Netflix had a killer month in May thanks to the highly anticipated conclusion of Ozark and the more highly anticipated, record-breaking return of Stranger Things, and after so many stressful moments stretched across both of those shows, not to mention other dramas and thrillers, it’s time for a laugh. Netflix subscribers will no doubt notice the service is preparing for just such a comedy deluge in June, as there will be no shortage of stand-up specials culled from the service’s big Netflix Is a Joke festival.
Of course, that’s not the only new programming coming this month to Netflix, which is why we’ll be focusing on the return of The Umbrella Academy for its Sparrow-licious third season along with other super-duper original shows worth checking out in June 2022. especially if stand-up comedy is not your thing. Let’s dive in, and run through some of the notable picks from all genres arriving in June.
Floor Is Lava Season 2 (June 3)
Floor Is Lava is back for another season, and it looks like one of the most creative Netflix game shows to date has upped the ante for Season 2. A trailer for the upcoming season shows new challenges on the way for teams to conquer…life…and even some returning faces in the mix. I personally am excited to watch people try and climb that giant slimy volcano, because it looks like a more intense version of the Aggro Crag from Nickelodeon GUTS. Anybody who missed out on Season 1 may not understand why I’m this excited for a show based on a children’s game, but you just have to watch it to get it. And then you’ll be auditioning to be in Season 3.
Keep Sweet: Pray And Obey (June 8)
True crime fans, Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey looks to be a disturbing doozy of a series centering around the 2008 raid of the Yearning for Zion Ranch compound in West Texas. Ultimately, 400+ children were taken into custody after law enforcement found evidence of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Rachel Dretzin delivers a four-part miniseries that features never-before-seen archival footage, interviews, and much more information about Warren Jeffs, the man who masterminded the whole operation and its illegal acts. This is probably going to be that series that scratches the itch of those curious about those about the culture within cults, and how those who get brought in ultimately get out.
First Kill (June 10)
Netflix is offering up a classic Romeo & Juliet kind of story in June, with a medium side of vampires. In First Kill, Juliette has to make her first kill as a vampire, and targets a new girl in town named Calliope. Unfortunately, Calliope is a vampire hunter also in need of her first kill, and because they’re rebellious teens at a turning point in their lives/unlives, the two fall in love. I’m not sure how this one will play out, but there’s plenty of other supernatural goodness happening in this show that anyone upset about Legacies‘ cancellation may well enjoy. So get those fangs polished.
Peaky Blinders Season 6 (June 10)
After a long wait, the beloved UK crime drama Peaky Blinders will finally return to Netflix with Season 6. Unfortunately, for anyone following the ride but not in the know yet, it’s the final season. These upcoming episodes will finally bring the action to a halt nine years after its 2013 debut. Will this be when star Cillian Murphy gets the award recognition that fans believe he’s been deserving of? We’ll have to see if folks feel that way when the final season arrives in the United States and brings this thrilling show to an end.
God’s Favorite Idiot (June 15)
Mike & Molly vet Melissa McCarthy is back on television, and she’s starring alongside her husband Ben Falcone, as it usually goes, in a comedy about an unwitting man who becomes a messenger of God. Religion is definitely a part of this series, but based on the trailers I’ve seen, I’m reckoning it’s going to fall more on the side of irreverence and mischief than anything purely faith-based. It looks like satan, angels, and the Four Horseman are all caught up in this adventure, which arrives on Netflix at the midpoint of June.
Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend (June 15)
Iron Chef fans, this is a specialized reboot series you won’t want to miss. Rising stars in the food game will take on notable icons of the franchise like Curtis Stone, Dominique Crenn, Marcus Samuelsson, Ming Tsai, and Gabriela Cámara. Alton Brown and Kristen Kish will host, and of course, it wouldn’t be a true Iron Chef party without The Chairman, Mark Dacascos, along for the ride as well. Netflix is always a good place for cooking shows, and I expect Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend will be no exception.
Snowflake Mountain (June 22)
Snowflake Mountain takes the wilderness reality show subgenre that’s spiked in popularity on cable and mixes it with shows focusing on scaring troubled teens into turning their lives around. Essentially, a bunch of young adults go on a survival retreat that’s devoid of all the luxuries of modern living. The hope is that through reconnecting with nature and learning about hard living, they’ll make a more full and meaningful transition into adulthood. I’m curious to watch and see how effective the show is on that front and what drama might arise from these participants when they’re forced out of the lap of luxury.
The Umbrella Academy Season 3 (June 22)
The Umbrella Academy is back for Season 3, and once again, the timeline is in shambles. As it turns out, fixing all things doomsday-related in 1963 technically didn’t correct the present, and now the heroes must come face to face with the Sparrow Academy after returning “home,” which is actually an alternate reality where Reginald Hargreeves found a squad of other super-beings to call his children. And one of them is a telekinetic cube. Suffice to say, the day still needs saving, and yes, it’s feeling less likely the Umbrella Academy crew will ever find their way back to the timeline they are familiar with.
Man Vs. Bee (June 24)
Rowan Atkinson is back with a new series, which might be something we’re all a bit surprised to hear in 2022 (unless you remember how much his Johnny English sequel made). The British comedy legend behind Mr. Bean is back, and he’s doing one of the things he does best as a comedian: dialogue-free chaos. In what’s advertised as a “mostly silent” series, a housesitter goes to war with a bee, and it appears as if no one will come out of this one the fictor. At least there will be no mistaking Man vs. Bee for any other show on the platform, as straightforward as the title is!
The Upshaws Season 2 Part 1 (June 29)
Mike Epps’ streaming comedy The Upshaws returns for the first half of Season 2, once again highlighting the life of a family trying to make its way in the Midwest. Those looking for the classic family sitcom are going to get all that and more from this show, which is good because it feels like we see less and less of those types of shows on television each year. Netflix wouldn’t dare cancel a show in between parts, so fans can look forward to more later this year.
Catch all these shows and more on Netflix in the month of June, and don’t forget about all the stand-up specials on the way as well, including the retrospective for Bob Saget.
