February 2022, while being a slow month for new releases; having just 5 new shows I can call great, the sequels that aired this month were completely outstanding. 6 huge sequels aired this month, majorly from popular TV franchises, and adding that to the 2 new spin-offs that aired that month and the new hits as well, it was a month filled with lots of top quality entertainment.
Starting off with The Sequels of February 2022;
The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, One of the greatest shows of all time, proved again to be unmatched in the Dramedy genre by giving another phenomenal season. Following the events of the Shy Baldwin Tour disaster of the preceeding season, The fourth season focused on it's characters at a ground level and proved to be effortlessly captivating and entertaining.
Major franchises had their shine this month, as Peaky Blinders one of the most popular modern crime-drama shows came back for it's final season. The final season started off really excellently, taking a more political and dramatic route from the previous seasons. Midway into the season it gave emotionally heavy drama that added to the top quality buildup to an epic conclusion, but unfortunately only lead to a tragically useless and mediocre ending.
A Final Season which aired in February which actually hit it's conclusion spectacularly was that of Killing Eve.
The fourth and final season was wildly entertaining and extravagantly directed and it only helped solidify this show as a landmark for crime-thriller shows with female leads.
The long-awaited second season of HBO Max's Raised by Wolves finally aired this month, and it was breathtaking in both its narrative and production quality, leaving us wanting even more with an epic cliffhanger ending.
Netflix sizzled the month with a lot of Fun, starting off with the second season of Space Force, which was equally as enjoyable as the first season.
The fun didn't end there, the ending half of the 2nd season of the crazy animated fantasy, Disenchantment also aired, and it certainly was an entertaining experience with even more wild developments from the beloved cast.
The streaming network also lead the Spin-offs that months with Vikings Valhalla, a promising new viking tale that looks to be just as good as it's predicessor.
The other Spin-off and final sequel of February, which isn't from Netflix, is of course Power Book IV: Force , the fourth entry into the 'Power Universe' being developed by Starz which could only be described as the most mediocre of them all.
Facing The Sequels of March 2022, we certainly didn't get a lot, the most relevant being the slowly developing but well directed 3rd season of Atlanta, the utterly dissappointing 2nd season of Bridgerton and the fantastic 2nd season of Upload.
The famed Apple TV+ musical animation, Central Park also capped off its 2nd season this month, with a last half filled with lovable and fun episodes.
Star Trek Picard also aired it's 2nd season, with which it continued to be the intriguing ride Star Trekkies can't get enough of.
While the month of March had only a handful of sequels, it practically lead the pack of new shows these past two months and this year as a whole. An astounding number of 20 relevant new shows aired this month, including those that would stand forth as some of the Best of the year, making it an even more surprisingly entertaining month than February.
Given just how much quality new shows aired these two months, it's really important to take the shows on this recommendations list I'm about to drop really seriously.
We'll be counting down the Best New shows of the past two months with a list of concise reviews.
THE TOP 20 BEST NEW TVSHOWS OF FEBRUARY & MARCH 2021
(Crime, Comedy)
Netflix kicked off the month of February with its comedic murder mystery, Murderville.
The show follows a series of scripted murder investigations lead by Terry Seattle and his guest celebrity partners, who follow the leads and try to decipher the killer in each scenario.
It's a really fun show, one that rightfully doesn't take itself seriously and serves as a relieving comedy to cheer up it's viewers' moods.
(Drama)
The Dropout is one of the collection of new shows this year that tells the story of a stars that rose from nothing in a particular field. However this rise was accompanied by a massive downfall.
Inspired by true events, the show centers on Elizabeth Holmes, highschool dropout who develops her own innovative blood testing start-up, that shortly grew into a massive multi-million dollar company named 'Theranos'.
As a drama that narrated, a rise and fall, the show substantially captures all the drama that accompanied both developments and the process in-between, making for a really insightful watch.
(Sci-fi, Action)
A title that needs no introduction.
The popular modern video game franchise, Halo got it's TV adaptation in March this year by Paramount+, and it's been a hot topic in the community.
The story faces the mystery that arises when a cybernetically enhanced soldier in the UNI known as the 'Masterchief' accompanied by Kwan Ha, the lone survivor of the Madrigal massacre by the alien race known as the 'Covenant', discovers the first 'artifact', in the midst of a brooding conflict between these aliens and humanity.
As a Sci-fi-Action Tvshow, it handles the action and mystery pretty well, which makes it a pretty intriguing show, but the narrative however isn't the best it can be in terms of pacing and overall direction.
(Comedy)
There certainly were a bunch of fun shows in the March, a notable one being the pirate-comedy from HBO Max, Our Flag Means Death.
The story follows Stede Bonnet, an aristocrat turned pirate accompanied by his ragtag gang of misfits and their wild adventures in the world of pirates.
As far as light comedies with no dramatic strings attached go these past 2 months, this show is pretty much the most enjoyable of them all. It's seemlessly hilarious, and one that fans of the Pirate aesthetic will surely find pleasing.
(Drama, Biography)
Among the pack of shows centering rising stars this year, Julia, the biographic drama from HBO Max took it's stand late in March.
The show follows Julia Child and the story of how she became a television chef against all odds, pioneering the cooking show genre during an evolving time in American history.
This is a delightful new show that perfectly captures that ancient American atmosphere as it tells a significant story in the culinary world in an entertaining fashion.
(Drama)
Leading the pack of shows centered on startups on this list, comes one from Apple TV+, WeCrashed.
As the name suggests, the show not only tells the story of how a company rises, but how it plummets into failure as well.
The main character, Adam Neuman, passionately starts up his own social platform for workers called 'WeWork', which grew from a single co-working space to a global brand worth up to $47 Billion under a decade. The show isn't over yet, but it builds up to an inevitable downfall of the company.
The amount of energy Jared Leto brings in playing Adam is just stunning, and Anne Hathaway brings a gorgeous portrayal of Rebekah Neuman, Adam's wife as expected.
It's an Inspiring show that takes you on a ride of a dream coming true, making proper impact with all the dramatic and romantic moments that follow the story.
(Animation, Anthology)
Amazon Prime has surely been making their stern impact this year with solid sequels and new hits, this time with an animated anthology of their popular Superhero TVshow, The Boys.
Set in the universe of The Boys, Diabolical tells short, insightful and emotionally impactful stories, making creative use of the many concepts that exist in that twisted superpowered world to establish new plot settings.
The show brings high quality entertainment with new crazy takes on the world of 'The Boys' we know, being a better version of Marvel's What If in fulfilling this gesture.
It's stories are short yet grounded and really entertaining and impactful.
(Drama)
Ever since the remarkable Dopesick, Hulu seems to have prioritized production of true story based shows more than others.
Hulu's latest biographic drama, The Girl From Plainville tells the story of Michelle Carter and the "Texting Suicide" case following the death of her former lover, Conrad Roy.
The show establishes a split timeline in it's narrative pattern, exploring the romantic relationship between Michelle and Conrad before his death, and the impact of the loss on Michelle in the current timeline.
It's an insightful drama story that's narrated properly making it extremely captivating.
(Drama, Comedy)
Troubled main characters seem to be an overarching trope in the world of TV Drama-Comedy, and this year, FreeForm makes it's mark on that genre with Single Drunk Female.
To be fair, this show wasn't exactly released in February or March, but rather a late release of January that made most of it's impact in the following months.
Centered on chronic alcoholic Samantha Fink who loses her job after a drunk outburst and moves back in with her overbearing mother, the show subverts it's own title and tells a wholesome story of a girl making efforts to better her life by becoming sober and finding love again.
This show is one I found really easy to fall in love with. Each episode felt like a breath of fresh air as it focuses on being more relieving and wholesome than dramatic. Great dramedy show to ease your mind.
11) SHINING VALE
(Horror, Comedy)
Very few works of fiction have been able to masterfully blend the widely differing genres of Comedy and Horror, but the latest show from Starz, Shining Vale does this seemlessly.
The show centers on a novel writer Patricia 'Pam' Phelps and her awkward family, who move out of the city to a house believed to be haunted in a small town after she was caught cheating on her husband, Terry. Overtime, the beliefs start becoming too real, as supernatural forces start causing weird occurrences, particularly in Pam's life, and this leads to a ton of dramatic developments.
Combining hilarious comedy with genuinely intense horrific tendencies, this show provides a wildly entertaining and overall fantastic weekly experience.
10) WINNING TIME: THE RISE OF THE LAKERS DYNASTY
(Drama, Sport)
Sports themed biographic dramas will always be relevant in the world of Pop culture, given how it not only exposes you to the deep stories behind the sports, but also promotes greater appreciation of it in general.
The latest in this genre airing on HBO Max, is Adam McKay's Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty.
As the name implies, it's an insightful show that tells the story of how the Los Angeles 'Lakers' became one of the most successful and renowned basketball teams from the 1980's till date.
The show brings to light several relevant figures like 'Jerry Bus', 'Magic Johnson' and 'Kareem Abdul Jabaar' who contributed greatly to this development.
The show is really well produced. Great acting from all actors, spiced up by Adam McKay's usual fun tone, this time making the narration a form of interaction between the characters and the viewers.
It excellently executes all the drama and creative processes that impacted on this significant basketball story.
9) FROM
(Horror, Drama)
The latest show from Epix, From is set in a nightmarish town in middle America which keeps everyone who enters trapped without hope of leaving. Boyd and the other residents of this town try to uncover the many mysteries of this town in their quest for a way out, while being killed off by terrifying norcturnal creatures that seem human at first glance.
When it comes to intensity and overall excellence as a horrific thriller, no other show this year comes close.
The show pulls you into a lot of top quality drama and thrills as a desperate cast struggle to survive in a seemingly hopeless situation where death could literally approach from any angle. The mystery and lore surrounding such a chaotic world is laid out spectacularly, making the episodes hit really hard every week.
8) MINX
(Drama, Comedy)
HBO Max seems to have dropped a lot of gold TVshows recently. One of the absolute best from the network and my personal favorite dramedy this year is none other than Minx.
The show follows Joyce Prigger, an ambitious feminist in 1970's Los Angeles, who aimed to publish her feminism-themed magazine titled 'The Matriarchy Awakens' in a large media publishing company, but to no avail.
Out of options, she joins forces with Doug, a low rent publisher and the rest of the team at 'Bottom Dollar', a publishing company that specializes in porn magazines, to publish her magazine in it's new spicier form.
Given its setting, it's no surprise this show has a lot of nudity and sexual scenes. This however doesn't stop it from being the magnificently enjoyable and fun show that it is. The entertainment value of this show is amazing and it provides a fresh insight into the perils of chasing the feminism movement through the publishing industry.
7) MOON KNIGHT
(Action, Fantasy)
Its only natural for the most popular show on this list to be the latest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe TV Franchise on Disney+, Moon Knight.
Based on the comic book character of the same title, Moon Knight tells the story of Steven Grant, a simple guy who worked at a gift shop, whose life got turned around when he discovers a split personality in his body named 'Marc Spector' who exposed him to a world of mythical entities such as Egyptian gods, supernatural creatures, ancient powerful artifacts, and of course his own responsibility and powers as the warrior of Khonshu.
Being an MCU production, it's no surprise the visuals and cinematography are impeccable. The story itself, bearing mythological roots is really intense and seemlessly engaging, making each episode a thing of beauty.
Oscar Isaac brings a phenomenal performance as expected in portraying the split personalities of Moon Knight's character.
6) PAM AND TOMMY
(Drama, Romance)
Standing at the top of all Hulu's works so far this year so far and the best among their biographic stories is the Romance story, Pam And Tommy.
The show tells the story of the rockstar Tommy Lee and the actress Pamela Anderson, who meet at a club, fall in love and get married, only to have their lives ruined when their sex tape gets stolen and publicly released.
This show is simply one of the best love stories ever told on TV.
The performances by Sebastian Stan and Lily James in portraying the main couple in love is just breathtaking. The narrative itself feels like a Hollywood classic. One that tells a beautiful and wholesome tale of romance and excellently shifts towards the dramatic when the turning point was reached.
It's a Must-see show, especially for romance fans.
5) THE TOURIST
(Mystery, Thriller)
The best of all shows HBO Max released in the 3 months before April is none other than The Tourist.
This limited thriller series is centered on a man who woke up after a crash in an Australian Outback with no memories or recollection of who he is, and tries to look for clues to piece together the details about himself, while shady figures from his past life come after him for reasons yet to be known.
Taking about shows that hit hard right from the first episode, The Tourist is one that provides nonstop engaging content. From the mystery of the man trying to figure out who he is and the details of his situation, to the thrills of having to face dangerous people from his past, this show is one that'll command your attention from start too finish.
It's a spectacular thriller show with great drama that shouldn't be slept on this year.
4) THE LAST DAYS OF PTOLEMY GREY
(Drama)
Speaking of shows with main characters suffering memory loss, Apple TV+ released a captivating new tale starring the legendary Samuel L. Jackson, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey.
Based on the novel bearing the same name, this drama miniseries is centered on the life of Ptolemy Grey, a 91-year old black man that's on the brink of sinking into dimentia. Left in the care of Robyn, his niece's best friend's daughter, his life gets reignited when he gets granted the opportunity to regain his memories, and he seizes this in order to come to terms with his past and solve the mystery behind his great-nephew Reggie's death.
It's an emotionally resonant story that highlights the growing relationship between a caring girl and a sick old man. The narrative is brought to full beauty as shades of Ptolemy's past experiences influence some of his present tendencies.
This is undoubtedly Sam L. Jackson's best performance in his entire career. Dominique Fishback also steals every scene she's in with her gorgeous portrayal of Robyn.
3) REACHER
(Action, Thriller)
Novel adaptations have been blossoming this year, and one of the most prominent of these successful TV adaptations from Books is Amazon Prime's Reacher, from the 'Jack Reacher' novel series.
The story follows Jack Reacher, a veteran military police investigator whom after being discharged from the Army, moved to Margrave to discover the truth behind his brother's death, only to get accused of murder.
After detectives Oscar Finlay and Roscoe help clear him, the three of them investigate a system of crimes and corruption that runs deep in the city.
Alan Ritchson brings the character to life in a performance that far surpasses anything he's done previously.
The dynamic between Reacher and the two other leads creates room for great comedy to add to all the action.
So far as action tvshows go this year, this is the absolute best. The fight sequences are genuinely thrilling and some of the most stunning this year. Rock solid stunt choreography with an intense back and forth that makes each of Reacher's wins feel earned.
It's a show that's unmatched in terms of pure enjoyability this year, and one that'll appeal to practically everyone.
2) PACHINKO
(Drama)
At the top of all Novel adaptations this year comes the adaptation of the New York Times best seller by Apple TV+, Pachinko.
Set during the Japanese colonization period of Korea, the show tells a story that cuts across four generations of a Korean immigrant family, bearing their hopes and dreams as they fight for a better life.
It's an emotionally impactful tale that honours the effect of the Japanese colonization on Koreans in the 24th century at a ground level, and a visceral story that acts as a tribute to the tales that won't make the history books.
The show's compact narrative is laid out in a beautiful cinematic display of heart-gripping stories. Full appreciation of Korean culture is incorporated in it's scenery and it's elegant cinematography and music just adds to the gesture.
The show tells a lot of deep character stories that highlights many significant themes, and with it's proper storyboarding and top quality acting, manages to be captivating with every dramatic moment.
1) SEVERANCE
(Drama, Thriller)
The best of all Tvshows these past two months and this year in general, marking the 3rd perfect new show from Apple TV+ this year is the one and only, Severance.
The amazing thing about sci-fi thrillers is how it can take a simple theoretic idea of an advancement in modern technology and weave out an entire narrative from that concept. Netflix's Black Mirror is literally the epitome of this, given how each episode takes a new fictional concept in science and gives a story of how it could affect lives if it existed in the current society.
Severance takes a Black Mirror-esque approach to it's story, but draws it out into a more complete, intense and dramatic narrative.
'Severance' is the new scientific process introduced by the company, 'Lumon', in which it's workers have their memories surgically split between their work and personal lives in order to protect the company's secrets. This concept is of course based on the real world employee-company confidentiality agreement package of the same name.
The lead characters, Mark, Irving, Dylan and the newly employed Helly all have different lives and personalities outside of work unknown to them, and this creates a lot of drama and tension. After a mysterious colleague determined to take down the company appears outside of work, the main cast became determined to unravel the truth behind their jobs at Lumon and the lives they lead outside of it.
This show is simply a work of pure genius.
The entire concept of the 'Severance' introduced in this show is masterclass in terms of creativity.
The drama and tension feel real and like a mirrored display of the real world scenario of being forced to work in a company bearing many secrets, having no idea of your own life.
The mystery is phenomenally built up. Each episode gives moments of pure wonder, as abnormal occurrences in their work place add up to the many questions regarding what the company, Lumon is really about.
Severance as a Sci-fi Psychological Thriller is absolutely a Masterpiece. The drama, the mystery, the thrilling moments are all phenomenal in execution.
The cinematography in this show is just enchanting, gorgeous set designs elevated by impeccable camera angles in it's scenery.
The acting from the entire cast is breathtakingly good and the score is alluring, making every dramatic scene impactful.
The final episode of this show was one of the best finale's I've seen this decade. Non-stop thrills and a stunning cliffhanger ending, to serve as a fantastic ending to an already phenomenal show.
High hopes that the already announced Season 2 comes soon and hits even harder.
It's been a really long list of recommendations, but I can assure you that every show on this list is worth trying out, and is guaranteed to at least entertain you.
So, try out a good number of these shows if you haven't, especially the top ones and leave a comment of your thoughts on this list.
The month of April is already looking Spectacular for TVshows, and I can't wait to meet you all next time with my recommendations from this month.
Wonderful analogy of this past months TV shows, you fail to give the best descriptions and recommendations. I shall now go on to watch the shows here I have yet to. I have no doubt that It will be worthwhile since it has been marked by you
ReplyDeleteYou never*
DeleteBurrrn Maximumu! Muahahaha
ReplyDeleteYou're too old for this Jeremiah, stop it Daddy loves you
DeletePretty on point outline of the best shows of the past few months.
ReplyDeleteSeverance, in particular, has earned that top spot as not only the best show of the year so far, but also one of the all-time best mystery shows.
Nice!!
ReplyDeleteAnother Peak Recommendation, Winning Time being on this list is nice
ReplyDeleteLove the reviews.
ReplyDeleteSeen some comedy series I'd love to binge.
Keep up the good work bro