Top 10 TV series of 2022

THE GOLDEN age of television rumbled on for another year in 2022, with the number of brilliant comedies, heavy dramas and binge-worthy epics seemingly at an all time high.

In a world where you can spend longer than the length of an episode choosing what to watch next, it's helpful to know whether something is worth it.

That's where our list of the best TV series of 2022 comes in, and with many of these entries having more than one season to catch up on, you're sorted for the next few months.

10. Derry Girls

Derry Girls has been one of the most refreshing shows made in the past 10 years.

By setting the series during the Troubles but focusing more on how people just got on with their daily lives, Lisa McGee allows the audience to understand her experiences growing up at the time.

It's funny, heartwarming, and an instant classic.

That last scene alone is worthy of a place on this list.

9. Andor

Just when you thought you were tired of the whole Star Wars franchise, they go and do it again. It seems as if Disney have timed their spin-off shows perfectly as they come around to swoop you off your feet just as you are ready to move on.

Much like The Mandalorian, the show's strength comes by focusing on those on the edges of the main Star Wars films, and by having its own identity.

Andor is the most 'mature' of any Star Wars film or show, and is better for it.

8. Only Murders in the Building

If you're a fan of silly comedy, look no further than the second season of Only Murders in the Building, where the unlikely trio of Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez solve crimes while producing a true-crime podcast.

It builds brilliantly on the first season, upping the ante with new twists and turns. Martin Short steals the show as an over-the-top, financially insecure former Broadway director.

7. House of the Dragon

The last season of Game of Thrones left a slightly bitter taste in the mouth. One of the most-loved TV shows of all time went out in a bit of a damp squib of an ending.

So, when House of the Dragon was announced it looked like a chance to right the wrongs of the previous series.

And for the most part, it did. Fans of the original series will get loads out of this new offering, with lots of Easter eggs and familiar names popping up throughout.

The drama is off the scale — think Eastenders with swords and dragons.

6. What We Do In The Shadows

I was skeptical about the need for a TV spin-off of the brilliant What We Do in the Shadows film — one of the funniest in recent years — because it introduced new characters when the originals were so good.

However, the new cast sparked the show into life, with Matt Berry a standout. The series has grown in confidence over the seasons and is now one of the most accomplished comedies on TV.

The latest season ends of a cliffhanger that will raise the stakes (and comedy) yet again.

5. Stranger Things

Stranger Things would make this list for the public service of repopularising Kate Bush alone, but also happens to be one of the best TV experiences available in 2022.

Each season of the popular Netflix show has been as popular as the last, but things ratcheted up a few notches this year with the introduction of villain Vecna.

Bloodier and more adult than before, this season features some of the most iconic scenes of the year.

4. Atlanta

Donald Glover's Atlanta has been one of the smartest and most unique shows on TV since its debut in 2016.

A combination of comedy, drama, surrealism and more, the series follows Earn, played by Glover, as he tries to make it as a music agent to his rapper cousin Paperboi.

Of course, it's about a lot more than that, with standalone episodes about racism, societal structures and the absurdity of life dotted among Earn and Paperboi's own story.

The fourth and final season has shown the creative group behind the series are at the peak of their powers.

3. Abbott Elementary

Mockumentaries have been done to death. Classics like The Office, Parks and Recreation and What We Do in the Shadows have shown the formula works.

With such a saturated market, it would be easy for a show like Abbot Elementary to fade into the background as just another mockumentary, but it stood out this year for its warmth and brilliant characters.

Set in an underfunded Philadelphia school, the show follows the trials and tribulations of the teachers working there in their attempts to keep the children, and each other, under control.

2. The Bear

Like every vaguely creative person, I've always liked the idea of becoming a chef. Despite knowing it's a stressful job with long hours and sometimes poor working conditions, it has still always felt 'cool'.

Enter The Bear.

Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) is a fine dining chef who returns to Chicago to take over his brother's sandwich shop following his suicide. He has to deal with a dysfunctional kitchen run full of dysfunctional people, while trying to make sense of his own demons.

Never has a show been so binge-worthy yet so anxiety-inducing at the same time. Worth it for the food shown on screen alone.

1. Better Call Saul

Wow. Better Call Saul may not just be the best TV show of 2022, it might be the best of all time — it's that good.

What started as a mere spin-off to cultural phenomenon Breaking Bad can now stand firmly on its own feet as a masterpiece which (dare I say it?) has surpassed the original show in quality.

It's the equivalent of going for a three course meal at a fancy restaurant. Every frame is perfect and beautifully composed. Each performance is subtle and packs a punch. The writing is close to perfect and the direction brings the best out of everyone involved.

Season 6 offers the perfect ending to a brilliant story.