What a year for television! 2022 came back strong on the small screen after rallying from the dark days of COVID shooting schedules and the haymakers thrown during the peak of the streaming wars. Now that the dust has settled, here’s what I absorbed on TV in 2022.
For brevity’s sake here’s a rundown I did 7 months into my 2022 binge:
Projects that came out in the first half of the year
The Girl from Plainville:
Meh 2/10
Peaky Blinders Season 4:
Loved it (Does it have to end with a movie?)
8/10
This scene hit the FEELS.
Euphoria Season 2:
Hell yeah
9/10
Inventing Anna:
A Julia Garner Masterclass
8/10
Obi Wan Kenobi:
Absolutely brilliant. Excellent addition to the franchise. They gave us a moment in Star Wars history that deserved to be told and seen.
10/10
Just gunna leave this here
Ozark Season 4:
Excellent conclusion to what is one of the greatest television series of all time. The finale still stings but Ruth will live on in our hearts forever.
8/10
Straight out the fuckin' dungeons of rap!
Stranger Things 4:
Phenomenal. Just give me Season 5, dammit!
9/10
Demon Slayer Season 1-2 :
The best anime I’ve ever seen.
10/10
Candy:
Short but sweet
7/10
MoonKnight:
Protect Oscar Isaac at all costs
9/10
The Dropout:
I’m Good 1/10
The Boys (All 3 Seasons):
This may be the greatest thing I’ve ever seen
9/10
Umbrella Academy Season 3:
I’m not sold. Tell me more?
7/10
Now let’s get to the second half of the year.
House of the Dragon: 9/10
"I would rather feed my sons to the dragons than have them carry shields and cups for your drunken, usurper cunt of a king."
- Daemon Targaryen
The lackluster ending of Game of Thrones left a sour taste in our mouths that House of The Dragon remedied with the sweetest of Westorosi Wines. With a supremely talented cast and a plot built for absolute chaos, this show is destined for greatness. This was a strong start. Now let’s see if the writing holds.
The Patient: 6/10
"Therapy Is Not An Exorcism."
- Alan Strauss
A great show featuring an acting clinic from Steve Carell completely RUINED by a dreadful ending. I will never forgive ‘The Patient’ creators for the wasted time I spent caring about the outcome of this tragedy.
Wednesday: 7/10
“I don't believe in heaven or hell. But I do believe in revenge. I usually serve it warm with a side of pain.”
- Wednesday Addams
The cult following of ‘The Addams Family’ was rewarded with this Tim Burton serving of a 'Wednesday goes to Hogwarts' story. The macabre is there and so is the nostalgia, but the soul of this thing is watered down by ‘get rich quick’ character tropes and a recycled plot structure. Jenna Ortega is a star doe…
The Rings of Power: 8/10
"If We Didn't Do Everything We Weren't Supposed To, We'd Hardly Do Anything At All."
- Nori Brandyfoot
Visually this is the best thing I’ve ever seen on television. But I’ll let Holy Goof Brett take it from here…
“We were all really skeptical of Amazon’s new Lord of the Rings show. Based on Tolkien’s Second Age of Middle Earth, The Rings of Power had a near-impossible job: to take what amounted to multiple disjointed world building paragraphs and mythical stories set thousands of years apart and morph them into a singular story to tell the tale of Sauron’s rise to power. And while Season 1 may not have been perfect, it was an incredible first step back into the world of Tolkien."
"With gorgeous visuals, striking battles, stunning make up and CG effects, Amazon proved that they knew what they were doing. Some bad dialogue and a slow plot hampered a few areas, but this first season set the stage so Season 2 can hit the ground running and bring us some of the more famous moments from the Second Age. Too bad we have to wait until 2024 to see where Galadriel and Sauron are headed.”
Side Bar: GIVE US MORE ELROND/DURIN CONTENT!
Cobra Kai Season 5: 9/10
“Tastes like watermelon took a piss.”
- Johnny Lawrence drinking a White Claw
Just when you think this show you have no business liking has had its day, it karate chops you in the jugular and demands your attention. I genuinely love this show. I can’t explain it and I’m done trying. As long as they keep giving Johnny Lawrence someone new to kick, I’m here for it…
Andor: 9/10
"One Single Thing Will Break The Siege. Remember This, Try."
- Karis Nemik
This show is for adults! Who knew the politics of the rebellion could be so compelling. Andor adds another layer to the Star Wars universe by examining its guts - the relationship between the Empire and the people. Not a lightsaber in sight and minimal pew pew. The watches between climatic episodes are exhausting but the dramatic journey is more than worth it.
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: 8/10
“That’s what they call ‘Doing a Dahmer.’
- Random high school kids who are lucky to be alive
Evan Peters. That is all. Without him this is just another retelling of a tragedy we really don’t need to see again. True to form, Peters is phenomenal in his portrayal of a monster, making the grisly details of this ordeal that much harder to watch. Let’s hope this concludes the Jeffrey Dhamer story.
The Bear 9/10
“You are an excellent chef. You are also a piece of shit.”
- Sydney Adamu
Who knew watching Jeremy Allen White play Lip Gallagher ‘but he’s a chef this time’ would be so damn entertaining. This was probably the best presented show of 2022, because it’s so different! The intimacy of people arguing in a kitchen was refreshing especially in a year of grandiose fantasy projects like Rings of Power and House of the Dragon. Something this dialogue driven, displaying ranges of emotions from talented actors has to be acknowledged.
Notable Mentions:
Abbott Elementary Season 2
Quinta is still coming with heat! This season is still airing, but I like what I’ve seen so far. The Holiday episodes!
The Tinder Swindler
A wild ride. This was the year for watching the art of elite level scamming.
White Lotus Season 1
I’m late to the game, but damn is this show captivating! Just wrapped up Season one, and with Season 2’s finale breaking the internet, I cannot wait to binge the rest.
Love Is Blind Season 3
The 'Cuties Story'. That is all...
Don't forget to check out the rest of the articles in our Goofs Recap 2022 Series
