We are no longer in a TV wasteland, so get ready for the streaming services to pile on even harder than they did in 2021. Production roared back into full swing, and HBO Max has been amassing plenty of prestige and not-so-prestige series for the taking. I’m truly looking forward to a new Hacks season because, hey, give me some smartass Jean Smart, and she will sustain my life force. Well, HBO Max ain’t stopping there.
There’s a ton to look forward to in the above sizzle reel, which also makes me think about how, about five years ago, the thought of a Game of Thrones spinoff would be one of the most exciting TV tidbits out there. We’re now staring down House of the Dragon, which is still something to look forward to (very much, actually), but Matt Smith and his Targaryen wig are gonna have to work hard to overcome that series finale season. In addition, we’re seeing first looks at two high-profile returning shows: Kaley Cuoco proving everyone wrong in more of The Flight Attendant and the Man in Black staring at Caleb in more Westworld. Does Caleb look confused, more than anything else, to you? Sure he does. He doesn’t know what the heck’s going on in that show either.
On a more easily digestible note: More new and returning shows flash before our eyes at breakneck pace. There’s John Cena’s Suicide Squad character in Peacemaker; the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special that will hopefully skirt the whole J.K. Rowling mess; and several new originals coming your way. Those include Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, The White House Plumbers, We Own This City, Julia, Love & Death, and The Time Traveler’s Wife. Also, there’s more returning shows, including The Nevers, Raised by Wolves, and one last hurrah for His Dark Materials.
Here’s my takeaway: gimme some Jean Smart, Kaley Cuoco, and some dragons.