Here's a look at my Top 10 Episodes of 2022! Following this post, my blog will take a holiday break and return on January 3!
Close Calls
A League of Their Own "Stealing Home" (8/12/22)
Yellowjackets "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" (1/16/22)
The Patient "The Cantor's Husband" (10/25/22)
I have been banging the drum for For All Mankind for a couple seasons now. I wish it was more in the conversation among best dramas on TV because it definitely belongs there. Just like the second season finale (which ranked #5 last year on my list), the season-long tension boiled over with an explosive and very intense season finale. Some of the stories that were frustrating during the season paid off in a big way. The show once again boldly killed off some prominent characters and it also once again gave a very intriguing flash forward in the final moments. Bring on Season 4!
9. THIS IS US "The Train" (May 17, 2022, NBC)
Despite its lack of Emmy love, I thought the final season of This is Us was expertly done. The emotions of the final season did not crescendo with the finale though. It happened in the penultimate episode that focused on the death of matriarch Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore). The story was told with the framework of a train taking Rebecca to the caboose, where her beloved Jack was waiting for her. The whole ordeal could have felt a little bit gimmicky, but it was done with such earnestness and love for the characters we spent time with for six years. Truthfully, it should have been the finale.
8. FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL "Day One" (August 12, 2022, Apple TV+)
Interestingly, three shows between my Top 10 and the Close Calls premiered on August 12. Five Days at Memorial was a limited series that probably should have been more limited than it was. It got progressively more uninteresting. But the first episode, written and directed by John Ridley, was a harrowing experience. As Hurricane Katrina barreled down on New Orleans, it really felt like we were in the hospital with the staff. After traveling to New Orleans for the first time this past spring and seeing how the city is still impacted by Katrina 17 years later, the first episode of Five Days at Memorial was a really interesting watch.
I know it's apparently "not cool" to still love The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel but I still do and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I did think the fourth season was a tad more uneven than the first three but it came to a very strong conclusion with the season finale. "How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?" gave the show its best material yet in the crackling chemistry between Rachel Brosnahan's Midge Maisel and Luke Kirby's Lenny Bruce. It also teed up the fourth season in a really promising way and gave some of the visual flourishes that have given the show its iconic look.
6. EUPHORIA "Stand Still Like the Hummingbird" (February 6, 2022, HBO)
Euphoria is such a fascinating show to me. There's no denying the direction or visuals and yet I find myself alternating between gasping at the artistry and rolling my eyes at the insanity. When Euphoria is firing on all cylinders though, it can be so impressive. This episode, a standout for Zendaya and for Season 2, was a harrowing watch. As Zendaya's Rue experiences withdrawal following yet another relapse, everything felt chaotic in a heartbreaking way. Obviously I knew the show wouldn't kill off its star yet I worried for the lead character. That's strong storytelling in all ways.
The first season of Severance was quite the slow burn. It started out as a very interesting show but I think we all wondered where it was heading. There were times where it felt like it was heading nowhere and times where I thought "maybe this is all vibes and no substance." But the season finale proved those doubts to be incorrect. In an episode that was jam-packed with wall to wall action, Severance upped its game considerably with an episode that kept heart-pounding substance from beginning to end. It makes me very excited for Season Two.
4. ABBOTT ELEMENTARY "Desking" (March 29, 2022, ABC)
My list feels very drama heavy this year but Abbott Elementary has been the freshest comedy on TV in quite some time (and coming in a season that included other strong freshman comedies like Ghosts and American Auto). It has been consistently funny and consistently strong. But the funniest episode came towards the end of Season 1 with the inventive premise of a popular internet trend hitting an elementary school. As an elementary school teacher, I can attest that a fad at that age level quickly proves to be quite irritating for the adults. The premise and the very funny resolution coupled with great sight gags throughout the episode made it delightfully funny and enjoyable.
The Bear was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2022. It came out of nowhere and then you could just see the buzz building over the early part of the summer. The season was a quick watch, especially the episode "Review" which clocked in at just 18 minutes. But, most impressively, it was a "one shot" episode that took place in real time. Watching The Bear really made me feel immersed into a Chicago kitchen and that was never more true than in the stressful and impactful "review" episode that effectively built tension and kept everything moving at a breathless pace.
2. THIS IS US "Miguel" (May 3, 2022, NBC)
This is Us spent six years making great episodes but also trying to make us cry in nearly every episode. Sometimes it felt a little bit manipulative but sometimes it just straight up worked. I found "Miguel" to be the most emotional episode of This is Us since the beautiful "Memphis" episode from Season One. Miguel (Jon Huertas) was no one's favorite character. In fact, he wasn't even all that likable early in the run. But with just a few episodes to go, he finally got a showcase episode that told his life story and showed just how loyal and faithful he was to Rebecca until the end. I'm not going to lie, the beautiful and heartbreaking montage that closed the episode set to Billy Joel's "And So It Goes" made me actually cry.
Hopefully this isn't recent bias talking and I don't think it is because anyone who follows this blog knows just how much I love The White Lotus. I'm not sure I liked the second season quite as much as Season One but it was darn close and the finale this season was even better. I won't get into spoilers as I know there may be people still making their way through the second season. But it was just everything I wanted it to be. It was funny (Jennifer Coolidge had some laugh out loud moments), it was uncomfortable, it was dramatic. And I didn't want it to end. Mike White has crafted two masterpiece seasons with brilliant writing, directing and acting (special props to Meghann Fahy in this finale for a scene everyone is talking about). I know it's been less than a week since the second season ended but I already can't wait for Season Three.
Enjoy the holidays! The blog will return with new posts on January 3!
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