Season 2)
Network: BET+
Date: August 11, 2022
The debut season of the groundbreaking BET+ series Ms. Pat Show literally dismantled the classic idea of the mid-west working-class sitcom.
Daring and funny, the season ended on a sour note following the fight between the title character and her recovering sister Denise played by Tami Roman. Expect more hilarious comedy and some serious drama that’ll have everyone talking.
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A League of Their Own
Network: Amazon Prime
Date: August 12, 2022
The original A League of Their Own lightly touched on race when released in 1992. Prime Video’s take on the film in episodic format introduces a more diverse group of characters including Roxanne Roxanne star Chante Adams.
Like the film, the series follows the formation of a woman’s baseball team during World War II as the world around them changes. But unlike the film, A League of Their Own delves into then-taboo topics such as LGTQ+ love, family secrets, and more.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Network: Disney+
Date: August 17, 2022
Directly following Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is the next series coming out of the MCU this year. Starring Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters a.k.a. She-Hulk.
Following a freak accident that turns Walters into the titular hero, she’ll spend the series attempting to balance life as an attorney with superpowers and a single woman in her 30s wading in the dating pool.
Mark Ruffalo and Tim Roth make their MCU return alongside newcomers Jameela Jamil and Renée Elise Goldsberry. Strap in for a crazy ride as this one looks to push things in the MTU (Marvel Television Universe) to a whole new level!
House of the Dragon
Network: HBO
Date: August 21, 2022
House of the Dragon is the highly anticipated prequel to Game of Thrones created by acclaimed author George R. R. Martin. Set two hundred years before the events of HBO’s ultra-popular fantasy drama, the series looks into the events leading to the Targaryen civil war.
Expect all the complex political intrigue mixed with hyper-violence when this series premieres by the summer’s end.
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Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Network: Amazon Prime
Date: September 2, 2022
Set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Amazon’s take on J.R. R. Tolkien’s universe is set to be a huge series for the streaming service.
From forging The Rings of Power themselves to Dark Lord Sauron’s rise, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power stars Robert Aramayo, Sir Lenworth George Henry, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and more.
This is strictly for the hardcore nerds and lovers of fantasy content.
The Rookie: Feds
Network: ABC
Date: Fall
The Rookie: Feds was already introduced through a two-part episode event during the recently finished fourth season of The Rookie.
This spin-off stars Niecy Nash-Betts as Simone Clark, who is the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy. Also starring in The Rookie: Feds are Frankie Faison and Felix Solis.
Nash-Betts also serves as an executive producer as well.
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.
