What a year it was for TV. As someone who is hesitant to say television is starting to surpass film, I can’t argue with the quality content that came out in 2022. It’s the first year I have to admit that TV surpassed film. Really still crossing my fingers for what 2023 has in store for us movie wise but for now let’s celebrate the amazing TV we got in 2022!! Here are my top picks in no particular order…

The Dropout-I was completely captivated by this story when it was in the news. I had already listened to the podcast series and watched the documentary on HBO but Amanda Syfried’s performance alone makes this worth a watch. Naveen Andrews as Sunny Balwani is also great. You absolutely despise the character by the end. It was gripping and made me wonder even more how Elizabeth Holmes was able to trick so many people throughout the rise of Theranos.  

WeCrashed-In the same vein as The Dropout, I guess this was the year of disgraced CEOs. Although Jared Leto sometimes goes a little too method for my taste, him and Anne Hathaway were really good in this. I also didn’t know much about Adam Neumann so getting to find out more about the true story made the watch worth it alone.

Better Call Saul Season 6- Breaking Bad is my favorite series of all time and I was a Better Call Saul junky from the start. While I’d argue Breaking Bad is still the far superior show, Vince Gilligan can do know wrong in my book. What this season did do though, even better than Breaking Bad, was deliver one of the most satisfying series finales I’ve seen.

The White Lotus Season 2- There are still way too slow motion many shots of water here but Mike White was able to put out another strong effort that kept me guessing the whole time. I think I definitely enjoyed this season more than the first. I liked the setting in Sicily and was happy to see the characters go outside the hotel in this one. It definitely felt more like it knew what it wanted to be.

Slow Horses Season 1- Probably one of the more intricate stories plot wise out of all of these picks. I was always reading episode recaps to stay up to speed and make sure I was following the events correctly. Gary Oldman is fantastic and anything spy/secret intelligence gets my attention. Again, Apple TV+ surprised me as it continues to put out quality content. 

The Crown Season 5- This was definitely the weakest season of the series Netflix has put out so far. I mostly put it on here because I still really enjoy following the Diana and Charles storylines. Overall, it’s just a bit all over the place with way too many side plot episodes. But even ok Crown is still solid.

Pam and Tommy- I knew a little bit about the two main protagonists but had no idea about the details of this story. It’s pretty wild and Lily James and Sebastian Stan are both stand outs. It’s just a really fun and easy watch as well. Definitely give it a chance if you’re looking for something to binge.

The Offer- I was so hyped for this show and after the lackluster reviews, I stayed away from it for a while. Paramount+ still hasn’t proven to me to be the home of really prestige content. This, however, is a point in their favor. I honestly am a bit puzzled why this show didn’t get more traction. As a cinephile, The Godfather is of course a staple and it’s really interesting getting to see the behind the scenes of the studio system back then. Filled with lots of interesting stories and cool cameos, I tore through this miniseries. If you like finding out more about the inner workings of Hollywood I’d recommend investing some time into this one.

Severance- This is another one I stayed away from for a while. It looked like some weird Charlie Kaufman rip off to me and I don’t even like his style to begin with. What I got was anything but that. I was gripped from the first episode and this is one of the most thrilling binges I’ve ever gone through. Dylan’s turn on Milchick in the jazz party scene completely sold me. Apple TV+ is here to stay and I’m excited to see the content they keep rolling out. Even if the finale kept too many questions unanswered, I’ve never been so excited for a Season 2.

Andor- As someone who is pretty done with Marvel, Star Wars, and the whole connected universe thing, Andor was a refreshing break from all that. It was a really grounded story with a lot to say particularly about fascism and rebellion. The last two episodes didn’t quite do it for me but the build up was fantastic. I loved the 3 episode arc structure. Stellan Skarsgard’s monologue was one for the ages and everything from the Aldhani bank heist to the prison break was fantastic. Tony Gilroy is such a talent in Hollywood. I’m really curious to see how Season 2 wraps things up.

The Bear- The promos for this one just did nothing for me whatsoever. After so much praise and out of sheer boredom, I started watching. I am so glad I did because The Bear is representative of the TV of 2022 as a whole. It was such high quality and so engrossing. Jon Bernthal’s cameo came out of nowhere to me and ended up being extremely touching. I always knew kitchens were chaotic but this portrayed it in such a fun, interesting, and entertaining way. Season 2 here I come! Also…where has Ebon Moss Bachrach been all my life?

Black Bird- Based off a true story, I recommend this one mainly for the acting. The story is interesting too and Taron Egerton is great. Paul Walter Hauser also delivers, playing a creep unsettlingly well. Whoever, can give me Egerton’s workout routine for this role it would be much appreciated. He is absolutely jacked in this! It’s also a pretty short watch at just 6 episodes.

The Minx- Out of all my recommendations, this is definitely the most light-hearted. I felt bad to see HBO Max drop it just recently. I’m not sure if it’s no longer available but if you can find it, it’s a very fun watch. Hopefully another network or platform picks it up soon.

Yellowjackets- I’m cheating a little bit with this one. While it premiered in 2021, its first season ended in 2022. This is not for the faint of heart and I can’t deny that things can get pretty disturbing but man did this story hook me. After that first shot in the snow, I need to know at all costs how and why this group of high schoolers decide go all Lord of the Flies on one another and revert to cannibalism. Looking forward to Season 2 in March.

Welcome to Wrexham-I’m not as on board the Ryan Reynolds train as most people seem to be. However, he won me over in this charming docuseries. He and Rob McElhenney of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia had the crazy idea to buy a National League Welsh soccer team(Wrexham A.F.C.) with the eventual goal of getting it promoted to the Premiere League. As someone who isn’t too in to soccer, I was completely captivated by this series. The whole idea of the show truly was genius. Promote the team and make everyone a fan of Wrexham A.F.C. They certainly achieved that goal for me and although this could just be seen as clever marketing, the love and passion from Reynolds and McElhenney feels totally genuine. Season 2 can’t come soon enough.

Tokyo Vice-This show perhaps deserves to be at the top of the most underrated shows of 2022. It premiered on HBO and follows the true story of Jake Adelstein, an American reporter who relocated to Japan in 1999. The name Michael Mann should sell you on this one. As someone who’s fascinated with Japan, I loved getting to see what a culture shock it can be for an American living there. From the name alone, you can probably already guess that this show isn’t afraid to explore the dark underbelly of the Japanese criminal world and the Yakuza. While the ending left me a bit frustrated, unsure if a Season 2 was coming, the show’s recent renewal hopefully means we’ll get to see how all its loose ends eventually get tied up.