By Andrés Muñoz

Netflix has ramped up its production and distribution of shows for the past few years like few other platforms have. The streaming giant establishes its position in the content creation industry with every new show it releases, 2022 not being the exception. 

Here are five varied picks taken from several online sources and articles related to individual shows. 

The Crown: Season 5

Created by Peter Morgan, The Crown is one of the most successful shows Netflix has ever produced. The historical drama covers the life of Queen Elizabeth II, each season portraying a specific period in her life. The series has received widespread acclaim for its performances and has amassed a total of 11 Primetime Emmys during its 4-season run. It ties with The Queen’s Gambit as the most awarded Netflix show with 11 wins. 

Like they did for the transition from season two to three, the upcoming fifth season refreshes its cast as the events will begin a few years before the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Imelda Staunton takes the lead role as the Queen. Most will recognize her from her role as Dolores Umbridge, the hated Defense Against The Dark Arts professor from the Harry Potter franchise. Other interesting recasts are The Wire’s Dominic West as Prince Charles and Tenet’s Elizabeth Debicki as Diana. The series is expected to be released in November 2022.

Love Is Blind: Japan

Love Is Blind started out as a social experiment reality show, where people would meet possible partners, communicate, and get engaged… without ever seeing each other beforehand. The partners would only see their fianceés after asking each other to marry. Later on, they would live together, meet each other’s friends and family, and say “I do”, all within a few months of meeting each other. 

The US version was highly successful, and a Brazilian spinoff was launched a few months ago. This time, the show takes us to Japan, amping up the cultural differences from its predecessors. While Americans and Brazilians might have a distinct approach to interpersonal relationships, the Japanese version is very interesting. It includes participants across a broader age range and introduces several cultural elements specific to Japan. The show was launched on February 8th. 

Peaky Blinders: Season 6

This period crime drama is the only one on the list that isn’t an original Netflix production. Produced by BBC Two, it tells the story of the Shelby family, also known as the Peaky Blinders, a notorious gang in post World War I Birmingham. The series shows the dynamics and sociopolitical environment in England after the Great War, narrating how Thomas (played brilliantly by Cillian Murphy) expands the power of the family business, scaling the upper echelons of political power in England. 

Praised by the critics for its elegant cinematography, sharp dialogues, and even sharper performances, season 6 is the last Peaky Blinders season to be broadcast on television, with creator Steven Knight hinting that a movie or other spinoffs might be in the works. Peaky Blinders will air on BBC on Sunday, February 27th in England, and on Netflix everywhere else within six weeks of the original English broadcast.

Formula 1: Drive To Survive: Season 4

Another season of the high-octane, electrifying events of Formula one will hit Netflix on March 11th, a mere nine days before the 2022 F1 tournament begins. Netflix takes us once again straight into the paddock, sharing key moments of the 2021 season and giving us an insider view of the high-stakes world of international motorsport. 

Some of the main events that will definitely take centre stage are the dramatic victories for Sergio Perez and Estaban Ocon in Azerbaijan and Hungary, respectively, and of course, the race for the title between Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. 

Bridgerton: Season 2

We return to England with Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes’s period drama, Bridgerton. A mix of Gossip Girl, Downton Abbey, and Pride and Prejudice, it narrates the story of the Bridgerton siblings and their experiences as they live the highs and lows of life as part of upper London society. The show’s first season reached the top spot in 76 countries, and the third and fourth seasons were greenlit in April 2021. Bridgerton’s second season hits the screen on March 25th.  

The series has been praised for its performances and is one of the first period dramas with a racially diverse cast. As Brianna Wellen of the Chicago Reader puts it: “it all happens in a long-ago era, one that hasn’t been whitewashed, and for eight hours we can simply get caught up in the fun.”

These are only a few of the many different shows popping up this year. What other series do you think we should definitely watch in 2022? Let us know in the comments section below! 

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