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| The Top 10 TV Shows of 2022 |
The Top 10 TV Shows of 2022
This year was full of amazing TV series, so it was difficult for
our editors to pick the top 10. Ozark came back to Netflix, Amazon showed us a
unique perspective on autism, ABC made the best comedy, and Apple TV+ debuted
two popular hits — Pachinko and Severance. However, not all of them made it
into our top 10 list. That's showbiz.
Interview
With the Vampire
Interview with the Vampire,
created by Rolin Jones based on Anne Rice's 1976 novel of the same name, is an
American gothic horror and vampire television series. It stars Jacob Anderson
as Louis de Pointe du Lac, Sam Reid as Lestat de Lioncourt, Bailey Bass as
Claudia, Assad Zaman as Armand and Eric Bogosian as Daniel Molloy. The series
embraces the homosexual elements of Rice's work that weren't shown in the 1994
film adaptation. In May 2020, AMC Networks acquired rights to 18 of Rice's
novels from her Immortal Universe. An eight-episode first season was given an
order in June 2021 with Anderson and Reid cast in lead roles later that year
followed by Bass in October 2021 and Bogosian in March 2022. The show premiered
on October 2nd 2022 with a second season being renewed soon after receiving
critical acclaim for its writing, tone, costumes, soundtrack production values
and performances (especially those of Anderson and Reid).
In 2022, Rolin Jones adapted Anne
Rice's Interview With the Vampire with some modern updates. Instead of being
set in 1791 colonial New Orleans, this version is set in 1910 and follows a
Black businessman named Louis running a saloon in the red-light district. He
must navigate the racist brutality there while also wrestling with his own
sexuality. The story encourages viewers to be seduced, just as Louis was.
The Bear
A young chef returns to Chicago
and takes over his family's Italian beef sandwich shop following the suicide of
his older brother. The shop is in a state of disrepair and is burdened with
debt. He must contend with an unruly staff, but finds encouragement in the
real-life Chicago shop Mr. Beef on Orleans in River North, which served as
inspiration for the show's interior design. "The Bear" was created by
Christopher Storer and premiered on Hulu on June 23, 2022. It stars Jeremy
Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas
and Abby Elliott and was praised by critics; it was subsequently renewed for a
second season on July 14th 2022.
Carmy, a James Beard
Award-winning chef, returns to his hometown of Chicago to save his family's
sandwich shop after the suicide of his brother. The Bear, FX's dramedy set in
the restaurant world, is one of 2022's most talked-about shows. It paints a
gripping and emotional picture of family trauma and addiction that shouldn't be
missed.
What We Do
in the Shadows
The FX television series
"What We Do in the Shadows" premiered on March 27, 2019. It is a
mockumentary comedy-horror based on the 2014 New Zealand film of the same name,
written by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi. The show follows four vampire
roommates living in Staten Island and stars Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia
Demetriou, Harvey Guillén and Mark Proksch. It has earned high praise for its
cast and writing, being nominated for 17 Emmy Awards. Ahead of its fourth
season premiere it was renewed for fifth and sixth seasons.
In the fourth season of FX's
supernatural mockumentary "What We Do in the Shadows", our beloved
Staten Island vampires are up to three new schemes: Nadja plans to open a
vampire nightclub, Laszlo takes on parenting duties for baby Colin Robinson,
and Nandor seeks out his thirty-eighth wife. In addition to its bold and bawdy
humor, this season also features some exciting narrative twists. For instance,
Guillermo comes out as gay, and Laszlo is deeply changed by fatherhood. Plus,
there's even a hilarious HGTV parody episode! This show manages to make us
laugh and touch our hearts all at once.
The Top 10 TV Shows of 2022
Star Trek:
Strange New Worlds
It stars Anson Mount, Ethan Peck
and Rebecca Romijn as Captain Christopher Pike, Spock and Number One
respectively. Development of the series began in March 2020 with Goldsman and
Henry Alonso Myers serving as showrunners. It premiered on Paramount+ on May
5th 2022 with a 10-episode first season ending on July 7th that same year.
Reviews for the show have been positive due to its episodic storytelling style
and cast in addition to being nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award plus several
other awards. A second season is currently in production with an expected
release date of 2023.
Strange New Worlds stands out
among other science fiction releases this year for its lighthearted,
adventurous stories. Set during the captaincy of Christopher Pike on the
Enterprise, no prior knowledge is needed to enjoy the show. Each episode offers
a heartfelt story and exciting action-packed moments. Audiences will have a
great time following the Enterprise's struggles against enemies or dealing with
mischievous mishaps. Tune in to Strange New Worlds for a classic sci-fi
experience full of thrills and heartwarming messages.
The
Rehearsal
Nathan Fielder created, wrote,
directed, and starred in the American docu-comedy television series "The
Rehearsal", which received critical acclaim upon its premiere on HBO on
July 15th 2022. In it, Fielder helps ordinary people prepare for difficult
conversations or life events by commissioning extravagant sets and hiring
actors to rehearse various dialogue trees with his clients multiple times. The
information used to train actors and construct sets is often collected without
the subjects' knowledge.
Nathan Fielder became a beloved
mad genius in 2022. He gained fame with his awkwardness on reality TV and his
genius schemes. His latest plan was to create an acting school using the
"Fielder Method," which involved mimicking strangers. This method was
even used by Christian Bale for Amsterdam. On The Rehearsal, Nathan helped real
people by setting up role-playing scenarios to practice stressful conversations
or experiences and taking note of every word and detail. Despite all the
planning, nothing quite goes as expected – especially when Nathan gets
involved.
We Own This
City
Developed and written by George
Pelecanos and David Simon, the six-episode series was directed by Reinaldo
Marcus Green and aired on HBO on April 25, 2022. It tells the story of
Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force, focusing mainly on Sergeant
Wayne Jenkins who was one of eight officers found guilty for corruption charges
in 2018/2019. Told in a non-linear fashion with frequent flashbacks, it shows
how their actions led to their downfall.
David Simon's latest project, a
limited series on HBO about the Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task
Force entitled "The Wire", was not as well-received as his previous
work. However, Jon Bernthal, Jamie Hector, and Josh Charles delivered outstanding
performances that continue to add to Simon's collection of great works.
The Top 10 TV Shows of 2022
The White
Lotus
The White Lotus, a black
comedy-drama anthology series created by Mike White for HBO, focuses on the
guests and employees of a fictional resort chain. The first season was set in
Hawaii while the second season was set in Sicily. Premiering on July 11 2021
and receiving critical acclaim and high ratings, it was renewed as an anthology
series; its second season aired on October 30 2022 and a third season was
renewed that same year. The American Film Institute named it one of their ten
best television programs of 2021 and 2022, and at the 74th Primetime Emmy
Awards it won 10 awards including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series,
Outstanding Writing and Directing (White), Outstanding Supporting Actress
(Coolidge) and Outstanding Supporting Actor (Bartlett). Additionally, at the
Golden Globe Awards it won Best Limited or Anthology Series as well as Best
Supporting Actress for Coolidge.
Season One of The White Lotus was
a clever critique of the wealthy in the era of smartphones. However, Season Two
is something that deserves further study for many years to come - I still
remember vividly the extraordinary incident when someone attempted to jump from
a certain place and died in an inexplicable way even in 2023.
Andor
Andor, known as Star Wars: Andor,
is an American science-fiction action-adventure series created by Tony Gilroy
for the streaming service Disney+. Diego Luna reprises his role as Cassian
Andor and serves as an executive producer alongside an ensemble cast. The
series follows Cassian Andor from five years before the events of Rogue One and
the original Star Wars film. Filming was done in London at Pinewood Studios and
other locations around the UK, and concluded in September 2021. The first
season premiered on Disney+ on September 21st 2022 with three episodes, with
the remaining episodes released through November 23rd. It received praise for
its writing, directing, performances, action sequences, musical score and
darker tone than other Star Wars projects. A second season is being filmed in
London to conclude the series and lead into Rogue One.
I can already hear the jokes
about another Star Wars show being added to Mickey Mouse+. Hasn't this already
gone on for too long? Will Luke Skywalker be featured in it?
I had given
up on Star Wars after JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson's films, but I watched The
Book of Boba Fett. However, Disney+'s prequel series about Cassian Andor
(portrayed by Diego Luna), called Andor, will likely end up being the best TV
show on the streaming service. Finally.
In Denise Gough and Kyle Soller's
performances of villains, they go against the norm of Star Wars baddies.
Instead of a typical Palpatine-like character, their villains show more characteristics
of a teacher's favorite. To toast to this unique spin here's to drinking a
glass of blue milk.
Pachinko
The series "Pachinko"
is an American drama created by Soo Hugh and based on the 2017 novel by Min Jin
Lee. Directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon, it stars Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Min-ho,
Kim Min-ha and Jin Ha, and premiered on Apple TV+ on March 25th 2022. It was
met with critical acclaim, earning praise for its performances (notably those
of Kim Min-ha and Youn Yuh-jung), cinematography and writing. In April 2022 it
was renewed for a second season.
A young, pregnant woman's
decision to enter a marriage of convenience leads to the creation of an
emotionally epic story that follows her family across four generations and
three languages. Set in 20th-century Japan, the Zainichi (Korean immigrants and
their descendants) face racism and class discrimination. Min Jin Lee's
award-winning novel has been adapted into a spectacular series by Apple TV+,
with Academy Award winner Yo-jong Youn as its star. This bittersweet tale of
joy, sacrifice, and heartbreak is sure to evoke strong emotions from viewers.
Severance
Severance is an acclaimed science
fiction psychological thriller television series created by Dan Erickson and
directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle. It stars Adam Scott, Zach Cherry,
Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock, Dichen Lachman, Michael Chernus,
John Turturro, Christopher Walken and Patricia Arquette. The plot follows Mark
(Scott) as he agrees to a program which separates his work memories from his
non-work memories. The show premiered on Apple TV+ on February 18th 2022 to
positive reviews. Its cinematography, production design, musical score and
performances earned it 14 Emmy nominations including Outstanding Drama Series
and acting nods for Scott; Turturro; Walken; and Arquette (winning for Main
Title Design and score). A second season was confirmed in April 2022.
Set in the retro-futuristic
offices of Lumon Industries, where employees must separate their work and
personal memories upon arrival, Severance is a thrilling conspiracy tale about
corporate secrecy. Its bold ideas and stylish direction make for an exciting
viewing experience, especially its gripping finale which will have viewers on
the edge of their seats. This show perfectly captures the surreal atmosphere of
2022.
This year was full of incredible television series, making it hard
for our editors to choose just 10 favorites. Netflix's Ozark returned, Amazon
explored autism uniquely, ABC created an excellent comedy, and Apple TV+
launched two successful releases — Pachinko and Severance. Unfortunately, not
all could make the cut into our top 10 list. That's show business.