Top 10 new sci-fi and fantasy shows of 2022: House of the Dragon and more
By Anwesha Nag
5. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
A much-awaited prequel to The Lord of the Rings, Amazon had been teasing The Rings of Power for a long time before the show aired. Set thousands of years before the events of LoTR, the series brought to life the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-Earth. While familiar characters like Galadriel, Elrond and Elendil helped keep things grounded, new faces like Nori Brandyfoot and Arondir stole hearts as well.
After keeping the fans waiting for the entire season, the final reveal of Sauron’s identity was perfect. Also, Amazon spent a mint on this show, so it’s just fun to gawk at.
4. Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Man took the anime world by storm in 2022. The anime, just like the manga, follows Denji, an impoverished young man who gets a second shot at life thanks to a cute-as-heck devil dog named Pochita. In his dying moments, Pochita fuses his body with Denji’s to save his life, granting him the power to transform into a living, breathing chainsaw in the offing. Like all good shonen protagonists, Denji eventually joins the Devil Hunters.
The events that follow beautifully blend fantastical elements with real-world scenarios, as well as no-holds-barred gore. The show takes place in a world where devils and humans exist in a sort of symbiotic, Venom-like harmony. It is also a world where the Soviet Union still exists, and the memories of many historical events including World War II and the dropping of the atomic bomb have been erased from society. Only the Four Horsemen remember the original events as they happened.