133 Best Movies & Shows Released in 2022 (Page 8)

Set in 2032, The Peripheral finds a protagonist in Flynne Fisher (Chloe Grace Moretz), a cash-strapped but ambitious woman who gets stuck between alternate timelines and realities after testing out an experimental gaming device. She stays for the money and safety promised to her, but quickly finds out that she’s getting more than what she bargained for in this twisty, action-packed thriller. 

The Peripheral is worth a try if you enjoyed HBO’s Westworld (whose creators also serve as producers in this show), or if you’re just generally intrigued by all thing tech and sci-fi. The world-building is complex, sometimes to the point of confusion, but Moretz is a pro at grounding scenes and making sure she brings us along on the ride. If you’re looking to get lost in a realm at once real and unreal, then this show could be for you.

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Science Fiction

Actor: Adelind Horan, Alex Hernandez, Charlotte Riley, Chloë Grace Moretz, Chris Coy, Eli Goree, Gary Carr, Jack Reynor, JJ Feild, Julian Moore-Cook, Katie Leung, Louis Herthum, Melinda Page Hamilton, T'Nia Miller

There’s a classic male character trope of stoic guys that don’t seem to be fazed by anything. Play It Cool, Guys has an ensemble cast of four of these cool characters, but they aren’t quite put together as others might think. While on the outside, they seemingly handle setbacks easily, the show’s short vignettes and corresponding internal monologues reveal their relatable day-to-day clumsiness. The contrast makes these characters feel so endearing, more so as they get to know each other. As the show progresses with their friendship, the series feels like kind reassurance for all clumsy people out there.

Genre: Animation, Comedy

Actor: Chiaki Kobayashi, Haruka Shiraishi, Kazuyuki Okitsu, Kengo Takanashi, Kohei Amasaki, Koki Uchiyama, Satomi Sato, Seiichiro Yamashita, Shoya Chiba, Taku Yashiro, You Taichi, Yuuichirou Umehara

Mythic Quest is a workplace sitcom following the fictional video game studio Mythic Quest HQ. Created by the people behind It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the series is equal parts sentimental and funny, and with each episode running at more or less 30 minutes, it’s also a breeze to watch. This isn't to say that Mythic Quest doesn't have substance; on the contrary, one of its many strengths is its ability to parody the gaming industry. The show is laced with the kind of sharp wit that's found in the smartest of satires. 

Gaming enthusiasts will surely find an instant liking to the series, but even those who aren’t familiar with the technicals won’t have any trouble connecting to the show’s sweet center. 

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Ashly Burch, Charlotte Nicdao, Danny Pudi, David Hornsby, Imani Hakim, Jessie Ennis, Rob McElhenney

Rating: TV-MA

It’s tempting to say that Heartbreak High, with its gloriously unfiltered takes on relationships of all kinds, is just another Sex Education replica, especially since both shows don the same multicolored fashion and Commonwealth accent. But while Heartbreak High isn’t breaking new ground by having kids and adults talk openly about sex and gender, it’s also bold, funny, and insightful in its own right. The characters are well-drawn and the problems are relatable; the show itself is sometimes annoying but also, more importantly, authentic. It’s perfectly imperfect in that contradictory teens can only be.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Asher Yasbincek, Gemma Chua-Tran, Josh Heuston, Rachel House, Thomas Weatherall, Will McDonald

Director: Adam Murfet, Gracie Otto, Jessie Oldfield, Neil Sharma

Rating: TV-MA

What this Dr. Seuss adaptation might lack in originality, it makes up for by committing to the bit: visual gags aplenty, colorful art direction, and ridiculous situations ramping up into full set pieces. But beyond the show's playfulness is a story about families just trying to make things work and people who don't get along (with the second season even touching on anti-war themes)—which should all prove insightful enough for adults and for slightly older kids. And with simple animation that has clear effort put into it, Green Eggs and Ham's unfortunately short run never comes off as a cheap cash grab.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Kids

Actor: Adam Devine, Diane Keaton, Ilana Glazer, Jillian Bell, Keegan-Michael Key, Michael Douglas, Patricia Clarkson

As classic children's TV done in the same style as The Muppets, this reboot of Jim Henson's Fraggle Rock manages to thread together wacky adventures, an environmental message, lots of music, and light satire about human behavior in less-than-30-minute chunks. This show is firmly for kids first, with the carefree, somewhat naive subterranean Fraggles meant to be childlike in nature as they learn how to accept others' differences and their own complicated feelings through kindness and community. But parents who are at all interested in colorful variety shows should still find lots to enjoy, be it in the intricate craft of puppetry across various species of creatures, or in the genuinely catchy songs that range from innocent earworms to beautifully composed anthems straight out of the musical theater tradition.

Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Kids, Music

Actor: Dave Goelz, Donna Kimball, Karen Prell, Lili Cooper

Dave Franco stars in this murder mystery as an obnoxious pop star who gets murdered during a 15-year high-school reunion afterparty. An unlikely detective (played by Tiffany Haddish) is dispatched to find out who among the party attendants committed the crime.

Featuring beloved comedians old and new, the series brings to the forefront a myriad of gimmicks and shticks that promises to keep you both entertained and at the edge of your seat. If you’re looking for a quick, lighthearted, no-brainer mystery, this will do the job perfectly.

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Mystery

Actor: Anna Konkle, Ben Schwartz, Dave Franco, Elizabeth Perkins, Genevieve Angelson, Ike Barinholtz, Ilana Glazer, Jack Whitehall, Jamie Demetriou, John Cho, Ken Jeong, Paul Walter Hauser, Poppy Liu, Sam Richardson, Tiffany Haddish, Vivian Wu, Zach Woods, Zoë Chao

Rating: TV-MA

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