309 Best Movies & Shows Released in 2022 (Page 18)

Reading the synopsis of this ten-episode comedy series might put you off at first. It follows four male friends who navigate a world where women now seem to have the upper hand, or at least that's what it looks like from their point of view. Thankfully, that view is increasingly challenged and sometimes even deconstructed throughout the show's run. Their female partners and counterparts flip the coin to reveal the other side of whatever they're going through, so without ever feeling too preachy, Alpha Males presents the Battle of the Sexes in a surprisingly fair, insightful, and lighthearted way.

Raunchy without being too offensive (for the most part), Alpha Males is proof that you can still tackle sensitive topics without sacrificing comic fun and good humor.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Cayetana Cabezas, Fele Martínez, Fernando Gil, Gorka Otxoa, Jordi Sánchez, Kira Miró, Luis Merlo, María Hervás, Nathalie Seseña, Paula Gallego, Petra Martínez, Raquel Guerrero, Raúl Tejón, Silvia Marty

Director: Alberto Caballero, Laura Caballero

As far as newsroom dramas go, Alaska Daily is on the cheesier side, its structure hewing closer to network television than cinematic streaming. There's always a lesson to be learned and an evil to be exposed, which leaves little room for gray areas. But ultimately, the series is smart, good-hearted, and clear about what it stands for, namely, the importance of community journalism and ethical storytelling. 

It's also plain riveting to watch; each episode unravels the main mysteries (that of government corruption and indigenous neglect) along with a side mystery that may seem incidental at first, but proves to be central to the themes the show plays with. The series also looks into the intersection between the press, politics, and crime, proving that journalism isn't as clean nor heroic as it may sometimes seem.

Showrunner Tom McCarthy was also the brain behind the award-winning newspaper drama Spotlight, so it's not surprising to see his precise insights about the craft make their way into this series. But to be sure, Alaska Daily is no Spotlight, or for that matter, The Newsroom. It's neither fast-paced nor splashy, but it's all the better without being those. Alaska Daily is about the little guys, and as that, it succeeds. 

Genre: Drama

Actor: Craig Frank, Grace Dove, Hilary Swank, Jeff Perry, Matt Malloy, Meredith Holzman

Rating: TV-PG

Tracee Ellis Ross is a natural at guiding the conversations, accentuating each guest in their stories about their identities through their hair. Public figures share about how their hair has served as their crown through all the harmful chemicals and messaging, spliced with women having their hair done at a salon sharing their own sentiments, and reinforcing that feeling and idea throughout the show of hair stories as community stories. Each episode does a good job running the viewer through the common rhetoric surrounding Black hair and curly hair, and combined with the general positivity of the show, creates a communally therapeutic experience.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Tracee Ellis Ross

From the creators of Downton Abbey comes another period drama about social climbers and too-big homes. The Gilded Age, set in 1880s New York, follows Marian Brook as she arrives in the big city from a small town in Pennsylvania. Here, in her new home, she navigates her place among the old and new rich, as well as the upper and lower classes. 

It's not the most exciting thing on TV, but its pleasant pace, witty dialogue, and relatively low stakes make it a soothing but still stimulating watch. The grand costume and production design also make The Gilded Age a visual delight; all in all, a good period drama to lose yourself into. 

Genre: Drama, History

Actor: Blake Ritson, Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Denée Benton, Harry Richardson, Jack Gilpin, Louisa Jacobson, Morgan Spector, Simon Jones, Taissa Farmiga, Thomas Cocquerel

Rating: TV-MA

A few minutes in, it’s easy to dismiss The Flatshare as typical romcom fare. It’s brimming with cliches and cutesy flairs, plus the premise sounds like a contrived way to set up a “Will they or won’t they?” romance. But as it goes along, The Flatshare carves depths to its seemingly simple story. The timeshare aspect speaks to the growing housing insecurity in the UK, where even a materialistic girl like Tiffany is pushed to share a flat. Meanwhile, her disturbing relationship with her ex is an accurate portrayal of how innocuous abuse can seem to outsiders. And of course, there is the unjust incarceration of Leon’s brother, which the show sensitively handles. The Flatshare has a darkness to it that can slip away if you focus too much on its romcom sheen, but if you can appreciate both, then the show comes as a welcome surprise, one that’s equal parts serious and sweet.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Anthony Welsh, Bart Edwards, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jonah Hauer-King, Shaniqua Okwok

What starts out a cliche outdoor party scene with admittedly introspective narration, takes a hard left turn into its trippy premise. As soon as the story’s complexity and depth make its presence felt with its many intertwining characters and narratives, the experience can range from interesting, to lethargic, to confusing. Characters don't feel all that different, and all the "resets" can make the series feel un-homely for long stretches, like it's constantly drifting away from answers. At its best, it’s caring, ambitious, and it knows the last possible second to dangle a carrot in front of you. But it’s also a lot of bland carrots to keep track of.

Genre: Drama, Mystery

Actor: Anne Azoulay, Khalil Ben Gharbia, Maïra Schmitt, Marguerite Thiam, Mélanie Doutey, Raïka Hazanavicius, Samuel Benchetrit, Théo Fernandez

Director: Émilie Noblet, Julien Despaux

Rating: TV-MA

This documentary series has a gritty, Western vibe stemming from the marriage between old school rasslin’ footage and the accompanying hypnotic soundtrack. Legends gather around and take turns reliving the glory days, treating every fan-driven near-death experience as a badge of honor, showing how crazy everyone was on both sides of the fence. Between the rustic location they film in and the insanely casual delivery of terrifying stories, it’s easy to be transported to another time period and find it rather relaxing (much more so than sister series Dark Side of the Ring), an era that you almost wish would return, if there was a safer way to have it.

Genre: Documentary

Look, Soundtrack #1 will not be the most outstanding, unique, heart-wrenching, tearjerking Korean drama you will ever get to watch. It’s full of tropes, with a childhood friends-to-lovers romance that blooms because they end up sharing the same house. Of course, they aren’t together because of miscommunication. But there’s a simplicity to the series that makes the romance work– the two friends have been written in a way that makes them understand each other’s aspirations, and so they would act to make sure the other person can go for their dreams, or at least, to make that journey a bit easier. Soundtrack #1 won’t have the melodrama plenty of K-dramas have, but there’s true love nonetheless, and it plays out in just four episodes.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Han So-hee, Kim Ju-hun, Lee Jung-eun, Park Hyung-sik, Yoon Byung-hee

Director: Kim Hee-won