#Here Are 5 Shows to Catch Up on Before Their Upcoming Second Season

With a constant surplus of compelling and absorbing television content, it can be difficult to keep up with shows that are coming and going. The new year has brought forth excitement and anticipation for small screen viewers, with some of their most beloved programs set to return in 2022. It seems to be a common trend in Hollywood that shows are canceled prematurely, often inciting dissatisfaction and frustration from loyal audiences. That’s why it’s refreshing when freshman shows are granted a second season, and thus given the opportunity to grow and expand their following. Streaming platforms such as Netflix and HBO Max seem to be more generous in allowing their programs to find their footing, much to the delight of viewers across the world.
Some of television’s finest and most charming shows are set to return for their sophomore seasons; Netflix’s worldwide phenomenon Bridgerton took audiences by storm with its saucy and enthralling period drama, while the thought-provoking Prime Video series Upload skillfully parodies society’s addiction to technology. With new and old shows gracing television screens, it can be difficult keeping track of so much quality content, so here are five great shows with upcoming second seasons, so you can catch up and be ready to watch.

5 Bridgerton

Based on the hit Julia Quinn historical romance novel, Netflix’s juggernaut Bridgerton is a period drama set in the competitive world of Regency Era London’s ton, the part of British high society when debutantes are introduced at court. The series follows the esteemed and powerful Bridgerton family, as eldest daughter Daphne makes her debut on the competitive marriage market with high hopes of finding her one true love. At the time of its debut on Christmas day 2020, Bridgerton became the most-watched Netflix series (later surpassed by Squid Game in 2021), with 82 million households tuning in to watch during its first 28 days of availability. Audiences across the world were captivated by the blossoming relationship between Daphne and London’s most eligible bachelor Simon Bassett, Duke of Hastings, portrayed by the talented Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page.
The Shonda Rhimes-produced series was renewed for three additional seasons, with the upcoming second scheduled to be released on March 25. The newest addition will take inspiration from Quinn’s novel The Viscount Who Loved Me, and will follow the eldest Bridgerton Anthony, on his own quest for love. Fans of the steamy romance are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the second season.

4 Russian Doll

In Netflix’s dramedy Russian Doll, Natasha Lyonne stars as game developer Nadia Vulvokov, who finds herself repeatedly dying and must relieve the same night in an ongoing time loop until she can discover how to stop it. At her fateful 36th birthday party, Nadia meets a man named Alan Zaveri, who is also experiencing the exact same thing in a different event. The entertaining series was co-created by Lyonne, Leslye Headland, and Amy Poehler and garnered rave reviews upon its debut in 2019. Rolling Stone praised the drama, writing, “That blend of tones, and the controlled mania of Lyonne’s brilliant performance, make Russian Doll feel like something wholly new, even as it cops to its many influences.”
Russian Doll won the accolade for Outstanding New Program at the Television Critics Association Award, and initially began production on season 2 in 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Netflix, the latest installment will be set four years after the events of the prior season, as Nadia and Alan embark on an existential adventure. Though no official release date has been revealed, the streaming giant has teased the show’s impending return later this year.
Related: Russian Doll Season 2 Gets Schitt’s Creek Star Annie Murphy

3 The Flight Attendant

The Big Bang Theory’s Kaley Cuoco opted to switch genre lanes by starring in the HBO Max dramedy thriller The Flight Attendant, centering on reckless alcoholic and flight attendant Cassie Bowden, who wakes up in a Bangkok hotel room and discovers the dead body of a man but has no recollection of the night’s previous events. The mystery is based on the Chris Bohjalian novel and was developed through Cuoco’s production company, with the actress also signing on to star. Viewers flocked to the edgy dramedy, and Cuoco showed off her impressive range as a performer as the wild yet endearing Cassie. On her impressive portrayal, the New Yorker wrote, “Cassie moves through the world like a flesh-and-blood cartoon, careening from drunkenness to lucidity. Cuoco gives this physical recklessness some meaning, thereby humanizing a trope.”
The critically acclaimed series quickly became a binge-worthy favorite for viewers, and was renewed for a second season in 2020 which is scheduled to premiere in the spring of 2022. The dynamic Sharon Stone is set to join the dramedy for its new season, and will portray Cassie’s estranged mother Lisa Bowden, who wants to repair their shaky relationship.

2 Space Force

Steve Carell co-created and stars in the Netflix workplace dramedy Space Force, which centers on a group of people tasked with establishing the sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces, the United States Space Force. The ensemble series features the always great John Malkovich, along with the talent of some of comedy’s finest, including Lisa Kudrow and Ben Schwartz, with Carell headlining the show as General Mark R. Naird, the Space Force’s first Chief of Space Operations. Naird is tasked by the president to get “boots on the moon” by 2024; naturally delightful chaos and hijinks ensue. Netflix reported that Space Force had been watched by 40 million households during its initial release and despite garnering mixed responses from critics, earned a 75% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The entertaining ensemble cast helps make the show an entertaining and unique spin on the workplace comedy, and it will return with its second season on February 18. Space Force also features the last television appearance by the great Fred Willard, who portrayed Mark’s father and sadly passed away two weeks before the show’s debut.
Related: Space Force Season 2 Trailer Arrives Ahead of February Premiere on Netflix

1 Upload

The Amazon Prime science fiction dramedy Upload follows Nathan Brown, a computer engineer who is able to choose his own afterlife after his untimely death, by having his consciousness uploaded to the virtual world of Lake View. Robbie Ammell stars as Nathan, who adjusts to his new reality of a digital heaven and ends up bonding with his angelic afterlife-handler Nora Antony, played by Andy Allo. He also begins to question the events surrounding his premature death, wondering if he may have in fact been murdered. Upload comes from the creative mind of Greg Daniels, the co-creator of beloved sitcoms Parks and Recreation and King of the Hill; Daniels also teamed up with Steve Carell to create the aforementioned Netflix show Space Force.
The quirky comedy’s first season earned rave reviews, with L.A. Weekly proclaiming, “Upload is much more than a joke about the bleak future of humanity and technology’s grip on society. It is also a commentary about what people are willing to accept before they are forced to make a change.” Due to the overwhelmingly positive responses for Upload, the series was renewed one week after its premiere, with its next season slated to premiere on March 11.

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