As always, 2022 brought way too much TV. I watched 20 new shows alone this year. That doesn’t include all the returning shows. There were some shows that stuck out to me over the year. These shows drew me in, made me feel and entertained me.
10. Emily in Paris
The Netflix show was once again the fantasy we all love. Emily (Lily Collins) is living all of our dreams in Paris. The dream job, and in a love triangle with a sexy French man and an English man. She’s wearing the clothes we could only dream of (and some that we would be too scared to wear). She’s also partying at all the right spots. If you haven’t checked out season three of Emily in Paris, make sure to put it on your New Year’s list.
9. Roswell, New Mexico
It’s such a shame that Roswell, New Mexico, got canceled when the showrunners had a plan for one more season. The writers were great at giving us the scenes with characters we loved, giving us the romances and all the action.
8. Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power
I never read the books, but I did read The Hobbit and was a fan of the films. The show has done the LOTR’s world justice and added diversity, which I felt the movies were missing. There’s plenty of action, and there are so many characters to fall in love with. Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) is one of my favorites. A badass elven warrior. Her fighting scenes are just so graceful. I also love Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), one of the Harfoots. I loved her storyline in season one, and I’m even more excited about her storyline in season two, whenever that arrives. Those are just two of the incredible characters in the show. The series pulls you in much as the movies did with its intricate storylines and epic battles. And it’s visually stunning. You’re going to want to watch this on your biggest screen.
7. Bel-Air
This Peacock series shows how right Will Smith was to turn the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air into a drama. Not only is it ripe with drama, but it also has so much heart. Family is at the center of this show, much like the original sitcom, but it’s a lot more complex now and modern. You’ve got Hilary (Coco Jones) as an influencer. But some things aren’t so different. Carlton (Olly Sholotan) is the preppy boy he was in the original show, and he and Will (Jabari Banks) don’t get off to a great start. You better catch up. Season two arrives on February 23.
6. Only Murders in the Building
This show is so much fun. You wouldn’t think Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez would make such a great team, but they do. My only suggestion is to binge season two because the episodes feel so short, and you will want to get to the next episodes.
5. Titans
This HBO Max show likes to transform its tone every season by going to a different city. This year it’s in Metropolis, and it feels even darker than when it was in Gotham. Of course, it helps that they are dealing with the supernatural. It’s been an edge-of-your-seat ride this season, and I can’t wait to see where it ends. Plus, Gar (Ryan Potter) is getting to do way more than he has in previous seasons. In addition, Joseph Morgan joined that cast. And I’m still in love with him from when he played Klaus on The Originals.
4. Vampire Academy
Julie Plec is back doing what she does best, vampires. It may be a different universe, but it still has the friendships and love triangles you love from her. It’s also got a great story. Let’s hope the new year gives us a second season.
3. The Peripheral
This is a must-see sci-fi thriller. It’s got Chloë Grace Moretz back in an action role. But it’s so much more than the action scenes. It’s got her going to a future London in a peripheral. It’s the before and after of a dystopian story, which makes it quite interesting. It’s also got an excellent complex story with a series finale that sets up what could be a fascinating second season.
2. Stranger Things
Some critics complained about the extra-long episodes, but I loved every moment of this season. (I get it, there’s a lot to watch.) We needed extra long episodes after how long we waited. This season felt epic. It will take a lot for the Duffer brothers to top this in the final season. There was a feeling that no characters were safe. We almost lost Max (Sadie Sink) halfway through. We did kind of lose her at the end, but I think she’ll be back next season. Eddie (Joseph Quinn) was the major loss of the season. And they didn’t have to do that! But it did add to the intensity and heartbreak. The Robin (Maya Hawke) and Nancy (Natalia Dyer) team-ups were great. We need more of those. And Steve (Joe Keery) was better than ever. We also learned more about Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) powers and what happened to her. (I love a good backstory.) There was so much to love about this season.
1. Wednesday
I watched Wednesday in two sittings. And I would have loved to stay up all night and finish it. Jenna Ortega was incredible as Wednesday. While a school of supernaturals could seem like it’s done before (Harry Potter, Legacies and Vampire Academy). This show has a unique spin to it. And that’s thanks to Jenna’s Wednesday. She’s an outcast among outcasts, and she likes it that way. Wednesday was a mix of comedy, drama, horror and mystery. And it handled each tone very well. It’s not easy to flip back and forward through so many genres, but Wednesday did it seamlessly.
And Wednesday wasn’t the only character we fell in love with on this show. Emma Myers’ Enid Sinclair was so much fun. She’s what helped balance out how dark Wednesday was. It was yin and yang, so perfectly matched.
