Three Worthwhile 2022 Shows to Watch Right Now
It’s time to take a look at three shows you could be watching right now. These three shows, which all came out within the past few months, might be just what you’re looking for depending on the type of show you want to watch!
Station Eleven
HBO Max, 10 Episodes
Station Eleven is a post-apocalyptic story that feels different from a lot of the other post-apocalyptic content that’s out there. The show is based on a 2014 novel of the same name (though it apparently differs from the novel in a few key ways).
Station Eleven is told in a nonlinear fashion, with entire episodes taking place at different points in time, stretching from well before the pandemic to others occurring as far as 20 years after the pandemic. Sometimes this can make the show feel a little disjointed. It’s hard to build momentum from one episode to the next when the story is being told in this way.
Still, Station Eleven at times packs a powerful punch. Overall, the acting on the show is extremely good and there are a few very moving scenes and episodes. When we finally do see the complete picture, it’s a rewarding experience. The show has a similar feel to it as some of Lost or The Leftovers (which makes sense since Station Eleven’s creator, Patrick Somerville, also wrote for that show). Station Eleven is also a miniseries where our story is totally wrapped up after 10 episodes, which is refreshing with so many long, continuous series being produced.
Grade: 7.5/10
Severance
Apple TV+, 9 Episodes
Severance isn’t what you’d expect to get from a show where six of the first season’s nine episodes are directed by comedy actor, Ben Stiller. This show is very firmly in the genre of science fiction, and I’d only recommend it to those who enjoy weird sci fi shows (because Severance is definitely pretty weird).
The premise of the show is that some employees at a mysterious corporation have undergone the “severance” process, a procedure that separates their memories so that their work memories are completely separate from the memories they make away from the office. This essentially creates two versions of the same person, one with only the memories he or she makes at work, and then the version of the person who only experiences his or her home life.
Some parts of the world of Severance are definitely bizarre, particularly in the way things operate at the office. The show is enthralling though, and as the season goes along the psychological thriller aspects of the show are really ramped up. If you want something very different, Severance is worth checking out. All nine episodes are out now and this is the type of show that’s very bingeable.
Grade: 8/10
The Gilded Age
HBO Max, 9 Episodes
The Gilded Age was created by Julian Fellowes, who previously created Downton Abbey, which ran for six (pretty wonderful) seasons. This time, instead of following the goings on of the Crawley household at Downton in the early 20th century, our story takes place during the Gilded Age (1880s) in New York City. Again, we’re following the wealthy elite and those who serve them as they navigate their lives.
Like Downton Abbey, The Gilded Age is basically a pretty extravagant soap opera of sorts. There’s no shortage of drama or scandals in the lives of our characters! The show takes a few episodes to really get into as we’re dealing with lots of characters across a couple of different households, but once it gets rolling, The Gilded Age is a lot of fun.
The Gilded Age isn’t quite on par with Fellowes’ previous hit, but for fans of Downton Abbey, it’s definitely a worthwhile ride.
Grade: 8/10