During the COVID pandemic, many television productions had to be halted, resulting in both 2020 and 2021 being somewhat lackluster years for new content as studios scrambled to complete projects that were already in production before they could begin new series. This hurt numerous new streaming services like HBO Max, Peacock, and Disney+ who were unable to provide the wide range of new content they were hoping for.
However, now that Hollywood is back to work, 2022 is looking to be a banner year in the streaming market, with tons of big-budget series being released across every major streaming service.
The Boondocks - HBO Max
Despite only having four seasons, the original run of The Boondocks spanned from 2005 - 2014. It was based on the comic strip of the same name and centered around a Black family who moves into a majority-white neighborhood. In 2022, HBO Max will be rebooting the series with a two-season order. John Witherspoon was set to return to the project before his death in 2019, and it's now unclear who will be taking over the voice roles of the main characters. Fortunately, the series creator (and creator of the original comic), Aaron McGruder, is helming the reboot, ensuring the series stays true to its roots.
The Dropout - Hulu
The Dropout was a popular 2019 podcast about Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the fraudulent blood-testing company, Theranos. The new Hulu series will star Amanda Seyfried as Holmes, with supporting roles starring veteran actors like William H. Macy, Laurie Metcalf, Stephen Fry, and more. The series will follow the rise and fall of Theranos and the subsequent legal battle that ensued once it was revealed that Holmes' company had lied to patients, its investors, and even the US government.
Queer as Folk - Peacock
When Queer as Folk first aired in the UK in 1999, it was groundbreaking, controversial, and revolutionary. Never before had an unapologetic portrayal of LGBTQ+ life been seen on mainstream television. Showtime launched its own version of the show the following year, which ran until 2005.
Now, NBC's Peacock is creating a reimagined version of the original UK series, this time being set in New Orleans. The cast is filled with talented up-and-coming LGBTQ+ actors, as well as many Hollywood veterans like queer icon, Kim Cattrall. The series is part of a strategic plan by Peacock to gain more paying subscribers since the streamer is having trouble attracting new viewers.
Wednesday - Netflix
Tim Burton will be directing Netflix's live-action Addams Family series, Wednesday, which will center around Wednesday Addams. The series stars Jenna Ortego as Wednesday, with Thora Birch and Catherine Zeta-Jones playing supporting roles. In the show, Wednesday will be a high schooler who must uncover the mystery of several murders in her town while also balancing her social life. With the unique and distinct style of Tim Burton, Wednesday is sure to be a win for Netflix.
Our Flag Means Death - HBO Max
HBO Max's upcoming series Our Flag Means Death is a period comedy about an aristocrat who gives up his life to become a pirate. The show is set to star numerous Kiwi comedians like Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi, as well as SNL alums Fred Armisen and Leslie Jones. The show is based around the very real life of Stede Bonnet, an English aristocrat from Barbados who sailed to the Bahamas and found himself working alongside Blackbeard. With its talented cast, the series is certain to be one of the funniest of the year.
She-Hulk - Disney+
Marvel series have been very good to Disney and are considered some of the best shows that Disney+ has to offer. 2022 is set to release more Marvel series, with She-Hulk being one of the most anticipated and unique. She-Hulk is a comedy that will center around Jennifer Walters (She-Hulk), a lawyer who specializes in crimes revolving around the superhuman and supernatural. It's anticipated to be a weird mix of The Avengers and Ally McBeal...a combination that only Disney and Marvel could pull off.
1899 - Netflix
The creators of the hit series Dark are coming back in 2022 with 1899. The series centers around a group of European immigrants onboard a ship to America at the turn of the century. But after encountering a ghost ship adrift in the Atlantic Ocean, paranormal events begin to haunt the hopeful future-Americans, turning their journey for a better life into an absolute nightmare.
1899 is just one of many horror series coming to Netflix in 2022 - others include an untitled Resident Evil project, an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, and the highly-anticipated new season of Stranger Things.
Halo - Paramount+
Paramount+ is hoping to find a subscriber-driving blockbuster epic with Halo. Based on the Xbox game, the live-action series will follow Master Chief and his AI guide, Cortana, as the battle continues between the human race and the Covenant. Production on Hal0 originally began in 2019, but was halted due to the COVID pandemic.
The series was also set to premiere on Showtime, the sister network to Paramount+. However, as ViacomCBS continues to pump more efforts into its streaming presence, it was announced earlier in 2021 that Halo would now become a Paramount+ exclusive.
Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi - Disney+
Another huge asset to Disney+ is its building Star Wars universe which began with the launch series The Mandalorian. At the end of 2021, the next big Star Wars installment arrives with The Book of Boba Fett. However, it's 2022's Obi-Wan Kenobi that has the internet abuzz.
The show will pick up after the events of Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and will see Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen reprise their roles as Obi-Wan and Darth Vader. The series will give a better insight into the events that took place between Episodes III and IV.
How I Met Your Father - Hulu
Hulu's highly-anticipated How I Met Your Mother spinoff is premiering in January of 2022. The series, How I Met Your Father, stars Hilary Duff as Sophie, who Disney likely attached to the project after her Lizzie McGuire reboot fell through at Disney+. The show will cut between the future and the present, where an older Sophie (played by Kim Cattrall) tells her son the story of how she met his father - a nod to the format of the original series. Thanks to big names like Duff and Cattrall, Hulu is betting on How I Met Your Father to be one of the early successes of 2022.