2022 on HBO and HBO Max was nothing short of exciting. From long-awaited revivals and returns to brand-new, refreshing content, the channel and its streaming counterpart provided viewers with a lovely assortment of shows that cured our hunger for quality television. Captivating comedies, delectable dramas, and simply sensational slice-of-life content awaited users this year. It would only be fair to give a few of them their flowers before the year closes out.
7 Rap Sh!t
HBO
Internet icon turned HBO giant Issa Rae returns to the platform with the incredible Rap Sh!t. Off the heels of her critically acclaimed series Insecure and the reality TV show The Sweet Life, Issa Rae returns to HBO Max with yet another refreshing concoction of comedy, drama, and earnest commentary. The City Girls-assisted program premiered on HBO Max earlier this summer to positive reviews, highlighting the realistic depiction of Black women and their camaraderie, criticisms of female rap, and the manipulation of artists in the music industry.
Rap Sh!t opens with a tale of two friends in Miami and the various peers in their lives. Shawna (Aida Osman) is a determined rapper working at the Plymouth Hotel. Mia (Kamillion), on the other hand, is a single mother and budding social media influencer who went to high school with Shawna. She is currently juggling the struggles of being a working-class single mother while her baby’s father is a producer. When the two reunite, they start a rap duo and soon enough see streaming success and experience a glimpse of luxury.
The writers provide viewers with an amusing yet poignant commentary on how Black women navigate the music industry from the very beginning of their journey.
6 The White Lotus
The critically acclaimed anthology The White Lotus returned to HBO Max this fall with a new ensemble cast, and it would be a crime to forget to mention any one of the protagonists this season. We are first introduced to Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore), the manager of the White Lotus in Sicily, after a startling revelation. The series follows three couples and three generations of men scouring the Sicilian resor, along with two sex workers who get caught up in their lives. Every guest seemingly longs for something they hope to find in Sicily while escaping from past mistakes or unspoken apprehensions.
Harper (Aubrey Plaza) and Ethan (Will Sharpe) are an emotionally awkward and newly wealthy couple vacationing in Sicily to enjoy the brand-new perks that come with their newfound wealth. They were invited by Ethan’s college roommate Cameron (Theo James) and his wife Daphne (Meaghan Fahy), who appear to be swimming in bliss. The relaxed yet eccentric Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) and her newlywed husband Greg (John Gries) return to the series after her initial stint in Hawaii to enjoy their time under the Sicilian sun, or so she thought.
Likewise, the DiGrasso men — Bert (F. Murray Abraham), Dominic (Michael Imperioli), and Albie (Adam DiMarco) — come to Sicily after a cheating scandal rocks the family. What was meant to be a family vacation has eroded into an awkward excursion to supposedly mend relationships between father and son. The traveling families and their storylines converge and the show excels at what it does best — a fruitful combination of spectacle and complex commentary on how class affects the psyche.
5 Industry
Mickey Down and Konrad Kay’s international finance drama reappeared this year, airing its second season on HBO Max this fall. Industry follows newcomers Harper Stern (Myha’la Herrold), Yasmin (Marisa Abela), and Robert (Harry Lawtey) as they tackle the cutthroat world of investment banking.
The season opens with Harper returning to the office following a COVID-19 lockdown, where she quickly notices a drastic shift in the headquarters’ atmosphere. Everything from her fallout with Yasmin last season to a growing pressure to exceed expectations sends Harper on a new mission to impress and work with Jesse Bloom (Jay Duplass). The London office also sees New York rival Danny Van Deventer (Alex Alomar Akpobome) arrive. He aims to make a lasting impression on his London peers, which leaves little to be desired from Eric (Ken Leung), the CPS Managing Director and Harper’s mentor.
Audiences also see a lot more of Gus (David Jonsson) this season, where he's adapting to his new career working for a Tory MP. His storyline, while subtle, cover his job, and relationships both old and new before culminating in a major decision that could make him a major player in season three. In Industry fashion, the season concludes with a satisfying finale. New storylines blossom from the seeds of the season’s greatest moments, both tumultuous and understated. As a result, our protagonists are left alone to face their precarious future, which looks impossible to conquer. However, knowing characters like Harper, Yasmin, and Gus, the impossible is no longer foreign territory.
4 Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin
After a slew of unsuccessful reboots, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin takes the lead when it comes to the influx of reboots that have aired over the past few years. In a town not too far from Rosewood, the infamous ‘A’ strikes again, terrorizing a group of teenage girls and their families for a sick revenge plot. What Original Sin excels in is just that, originality. The series does not rely on lifting heavily from the original series but instead invites refreshing discourse and a stellar new cast to deliver one of the best shows on HBO Max.
The heart of Pretty Little Liars is dissecting relationships between teenage girls who are impacted by various forms of misogyny: misogynoir, rape culture, and internalized misogyny. Unlike the original, Original Sin manages to hold important discussions while embracing the horror that drew many to the original series. The creative minds behind the show successfully integrate the real-life horror stories of unchecked misogyny with the fantastical tropes of murder mysteries.
Bailee Madison stars as the pregnant protagonist Imogen, who joins Tabby (Chandler Kinney), Noa (Maia Reficco), Faran (Zaria), and Mouse (Malia Plyes) in unearthing the secrets of Millwood and learning about the true identities of the adults in their lives.
3 The Sex Lives of College Girls
Mindy Kaling’s latest streaming hit had its second season this fall, introducing new characters, juicier storylines, and different dynamics with the same group of girls we grew to love in season one. The Sex Lives of College Girls' second season proves that Mindy has a lot more jokes to say and a lot more aspects of college life to cover.
This season covers the second semester of their freshman year and sees each character taking steps towards their evolution while facing their unique insecurities. A newly single Whitney (Alyah Chanelle Scott) decides to venture on a new journey in STEM, learning how to separate the Whitney we know and love from the “Senator’s daughter.” Bela (Amrit Kaur) takes on the mantle as the leader of her women-led comedy magazine and juggles her ambitions in comedy with her relationships and sexuality. Leighton (Renee Rapp) spends most of the season navigating her queerness and learning the do’s and don’t’s of dating, especially the hard way. Kimberly (Pauline Chalamet) is left scrambling for a new source of revenue after losing her financial aid in the prior season.
Our favorite protagonists are growing in front of our eyes and with all the comedic moments included too. As the season marches towards its conclusion, it will be interesting to finally witness how this semester of growth ends for our four faves.
2 House of the Dragon
After the controversial final season of Game of Thrones, the successful prequel House of the Dragon debuted on the streaming platform to rave reviews and a revived interest in the world of Ice and Fire. The series is based on George R.R. Martin’s novel Fire And Blood which chronicles the epic Dance of Dragons between Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and half-brother Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney).
Entering the world of Ice and Fire during the reign of Viserys (Paddy Considine) reintroduces audiences to the already familiar landmarks of the Seven Kingdoms. With completely new showrunners and a different cast, the franchise’s latest offering reminds audiences why people gravitated toward Game of Thrones in the first place. While audiences were anticipating the appearance of many beloved dragons, it was truly the storylines and the prelude to war that truly left viewers sitting at the edge of their seats. Scenes like the moment Rhaenyra gives birth and Aegon’s crumbling coronation are crafted with the intent of producing a tremendous amount of tension and suspense, and it always pays off.
With filming of the second season confirmed to begin in March 2023, fans of the franchise patiently wait until the Dance of Dragons hits the largest and smallest of screens in 2024.
1 Sort Of
Pakistani-Canadian mastermind Bilal Braig returns to our screens with the astonishing series Sort Of. The show details the everyday events of Sabi (Bilal Braig), a non-binary millennial trying to navigate life as a first-generation Pakistani Canadian who also happens to be a caregiver for a multiracial Canadian family. Reeling from the tumultuous events of season one, viewers return to find Sabi facing the challenges of their conservative father returning to Canada from Dubai and their budding relationship with the bubbly Olympia (Cassandra James).
The first episodes of season two were recently released and saw Sabi confide in a resuscitated Bessy, leading to one of the best scenes of Sort Of, an insightful conversation about how love appears in heteronormative and queer couples. Viewers also witness Paul’s reaction to Bessy’s return and her earth-shattering decision to end their marriage, allowing the once-guarded Paul to break down in tears.
Finally, the time that Sabi has been dreading has arrived. Their father returns from Dubai and plunges the household into a dark sea of awkwardness. The atmosphere is a stark contrast to the season one finale where Sabi’s mom begins to see her child how they want to be perceived. Throughout the season, audiences will see just how life plays out for Sabi and the little world around them, with all the obstacles, jokes, and harsh truths that come with existing.