best of 2022: TV shows

And now it's time for my favorite TV shows of 2022!  A few notes before I begin:

- Not all of these were first released in 2022, but that's when I first saw them.

- These are in random order, and I couldn't choose an absolute favorite because it was such a strong year.  If pressed, I'd choose #6 as my favorite comedy and #7 as my favorite drama.

- I made a note of where each show was watched.  Servicey!

- As always, your mileage may vary.

1. Ted Lasso:  This show about a perpetually optimistic American sent to England to coach a soccer team got rave reviews, but I figured it couldn't be THAT good.  Well, much like last year with Schitt's Creek, I was proven wrong.  It's extremely funny and heartwarming without being cheesy, which is a very hard balance to strike.  (Apple TV+)

2. Trying:  Nikki and Jason have been trying to have a baby, but when they are unable to conceive, they decide to adopt.  When G's sister recommended this show to us, we were like "Uh, this doesn't sound up our alley at all," but we were charmed by its writing and cast and became very invested in Nikki and Jason's journey.  (Apple TV+)

3. Dexter: New Blood:  The original series had one of the worst finales in TV history, but fortunately they set things right with this one.  Serial killer Dexter Morgan is living under the radar in a remote town in upstate New York, but his cover may be blown when his "dark passenger" rears its ugly head once again.  (Showtime)

4. Yellowjackets:  A plane carrying a girls' soccer team and their coach crashes in the Canadian wilderness, and they must resort to unspeakable things in order to survive.  In the present day, the survivors try to find out who's blackmailing them.  An absolute fever dream with an incredible soundtrack and a cast full of nineties icons like Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, and Juliette Lewis.  (Showtime)

5. Dahmer:  The story of Jeffrey Dahmer, one of the most infamous serial killers of all time.  I know this was a really controversial show, but I think for the most part it avoided sensationalizing his crimes, and Evan Peters gives the performance of a lifetime as Dahmer.  (Netflix)

6. Community:  A motley group of community college students forms a study group.  G and I were extremely tardy to this party, but we're loving it.  The cast is great, and although we aren't done yet, I can't think of a single episode that didn't make us laugh hard at least twice.  (Netflix, although we had to watch the banned episode on Amazon Prime)

7. House of the Dragon:  This prequel to Game of Thrones follows the infamous Targaryen family as they rise to power.  Lots of gore, lots of sex, and lots of dragons...exactly what you'd want from a GoT series.  (HBO Max)

8. Rat in the Kitchen:  Six cooks compete to impress celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre, but there's a twist:  one of them is a mole whose goal is to sabotage the food, and if they get to the end undetected, they get the prize.  A fun reality show; I think I guessed the mole twice in ten episodes.  (TBS)

9. All of Us Are Dead:  High school students fight to survive a zombie outbreak in this tense Korean series.  (Netflix)

10. Peacemaker:  The titular superhero (antihero?) is forced to join a black ops squad in order to take down alien creatures infecting human hosts.  So much funnier and more exciting than the Suicide Squad movies, and John Cena is great.  (HBO Max)