2022 was a fantastic year for television. From January to December, there was always at least one (and often more) shows on that captivated me.
These shows not only engaged me when when watching the newest episode, but they helped me get through each week as I reflected on the actors’ performances, mind-blowing plot twists, tantalizing cliffhangers, thought-provoking questions, and speculation on what new episodes would bring. Discussing these shows with others, writing about them for Dork Side of the Force and Screen Rant, and reading what others had to say elevated these shows beyond the time actually spent watching each individual episode.
Out of all the shows I watched, there were 10 that proved to be my favorites. These specific shows stuck with me for the emotions they elicited, the enjoyment I got from them, and what they mean to me personally and in the larger context of television entertainment.
Warning: There are SPOILERS ahead for each of the following television series.
10. Peacemaker
Only James Gunn could take one of the most unlikable and seemingly one-dimensional characters from one of his movies, give that character a TV show, and make the character nuanced and even sympathetic. Peacemaker provides an opportunity to explore why Christopher Smith has the twisted belief that he should be willing to kill any man, woman, or child for peace.
His character is tested in the most perfect way possible when he has to choose between this mission he’s dedicated his life to, or the band of misfits who’ve given him a second chance and embraced him in a way no one else ever has before. Peacemaker is outrageous in its humor and its gore, but like any other James Gunn project, there is enough heart and quality storytelling to make it all work.
John Cena brings a depth and sensitivity to this role I did not expect while Danielle Brooks, Chukwudi Iwuji, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, and Steve Agee also deliver excellent performances, with each member of the team undergoing their own meaningful arc alongside Peacemaker.
If The Suicide Squad and this show are any indicator of what the future of DC looks like under James Gunn, I am very excited for it.
9. Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett
In the fourth episode of this series, Boba Fett says to Fennec Shand, “You can only get so far without a tribe.” The Book of Boba Fett captures this lesson perfectly with Boba, who learns this lesson during his time with a Tusken tribe.
“The Tribes of Tatooine” is a truly beautiful episode that develops the Tuskens like never before and even incorporates authentic elements of Māori culture (Temuera Morrison who plays Boba is Māori). After tragically losing his found family, Boba gradually builds a new tribe made up of individuals who are also in need of a tribe such as Fennec Shand, Black Krrsantan, and Din Djarin.
There are many valid criticisms of this series, but it is thematically consistent from beginning to end, and makes the character of Boba Fett more compelling than just a badass-looking bounty hunter. Meanwhile, “Return of the Mandalorian” is arguably the best singular episode about Din Djarin (even better than any individual episode of The Mandalorian), there is nothing as cool or satisfying as seeing Boba riding a rancor, and Cad Bane’s entrance in the series is truly chilling.
8. Grace and Frankie
Few stories are as funny, genuine, and moving as Grace and Frankie. The final 12 episodes released in 2022 were no exception to this, with the first half of episodes being mostly hilarious, and the last half of episodes being particularly emotional.
Right up until the end, Grace and Frankie continued to explore real-world issues that older adults and their families face, unafraid to highlight some of the more uncomfortable aspects of these issues. Grace, Frankie, Robert, and Sol have always been at the forefront of the show, making the older adults the unquestionable stars of the series, and showing them as complex people, and not just the butt of tired ageist jokes.
All the character development and twists and turns of Grace and Frankie’s unlikely and heartwarming friendship, and the marriage of Robert and Sol, are all honored in the final episodes, ending on a bittersweet note that is simultaneously sad and hopeful, a realistic ending that feels earned.
While the show has never primarily been about Brianna, Mallory, Coyote, or Bud, they also have mostly satisfying arcs that feel consistent with their characters. I particularly appreciated Brianna’s arc and still hope to see a Brianna spinoff series.
With many streaming shows being cancelled after just a couple of seasons these days, it was refreshing to see Grace and Frankie run for 7 seasons and 94 episodes, making it the longest-running series in Netflix history.
7. Westworld
While many people gave up on Westworld, those who stuck around were rewarded with a riveting fourth season. The plot twists in season 4 were arguably the best since the show’s critically acclaimed first season, revitalizing the mind-blowing excitement that captured the audience’s imagination in the first place.
After being largely relegated to the sidelines in season 3, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, and Ed Harris all got ample opportunity to have their characters take center-stage again, and remind us of how insanely talented they are. The character of Caleb didn’t always work for me in season 3, but this season made me care deeply about Caleb and his newly introduced family from the start. This is a testament to the writing and Aaron Paul’s performance (Caleb and Maeve made a great team, with Paul and Newton having excellent chemistry).
Tessa Thompson and Evan Rachel Wood continued to shine in their leading roles, with Evan Rachel Wood once again playing an almost entirely different version of the character she’s played before, and pulling it off seamlessly. While these talented actors delivered incredible performances, Westworld asked fascinating questions about the future of humanity, artificial intelligence, and sentience, culminating in a game-changing finale that paved the way for a fascinating fifth and final season.
Unfortunately, the series has since been cancelled and the entire series has even been pulled off of HBO Max. It is an incredibly disappointing outcome and an unceremonious treatment of the series, especially considering that season 1 was HBO’s most-watched original series at one point. The season 4 finale can serve as a series finale in some ways, but hopefully the story of the final season will still be told some day.
Between all its highs and lows, Westworld was always truly thought-provoking and cinematic television. It will be missed and I am glad that the show went out on such a high.
6. Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ever since rumors began about an Obi-Wan Kenobi movie, I was skeptical. There is only so much that can happen given that Obi-Wan is still living on Tatooine and watching over Luke Skywalker from afar by the time of A New Hope. Other canon stories have already pushed this with Obi-Wan having a final confrontation on Tatooine with Darth Maul in Star Wars Rebels and Obi-Wan saving a young Luke from Jabba the Hutt’s thugs in Star Wars comics.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi television series finds an elegant answer to this problem by having most of the series take place away from Tatooine and to have it mostly be about Obi-Wan protecting a young Leia instead of a young Luke. It is a practical solution that opens the door for a new and meaningful story. It is heartwarming to see a broken and beaten Obi-Wan finding himself again through his journey to protect Leia and to see the sweet bond they form with each other.
Vivien Lyra Blair embodies all of the fierce intelligence, curiosity, courage, and kindness that feels natural for a young Leia. Ewan McGregor flawlessly slips back into the role of Obi-Wan, delivering a performance that feels like a perfect midpoint between prequel-era Obi-Wan and the Alec Guinness Obi-Wan of A New Hope. Hayden Christensen also gets his much-deserved return to Star Wars and encapsulates both Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader exceptionally well. After all the mistreatment these actors endured when the prequels were coming out and in the years afterward, it is lovely to now see them being embraced by fans. Thanks to them (along with the writing and direction), all the Obi-Wan and Anakin/Vader scenes in this series live in your mind rent-free long after you finish watching.
The series also introduces some of the best new characters in Star Wars television, including Kumail Nanjiani as Haja Estree, Indira Varma as Tala Durith, and Moses Ingram as Inquisitor Reva/the Third Sister. Reva particularly elevates this story about trauma, grief, revenge, regret, and healing with her unexpectedly personal connection to Anakin and Obi-Wan.
5. Severance
Severance has the original and compelling premise of what would happen if a company severed its employees’ brains. This means there is a work self known as an “innie” who only has memories of life at work and an “outie” who only has memories of life outside of work.
It is a surprisingly relatable series as many people struggle with work/life balance and feel as though they lead completely different lives at work vs. outside of work. The show works well as a workplace comedy and as a thriller about corrupt corporations, all while providing relatable commentary about workplace culture, especially in a corporate setting.
The show has a strong premise, but it only works because of the stellar execution. It is funny, intriguing, suspenseful, and wild in all the best ways, anchored by superb writing, striking cinematography, and multi-layered acting, with many of the actors portraying the subtle but essential differences between their “innies” and their “outies.” The show is masterful at building tension and makes all the payoff extremely satisfying.
Severance is easily my favorite show of the year that is not connected to any existing franchise or IP. If the second season is anything like the first, I cannot wait to see where it goes next.
4. The Boys
If you’re frustrated and tired of a broken political system, a culture that worships celebrities, and the corporate machine, The Boys is the perfect series for you. It satirizes all of these issues and more in ways that are hilarious, outrageous, and timely in a fictional universe where superheroes are treated like gods, politicians, and celebrities, while most of them are in reality horrible people.
Season 3 is probably my favorite season yet because of how hard it leans into the divisive politics of today. Antony Starr is scarier than ever as Homelander in season 3 as he realizes he doesn’t have to hide his “true self” any longer and can say and do whatever he wants and be seen as a hero by his base, regardless of how many people he hurts, endangers, or misleads with his words and actions.
A-Train’s story hits much harder this season as he tries to use his platform to create awareness and positive change only for it to backfire horribly. Just as the series explored when Maeve was outed in season 2, Vought (and many corporations in the real world) only engage and support activism in a performative sense.
Just like the people fighting so hard to create meaningful change in the real world, the Boys are tired, desperate, and nearly at their breaking point this season. The introduction of Temporary V is brilliant as it gives characters like Billy Butcher and Hughie Campbell the opportunity to have the kind of power they’ve been fighting against since the beginning. While they nearly destroy themselves, Annie January refuses to let the system destroy her and renounces her membership in the Seven and her identity as Starlight, realizing that some systems are so broken that they cannot be changed from the inside.
As many of the characters wrestle with their traumatic pasts, made even more challenging with the introduction of Jensen Ackles’ character Soldier Boy, season 3 features some of the best characters arcs in the series so far. The Boys never has a single dull moment and this season continues to raise the bar.
3. His Dark Materials
The Amber Spyglass is by far the most ambitious and difficult story to adapt from Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. Despite these challenges, the television series pulls off a beautiful and deeply emotional adaptation that honors the source material in all the most important ways.
The third and final season nails all the biggest emotional beats from the book, including when Lyra separates from Pantalaimon in the Land of Dead, the ultimate sacrifices that Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel make, and a certain scene on a bench with Lyra and Will. Lyra separating from Pan nearly had me on tears while watching the scene when I was taking the train home from work. The entire series and this season in particular does a wonderful job illustrating the deep bond between humans and their daemons.
The acting in this series is unparalleled and in certain cases even elevates the characters further. Even though I knew from the book what Mrs. Coulter was going to do when she confronts Metatron, Ruth Wilson’s acting is so convincing that she nearly had me fooled. Meanwhile, James McAvoy brings a sense of inner torment, conflict, and self-doubt that I never fully got from Asriel in the books, making Asriel’s sacrifice and the culmination of his character development even more rewarding. All the Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel scenes are absolutely captivating to watch.
Ruth Wilson and James McAvoy aren’t the only ones who deserves accolades, though. Dafne Keen already showed her talent to the world with her unforgettable performance in Logan and demonstrated even more talent through her portrayal of Lyra throughout the series. Amir Wilson is also magnificent as Will Keen, as is the chemistry he and Dafne Keen share. The series finale in particular would not have worked without their shared chemistry and making the audience believe in the depth of Lyra and Will’s relationship. Simone Kirby is also delightful again as Mary Malone.
Not only did the actors honor and at times even elevate the characters from the books, the same can be said for the writing as well. Philip Pullman discussed on Twitter how he loved the changes made to the story of Ogunwe, saying that “When someone takes a story of yours and adds passages that fit perfectly, the result is enormously pleasing. The Ogunwe/daughter thread in HDM, and the acting of Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, is a perfect example. Well done all round.”
The Amber Spyglass is also the most visually ambitious of the books, yet this season was still quite visually impressive, from the Mulefa and their world, to the Clouded Mountain. It is not a perfect adaptation (nothing ever is), but it was true to the soul of the book in all the ways that really mattered.
2. Star Wars: Andor
The quality of writing, direction, cinematography, and acting in Andor makes it more than just a good Star Wars show–Andor is just damn good television. As a Star Wars fans who loved Rogue One, I expected that I would enjoy this series. What I did not expect is that I would be continually blown away by it and that every single episode and arc would somehow be even stronger than what came before it. Rarely have I seen a show start so strong and then continue to raise the bar every week that followed.
Andor is a grounded story that explores the gradual rise of fascism and asks difficult questions about how far one needs to go to rebel against such oppression. It shows how everyday people suffer and are impacted by both fascism and revolution, from local communities, to the prison infrastructure, to the political arena. From Cassian Andor, to Luthen Rael, to Mon Mothma, to the Aldhani heist team, to the prisoners, and to the people of Ferrix, the audience sees that rebellion is far more complex and far more costly than just being a group of plucky heroes who will always come out on top despite insurmountable odds.
The acting in this series is among the best that has ever been seen in 40+ years of Star Wars. Andy Serkis, Stellan Skarsgård, and Fiona Shaw all deliver unforgettable and moving monologues that I have listened to more times than I can count, monologues that feel like natural culminations of their characters’ choices. Diego Luna makes Cassian one of the most nuanced and intriguing protagonists in all of Star Wars. Denise Gough makes you root for Dedra Meero before reminding you that she is a fascist and a terrifying villain who feels all too real. Each individual performance and every character interaction feels like a delicious meal and you never want to stop eating it all up.
It is not just the characters that are well-developed, but the settings as well. Ferrix and Aldhani in particular are developed with such a deep sense of culture and pride among their respective people. It makes these planets and their people feel authentic and distinct, all while underscoring the importance of community in standing up against tyranny.
Each arc works so well because it takes the time for the audience to care about the characters, the settings, and the stakes. Having this investment makes the payoff at the end of each arc all the more rewarding, exciting, and at times, heartbreaking.
Andor is currently the gold standard of live-action Star Wars and among the gold standard of all television.
1. Better Call Saul
Better Call Saul certainly won’t be the last prequel series made following another popular series. Yet, it does feel like the end of an era, and not just for the Breaking Bad universe. In today’s day and age where most shows don’t seem to last more than a couple of seasons, it seems unlikely that we will get another show like Better Call Saul that is largely a slow-burn character study. Fewer and fewer television series feel like they are able to take their time and tell a story with such methodical precision.
Better Call Saul proved it could do this to the very end with an in-depth character study of Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman, with all of the slow burn paying off in glorious fashion. Both the writers and Bob Odenkirk took the character to another level this season as the gradual transformation into Saul Goodman became complete in unexpected fashion, along with the post-Breaking Bad timeline that asks who Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman/Gene Takovic even is at this point and what he deserves for everything he has done. The masterstroke of the final season is that it is not only a satisfying ending to a prequel, but it is a satisfying ending as a sequel and conclusion for the entire Breaking Bad universe.
Rhea Seehorn is also at the top of her game in this final season, proving once and for all that Better Call Saul is just as much about Jimmy/Saul as it is about the development of Kim Wexler and her relationship with Jimmy. Kim is delightfully complex and Seehorn plays every aspect of the character to perfection.
The use of Howard Hamlin in the final season is ingenious, making the worlds of Jimmy McGill and Saul Goodman collide in a perfect storm, all while making me feel things I never thought I’d feel about Howard. I can’t remember the last time an episode of television made my heart race like “Plan and Execution” did; it is simply a perfectly executed episode of television.
So much happens in this season that it’s taken me this long to even mention Nacho Varga, Gus Fring, Mike Ehrmantraut, and Lalo Salamanca, with all their stories being handled with the care and emotion they deserved, all while putting them where they need to be before catching up with the Breaking Bad timeline.
I can’t say enough good things about the series, so I will leave you with this:
This is probably the only show that will ever have me on the edge of my seat watching a mall security guarding eating a Cinnabon. It may seem dumb, but taking something so mundane and making it feel extraordinary is one of the many things that Better Call Saul did so well and what makes it one of the greatest shows not just of 2022, but of all time.
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