So far this year, numerous irresistible series have been released. Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV+, and Peacock have dared to place increasingly exciting and seductive bets. We’ve been treated to all sorts of gems. Emblematic comedies, heartbreaking dramas, unpredictable thrillers, unthinkable heroes, in short, the entertainment industry has worked out how to rebound and revive itself after the pandemic.
Just as September begins, a new avalanche of content is approaching. With so many premieres and renewed series we are going to dedicate a little time to delving into some particularly outstanding productions coming soon. Whatever your audiovisual genre preference, you are sure to find a production to suit you. Here is a breakdown of the big favorites:
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Amazon Prime Video | Season 1 | Release date: Friday, September 02, 2022.
With only a few days to go before the premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the expectation is gigantic. So far, it is the most expensive television fiction ever made. It is estimated that there was an initial investment of $462 million for the first season, not counting the $250 million that were cancelled for television rights.
Developed by showrunners J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay for streaming service Amazon Prime Video, the series is set thousands of years before Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, precisely in the Second Age of Middle Earth.
This epic drama would encompass the forging of the Rings of Power, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the fall of the island kingdom of Numenor and the final alliance between elves and men.
The showrunners have expressed that the public has only known the story of the One Ring of power – “One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them; In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie”.
However, the series will explore the origin of all the rings and their impact on the existing races. In general, the show is a leap back in time, a journey that will allow us to learn how the great powers were forged, and the decisive situations that led Middle-earth to both glory and the abyss.
Cobra Kai
Netflix | Season 5 | Release date: Friday, September 09, 2022.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUR9PYwlNaA
It’s karate time! September 9 is the date chosen for the return of Cobra Kai. Said date has been an unexpected announcement, as Netflix usually launches the new seasons of the series at Christmas time, always coinciding with the New Year. The showrunners assure us that the show will include a twist that no one expects.
Cobra Kai continues to sweep among Netflix’s great favorites due to its mix of eighties nostalgia and generational relay. The past and the present go hand in hand in this late sequel to the iconic film Karate Kid.
In this new season, Terry Silver is the new threat and, unlike Kreese, he doesn’t seem to have an obvious weakness. Silver’s sole purpose is to expand Cobra Kai’s reach as a dojo franchise. His inherent plan is to spread his hostile and vicious style of karate (“No Mercy”) to new generations. With Kreese wrongfully imprisoned and Johnny Lawrence trying to get Miguel back, Daniel LaRusso must enlist the help of an old friend to stop the growing threat.
The Netflix series features the return of Chozen, an iconic character from Karate Kid II, who appears in the final moments of the fourth season to help save Miyagi-Do. Sean Kanan has also joined the cast, reprising his role as Mike Barnes, one of the fearsome villains from Karate Kid III.
The Serpent Queen
Starz | Season 1 | Release date: Sunday, September 11, 2022.
Following the success of the shows The White Queen, The White Princess and The Spanish Princess, Starz has greenlit another historical drama, this time set in the 16th century French court.
The Serpent Queen poses the rise to power of Catherine de Medici. This story begins with an orphaned Catherine engaged in an unusual marriage. At the time, the union between Prince Henry and Catherine was rather irregular, as the young girl was practically a commoner. However, thanks to the influence of her uncle, Pope Clement, the girl became a member of royalty.
Very soon, Catherine will have to learn to survive through her own cunning and cruelty. Despite all odds, Catherine de Medici becomes one of the most powerful regents in French history.
The new Starzplay TV series is based on the book Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda. The show is the brainchild of screenwriter and executive producer Justin Haythe.
Of note: Golden Globe-winning actress Samantha Morton brings the ruthless Catherine de Medici to life. The versatile performer is best known for her roles in Harlots, Minority Report, and The Walking Dead.
Monarch
Fox | Season 1 | Release date: Sunday, September 11, 2022.
Monarch is a musical series starring country star Trace Adkins, pop singer Beth Ditto and Filipino singer Iñigo Pascual. Joining them are renowned actors Susan Sarandon, Anna Friel and Joshua Sasse.
The Texas-set drama tells the story of a family dynasty that has been making its mark on the country music scene for decades. It just so happens that the Roman family finds itself at the top of the music industry after Albie (Trace Adkins) and Dottie Roman (Susan Sarandon) dedicated the best years of their lives to building an unprecedented empire.
However, the Roman family legacy is severely threatened when unsuspected and delicate truths begin to resurface. It will be up to Nicky Roman, the heir to the throne, to protect her family’s position as she does her best to forge her own path as an artist.
The Handmaid’s Tale
Hulu | Season 5 | Release date: Wednesday, September 14, 2022.
Long live the imagination of Margaret Atwood! Hulu renewed the award-winning drama for a fifth season even before the fourth installment aired. The series will premiere with two episodes.
In the fifth season of The Handmaid’s Tale, June Osborne will try to redefine her identity and her purpose after orchestrating the lynching and execution of Commander Fred Waterford. Nothing will ever be the same for her again and there will be serious consequences. For his part, Commander Lawrence works vigorously to reform Gilead and rise to power.
MGM Television and Hulu have confirmed that the successful Gilead universe will continue to expand as they have acquired the rights to the novel The Testaments (2019), the stunning literary sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale.
Although no major details have been released, the Atwood novel The Testaments tells of what happened 15 years after The Handmaid’s Tale. It could come to television after the conclusion of Elisabeth Moss’ fiction. Blessed be the Fruit!
Andor
Disney+ | Season 1 | Release date: Wednesday, September 21, 2022.
The long-awaited Rogue One prequel, Andor, arrives on September 21, 2022, with the release of three episodes. Mexican actor Diego Luna, reprises the role of the rebel spy, Cassian Andor.
The upcoming Disney+ series will be an espionage adventure thriller, essentially based on the character of Cassian Andor as he first infiltrates the Empire and begins to dismantle it from within. The show will be set five years before the Rogue One movie and promises an exciting look at the Resistance in its early days, prior to the Jedi uprising.
Disney has confirmed that the Andor series is divided into two major parts, each consisting of twelve episodes. The first season begins with the destruction of Andor’s homeworld and then follows him into adulthood, when he becomes a pilot and rebel leader. The second and final season will have the purpose of leading the hero to the events that are raised in the movie Rogue One.
Everything seems to point to a fantastic intergalactic adventure ahead.
Law & Order SVU
NBC | Season 24 | Release date: Thursday, September 22, 2022.
Law & Order: SVU has become one of the longest-running and most iconic series in television history. Premiering in 1999, the NBC classic is now in its 24th season and holds the record for the longest-running primetime series of all time.
The new season will air on Thursday, September 22 as part of NBC’s official fall television premiere week. Captain Olivia Benson and her veteran police unit will continue to fight for justice in cases of sexual assault, child abuse and domestic violence. It should be added that this drama, inspired by real-life crimes, has received more than 30 prestigious awards, including Emmys, Golden Globes, and more. To date, Law & Order: SVU has been sold in more than 250 territories around the world.
NBC has announced that the entire Law & Order franchise officially returns on Thursday, September 22. In this regard, the twenty-second season of Law & Order, the twenty-fourth season of Law & Order: SVU and, the third season of Law & Order: Organized Crime are scheduled to air. There are strong rumors that a major crossover between the three Law & Order series is in the works.
Although this list is only a snapshot of the hundreds of programs to come, it is a good starting point.