The Best TV Shows of 2022

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Critics Consensus: Night Sky reaches for the stars when it really should have settled on a feature length finish, but the combined supernova of J.K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek shines bright.

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Critics Consensus: Murderville‘s improvisational premise can lead to stretches of dead air, but the moments of spontaneous inspiration are worthwhile — and it helps to have Will Arnett on the case.

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Critics Consensus: Distinguished by biting performances and coiling ambience, The Essex Serpent is a highly accomplished Gothic romance.

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Critics Consensus: Though After Life‘s second season struggles to affirm its existence, it’s a solid entry for anyone aching for a little more contemplative gallows humor.

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Critics Consensus: Tonal inconsistency and an ill-defined ensemble can make this comedy hard to love, but it wholly delivers as an overdue showcase for Vanessa Bayer.

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Critics Consensus: The Outlaws is a touch too broad to mine much nuance from its concept, but its aggressive affability and merry band of miscreants make for a solid caper.

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Critics Consensus: David E. Kelley’s adaptation of the The Lincoln Lawyer relies too much on quirk to paper over its lack of true novelty, but this is a reliable enough vehicle for fans of legal pulp.

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Critics Consensus: Julian Fellowes’ brand of upstairs, downstairs intrigue makes a seamless transatlantic transition in The Gilded Age, with an outstanding cast making the travails of the rich a compelling watch.

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Critics Consensus: Pam & Tommy sometimes undercuts its own critique of cultural voyeurism with lurid stylization, but Lily James’ performance gives this sleazy opus an undeniable heart.

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Critics Consensus: Loot doesn’t quite service comedic treasure Maya Rudolph as satisfyingly as a star vehicle should, although there are enough riches here to suggest a big return on investment — when this promising sitcom finds its footing.

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Critics Consensus: Outer Range‘s plethora of subplots threaten to get sucked into a wormhole of ponderousness, but at least this sci-fi Western is anything but plain.

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Critics Consensus: The Baby‘s tone can be as wobbly as a rocking crib, but its audacious nature of comedy and horror deserves to be nurtured.

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Critics Consensus: As willfully provocative as ever in its second season, Euphoria still isn’t for all tastes — but when its addictive ingredients are mixed just right, the results remain intoxicating.

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Critics Consensus: Blessed with an impressive level of access to its mercurial subject, Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy presents a thoroughly absorbing portrait of his life and career.

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Critics Consensus: The Wilds gets a little lost after expanding its ensemble at the expense of its original hook, but the core cast remains as watchable as ever.

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Critics Consensus: While All of Us Are Dead loses some of its bite with an overlong season, its emotional grounding puts plenty of meat on the bone.

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Critics Consensus: Shining Girls‘ time-bending conceit often induces a headache instead of thrills, but Elisabeth Moss’ superb performance gives this mystery a riveting center of gravity.

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Critics Consensus: Gleefully excessive in both form and function, Winning Time pairs a larger-than-life roster of characters with whiplash style to deliver an absolute slam dunk.

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Critics Consensus: This won’t be the Obi-Wan Kenobi some viewers are looking for, but Ewan McGregor’s soulful performance and some refreshing twists make this a satisfying — if circuitous — addition to the Star Wars saga.

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Critics Consensus: The Man Who Fell to Earth may not be out of this world, but a commanding Chiwetel Ejiofor gives this space oddity an earthy gravitas.

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Critics Consensus: Ozark hasn’t gotten out clean just yet, but its mesmeric performances and taut suspense signal that the Byrde clan are as entertainingly resourceful as ever.

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Critics Consensus: Emmy Rossum brings remarkable depth to a cipher in Angelyne, a glitzy look at fame for fame’s sake where the inscrutability is the point.

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Critics Consensus: An intriguing blend of horror and noir, Archive 81 offers addictive supernatural thrills that are haunting in the best way.

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Critics Consensus: While there’s some turbulence as The Flight Attendant charters a new course, passengers are in safe hands with Kaley Cuoco’s zestful turn and the writers’ knack for satisfying twists.

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Critics Consensus: Its entertainment value may wax and wane a bit, but Moon Knight ultimately settles into a mostly enjoyable — and refreshingly weird — spot in the MCU firmament.

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Critics Consensus: While Under the Banner of Heaven gets bogged down by an overabundance of backstory, its procedural through-line is enriched by a thoughtful introspection on personal faith.

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Critics Consensus: The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey loses some luster in its final stretch, but Samuel L. Jackson and Dominique Fishback’s sterling performances make this an unmissable elegy.

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Critics Consensus: Reveling in the glory of straightforward adventure storytelling, Valhalla is a bloody good dramatization of Leif Eriksson’s conquests.

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Critics Consensus: Claire Foy and Paul Bettany are delightful as a loathsome couple in A Very British Scandal, a sordid saga that’s so juicy it’ll leave viewers wishing the too-short runtime had afforded them a few more bites.

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Critics Consensus: The Dropout succeeds more as a docudrama than a dark comedy, but Amanda Seyfried’s disquieting portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes brings fresh blood to this retelling of recent history.

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Critics Consensus: Kaci Walfall proves a plucky enough heroine to give the deliberately-paced Naomi its own super-powered charm.

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Critics Consensus: Fronted by a nervy Julia Roberts, Gaslit is less a slow burn than an acting extravaganza of big personalities enmeshed in historic scandal.

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Critics Consensus: Reacher captures the trademark bulk of its titular hero while trading away some of his definition, but fans of the novels will find plenty to love about this faithful adaptation.

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Critics Consensus: The Afterparty sometimes strains to keep the jamboree of yuks going, but its ambitious melding of genres and extensive guest list of actors make for a worthwhile nightcap.

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Critics Consensus: Women of the Movement enlivens the tragedy of Emmett Till with solid storytelling and a deeply moving pair of performances by Adrienne Warren and Cedric Joe.

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Critics Consensus: Our Flag Means Death‘s gentle sensibility doesn’t quite strike comedic gold, but its bemusing band of buccaneers are endearing enough that viewers seeking a comforting watch will find bountiful booty.

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Critics Consensus: The honeymoon is over for Jessie and Tom’s courtship as well as Starstruck‘s euphoric thrill, but Rose Matafeo’s comedy still charms with observations about the ordinary challenges of sustaining extraordinary love.

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Critics Consensus: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has seemingly run out of fresh material, but it continues to reward fans with expert delivery and snappy presentation.

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Critics Consensus: A spiritual successor to The Wire with an even more pessimistic outlook on law enforcement, We Own This City deftly explores compromised individuals to paint an overall picture of systemic corruption.

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Critics Consensus: Affectionate and revealing, Return to Hogwarts offers an intimate glimpse into how the making of the Harry Potter franchise delivered its own special kind of magic for those involved.

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Critics Consensus: As We See It deftly sidesteps schmaltz by depicting people on the spectrum as well-rounded individuals with their own foibles, enriching both the comedy and pathos.

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Critics Consensus: Sarah Lancashire portrays Julia Child with infectious joie de vivre in this appetizing valentine to the iconic chef.

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Critics Consensus: The Staircase doesn’t hold many surprises for those already intimate with the original documentary, but this dramatization brings a fresh perspective and texture to the mystery — along with a terrific performance by Colin Firth.

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Critics Consensus: Grounded by a disturbingly powerful performance by Elle Fanning, The Girl from Plainville dramatizes a sordid true story with tasteful restraint.

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Critics Consensus: John Cena’s still in solid form in Peacemaker, leading a bloody good time that gives writer-director James Gunn full permission to let his freak flag fly.

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Critics Consensus: Blessed with Suranne Jones’ exquisite performance and some of the crispest dialogue on television, Gentleman Jack remains a total ace.

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Critics Consensus: Undone broadens out into a family affair in a gorgeously trippy continuation that’s as heady as it is moving.

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Critics Consensus: Bold, bombastic, and just the right amount of baffling, Rick and Morty‘s fifth season is an action-packed journey that may finally put Rick in his place.

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Critics Consensus: Ben Whishaw’s live-wire performance of an exhausted doctor powers This is Going to Hurt, a smart drama full of humor and pain.

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Critics Consensus: Slow Horses refreshes the espionage genre by letting its band of snoops be bumbling, with Gary Oldman giving a masterclass in frumpy authority.

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Critics Consensus: Single Drunk Female‘s clear-eyed chronicle of the challenges of sobriety is a joy, thanks in part to some spiky satire and Sofia Black-D’elia’s spirited star turn.

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Critics Consensus: Sweetly nostalgic without sacrificing substance, The Wonder Years captures the magic of the original while adding necessary nuance and context to its tale of Black life in America.

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Critics Consensus: Ms. Marvel is a genuinely fresh addition to the MCU — both stylistically and substantively — with Iman Vellani ably powering proceedings with her super-sized charisma.

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Critics Consensus: Atlanta takes Paper Boi and his entourage out of Georgia, but this inspired third season proves that the more things change, the more they stay weird.

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Critics Consensus: Employing some risky stylistic flourishes that Andy Warhol himself might have approved of, these Diaries are a revelatory glimpse into the inner life of a purposefully unknowable artist.

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Critics Consensus: The rapport between Ophelia Lovibond and Jake Johnson is the irresistible centerfold of Minx, a bawdy and sharp comedy that merits a full-page spread.

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Critics Consensus: Jamie Dornan makes for a compelling guide through The Tourist, a beguiling drama that deepens its mystery with solid shocks and welcome moments of levity.

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Critics Consensus: Whether you’re a fan of stop-motion animation or just looking for something deeply, alluringly weird, The House will feel like home.

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Critics Consensus: Diabolical‘s animated shorts pack the same supersized punch as The Boys, transposing the original series’ scabrous social commentary into a cartoonish medium that’s just as much devilish fun — and definitely not for kids.

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Critics Consensus: Not all of Russian Doll‘s gambles pay off in this ambitious and thrillingly audacious second season, but the show’s willingness to take risks is often its own reward.

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Critics Consensus: Managing to up the ante on what was already one of television’s most audacious satires, The Boys‘ third season is both bracingly visceral and wickedly smart.

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Critics Consensus: Abbott Elementary earns top marks for its empathetic yet sidesplitting critique of the U.S. education system, plus some extra credit for a deftly handled will-they-won’t-they dynamic.

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Critics Consensus: W. Kamau Bell deftly unpacks the Cosby scandal by allowing the conversation to be uncomfortable, yielding a robust examination of the disgraced entertainer and the culture that enabled him.

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Critics Consensus: Audacious, mysterious, and bringing fresh insight into the perils of corporate drudgery, Severance is the complete package.

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Critics Consensus: Strange New Worlds treks across familiar territory to refreshing effect, its episodic structure and soulful cast recapturing the sense of boundless discovery that defined the franchise’s roots.

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Critics Consensus: Lizzo acquits herself splendidly as master of ceremonies in Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, a joyous reality competition that’s equal parts fun and uplifting.

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Critics Consensus: The Responder is unrelentingly dark and inescapably absorbing, with Martin Freeman’s hangdog performance carrying the drama.

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Critics Consensus: Led by a captivating Bridget Everett, Somebody Somewhere explores the human condition with tenderness, grace, and warmth.

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Critics Consensus: Zahn McClarnon is riveting as a coiled cop in Dark Winds, a solid procedural that derives much of its texture from an underrepresented cultural milieu.

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Critics Consensus: The Kids in the Hall have become seasoned comedy veterans without missing a beat, delivering a fresh set of sketches that will delight longtime fans.

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Critics Consensus: Peaky Blinders‘ sixth season gracefully addresses the untimely passing of star Helen McCrory while setting the stage for a fitting climax to this epic saga of likable scalawags.

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Critics Consensus: For All Mankind‘s third season goes as far as Mars while maintaining a homey focus on its original ensemble, delivering another epic adventure with an intimate focus.

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Critics Consensus: Marrying state of the art visual effects with equally immersive narration by David Attenborough, Prehistoric Planet wondrously brings viewers back to the age of dinosaurs.

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Critics Consensus: Catnip for cinephiles and a welcome spotlight for the spellbinding Alicia Vikander, Irma Vep is a worthwhile expansion of writer-director Olivier Assayas’ cinematic opus.

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Critics Consensus: Fluidly animated and intelligently scripted, The Legend of Vox Machina is an addictive treat for fans of Dungeons & Dragons-style RPGs.

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Critics Consensus: Hacks hits the road, but Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder remain very much at home with each other in a sterling sophomore season that finds novel ways to deepen the central pair’s lovable friendship.

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Critics Consensus: An inclusive romance told with striking sensitivity, Heartstopper is so effortlessly charming that viewers won’t dare skip a beat.

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Critics Consensus: Bill Hader and company can take a well-deserved bow — Barry makes its belated return to the screen without missing a step, retaining its edge as one of television’s funniest and most unsettling offerings.