Category: Video Gaming

The streaming landscape is vast and hard to keep track of. TV shows pop up (and get canceled) seemingly overnight, and even if you’re in a place where you’re looking for a new show to sink hours into, it can be overwhelming to make the right choice.

That’s what we’re here for. We’re going to keep this post updated with the most recent series on each of the major streaming platforms that we liked, as well as some other options if our pick doesn’t sound like your particular jam.

So, below, find the best new shows on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney Plus, Paramount Plus, Apple TV, and Peacock.

The best new shows on Netflix

Derry Girls

Genre: Teen sitcom/dark comedy
Creator: Lisa McGee
Cast: Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Nicola Coughlan

My colleague Zosha Millman described Derry Girls episodes as “impeccably designed Rube Goldberg machines,” and I haven’t been able to shake that description since. Derry Girls follows the adventures of a group of young troublemakers in Derry, Northern Ireland, set against the backdrop of the Troubles. It’s a fun and breezy 20ish-minute comedy filled with belly laughs and surprising moments of deep emotion, especially when the girls’ lives intersect with the broader conflict happening outside their door. It’s one of the funniest comedies on Netflix, and an easy selection for this list. —Pete Volk

Also good: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, the new anime from CD Projekt Red and studio Trigger; The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House, a food-centric drama from master filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda; and The Sandman, the live-action adaptation of the DC Comics fantasy horror series by Neil Gaiman.

The best new TV on Hulu

Reservation Dogs

Image: FX/Hulu

Genre: Teen drama/comedy
Creators: Sterlin Harjo, Taika Waititi
Cast: Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Lane Factor

Our No. 10 show of 2022 was No. 3 on my personal ballot. Reservation Dogs is a wonderful thing — a show about misfits living on a reservation in Oklahoma who want nothing more than to get far the hell away… until that far-the-hell-away becomes actually tangible. While Taika Waititi produces the show, it is blissfully removed from his particular (and for me, very tiring) brand of humor, instead shining through award-winning filmmaker Sterlin Harjo and a dynamic cast of main characters and featured guests (the latest season included a memorable guest appearance by Prey star Amber Midthunder, and the legendary Gary Farmer and Wes Studi have hilarious recurring roles). —PV

Also good: What We Do in the Shadows, the hilarious TV adaptation of the modern-day vampire mockumentary, and the final season of Atlanta, the “Twin Peaks for rappers” comedy drama starring (and created by) Donald Glover.

The best new TV on Prime Video

A League of Their Own

Image: Prime Video

Genre: Period sports comedy/drama
Creators: Will Graham, Abbi Jacobson
Cast: Abbi Jacobson, Chanté Adams, D’Arcy Carden

A League of Their Own (the movie) is a stone-cold classic for a reason. It’s got good story, a lot of heart, and an ensemble cast that packed a punch in every corner. A League of Their Own (the TV show) works for all those same reasons. But because it’s a show, we get to spend more time in the world, explore women’s baseball for Black women too, dig into the queerness of the era, and go long on just how much work actually goes into pulling together a baseball team from scratch. There’s still no crying in baseball, but it’s nice to explore the classic world of A League of Their Own with a bit more nuance and simply more time. It may not be a classic yet, but a girl can dream. —Zosha Millman

Also good: Paper Girls, a sci-fi coming of age comic adaptation unfortunately canceled after one season, and Reacher, a detective series that asks the important question, “What if Sherlock Holmes was absolutely massive?”

The best new TV on HBO Max

House of the Dragon

Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO

Genre: Fantasy/drama
Creators: Ryan Condal, George R.R. Martin
Cast: Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy

It’s not easy for a prequel to escape the long shadow of its originator, but HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon managed to make it look easy. The story takes place several hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones and builds its own independent and unique cast of characters whose plots, schemes, and betrayals make for fantastic television no matter how much time you’ve spent in Westeros. In the show’s first season, which aired in fall 2022, it sets up the two warring factions at the heart of a civil war, and sets the stage for a massive dragon-filled fight that should fill its next three seasons. —Austen Goslin

Also good: The Rehearsal, Nathan Fielder’s social experiment disguised as a TV show.

The best new TV on Disney Plus

Andor

Photo: Des Willie/Lucasfilm

Genre: Sci-fi/adventure
Creator: Tony Gilroy
Cast: Diego Luna, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona

Aside from being one of the best Star Wars shows to date, Andor has the enviable distinction of holding the No. 1 spot on our list of the best shows of 2022. Either of those two facts alone warrants the show’s inclusion on this list, but combined, that well-earned place feels all but mandatory. Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton) returns to the Star Wars after his turn as co-screenwriter on 2016’s Rogue One, diving into an origin story of the eponymous Rebel captain that also functions as an origin story of the Rebel Alliance itself. The series meticulously moves away from the rote, Easter egg-laden iconography for which many Star Wars fans typically associate the franchise with and substitutes it with down-to-earth aesthetic and tone that treats the stakes of its universe as seriously as the underdogs who occupy it.

Diego Luna, much like his character, Cassian Andor, is the perfect leading man for the job, while Stellan S​​karsgård’s supporting performance as the cunning rebellion ringleader Luthen Rael has quickly asserted itself as one of the best characters to come out of Star Wars since Disney acquired the property in 2012. It takes three or so episodes to shift into full gear, but once it does, it’s a exhilarating journey you’ll want to see through to the end. —Toussaint Egan

Also good: Willow, the TV revival of the 1988 fantasy adventure.

The best new TV on Paramount Plus

Players

Photo: Lara Solanki/Paramount

Genre: Mockumentary/drama
Creators: Dan Perrault, Tony Yacenda
Cast: Misha Brooks, Da’Jour Jones, Ely Henry

Going back to the ol’ “where we ranked this versus where I did” discussion, Players was our No. 8 show of 2022, but No. 2 on my personal list. I will admit this should not surprise, as Players is so laser-targeted to my interests it felt like a gift from the heavens when it not only arrived on Paramount Plus, but was actually really good.

Players is a mockuseries from the brilliant creators of American Vandal (itself one of the very best shows on Netflix), following a fictional North American League of Legends team and the drama brewing between its two star players. This is where I tell you I used to cover League of Legends professionally, including the North American league. So it’s no surprise at all that I took to this show, but it is a surprise that many of my friends who had zero interest whatsoever in League (or professional League) also found it delightful. Reader, you’re next! —PV

Also good: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the best of a stellar crop of new Star Trek shows.

The best new TV on Apple TV Plus

Severance

Photo: Atsushi Nishijima/Apple TV Plus

Genre: Sci-fi/psychological thriller
Creator: Dan Erickson
Cast: Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower

Severance’s stark science fiction take on the modern workplace, in which employees of a company known as Lumon undergo the titular “severance” procedure to have their consciousness split in two, is one of the most remarkably unsettling conceits in a show. Under severance, one half of a person’s identity, known as the “innie,” is the person they are at work, doing mundane tasks and punching out at the requisite time. When they step in the elevator to go home, however, they become their “outie” — the person who exists outside of the workplace, perhaps with a family, a lover, or a hobby. Innies and outies do not know anything about each other, by design — an almost benign-seeming way to exploit the people who work for you.

An easy favorite among critics both at Polygon and elsewhere, Severance speaks directly to a vague sense of unrest that’s becoming palpable in workplaces around the world, but it’s also just a damn good thriller. Uneasy, with bleak wit and steady dose of intrigue, Severance has style and substance — a quietly angry show for an increasingly angry time. —Joshua Rivera

Also good: Slow Horses, a British spy drama about a bunch of losers (including Gary Oldman) who would like a win.

The best new TV on Peacock

Girls5eva

Image: Peacock

Genre: Musical/comedy
Creator: Meredith Scardino
Cast: Sara Bareilles, Busy Philipps, Paula Pell

It can sometimes feel like modern American comedies forgot the part where you’re supposed to have jokes. “Comedy” can feel synonymous with “feel-good entertainment” rather than “funny entertainment,” seemingly looking to provoke slight smiles rather than belly laughs.

No one tell Girls5eva. The heir apparent to 30 Rock as an entertainment industry comedy that is uproariously funny, it follows the members of a former girl group who decide to get back together and give this whole fame thing one more shot. The show has it all: It’s surprising, it’s funny, it’s delirious (complimentary), and it has a banger theme that will stick in your brain for eternity. —PV

Also good: The Resort, the dark mystery comedy starring William Jackson Harper (The Good Place) and Cristin Milioti (Made for Love) as a couple on vacation who stumble across a deadly mystery.

Do you want to be the first to learn about some of the biggest titles coming soon to Xbox, PC and Xbox Game Pass? This Wednesday, the Developer_Direct will have all the details (and gameplay) you’ll need.

Presented together by Xbox and Bethesda, the Developer_Direct will share new, extended gameplay for Redfall, Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends and The Elder Scrolls Online and provide all the latest news straight from the teams at Arkane Austin, Turn 10 Studios, Mojang Studios and ZeniMax Online Studios. Immediately following the Developer_Direct will be a full, standalone ESO Global Reveal Event, hosted by ZeniMax Online Studios.

When is the event? Wednesday, January 25, at 12 pm Pacific Time/3 pm Eastern Time/8 pm British Time

How do I watch? The Developer_Direct will be streamed live on the official Xbox and Bethesda channels, below:

The show will also be streamed out simultaneously on regional Xbox and Bethesda channels around the globe, as well as on Steam and China’s Bilibili.

Important note: the show will be streamed in 1080p at 60fps. For a more representative look at the visuals contained in the showcase, we recommend watching the 4K / 60fps rebroadcast of the showcase on the Xbox YouTube channel, which will be available after the conclusion of the premiere.

Is the event available in languages other than English?  We will be providing subtitle support and/or audio dubbed translations in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Persian (Farsi), Polish, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Slovak, Spanish (Castilian), Spanish (Latin America), Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukranian, and Vietnamese. We expect to have all languages available with the show’s live broadcast but it is possible that select languages may need to be added in the days following the broadcast if they have not finished translating.

The easiest way to find your preferred language is to check out your country’s Xbox page on Facebook or by viewing on the official Xbox YouTube channel and clicking the gear icon in the lower right corner.

Is the show going to be Accessible to those with low/no hearing or low/no vision? There will be a version of the show with Audio Descriptions (AD) in English on the Xbox YouTube channel, and American Sign Language (ASL) on Xbox’s YouTube channel and the new /XboxASL Twitch channel.

I’m not going to be able to watch, where can I find out what was announced? As announcements roll out during the broadcast, the Xbox Wire team will be publishing detailed blog posts containing key announcements right here on Xbox Wire (including localized versions in Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, LATAM Spanish, and Japanese).

Notes for co-streamers and creators: We at Xbox greatly appreciate any co-stream efforts and aim to ensure you have a smooth experience if you choose to do so.

However, due to forces beyond our control, we cannot guarantee that glitches or disruptions by bots and other automated software won’t interfere with your co-stream.

Video on Demand (VOD): For those planning to create full post-show breakdowns in the form of VOD coverage, we recommend you do not use any audio containing copyrighted music to avoid any action by automated bots, and to also consult the terms of service for your service provider.

Will there be an Extended Stream? The Elder Scrolls Online team will continue the livestream with a standalone Global Reveal Event immediately after the Developer_Direct. A standalone show for Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield is also in the works – we’ll have more to share soon.

We’ll see you at the Developer_Direct on January 25!

Sony Music artist The Kid Laroi, Australian rapper, singer, and songwriter has become a global force to be reckoned with since his ascent in 2019. His bangers and dramatic beats are coming to Fortnite starting January 27 at 3PM PT — in The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams. This immersive sonic experience will portray Laroi’s journey from humble beginnings to headlining sold-out performances, as well as becoming a worldwide superstar.

New music from Laroi will be featured in The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams, including his upcoming song “Love Again” being released on Friday, January 27. “Love Again” isn’t the only new song featured in the experience, as three unreleased songs will also play in both this experience and the Afterparty experience.

Dress harmoniously for The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams with The Kid Laroi and The Rogue Laroi Outfits, available before the experience goes live. Both Outfits will be available in the Fortnite Item Shop beginning January 26.

Additionally, on January 24, players can compete in The Kid Laroi Cup for an opportunity to unlock these Outfits early, plus a special Banner Icon and Emoticon

Take Part in The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams

The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams will have you venturing in the cybercity “Laroitown,” where you’ll ultimately attend a jam-packed Laroi concert featuring fan-favorite music and new music. After the performance, join Laroi in the Afterparty experience. Here, you can listen to the Wild Dreams mix on loop while getting a look inside the tour life, and beyond, of Laroi.

Complete The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams Quests (during both experiences!) to earn XP and special Laroi items, such as the Love Again and Thousand Miles Lobby Tracks, Laroi & The Rogue Loading Screen, and the Laroi Was Here and Laroi’s Tag Sprays. These Quests will be live from January 27 at 3 PM PT to 3PM PT on February 3, 2023.

To get to the experience, select The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams tile on the Discover screen, or input the island code 2601-0606-9081. Either option will take you to the island where the experience takes place, made by creators Alliance Studios, Team Atomic, and TheBoyDilly, and features a video directed by Adrien Wagner and produced by La Pac.

Also in an island made by Alliance Studios, Team Atomic, and TheBoyDilly, the Afterparty experience will be available from January 27 at 3 PM PT to April 27 at 3PM PT. Join by selecting the The Kid Laroi’s Wild Dreams Afterparty tile on the Discover screen or by inputting the island code 4294-0410-6136.

Choose Your Inner Laroi

Want to dress for the occasion? Starting January 26 at 4 PM PT, the Kid Laroi and The Rogue Laroi Outfits (plus more items) will be available in the Fortnite Item Shop.

The Kid Laroi Outfit and Back Bling

From dreamer to hitmaker.

Work your way to the top with The Kid Laroi Outfit. This Outfit has the Electrified Style in addition to its default Style. Included with the Outfit is the Get My Bag Back Bling, which has the blue default Style and pink Left Alone Style.

The Rogue Laroi Outfit, Back Bling/Pickaxe, and Wrap

From hitmaker to hunter.

Eliminate opponents on the battlefield with The Rogue Laroi Outfit, which has the Electrified Style in addition to its default Style. This Outfit comes with the Tragic Blade Back Bling. Unsheathe the Tragic BLADE as a Pickaxe! Also coming to the shop, the Laroi Free Style Wrap matches the Outfit too.

Emotes and Lobby Track

Keep the party going even after the Afterparty with these Item Shop items:

• Stay Afloat Emote – Just relax and let it carry you away… 
• Heart of a King Emote – Take a Love(seat) Again.
• Stay Lobby Track – Press play and feel the way I feel.

The Stay Afloat Emote, Heart of a King Emote, and Stay Lobby Track can be purchased individually or via the Laroi’s Party Starter Bundle, which additionally includes the Wild Dreams Loading Screen:

Keep your head in the clouds.

Battle to the Top in The Kid Laroi Cup

Be as fearless as Laroi in The Kid Laroi Cup. Compete in this Duos Zero Build tournament on January 24 for the opportunity to be among the top point-earning players in your region, unlocking The Kid Laroi Outfit (+ Get My Bag Back Bling) and The Rogue Laroi Outfit (+ Tragic Blade Back Bling/Pickaxe) early. Also, earn at least eight points to unlock a Laroi Banner Icon and the Laroi’s Smile Emoticon.

Competitors can play up to ten matches within their region’s approximately three-hour time window, and the specific event timing for each region can be found in the Compete tab in-game. 

See you when the party starts in Fortnite on January 27.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a down-on-their-luck orphan has their life turned upside-down when they get whisked away to a fantastical new world where they suddenly have magical powers, reluctantly rising to become the hero its people need to stop an evil threat. If that sounds like every fantasy book you’ve ever forgotten you read, it’s probably because Forspoken is a remarkably generic RPG – from its bland story to its lifeless open world. Thankfully its energetic combat and flashy parkour movement system do keep the relatively slim campaign decently entertaining throughout, but running through its boilerplate checklist of repetitive side tasks doesn’t hold much appeal beyond mindless trophy hunting after that.

The newest action-RPG from Square Enix puts you in the brooding shoes of Frey Holland, a well-acted but largely unlikable New Yorker who gets pulled through a portal to the fantasy realm of Athia after accidentally becoming bonded to an equally unlikable talking armband she calls Cuff. The four realms of Athia have been afflicted with a corruption that has forced its populace into the last remaining city of Cipal, and it falls on Frey and her newly imbued powers to help its citizens and face four powerful rulers called Tantas – not that she’s very interested in doing so.

Forspoken Screenshots