23 Of The Best Shows From 2022 (So Far) That You Need To Start Watching If You Haven't Already
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1.Yellowjackets
If you're ready for a whirlwind of chaos, '90s nostalgia, and major cult vibes, then I beg for you to watch Yellowjackets. The series follows a high school soccer team that gets stranded in the northern wilderness after nearly dying in a plane crash and are forced to do whatever it takes to survive. It's told in a then-vs.-now style alternating between the Yellowjackets' 19 months in the woods and the survivors' lives 25 years later. This show is seriously so incredible, guys. It's basically Lord of the Flies meets the humor of Dead to Me and the spookiness of The Blair Witch Project. Like...how could you *not* be convinced??? Yellowjackets has also been renewed for a second season to come later this year.
Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Sammi Hanratty, Ella Purnell, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, and more
Where to stream: Showtime
2.Ghosts
When Samantha and Jay unexpectedly inherit an enormous country home, they set out to start their own bed and breakfast there. Unfortunately, the ghosts who live in the estate aren't too thrilled and decide to take matters into their own hands. But, of course, things don't go according to plan, and Samantha wakes from a coma that allows her to see and speak to the ghosts that are currently living in her brand-new home. Ghosts is so much fun, and it genuinely makes me laugh out loud. The cast is wonderful together, and this show is such an easy binge-watch that you'll just wonder why you never started it in the first place.
Starring: Rose McIver, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Brandon Scott Jones, Richie Moriarty, Asher Grodman, Rebecca Wisocky, Sheila Carrasco, Danielle Pinnock, Román Zaragoza, Devan Chandler Long, and more
Where to stream: Paramount+
3.Hacks
Jean Smart stars as Deborah Vance, a legendary stand-up comedian who's in danger of losing her Las Vegas residency after being told she's lost her relevancy. Begrudgingly, she hires a new writer to help her freshen up her material though they don't meet eye to eye, like ever. It's such a blast to see these two go at it with each other, and you can't help but love the diva that is Deborah. Jean Smart gives the performance of a lifetime in Hacks, and it's such a privilege to get to watch it onscreen. The series just finished its glorious second season and is already renewed for a third on HBO.
Starring: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, and more
Where to stream: HBO Max
4.Only Murders in the Building
Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez star as the iconic trio you never knew you needed. After three true crime podcast-obsessives learn that someone from their own building has died, they decide to investigate and start their own murder podcast. This series is so charming and kooky that it feels less like a Dateline episode and more like your favorite new comfort sitcom. Plus, the fashion in this show is literally to die for. Every single one of Selena's costume pieces? I need them all. Plus Cara Delevingne, Amy Schumer, and Shirley MacLaine join the cast in Season 2, and it's an absolute riot. Hot off their three Emmy nominations, OMITB has also been renewed for a third season.
Starring: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Aaron Dominguez, Amy Ryan, and more
Where to stream: Hulu
5.Bel-Air
You've probably seen The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but I bet you've never seen it quite like this. Bel-Air is a modern-day retelling of The Fresh Prince, except this time around, the story is a lot darker and grittier. Just like the original, the series follows Will after he moves from West Philadelphia to the glitzy, privileged city of Bel-Air with his Aunt Viv and Uncle Phil. Over the course of the series, Will begins to learn to navigate both cities and make the most out of his time there. This show is seriously such an easy binge; once you start, you won't be able to stop. Will Smith and Morgan Cooper (whose viral trailer inspired the TV series) act as executive producers.
Starring: Jabari Banks, Adrian Holmes, Cassandra Freeman, Olly Sholotan, Coco Jones, Akira Akbar, Jimmy Akingbola, Jordan L. Jones, Simone Joy Jones, and more
Where to stream: Peacock
6.Severance
From Ben Stiller comes this creepily realistic series about what happens when your workplace controls literally everything about your life. Severance follows Mark Scout, one of the many Lumon Industries employees who've undergone a severance procedure, which surgically divides his memories between his work and personal life. The experiment is meant to help employees try to find the "perfect" work-life balance but actually urges Mark to realize that his work may not be all that it's cracked up to be. There's something about this show that just makes you want to keep watching no matter how stressful the plot may seem. Severance is already picked up for a second season, too, so we WILL be getting answers soon.
Starring: Adam Scott, Britt Lower, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, Patricia Arquette, and more
Where to stream: Apple TV+
7.Moon Knight
Oscar Isaac joins the MCU as Steven Grant, aka Marc Spector, aka Moon Knight. When Steven becomes plagued with a sleep disorder where he cannot differentiate his dreams from his waking life, he learns that he actually has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with a mercenary named Marc Spector. As both Steven and Marc's enemies come to play, he must navigate his new identities, all after being thrust into a deadly mystery with the Egyptian god Khonshu. This one's a doozy, but it's so worth it. Literally, no one but Oscar Isaac could play this role.
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, May Calamawy, Gaspard Ulliel, Lucy Thackeray, F. Murray Abraham, and more
Where to stream: Disney+
8.The Bear
Warning: This show contains mentions of suicide.
The Bear follows a young chef, Carmy, who returns home to Chicago to run his family sandwich shop — The Original Beef of Chicagoland — after his brother's sudden death. Carmy, who’s used to the fine dining atmosphere, now must balance the soul-crushing realities of owning a small business, his strong-willed kitchen staff, and the strained relationships with his family, all while dealing with grief after his brother’s suicide. As Carmy fights to transform both The Original Beef of Chicagoland and himself, he works alongside a rough-around-the-edges kitchen crew that ultimately reveals themselves as his found family. Not only is this show chaotic in the best way, but it also feels like a love letter to Chicago. Throughout the first season, Carmy and his staff all go through so much growth that it's impossible not to root for them. The Bear has already been renewed for a second season, and it truly cannot come soon enough!
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Abby Elliott, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, Edwin Lee Gibson, Matty Matheson, and more
Where to stream: Hulu
9.Pachinko
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, Pachinko follows four generations of a Korean immigrant family along with their biggest hopes and dreams. The series begins with a tale of forbidden love and blooms into a story bigger than itself as characters journey between Korea, Japan, and America, and find themselves thrown into love, war, peace, triumph, and reckoning. Pachinko has also been renewed for a second season, where it will continue on with the heart-wrenching stories introduced in the book.
Starring: Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Min-ho, Kim Minha, Jin Ha, Soji Arai, Kaho Minami, Anna Sawai, and more
Where to stream: Apple TV+
10.Starstruck
Created by New Zealand comedian Rose Matafeo, Starstruck follows a twentysomething living in London who works as a nanny and at a movie theater. After a one-night stand, she learns that she actually slept with a hugely famous movie star and realizes she might even have real feelings for him. Starstruck is a perfect show for your inner rom-com lover because all you want is to see these two characters live happily ever after. It's a joy seeing their chemistry explode right in front of you, and Rose's writing is just so freaking enjoyable. Season 2 aired earlier this year, and it's already been renewed for a third one, too.
Starring: Rose Matafeo, Nikesh Patel, Minnie Driver, Emma Sidi, Sindhu Vee, Al Roberts, Jon Pointing, Joe Barnes, and more
Where to stream: HBO Max
11.How I Met Your Father
Hilary Duff stars as Sophie in How I Met Your Father, a sequel series to the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. It follows the same structure as the original where future Sophie flashes back to present-day 2021 and recounts the story of how she met the father of her son. Kim Cattrall, who plays future Sophie, pops in and out of the story to explain to her kids how she met their father. This show absolutely exceeded all my expectations and fit the rom-com-sized hole in my heart. There's something about this cast (especially Chris Lowell and Hilary Duff's chemistry) that is just so wonderful, that I get an immediate boost of serotonin whenever I watch. HIMYF is confirmed to come back for a Season 2, and I honestly cannot wait.
Starring: Hilary Duff, Chris Lowell, Francia Raisa, Kim Cattrall, Tom Ainsley, Tien Tran, Josh Peck, Suraj Sharma, and more
Where to stream: Hulu
12.Our Flag Means Death
Created by David Jenkins and Taika Waititi comes this series about Stede Bonnet, an aristocrat who abandons life to become a pirate. Understandably, it's not so easy for him to earn the respect of his crew. After coming face to face with the infamous Blackbeard and a gaggle of real pirates, Stede realizes he might be a little in over his head. In classic Taika Waititi fashion, this show is absolutely hysterical with jokes flying so fast you'll miss one if you blink. It's a delightful show about pirates who learn from their toxic masculinity, with a poignant queer love story at its center. This show will also definitely be coming back for a second season next year.
Starring: Rhys Darby, Taika Waititi, Kristian Nairn, Nathan Foad, Samson Kayo, Rory Kinnear, Con O'Neill, Vico Ortiz, Ewen Bremner, David Fane, Joel Fry, Guz Khan, Matthew Maher, and more
Where to stream: HBO Max
13.Loot
Newly divorced Molly Novak just earned herself an $87 billion settlement from her husband of 20 years, and now, she's gotta figure out how to spend it. After deciding to reengage with her charity and the world she's strayed from, she takes on a new journey of self-discovery, all while trying not to spiral out of control. Maya Rudolph steals the show in this series, if I could watch it every minute of every day, please believe that I would. It's seriously so funny, and it just gets better by the episode. Loot has also been renewed for a second season that cannot come soon enough!
Starring: Maya Rudolph, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Nat Faxon, Ron Funches, and more
Where to stream: Apple TV+
14.The Girl from Plainville
Warning: This show contains mentions of suicide.
Based on the groundbreaking criminal case, The Girl from Plainville explores the events that led up to Conrad Roy's death and his girlfriend Michelle Carter's involvement. Elle Fanning stars as Michelle, who was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter after encouraging Conrad to die by suicide. The series interweaves the actual criminal court proceedings with a fictionalized version of Michelle's relationship with Conrad. And while the series sought out to make us understand Michelle, it never felt like she was let off the hook for her wrongdoings. I always love everything Elle Fanning does, but in my opinion, this show has some of the best performances of the year.
Starring: Elle Fanning, Chloë Sevigny, Colton Ryan, Cara Buono, Kai Lennox, Norbert Leo Butz, and more
Where to stream: Hulu
15.Roar
Based on a book of short stories by Cecelia Ahern, Roar is an anthology series that's described as "a collection of genre-bending stories told through eight women’s eyes." Each episode ranges from insightfully wise to laugh-out-loud funny and delves into feminist fables dealing with themes like gender roles, autonomy, and identity. From the creators of Glow and executive produced by Nicole Kidman, Roar is an automatic must-watch. And since you can watch all the episodes in any order you want, I highly recommend starting with the one where Alison Brie solves her own murder.
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Cynthia Erivo, Issa Rae, Merritt Wever, Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin, Meera Syal, Fivel Stewart, Kara Hayward, and more
Where to stream: Apple TV+
16.Abbott Elementary
Oh my goodness, this show!!! Imagine the humor of The Office with an elementary school as the backdrop, and you get the wonder that is Abbott Elementary. The series follows Janine Teagues and the rest of the teachers of Abbott Elementary as they try their hardest to help their students succeed, even when the odds are stacked against them. It's truly such a joy to grace our screens every week. This show will make you laugh out loud as you also recognize that teachers are real-life heroes who deserve so much more credit than they get. Abbott Elementary will be returning for its second season this fall.
Starring: Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Chris Perfetti, Lisa Ann Walter, Sheryl Lee Ralph, William Stanford, and more
Where to stream: Hulu
17.Maggie
Maggie is a psychic who's had the gift of seeing the future ever since she was a teenager. While giving readings at a party, Maggie meets Ben, aka the man she's apparently destined to spend her life with. The only problem is that Ben just moved in with his high school sweetheart, and they live in the apartment next to Maggie's. This series is absolutely wonderful, and I truly can't wait for the world to finally see it. And lemme just say that Rebecca Rittenhouse and David Del Rio's chemistry is INCREDIBLE! Like, it's pure magic when these two are together. This series is a pure delight, and for my own sanity, I need it to have at least five more seasons.
Starring: Rebecca Rittenhouse, David Del Rio, Nichole Sakura, Chloe Bridges, Chris Elliott, Angelique Cabral, Leonardo Nam, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Ray Ford, Adam Korson, and more
Where to stream: Hulu
18.Shining Girls
Warning: This show contains mentions of assault.
Based on Lauren Beukes' novel of the same name, Shining Girls follows Kirby, a Chicago newspaper archivist in the early '90s, who is forced to put her journalistic ambitions on hold after a traumatic attack. Once Kirby learns that a recent murder mirrors her case, she teams up with reporter Dan Velazquez in order to hunt down her attacker, reveal his true identity, and put him away for good. Elisabeth Moss is absolutely show-stopping in this series, and every second is 100% worth watching.
Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Wagner Moura, Jamie Bell, Phillipa Soo, Amy Brenneman, and more
Where to stream: Apple TV+
19.The Wilds
The Wilds is one of those shows that sneaks up on you when you're looking for something new to watch, and then it becomes your favorite show ever. If I were to describe this series, I'd say it was a perfect combination of Lost and Lord of the Flies, if both of those stories were told by teenage girls. Nine teenagers are on their way to a wellness retreat in Hawaii when suddenly their plane crashes and they find themselves stranded on a deserted island. The girls do everything they can to survive and stay optimistic that someone out there will be searching for them. Each episode follows a different survivor and goes through their life before the crash and their motivations for going on this retreat. You'll discover very early on that every single one of these characters is worth rooting for. The show's second season dropped earlier this summer, and all of us fans are currently waiting with bated breath for a potential Season 3 renewal.
Starring: Sarah Pidgeon, Mia Healey, Reign Edwards, Helena Howard, Erana James, Sophia Ali, Shannon Berry, and Jenna Clause
Where to stream: Prime Video
20.The Resort
The Resort is a dark comedy that follows a married couple who embark on a seemingly normal resort vacation. After finding an old cellphone in the middle of the forest, the two become involved in a 15-year-old missing person case. In hopes of spicing up their marriage, Noah and Emma take on this mystery and are determined to get to the bottom of it, piecing all the clues together. Suddenly, the resort they're staying at isn't what it seems, and they don't know who they can trust anymore. William Jackson Harper and Cristin Milioti are incredible together, and I couldn't imagine two better people to lead this show. Plus, Skyler Gisondo is already great in everything, and The Resort is no different.
Starring: William Jackson Harper, Cristin Milioti, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Nina Bloomgarden, Nick Offerman, Gabriela Cartol, Skyler Gisondo, and more
Where to stream: Peacock
21.Black Bird
Inspired by actual events, Black Bird follows Jimmy Keene after he's sentenced to 10 years in a minimum-security prison. After begging his highly regarded policeman father for help, he's given the choice of a lifetime: be admitted into a maximum-security prison and collect a confession from a serial killer OR stay where he is and serve his entire sentence without parole. Now, Jimmy's only way out is to befriend a suspected murderer and figure out where the bodies are buried. To all the true crime fans out there, this one's for you. This show is another reminder that Taron Egerton is phenomenally underrated; after this, I'd watch him in everything. Black Bird is also one of the last projects Ray Liotta filmed before he died earlier this year.
Starring: Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser, Greg Kinnear, Sepideh Moafi, Ray Liotta, and more
Where to stream: Apple TV+
22.Ms. Marvel
Iman Vellani is finally making her long-awaited debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the franchise's newest superhero, Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel. Kamala is a seemingly ordinary teenager from Jersey City who's just trying her best to fit into a world that doesn't ~get~ her obsession with the Avengers. Her entire life turns upside down once she discovers that she, too, has powers, just like the people she's idolized for years. This show is the perfect combination of teen TV and superhero origin story; I highly recommend it for anyone who's looking to get into the MCU but isn't suuuuuuuuper drawn to the big action blockbusters.
Starring: Iman Vellani, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Laurel Marsden, Adaku Ononogbo, Laith Nakli, and more
Where to stream: Disney+
23.And First Kill
Based on V.E. Schwab's short story, First Kill follows Juliette, a teenage vampire who needs to make her first kill so she can take her rightful place among her powerful vampire family. She sets her sights on a girl named Calliope, but things get a little bit messy when Juliette learns that Calliope comes from a long line of vicious vampire slayers. Both Calliope and Juliette struggle to stay loyal to their families as they fall for each other. Lemme be the first to say that this series made me realize how much I was missing a vampire love story, and I'm so glad I found this one. Sarah Catherine Hook and Imani Lewis not only have the best onscreen chemistry but also have the sweetest friendship offscreen. I'm dying (pun intended) for a Season 2 renewal immediately!
Starring: Sarah Catherine Hook, Imani Lewis, Elizabeth Mitchell, Aubin Wise, Jason R. Moore, Gracie Dzienny, Will Swenson, and more
Where to stream: Netflix
