10 Best TV Shows of 2022

by Julian Spivey

10. Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special (Netflix) 

Photo: Netflix

I know it’s a bit weird to include one comedian stand-up special on my best television shows of the year, but Norm Macdonald meant a lot to me – and his final comedy special “Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special,” which was filmed in his home during the pandemic in 2020 and released in late May this year following his 2021 death, was, in fact, special. It was funny, it was sad, it was thought-provoking, and it was comedy the way only Norm Macdonald could do it. I also appreciated the after-show where his friends and comedy legends like David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Adam Sandler, Dave Chappelle and more discussed both the show and their friend.  

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9. The Last Movie Stars (HBO Max) 

Photo: HBO Max

​I was absolutely enthralled with all six episodes of Ethan Hawke’s “The Last Movie Stars” documentary for HBO Max on the career and relationship of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Newman is one of my favorite movie legends, so I was always interested, but I learned so much about Woodward and their relationship through this documentary. The way Hawke chose to tell it via using modern celebrities like George Clooney, Laura Linney and others to read actual transcripts that had been done with Newman, Woodward and those surrounding them in the early ‘80s intended for a book that never came to life truly brought a passion to their story. The Newman-Woodward relationship wasn’t perfect, but it was real love. “The Last Movie Stars” is the most beautiful and in-depth documentary I’ve ever seen on Hollywood legends. 

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8. Reservation Dogs (Hulu) 

Photo: FX Productions

​“Reservation Dogs” was one of my favorite finds of 2021 when its first season aired on Hulu. The FX Production created by Sterlin Harjo returned with a strong sophomore outing this year following the lives of four Indigenous teens and those surrounding them in rural Oklahoma. It’s a fantastic slice of life about people we often don’t see on television. “Reservation Dogs” is the closest show I’ve seen to the excellence of its story-telling antecedent “Atlanta.”  

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7. Barry (HBO)

Photo: HBO

​There had been nearly three years between seasons two and three of HBO’s “Barry” and I really should’ve done a re-watch of the first two seasons before starting season three because I felt a little cold on the series early on in season three. But it’s still one of the greatest series currently on TV and it’s probably the single most unique show on television – in that it’s at times incredibly dark and dramatic and then at other times you’ll find yourself laughing hard than you have at any scene all year. The performances by Bill Hader, Sarah Goldberg, Henry Winkler, Anthony Carrigan and Stephen Root are all fantastic (though I could’ve used more Root in season three) and Hader is fearless in his writing (along with co-creator Alec Berg and an amazing staff) and direction.  

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6. Stranger Things (Netflix)

Photo: Netflix

The two-year hiatus without Netflix’s science fiction drama “Stranger Things” had us greatly anticipating what season four would hold in store. It also allowed the teenage cast of the show to grow infinitely, which was somewhat of a shock to the system. Season four gave us maybe the best villain the show has had yet in Vecna, one of the best one-season characters of any show in recent memory in Joseph Quinn’s Eddie Munson, it gave a second life to a Kate Bush classic in one of TV’s all-time great musical moments and still scared, shocked, entertained despite feature-length film sized episode runtimes. Was the season perfect? No. It would’ve been nice to have the bulk of the cast together instead of spread out all over the globe, but the pros greatly make up for the cons. 

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5. Atlanta (FX)

Photo: FX Productions

​It’s really strange that FX’s “Atlanta” aired its final two seasons – seasons three and four – in the same calendar year. Even stranger the show hadn’t aired an episode since its second season finished on May 10, 2018. Nearly four years passed between “Atlanta” episodes but the talent both behind the scenes and in front of the camera didn’t wane. Many fans of the show were irritated with the third season, which aired from late March to late May of this year because half of the episodes were anthology-like not focusing on the main characters or setting of the series. I could understand the fan’s dislike of this more if most of those episodes weren’t absolutely amazing – the writers and directors of “Atlanta” proved they could make high-quality, instant-classic episodes even without characters we’re accustomed to seeing. Season four, which aired from mid-September to mid-November, brought the cast and setting of “Atlanta” back to the forefront for another fantastic 10 episodes. “Atlanta” brought black stories and genius to television in a way we’d never quite seen on TV before and will live long in television history. 

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4. This Is Us (NBC) 

Photo: NBC

​It’s so nice that NBC gave creator Dan Fogelman six seasons to tell his story of the Pearson family from start to finish and during multiple time periods. It’s also nice that Fogelman had this idea and stuck with it, not attempting to prolong it longer due to success. The sixth and final season of “This Is Us” aired in early 2022 and landed the plane when it came to successfully giving us viewers the story of Pearson and the end of Rebecca’s (Mandy Moore) life, which we’d known was coming for some time now. The performances from the entire cast were excellent and the show continues with its heartwarming and heartbreaking at times look at an all-time great television family. 

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3. Hacks (HBO Max)

Photo: HBO Max

​“Hacks” had a near-perfect season one on HBO Max in 2021, which is why it ranked No. 2 on this list last year. Its sophomore season was as good, if not even better, than season one. The first season ended with a killer of a cliffhanger where comedy writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) sent off this fiery email about her boss, comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), before the two reunite. Season two begins with Deborah finding out about the email and suing Ava, though also keeping her on as a writer for her tour. The relationship between Ava and Deborah is my favorite non-couple relationship on television right now – the two play off each other so well, especially with their differences in generation with Ava Gen Z and Deborah a boomer.    

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2. Severance (AppleTV+)

Photo: Apple

​In many years AppleTV+’s sci-fi/thriller/black comedy “Severance” would be a No. 1 show. I was absolutely enthralled every second of this series’ first season where employees go through what’s known as a “severance” process to have their memories wiped when entering and leaving their workplace. Their workplace bodies have no idea what they’re like in the outside world and their outside selves know nothing of their job. The series created by Dan Erickson and sublimely directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle is mostly told through the “innie” (what their worker selves are referred to) perspective with the workers wondering what they’re really doing and why. The cast of Adam Scott, Britt Lower, John Turturro, Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, Patricia Arquette and Christopher Walken is pitch-perfect the whole way through. 

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1. The Bear (Hulu)

Photo: FX Productions

​I was completely blown away by the Hulu (via FX Productions) series “The Bear.” I didn’t know what to expect going in – primarily because you expect a workplace sitcom going in – due to the trailer and the 30-minute or less format. The creator/writer Christopher Storer gave us the single greatest work of fiction about the restaurant industry ever with incredibly naturalistic performances, especially from Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Carmy (White) has overtaken his deceased brother’s sandwich shop in Chicago with the intent to turn it into something bigger and better while struggling to keep it alive amidst some staff who don’t want change and coping with the death of his brother. It’s eight taut, captivating episodes of perfection. 

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What was your favorite TV Show of 2022?