TV Shows of 2022

Monday is movies. And/or TV. Today it's the best TV shows I watched in 2022. Well, the best ones I watched and can remember...I'm getting old(er).

Last week I wrote about the movies of 2022.

So, it’s only right to focus on the TV shows today then, right?

Okay, here goes.

First up was Dopesick. Released in late 2021, this was my first favourite show of 2022. The storyline is grim, granted. But the acting was amazing – particularly Michael Keaton. I thought he was absolutely incredible in this role. His “comeback” since Birdman has been really something, but his role in Dopesick has been my favourite to date.

The Bear was similarly gritty and driven by utterly propulsive acting. But it was easier to enjoy, though not entirely escapist either. Praised for its realistic depiction of kitchen hierarchy and featuring claustrophobic camerawork, The Bear was also a meditation on grief. There was some great humour in it too. Loved it.

I really enjoyed WeCrashed – far more than I thought I might, and due almost entirely to the performances of both Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway. I’ve never particularly cared for either actor, though also never disliked them either. So it was great to see some strong work here – though it was interesting to also watch the documentary film and see the real-life people (WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn). The TV show runners made Hathaway’s character strong and more likeable than she really was (well, ‘likeable’ is the wrong word; they gave her a charisma that simply wasn’t there). And they took that charisma from the real-life version of Leto’s character. Allowing him to mug away as if he was impersonating Tommy Wiseau from The Room. (Fortunately I love The Room – lol). It was really noticeable how charming the real life Adam Neumann was, and how potentially capable he was (I say that, because he ultimately failed). But the TV show wanted to make him a grotesque caricature. I guess they picked the right actor to do just that, since that’s a Jared Leto specialty. As good as Hathaway was, I was intrigued that they wrote Rebekah Neumann in such a way. But it was nice to be able to compare and contrast, and good to watch them (TV vs doco feature) in the order I did.

I also liked The Dropout which was basically the same story. White people selling confidence. Amanda Seyfried is another example of an actor that’s never bothered me, nor blown me away – but here she was absolutely brilliant. The Dropout is one of several retellings of the Elizabeth Holmes/Theranos story (may she rot in jail). There’s a great book, a podcast series, a doco – and now the TV show – and all are worthy, all tell the so-strange-it’s-true story of a white-collar crime confidence-trickster masquerading as an innovator. Delusion reigns supreme. And so what if human lives are the cost, some lives are apparently more important than others. You watch this sort of TV because it’s incredulous, and such deplorable characters are enjoyable because they excuse you of your own mistakes. That’s my theory.

And 2021/2022 has served us up plenty of this – the wealthy whites either getting their comeuppance or at least having their abject misery paraded.

Speaking of which, on the back of Succession, and its ugly wealth and miserable people, The White Lotus made a huge impact. And I was very vocal  about how good it was. And then even more vocal about my concern that a second season would not be as good, and perhaps wasn’t at all needed, or even wanted.

Well, I’ll happily report how wrong I was.

Because Season Two of The White Lotus was probably (in fact, Easily) my favourite TV show of 2022. And, I truly believe it was an improvement on the first series; easily superior. My initial reservations about a season two even existing was purely down to the fact that the show was conceived as a mini-series. Its success meant a second season was commissioned. Here we go, I though. A great TV idea ruined by commerce. I shouldn’t have doubted Mike White. He’s already made great TV (and movies). And The White Lotus is so good that I want a season of it every year for another 10 years I think.

Actually, that’s not true. I’ll happily watch a third, but after that?

Anyway, season two was brilliant. Darker, less hammy, yet still hilarious. I love Mike White’s take on exposing the misery of the wealthy.

Arriving very late in the year, and another take on looking at wealth and unhappiness, Fleishman is in Trouble started off like vintage (decent) Woody Allen, and very quickly became much better than just that. Another example of a performance blowing me away, was Claire Danes’ work here. And again, she’s probably in the category of actor I’ve never really cared much about, certainly never thought too much about. Jesse Eisenberg is perfectly cast here too – doing much as he usually does, but doing it well. This one is a mini-series, with no chance of a season two, surely; given its based on a novel of the same name, and was adapted by its author. The book is probably brilliant. I thought about this often while watching the show, but I doubt I’ll bother to read it now. Anyway, a grim but deep show. Really profound storytelling.

I was late to the show, and struggled to get fully engaged straight away, but eventually I loved Yellowjackets. First ep was good, but didn’t hook me fully, so I just left it on the shelf for a few months. Sometimes that works best, because when I returned, very late in the year, I absolutely devoured it. And now wait ready for season two. Very ready. Brilliant performances across the board, a great soundtrack – some kickass needle drops – and an intriguing story.

And though I haven’t yet finished the series, I’m loving Bad Sisters. Another that we started, took a pause, and now we’re just hooked on it. So that’ll be my first favourite TV show of 2023 I guess.

There were other shows this year – I haven’t included Stranger Things (Season 4) because its hype was everywhere at the time. But we loved that show in this house – in fact it got me watching every series in the build-up (I’d previously seen and enjoyed the first series and that was it). And same for Wednesday. Loving it. Haven’t finished it yet, but its hype is absolutely everywhere.

I watched a lot of other TV shows too – far more than I can now remember. A lot of middling things that you leave on as wallpaper, and one or two that I’m sure I’m forgetting but are worth mentioning. So please leave your favourite TV shows of 2022 in the comments below. I’m interested in what you watched and loved. But also it will probably trigger a few more responses from me, a couple of further additions to the list.

I already wrote about Dahmer and didn’t feel entirely comfortable doing so! (But it really was great).

And - oh yeah, Slow Horses. Good fun!

Here's to TV watching in 2023. It’s lazy. But wholesome. And even when it’s not, it’s still wonderful!