2022 TV Awards
Last year I said that in 2021 I watched more TV than I ever had before, and I think that in 2022 I either equalled that amount, or maybe even beat it. Whilst there were certainly a lot of ups and downs this year I can safely say that the TV content I did watch managed to stay at a consistent quality level making this year a really tough one to call in places. As usual I will only be considering seasons I watched through to completion, and crucially they must have ended in 2022. It doesn't matter if a season started in a previous year, but any seasons that have a planned finale in 2023 will not be considered for this list. So without further ado, here are my top ten shows of 2022!
#10 The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon Prime)
The most expensive TV show of all time had a lot of weight on its shoulders to deliver not only outstanding TV to justify the mind boggling amount of money spend on it, but it also needed to live up to one of the most beloved film franchises of all time (not to mention do Tolkien's expanded Middle Earth novels justice). The Rings of Power was met with much resistance and vitriol on its release for the way it presented a slightly more modern take on Tolkien's Middle Earth, but for those who actually watched the show many were pleasantly surprised to find that it did a great job of setting up a fantasy epic. Sure, it could be a lot better, but it's a strong start.
#9 Ms. Marvel (Disney+)
#9 Ms. Marvel (Disney+)
Marvel's Phase Four offerings have largely missed the mark, with very few standing out as anywhere close to the kind of quality the studio used to offer just a couple of years ago. Ms. Marvel however is one of the studio's boldest new IP's and it does manage to wade through the sub-par sludge of recent marvel projects. An origin story of a similar ilk to Spider-Man: Homecoming, Ms. Marvel has great performances, lots of humour, and it represents a community that are often overlooked in western media. Personally I can't wait for Kamala Khan and friends to return in future projects, so long as they retain the same quality as this show.
#8 Heartstopper (Netflix)
The LGBTQ+ genre has been making waves in recent years and this particular series landed on my radar due to some of it being filmed in my home town of Herne Bay. A tried and true tale of high school romance, Heartstopper was an absolute joy from start to finish, and thanks to its short episode lengths it was made all the more bingeable. Handling issues such as coming out, homophobia, gender transition, and peer pressure, Heartstopper has all the hallmarks of a great teen drama, and I'm very much looking forward to season two.
#7 The Walking Dead Season 11 (Disney+)
#7 The Walking Dead Season 11 (Disney+)
After over a decade on the air, The Walking Dead finally keeled over long after the show ran its course. That being said, showrunner Angela Kang pulled out all the stops for Season Eleven and delivered perhaps the best season of the show to date. Whilst it failed to wrap up any major plotlines (instead shifting them over to one of the shows multiple spin-off's), Season Eleven delivered some of the finest performances from the bloated cast of characters seen in years, had the highest stakes in the shows history, and rarely had a dull moment. It is sad to see The Walking Dead go after such a good season, but if anything it went to show that the creatives were intentionally keeping the show on life support for no other reason than viewing figures.
#6 The Umbrella Academy Season 3 (Netflix)
I was introduced to The Umbrella Academy this year and watched all three seasons back to back, and what a joy it was. Whilst Season Three is arguably the weakest season yet, it continued to deliver top notch comedy, action, and performances by all the cast. Season Three took The Umbrella Academy in unexpected new directions, and constantly kept you guessing as new secrets were revealed, re-contextualising everything we thought we knew. It's just a shame that Season Four is so far off, because with it set to wrap everything up I simply need it right now!
#5 The Boys Season 3 (Amazon Prime)
#5 The Boys Season 3 (Amazon Prime)
Following on from the somewhat disappointing second season, The Boys picks things back up for Season Three and delivers perhaps the best season of the show yet. With political tensions growing, a power struggle at Vought, and Homelander (Anthony Starr) becoming progressively more unpredictable and unhinged, Hughie (Jack Quaid) and The Boys have their work cut out for them as they continue to try and fight back against their super-powered overlords.
#4 Bridgerton Season 2 (Netflix)
#4 Bridgerton Season 2 (Netflix)
Bridgerton was a surprise hit with me in 2020 and I was eagerly awaiting the sure to be amazing season two. Thankfully it did not disappoint as the Ton returned with another tantalisingly scandalous tale of forbidden love. Whilst it may have lacked the steamy nature of the first season, the second presented a story with far more meat on its bones and centred in on characters that had been sidelined in season one. Truly guilty pleasure TV, Bridgerton officially has me hooked.
#3 Pam & Tommy (Disney+)
#3 Pam & Tommy (Disney+)
I knew nothing about Pamela Anderson other than she was an actress in Baywatch and she had a sex tape. Little did I know that there was a whole scandal surrounding the fiasco. But thanks to the family friendly folks at Disney+ I got to learn all about it in this hedonistic dramady charting the relationship of Pamela (Lily James) and her husband Tommy Lee (Sebastian Stan). Funny, thrilling, and with fantastic performances from all involved, Pam & Tommy debuted early this year but has lingered in my mind ever since.
#2 The Traitors (BBC)
#2 The Traitors (BBC)
A reality TV style gameshow at my number two slot? What is this madness? I have to agree, BBC's The Traitors came completely out of nowhere and blew me away. Because of the nature of the show, being a reality show, and a gameshow, I wondered whether to include it on my list at all. But you know what, I think The Traitors is the most engaging TV show I've seen in years, truly gripping me in ways I thought unimaginable with reality TV.
A cross between Big Brother and Cluedo, The Traitors sees twenty-two strangers living under the same roof and competing in challenges for a prize fund of up to £120,000. Three of the contestants however are 'traitors' and must do whatever they can to manipulate the 'faithful' into turning on each other in the hopes of walking away with the entire prize fund. With the traitors committing a murder every night, and the faithful banishing one contestant every evening, The Traitors is perhaps the best thing the BBC have created in years and I cannot recommend it any more highly.
#1 Stranger Things Season 4 (Netflix)
A cross between Big Brother and Cluedo, The Traitors sees twenty-two strangers living under the same roof and competing in challenges for a prize fund of up to £120,000. Three of the contestants however are 'traitors' and must do whatever they can to manipulate the 'faithful' into turning on each other in the hopes of walking away with the entire prize fund. With the traitors committing a murder every night, and the faithful banishing one contestant every evening, The Traitors is perhaps the best thing the BBC have created in years and I cannot recommend it any more highly.
#1 Stranger Things Season 4 (Netflix)
Was there really any competition here? I mean of all the TV that came out this year, did anything come close to achieving what Stranger Things Season Four did? Whilst the extended runtime of many of the episodes did irritate some (especially considering the finale's outrageous two and a half hour length), Season Four delivered so much more than any season of Stranger Things before it. Introducing most of the world to Jamie Campbell Bower and Joseph Quinn, Stranger Things fever hit an unprecedented high and even catapulted Kate Bush to the top of the music charts over thirty years after 'Running Up That Hill' released. If there was a TV event worth witnessing this year, there's no question that it was Stranger Things.