Best New Shows of 2022

Julian Fellowes, the creator of “Downton Abbey,” observes social upheavals and changing mores on the other side of the Atlantic in “The Gilded Age.” Set in New York City in the 1880s, the series follows young Marian Brook who moves from rural Pennsylvania to the city to live with her aunts following the death of her father. Once there, she becomes embroiled in a battle between her snobbish aunts and their nouveau riche neighbors.

Loosely based on a memoir by reporter Jake Adelstein (Elgort), “Tokyo Vice” charts Adelstein’s move to Japan in the 1990s to work on a leading newspaper. There, he investigates the city’s underworld as two factions of yakuza, or crime syndicates, battle for control of Tokyo’s crime scene. The second season is set to debut in June.

A spinoff of the “Power” series, “Power Book IV: Force” picks up after the original series finale when main character drug dealer Tommy Egan leaves New York for Chicago following the death of his best friend and business partner, James “Ghost” St. Patrick’s. In the Windy City, Tommy again becomes ensnared in the city’s drug scene. The second season is expected for early 2023.

An Amazon original, “Reacher” is based on the bestseller, ” Killing Floor” by Lee Child. The plot involves Army veteran Jack Reacher’s journey to Margrave, Georgia. Far from the quiet life he expected, Reacher is arrested for a murder he didn’t commit and battles corrupt police and politicians.

Before Captain Kirk helmed the starship Enterprise, Captain Christopher Pike led the crew to galaxies unknown. “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” features familiar characters, including Spock as the science officer. Produced by CBS Studios, the series is the 10th overall Star Trek spinoff and the first direct spinoff of “Star Trek: Discovery.”

Why are cooking shows so popular now? It can be traced back to the original TV chef, Julia Child. “Julia” is a biopic of the extraordinary cook and culinary communicator as she begins her fabled career and rises to legendary status in the food world.

Want to see what happens when two Hollywood stars – Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny – go across the pond to take over a struggling soccer team in Wales and hope to turn it into a winner? This FX series explores Reynolds’ and McElhenny’s journey in 2020 to the working class town of Wrexham in North Wales as they hope to revive its prospects with a successful soccer club. Sounds a bit like a real-life “Ted Lasso.”

A black comedy/murder mystery, “Bad Sisters” begins when one of the sister’s husbands turns up dead. The sisters aren’t unhappy to see him go, as he was abusive and was already on their sights for demise. But when their plans fall through and he actually is murdered, the sisters panic as insurance investigators look into the death.

Based on a non-fiction book by Jeff Perlman, “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” chronicles the 1979-1980 championship season which vaulted the Los Angeles Lakers into national prominence and helped turn basketball into a national and international obsession. The series begins when real estate magnate Jerry Buss, who came from humble beginnings, buys the team and grabs Magic Johnson as his first draft pick, thereby turning the team into a dynasty.

As with Star Trek, the Star War saga continues to fascinate audiences. Told in a series of parables, this animated series is billed as a prequel to “Star Wars.” It centers on two very different Jedi – Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku – and the choices they make and how it shapes their destinies.

“Cyberpunk: Edgerunners” is a prequel spinoff of “Cyberpunk 2077.” Set in the future, the Japanese anime series follows young David in the dangerous streets of Night City. In order to stay alive, David embarks on a path to become an Edgerunner, a mercenary outlaw known as Cyberpunk.

Combining action, comedy, and drama, this show stars John Cena as Christopher Smith, aka Peacemaker. Based on the DC comic hero of the same name, Peacemaker is a murderer whose quest for peace leads him to kill off anyone in his way.

In a star-making turn, Jenna Ortega embodies the wicked spirit of Wednesday Addams. The daughter of Gomez and Morticia Addams of the notorious Addams Family, Wednesday is sent to boarding school (Nevermore Academy) where she begins to discover her psychic talents while investigating a murder mystery.

Spanning 70 years, Pachinko explores the hardships of an immigrant family from Korea as multi-generations strive for success against bigotry, heartbreak, and poverty. Based on the bestselling novel by Min Jin Lee, “Pachinko” begins in the early 20th century when Japan occupied Korea. The main character, Sunja, must choose between two men. She marries one and moves to Japan, where she lives in the Korean ghetto in Osaka. Pachinko refers to a pinball-like gaming game played in a parlor owned by the father of Sunja’s grandson, Solomon, who wants to break free from his upbringing as a Korean immigrant.

Sylvester Stallone is fighting again, but not in the boxing ring. This time, he plays Dwight “The General” Manfredi, a Mafia capo. After being exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, upon his release from prison, Manfredi forms a new crew. Unfortunately, his old crew may not want him to succeed.

Produced by AMC and the BBC, “This is Going to Hurt” was first released in Britain. It’s based on a memoir by a young OB/GYN working in Great Britain’s National Health Service. Ben Whislaw plays Adam Kay, an exhausted physician trying to care for his patients as best he can in a chaotic, often frustrating healthcare system.

“The Legend of Vox Machina” started as a 22-minute animated special funded through Kickstarter. The campaign raised $11 million, financing 12 episodes. When Amazon Studios picked up the series, it was extended to two seasons and 24 episodes. The show follows a group of mercenaries who battle evildoes in the kingdom of Exandria.

His brother’s suicide leaves fine dining chef Carmen Berzatto, aka Carmy, in charge of his family’s modest sandwich shop in Chicago. This comedy-drama details Carmy’s struggle to make a go of it despite pushback from grieving family members and a reluctant kitchen staff. The Washington Post tagged it as one of the best TV shows of 2022.

Andor is another entry in the Star Wars pantheon. Diego Luna reprises his role as Cassian Andor from “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Developed by Lucasfilm, the series details Andor’s role in the simmering rebellion against the Empire.

The original Bosch series followed homicide detective Harry Bosch as he tried to free himself from murder charges while investigating the death of a 13-year-old. In “Bosch: Legacy,” the now retired LAPD detective-turned-private eye is still solving cases, this time with the help of his police cadet daughter, Maddie, and his one-time nemesis, attorney Honey Chandler.

Building on the wildly popular Game of Thrones series, “House of the Dragon” takes place 200 years before all the gory action of that HBO show. This prequel chronicles the rise of the ruthless Targaryen clan, culminating in a civil war called the Dance of the Dragons that pits King Viserys I Targaryen’s children against each other for the Iron Throne. And yes, a dragon has a fiery role in the proceedings.

This HBO docu-series crafted by comedian Nathan Fielder combines stagecraft with real life. With the help of actors and a construction crew, Fielder gathers ordinary people and has them “rehearse” big moments in their lives. The stated goal is to remove any uncertainties and prepare them for those major turning points.

This Netflix “boy-meets-boy” drama focuses on the budding romance between two teenagers at a British school. The series tells the story of socially awkward Charlie (Locke) and rugby captain Nick (Connor) as they share their first kiss while navigating bullying and coming out. Based on a young adult graphic novel by Alice Oseman, the series has been renewed for two more seasons.

“Severance” takes place in a colorless corporate office where workers have “severed” their memories between their work life and their real life. Their seemingly calm existence is upended when a new employee refuses to take part. The psychological thriller explores what happens when the employees begin to question what they are really doing and for whom.

In this Japanese anime series, Denji, a teenage boy, faces a bleak existence whose only light is his pet, the chainsaw devil Pochita. He and Pochita kill other devils for money, but the money ends up with the yakuza. When Denji dies, his soul merges with Pochita and his body parts transform into chainsaws.