Top 10 Favorite TV Shows of 2022
This is a bit late but oh well.
I watched a lot of really great television, here’s the list:
10. House of the Dragon
This was such a great communal viewing experience. Going on Twitter every Sunday night was a joy. It’s a flawed show, yeah, but I’m hoping it’s just preparation for what is possible in Season 2.
9. Bridgerton (Season 2)
This season was an absolute masterclass in slow-burn romance writing. I truly didn’t care about any other storyline or character in the season —Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma’s (Simone Ashley) relationship carries the whole thing.
8. The Boys (Season 3)
Arguably the best “superhero” show on television at the moment. It reaches extremes in every way to the point where I think I’ve been desensitized to every way a person can explode. It’s action, comedy, and political commentary that is ridiculously entertaining and equally as haunting.
7. The White Lotus (Season 2)
Mike White, you beautiful devil. Season 1 was one of the best things to come out of the pandemic and Season 2 tops it in every way. Insanely talented cast, beautiful cinematography, and calculated, layered screenwriting. Some of the best plot reveals of the year.
6. Industry (Season 2)
Are people watching this show? Please watch this show. A smashing workplace drama of the cutthroat ultra-elite. Season 2 made the floor of an investment bank feel like an Aaron Sorkin-esque political war room. The ‘Succession’ of the finance world.
5. The Rehearsal
There is no other show like this out there. A series that felt similar to ‘Nathan for You’’s traditional antics until it takes a sudden left turn into questionable documentarian ethics. In 20 years, ‘The Rehearsal’ finale will either make Nathan Fielder look like a trailblazing entertainer or a perversely immoral filmmaker. Only time will tell.
4. Atlanta (Season 3 and 4)
I’m so proud of this show. What started as a smart buddy hangout show became a meta-textual, afro-futuristic, anthological social commentary. Season 3’s bold moves turned away many viewers; however, the final two seasons depicted some of the most entertaining and empowering stories on Black American culture. The show’s finale is an ‘Inception’ caliber achievement. Loved.
3. The Bear
Another win for FX Networks. ‘The Bear’ came out of nowhere and was an absolute joy. The inside scoop on a Chicago-based Italian beef sandwich shop. I’m not even sure how accurate it is but its perceived authenticity fooled me. The show should win an Emmy for Episode 7 alone.
2. Severance
Wow, wow, wow. This was the last show that I finished in 2022 and geez was it the perfect way to end. Straight up ingenious concept by Dan Erickson, phenomenal directing by Ben Stiller, and Adam Scott as the leading man he was meant to be. The show is better the less you know about it.
1. Andor
This is the show that I’ve been waiting for since I was 11 years-old watching the original Star Wars trilogy for the first time. Screenwriter/showrunner Tony Gilroy has single-handedly saved the Star Wars universe. That being said, the show transcends the standards of a Star Wars property. It is a captivating political prestige drama that rewards every cinephile die-hard Star Wars fan who has defended the legitimacy of the franchise for decades.
