Honorable Mentions:
Peacemaker, Pam & Tommy, Tulsa King, We Own This City, Only Murders In the Building Season 2, Under the Banner of Heaven, The Staircase, The Old Man, She-Hulk Attorney At Law, House of the Dragon, Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, The Dropout
10: The White Lotus Season 2
7.8/10 IMDB 91% Rotten Tomatoes
An all-star cast head to a resort and unleash their worst, most privileged impulses. The series is a sharp social satire following the exploits of various guests and employees of the fictional White Lotus resort chain, whose stay becomes affected by their various dysfunctions. A week in the life of vacationers is unravelled as they relax and rejuvenate in paradise. With each passing day, a darker complexity emerges in these picture-perfect travelers, the hotel’s cheerful employees, and the idyllic locale itself.
The second season of The White Lotus wasn’t as good as the first but it was still a wild ride. A carryover character played by Jennifer Coolidge has another interesting vacation. F. Murray Abraham and Michael Imperioli are very good, and Haley Lu Richardson and Aubrey Plaza bring a pleasant surprise to season two. It has an interesting twist to it that kept me guessing all season long.
Creator/Writer: Mike White
Network: HBO
9: Ms. Marvel
6.2/10 IMDB 98% Rotten Tomatoes
Kamala is a superhero fan with an imagination, particularly when it comes to Captain Marvel; Kamala feels like she doesn’t fit in at school and sometimes even at home, that is until she gets superpowers like the heroes she’s looked up to .
This Disney+ show was a breath of fresh air. It dealt with a different subject matter than most MCU films and shows deal with. That’s why it stood out to me. Eman Vilani was a revelation as this young innocent girl who wanted to pave her own path separate from her very religious family. It wasn’t until she found a bracelet did she get the new life she always wanted. It’s a pretty cool adventure she goes on in the series.
Network: Disney+
8: The Sandman
7.7/10 IMDB 87% Rotten Tomatoes
When the Sandman, aka Dream, the cosmic being who controls all dreams, is captured and held prisoner for more than a century, he must journey across different worlds and timelines to fix the chaos his absence has caused.
This series is based on one of the best comic book series ever. It has a group of very interesting characters and Dream, the main character, has a whole series of obstacles he has to overcome but also has to deal with his various family members. The visuals are amazing and the fifth and sixth episodes are my favorite. It wasn’t an easy series to adapt, but what Netflix helped create was very good.
Adapted from: The Sandman
Network: Netflix
Executive producer: Iain Smith
7: The Lord of the Rings:The Rings of Power
6.9/10 IMDB 85% Rotten Tomatoes
This series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” and takes viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared reemergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
The second age has come to life in this series. It connects to the Lord of the Rings films but that’s part of what makes it a very good show. How this world is built upon is terrifically realized by Amazon and all their money they spent to get the rights to this IP. The production value, costumes, hair & make up design, and everything in between is first rate. The story is very engaging and interesting and kept me engaged throughout the ten-episode run.
Original network: Amazon Prime Video
Executive producer: Patrick McKay
6:Wednesday
8.3/10 IMDB 71% Rotten Tomatoes
While attending Nevermore Academy, Wednesday Addams attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a killing spree and solve the mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago.
This series has a terrific mix of the Harry Potter film series and Tim Burton’s unique flair for the dark and macabre. He directed half the series, so Wednesday oozes his style. Jenna Ortega is perfectly cast as this young girl who is smarter than most kids her age. She lacks some personal skills that she makes up for in wits and ingenuity.
Program creators: Miles Millar, Alfred Gough
Writers: Charles Addams, Miles Millar, Alfred Gough
Network: Netflix
5: The Crown Season 5
7.8/10 IMDB 86% Rotten Tomatoes
Based on an award-winning play (“The Audience”) by showrunner Peter Morgan, this lavish, Netflix-original drama chronicles the life of Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s to modern times. The series begins with an inside look at the early reign of the queen, who ascended the throne at age 25 after the death of her father, King George VI. As the decades pass, personal intrigues, romances, and political rivalries are revealed that played a big role in events that shaped the later years of the 20th century.
This series picks up where the previous season left off with the third recasting of the royals: Emelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II, Dominic West as Prince Charles, Leslie Manville as the Queen’s sister Princess Margaret, Jonathen Pryce as Prince Edward, and Elizabeth Debicki as Diana. This season mostly deals with the relationship between Charles and Diana, and how this has affected the family. Debicki as Diana is incredible.
Network: Netflix
Program creator: Peter Morgan
4:Stranger Things Season 4
8.7/10 IMDB 92% Rotten Tomatoes
In 1980s Indiana, a group of young friends witness supernatural forces and secret government exploits. As they search for answers, the children unravel a series of extraordinary mysteries.
This is the best season of this great ‘80s-set sci-fi series. The Duffer Brothers have gone the extra mile to show how crazy and interesting this world is. The cast are all superb but Sadie Sink as Max gives the best performance of her young career. She has an emotional arc this season. Netflix hit the goldmine with this series and it gets better with each subsequent season.
Program creators: Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
Network: Netflix
3: The Offer
7.8/10 IMDB 57% Rotten Tomatoes
Al Ruddy’s experience of making the 1972 film “The Godfather” with Francis Ford Coppola.
This show gives viewers the inside track on what went into the making of one of the greatest films of all time, The Godfather. It’s based on Albert R Ruddy’s (Miles Teller) book about his experiences with this film, the filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola (Dan Fogler), the producer Robert Evans (Matthew Goode), the secretary Bettye McCartt (Juno Temple), and numerous other interesting and unsavory characters.
Network: Paramount+
Program creator: Michael Tolkin
2:Andor
8.4/10 IMDB 96% Rotten Tomatoes
The story of Rebel spy Cassian Andor’s formative years of the Rebellion and his difficult missions for the cause.
This is the best Star Wars content I’ve seen in years. Diego Luna embodies this character of Cassion Andor. This series shows the realistic world that’s not Tie Fighters and lightsabers and Jedi and Sith. It shows the working man and a world outside all the stuff in the films. A great cast including Stellan Skarsgsrd, Andy Serkis, Genevieve O’Reilly, and Kyle Soller all contribute to a Star Wars that is real and raw and down to earth look at a galaxy far far away. Tony Gilroy has done a great thing with this series and it’s the best Disney+ Star Wars show yet.
Showrunner/creator Tony Gilroy
Network: Disney+
Cinematography: Adriano Goldman; Frank Lamm; Damián García; Jonathan Freeman
Composer: Nicholas Britell
1:Winning Time:The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
8.3/10 IMDB 85% Rotten Tomatoes
A dramatic look at the glitz and glamour of 1980s Los Angeles and the rise of the NBA’s Lakers, Dr. Jerry Buss and Magic Johnson.
The Lakers dynasty didn’t happen by accident. It was a calculated move on the part of Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly). He drafted the best player in the draft Irving “Magic” Johnson from Michigan St., adding him to the players they already had — namely Karem Abdul Jabar (Soloman Hughes). With a carousel at the coaching position, an old player turned announcer may be the answer in Pat Riley (Adrien Brody). The drama is at every turn in this story and the success is despite everything going on in the lives of these men and women involved in this success story. Adam McKay started this series off with a bang and his style is seen throughout the show. This is my favorite series from 2022. HBO has another winner on its hands.
Created by Max Borenstein and Jim Hecht
Network: HBO
From the Fourth Row! 