Just like I did for reality TV, I'm going to rank my favourite ordinary telly shows of the year. This list is a combination of limited series and dramas/comedies etc. A real mixed batch for sure x

What will come out on top? It's normally Marvel in the movies lists but can they reign supreme over telly too!? Stay tuned.

I'm gonna start of with some (dis)honourable mentions for some shows that just missed out, so stay tuned! There will be spoilers and I'm not spoiler tagging so skip over any shows you've not seen and intend to watch.

Re-cap:
01. The White Lotus (S2)
02. Big Boys (S1)
03. Yellowjackets (S1)
04. She-Hulk: Attorney At Law (S1)
05. Heartstopper (S1)
06. House of the Dragon
07. The Crown (S5)
08. Severance
09. Euphoria (S2)
10. Obi-Wan Kenobi
11. Peacemaker (S1)
12. The Dropout
13. Uncoupled
14. Monster: A Dahmer Story
15. The Boys (S3)
16. Only Murders in the Building (S2)
17. Bridgerton (S2)
18. The Tourist (S1)
19. Derry Girls (S3)
20. American Horror Story: NYC (S11)
21. Love, Victor (S3)
22. Abbott Elementary (S1)
23. After Life (S3)
24. The Watcher
25. The Gilded Age
26. Anne
27. Wednesday
28. Ms. Marvel
29. Pam & Tommy
30. The Book of Boba Fett
31. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (S3)
32. The Umbrella Academy (S3)
33. Under the Banner of Heaven
34. Doctor Who (Specials)
35. Moon Knight (S1)
36. Andor (S1)
37. Grey's Anatomy (S18 & S19)
38. Four Lives
39. Blockbuster
40. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (S1)

Edited January 14, 20232 yr by Josh!

Missed out...



Killing Eve (BBC)
Series 4

What a horrible disappointment of a finale considering this was one of my favourite shows of 2018 and 2019. This show was far stronger when it was focussed on the cat and mouse chase between Eve and Villanelle, and the outlandish murders that the latter committed along the way. As soon as they brought in more characters and turned it into a hunt for the 12, it only became more and more convoluted and no longer fun to follow.

I still enjoyed the Villanelle and Eve scenes so that’s saying something. It was a good little surprise when Eve got Villanelle arrested and then we finally got some proper love scenes between them too. It’s been four seasons in the making so it was right to see them let go and have a proper make-out session. Carolyn and Konstantin’s subplot seemed boring and it was hard to keep up with what they were doing and who’s side they were on?

It all just had an odd tone with throwbacks to random characters and then new characters chucked in. For some reason, Hugo showed up in a minor role but had nothing to do? Eve’s assistant from season one who was never seen again appears in a dream sequence? We’re introduced to random members of the Twelve who seem to have ties with Carolyn? A new assassin love interest for Villanelle? It just felt like chuck in the iamspamspamamisink and see what sticks (unfortunately nothing did).

For it to all come to a head because Eve intercepted one text message of a bird seems anti-climactic too. Couldn’t they have done that three seasons ago? Meh.



Keep Breathing (Netflix)
Limited Series

This was just such a major disappointment due to its misleading marketing. I went in expecting a survival thriller but that was only about 2 of the 6 episodes. The rest was all hallucinations, dream sequences and flashbacks… it’ll become apparent in the upcoming commentary that I hate all of the above in TV shows, lmao.

I thought we were in for a proper good survival thriller, especially with the sinking plane scenes and her trying to save the two guys at the same time. Then it took a turn for the worst and became this really boring and yet somehow convoluted character study. I didn’t care about the characters or the incessant flashbacks. I just wanted some good survival action. There was an open-ended finale after all but I personally hope she died in the end to be honest for wasting my time.

On the good side, Melissa Barrera did well in the lead role and I quite liked her character in the first episode when she showed a bit more personality. Then she didn’t have much to do after that and instead her insufferable mother became central to the plot. The guy she almost saved was super sexy too, shame he died in the first episode - lmao.

40. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon Prime)
Series 1

I’d never seen a single Lord of the Rings movie before this year so I thought I’d give them a go in preparation for this after hearing about how hugely expensive it would be. I kind of liked them and appreciated their grandeur but I found them pretty long and dull in places too. Much of the same goes for this series and I think it’s time to realise LOTR isn’t for me and just leave it be. I just about got through Season 1 so I’ll not be forcing myself to sit through Season 2.

At first I was kind of into it because I wowed so much by the cinematography and set pieces. You could tell just by looking that Amazon had spent a fortune on this. I found Galadriel the most irritating part of the LOTR trilogy so I was a bit worried about her being a lead character here but her actress did a good job and she was pretty badass.

But the episodes got longer and longer. The stories got more and more convoluted with more LOTR jargon thrown in which it expects the audience to just understand (my biggest pet peeve with the movies too). More characters and species got introduced. It just became a chore to sit through because you really had to pay attention to every detail but the episodes were so long and boring. My boyfriend fell asleep through about four consecutive episodes and I was longing to do the same really.

I can’t really find objective fault with this franchise because I can see why people do think it’s brilliant but it’s simply not my cup of tea.



39. Blockbuster (Netflix)
Series 1

I've only just finished this but the last few episodes felt like a bit of a chore knowing it's already been cancelled. A bit of a shame but it was very American humour and that rarely lands for me. I felt like I was watching this for the fun movie references rather than actual humour.

It kind of missed a trick by not setting this in the past. Like you're making a show about Blockbuster and setting it nowadays? Where's the nostalgia play there?! There were some more recent references they were able to make that they wouldn't have been able to otherwise but I think it'd have found more of an audience if it was set in Blockbuster's heyday.

Some fairly likeable characters and actors so I feel a bit bad for everyone involved that the end product wasn't better. Olga Merediz (from In the Heights) did her best with some poor material. I fancied Tyler Alvarez too so I'll keep an eye out for him in the future, teehee.



38. Four Lives (BBC)
Limited Series

This hit home a lot more as a viewer being gay myself. There were characteristics and personality traits in the victims that I see in my own friends and therefore it really was emotional. These boys were so young and so loved, and I’m glad it focused on the families and backstories of all of the victims.

Stephen Merchant was so utterly chilling. Those scenes in the court room at the very end as he bare-faced lied to all the families of the victims were uneasy to watch. On the other hand, I wasn’t 100% sold on Sheridan Smith’s performance in all honesty. There were some really powerful scenes from her but I feel like she always had this weird inappropriate smirk on her face which set an odd tone for some of the more emotional scenes.

It’s mad to think about how this whole thing could’ve been avoided if the police hadn’t been so blind. The show does a really good job of highlighting how many recurring similarities and interlinked factors there are between all four cases - how did they not investigate them as related until four lives were lost?!



37. Grey's Anatomy (Disney+)
Series 18 and 19

This is now so far past its best years but I just can’t put it down for some reason. It’s not like I’m even that attached to the characters because all the best ones have left the show by now, haha. It’s like I want to see how it ends but it just won’t end so I’m stuck in this loop of tuning in every year, ffs. It really dropped off around Season 12 and just feels like a soap opera now with largely low stakes and a cast of flawed characters. For example, take Teddy who is just a totally insufferable cheat now despite being a brilliantly loveable character when she was with Henry in the earlier seasons.

At times, it’s tough to watch with how over the social commentary is too. It constantly speaks on important social issues but does it in a preachy way and characters use facts in everyday sentences like they’re robots. It’s cringe and isn’t the sort of representation that any social minority actually want for themselves, lmao. I’ll speak on the gays because I can but we don’t need on-the-nose facts about giving blood as gay men, or Amelia correcting Link on her non-binary love interest. Surely it can be woven in more authentically.

On the other hand, there were some highlight which kept me going and put this a bit higher. Addison’s comeback has been long awaited and really tugged at my heartstrings when she met Derek’s kids. Kate Walsh is the best actress in this show so I’m glad they utilised her for that. Schmitt accidentally killing a patient was harrowing too and he’s one of the few characters I’m rooting for out of the current cast. Owen’s near death in the car crash off the cliff was an intense mid-season break too. I was dying to see what would happen next and then was disappointed when he as fine, lol. Get rid of him already!!



36. Andor (Disney+)
Series 1

Uhm... I saw Twitter going mad for this but like it was just boring to me? 12 episodes might've been fine if it had bothered to grab me in the first 5 or 6 but I was just hate-watching it by then and it never recovered.
 
It's a shame because I liked Cassian Andor so much in Rogue One but the start of this was just sooooo dull, and it was a choice to have so many scenes in a made-up language with no subtitles. What was going on? Am I supposed to care?
 
There were some very strong episodes in the prison and that did win me over for a couple of weeks. I was keen to know what they were building and the whole design of it all was intriguing. I appreciated the reveal of what it was in the post credits scene too. Total gut punch seeing that Kino Loy couldn't swim either - that was a moment!
 
It went back to fairly dull after the prison escape though and it sort of went out on a splat rather than a bang with the finale. Too many monologues and I was soooo tuned out with anything from Mon Mothma or Luthen. I hope season two at least has a strong series finale or I'll be a bit jaded in thinking this was a waste of my time to be honest.

Re-cap
36. Andor (S1)
37. Grey's Anatomy (S18 & S19)
38. Four Lives
39. Blockbuster
40. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (S1)

35. Moon Knight (Disney+)
Series 1

I know this seemed to have big fans but it lost me along the way after the super strong episode one and never really reeled me back in. I’m not the biggest fan of shows with hallucinations/tripping episodes and this was chock full of them after the hospital twist was revealed and that’s what I stopped enjoying it to be honest.

The first episode gripped me with the multiple personalities (Steven Grant’s adorable British-ness was a fun touch), and Khonshu was brilliantly designed too. But it couldn’t hold up that standard and the momentum dropped off after a couple of episodes for me. I began to care less about the multiple personalities when I was struggling to keep up with what was actually going on. Some of the Gods’ dialogue seemed childish too (the Taweret bits especially). I didn’t really warm to Layla either although her transformation in the final episode was exciting.

I was also a bit disappointed at the lack of actual Moon Knight in the Moon Knight show. Oscar Isaac did his best to carry it with some brilliant acting but if I’m watching something Marvel then I’d like to see some superheroes please. I think we got about two action scenes in the six episodes? And then the CGI was super off in the final two episodes… it looked cheap!



34. Doctor Who (BBC)
Specials

I'm including this because there was probably more minutes across the three episodes than some other shows included in the list. Call it a mini-series if you like! These three specials are the definition of a mixed bag... one was great, one was average and one was dreadful. The Chibnall era never did master consistency, ey.

I'll start with 'Eve of the Daleks' which is the one I'm referring to as great. I just thought it had all the makings of a great Doctor Who episode. Likeable stars (Aisling Bea for sure), humour, proper tension and an interesting utilisation of Daleks! It was just the perfect ending to a lovely Christmas period for me last year and it'll hold up as one of the best Whittaker era episodes in my opinion. Who doesn't love a good time loop story?!

The Sea Devils one was totally boring. I don't even remember a thing about it writing this only 8 months later. The only good thing was the character design of the Sea Devils themselves who did look awesome. Aside from that, it was a total bore and Whittaker was at her most annoying. It just felt so filler that I can't believe they even referred to it as a special! Especially boring maybe.

Then we have Whittaker's swan song and regeneration episode (finally). This was overly convoluted at times which is one of the worst things about the Chibnall era. You're just sat there thinking 'what is going on?' most of the time and nothing properly gets answered either. I'll still never get over the Doctor having a chat to a frog in Series 11. Eh?!? On the other hand, it had some lovely nostalgic moments for old fans and even I appreciated being introduced to Ace for the first time who I did think was pretty Ace, bless her. And then the twist of the Tennant regeneration, eeee!! A decent mid-tier episode but its best moments are the bits that play on nostalgia of when the show was properly good, lol.

So yeah, a mixed bag but the main take away is bring on the return of Tennant and then Gatwa/T Davies combo after that and let's make this show great again. We know it has potential still but the whole Whittaker era really only had about three good episodes, lol. ‘Eve of the Daleks’ definitely being one of them.



33. Under the Banner of Heaven (Disney+)
Limited Series

Under the Banner of Heaven is a show that I was really hyped for so ended up being quite disappointed in the wait that UK had for it to be released on Disney+. Being a part of the chatter is a big thing I enjoy about watching new TV shows so to have to wait so long for the show to be dropped, and it then dropping in one big 8 hour chunk that needed to be binged, made me enjoy this less than I otherwise would.
 
I'm not sure they got the pacing entirely correct with this one which made some episodes really on-edge exciting stuff while others felt like proper slogs. When it was intense, I was totally gripped (the finale especially made for some properly engaging telly) but much of the middle work was slow and tended to be confusing with so many characters involved. It took me a few episodes to differentiate between brothers and grasp the names of all the wives and by that point I was a bit out of the loop.
 
I appreciated the insight into mormon culture and was left feeling totally bewildered at some of the beliefs. I definitely found myself siding with the wives who weren't happy that their hubbies wanted multiple wives (and/or to marry their own step-children!). Diana came into her own in the final episode and I'm glad we got that big moment of her saving Matilda and screaming at everyone in the petrol station.
 
I can't comment on this without mentioning the MVP that is Andrew Garfield. I've not seen Dopesick so I can't comment on whether he was robbed for the Emmy, but he certainly put in a show-stopping performance. I just wanted to reach out and give him a hug when you could see his faith slipping and therefore the possibility of losing his wife and family. Such a complex character with such difficult decisions in front of him.



32. The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
Series 3

I have this on/off relationship with Umbrella Academy where I really want to love it but then find myself being pretty bored whilst actually watching. This was kind of the same, unfortunately. I don’t always completely get the time/space stuff so I think some of the plot ends up lost on me, lol. I still can’t tell you what a Kugelblitz is - sorry!

There were some fun character moments, especially from Klaus and Luther who really got to shine. I enjoyed Klaus budding relationship with his father and the betrayal there genuinely did surprise me a bit. Although it was controversial, I also enjoyed seeing Alison’s villain arc and I kind of saw her side to be honest. I hope they fully move forward with that and make her the big bad of season four because I definitely believe that would make things interesting.

I do just find this show a bit of a slog to sit through at times though. The personalities only go so far and I find some of the actual interesting action only crops up every few episodes. And then it’s gotten really conceptual and scientific when season one was hard enough to comprehend in the first place, haha. Maybe I just wasn’t invested enough and that’s a me problem but I can’t put it any higher than this in my ranking.



31. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+)
Series 3

I think this is probably the biggest offender for a show I just can’t stop watching as a guilty pleasure. It’s so bad, it’s good. Even without the star power of Olivia Rodrigo, I know I’ll be tuning in again for Season 4, lmao.

The issue with this is that there’s no consistency in episode quality. Some are really childish and feel like a 40 minute chore to sit through. Others have super fun references and more adult humour that makes them a treat to watch. I want it to be the latter all the time but it always gets brought down but silly kid humour. I guess that’s to be expected when you’re a 23 year-old man watching a High School Musical spin-off, lol.

The good stuff is really fun though. I loved the Real Housewives parody episode where each character had their own little stereotypical television personalities. I think Gina’s one liner, ‘don’t get me started’, was my favourite moment. The premiere of the documentary and seeing the producers snip together lines to cause drama was such a funny way to end the season too. I hope some of that is brought forward to S4 and not completely dropped in favour of the next storyline.

This season did struggle with minimal Olivia Rodrigo and Miss Jen too and the show won’t feel the same going forward with the former dropping out completely. Big Red was an unusual character to leave out completely too but I never liked him so I didn’t mind that much.

On the other hand, it was nice to see Kourtney finally get a personality and come out from the shadows of being Nini’s bestie. Ricky and Gina held their own as our new leads too and I think the show will be in good hands as long as they both stay signed on. Sofia Wylie should be a massive star because she is SO watchable.

Re-cap
31. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (S3)
32. The Umbrella Academy (S3)
33. Under the Banner of Heaven
34. Doctor Who (Specials)
35. Moon Knight (S1)
36. Andor (S1)
37. Grey's Anatomy (S18 & S19)
38. Four Lives
39. Blockbuster
40. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (S1)

30. The Book of Boba Fett (Disney+)
Limited Series

It’s never a good thing when the fans go mad for the two single episodes that the title character doesn’t appear in but that was the case with this show. It certainly had a bit of a slow start and I don’t think I’m alone in saying that I was one of many Star Wars fans that wasn’t immediately gripped by this, but it certainly made it up for it with the brilliant final three episodes.

I think the start was a bit rough as it was quite slow moving, and the two simultaneous storylines weren’t equal in their watchability. The Tusken Raider subplot was way more focused on panning shots of desert and wacky rituals but it just wasn’t for me at all. The ongoing storyline in the now was far more exciting with all of its political jousting but it felt like there was less screen time for this plot. I felt as though they kind of ruined the lore of Boba Fett too and made him super lenient and a bit of pushover when he’s supposed to be this ruthless badass known across the galaxy.

The final three episodes were everything a fan could want though which is why this isn’t much lower in the list. As soon as we heard the theme tune for The Mandalorian, we knew we were in for a treat. Seeing de-aged Luke in such a prominent role was so cool, Mando creating himself a unique ship from scratch, an Ahsoka Tano cameo - it was everything!! All culminating in that action-packed finale where we got to see a Rancor let loose. More of that please Star Wars, and less dull wish-wash like the first four episodes.



29. Pam & Tommy (Disney+)
Limited Series

I did think this started off really strong with its multiple episode drop full of boundary-pushing raunchiness. It had me pretty hooked from the first couple of episodes… getting to know about the larger-than-life Tommy Lee and watching Lily James’ transformative performance made for a really exciting premise. That scene with the talking penis will be etched in my brain for years to come, I fear.

However, it got pretty slow in the middle and struggled to get my attention after the premiere week. The Seth Rogen sideline story was quite dull and I didn’t care about his personal life either. I just wanted more Pam & Tommy but they became less central in the middle episodes. Pam’s personal life and tumultuous relationship with Tommy was fare more interesting that the distribution of the video and the business decisions that influenced the leak.

It got its mojo back with the explosive final episode but by that point I was looking forward to it being over really. The scene with Tommy losing it, signing the papers and Pam saying ‘it’s over’ stood out to me as being so poignant as you could tell that was her breaking point. It is a bit of a shame to see she wasn’t supportive of this series being made either so I think I’ll make an effort to check out her own Netflix documentary when it’s released.



28. Ms. Marvel (Disney+)
Limited Series

I was excited for this after the first episode but it ended up being a real mixed bag and I’m not surprised to see the muted viewership figures in comparison to other MCU Disney+ projects. It was bookended by some very strong episodes but the middle section was a total drag and I’d have tuned out mid-season if I were a casual MCU viewer. I want Kamala to be a hit though so I hope that doesn’t mute her impact in the upcoming Captain Marvel sequel next year.

On the good side of things, I loved the Heartstopper-esque animations that helped to inject some life into Kamala’s world. It reminded me of Spider-man too in the sense that it felt very high school with proper teenage relationships. It was relatable in that aspect and I felt the little animations gave it that warm fuzzy heart-warming feeling. Kamala and her family were so loveable too right from the beginning and it was fantastic to see more Asian representation in the MCU. Some of the interactions she had with her friends and family who were more religious or more traditional than her made me chuckle. Bruno was a delight as her bestie too and was rather charming (way more likeable than the similar Ned in Spider-man).

On the other hand, those flashback episodes massively dragged. It felt like this started off strong by giving Kamala her powers in episode one and making everything bright and colourful… and they then remembered there still need to be some kind of origin story so it just brought a huge lull into the middle of the season. I was seriously bored during those episodes and a lot of the light fun from the beginning was drained out. The villains weren’t particularly compelling or unique so there wasn’t much going for the show at that point to be honest. It finished with a bang though and it was rewarding to see Kamala power up so much in the finale.

But then the mutant twist?!?! It just made no sense. She’s clearly not a mutant if she has no powers without the bangle? And there was no build-up to that, it was just dropped in and then left. We’ll see if they can explain it further when she re-appears but it felt like a cheap twist to me at this stage.



27. Wednesday (Netflix)
Series 1

Wow, I wasn't expecting this show to blow up like it did but it turned out to be a streaming behemoth. Watching Jenna Ortega gain like a million Instagram followers per day was nice after I enjoyed her so much in Scream earlier in 2022.
 
I didn't looove this like others did though... I'd go as far to say it was quite filler to be honest. Where the issue lies is that the Addams Family works best for me when it is the actual family, so I found myself enjoying the Morticia/Gomez moments so much and then the other episodes felt lacking in comparison.
 
Ortega's Wednesday more than held her own but she was the only other character really serving for me so I was a bit tuned out in all of the school kid drama and over-the-top Principal. I'm yet to warm to Gwendoline Christie in any role I've seen her in, welp.
 
The end episode was strong too and I hadn't seen the reveal of the Hyde coming so props to the writers for coming up with that. But there were only three top tier episodes for me (the two with the whole family and then the finale). The rest wasn't as entertaining and only properly worked when Wednesday had her one liners. I'd happily watch a season two as well but just give me more Catherine Zeta-Jones. I want to see an Addams Family parents evening!!



26. Anne (ITV)
Limited Series

What an absolutely gut-wrenching watch. Four of the hardest to watch television episodes I’ve seen. I didn’t know of Anne Williams beforehand but what an inspiration and figure of hope to so many families. She was such a tough character and really put everything on the line to dedicate her life to her son’s case.

I’m not really familiar with Maxine Peak’s body of work either but she really wowed me in this. This must’ve been one the most difficult roles to play as it was just constantly so raw and emotional. I can’t imagine how playing a role like this would even impact you as an individual - I couldn’t do it myself. Props to her for everything she did here, she really made it so much harder to watch than it may have been with a less capable actress.

It’s tough to believe these families faced so many failings one after the other in their fight for justice. It’s almost impossible to believe that the fate of a new inquest lied in the hands of someone who actually said “have you got a few of your people or are they like the Liverpool fans, turn up at the last minute”. I’m glad they kept that line in the show as I was gobsmacked at that when I was reading up on the real events after watching.

Re-cap
26. Anne
27. Wednesday
28. Ms. Marvel
29. Pam & Tommy
30. The Book of Boba Fett
31. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (S3)
32. The Umbrella Academy (S3)
33. Under the Banner of Heaven
34. Doctor Who (Specials)
35. Moon Knight (S1)
36. Andor (S1)
37. Grey's Anatomy (S18 & S19)
38. Four Lives
39. Blockbuster
40. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (S1)

25. The Gilded Age (Sky / Now TV)
Series 1

It’s been a long time coming and we finally have America’s answer to Downton Abbey. It had a bit of a slow start (my boyfriend dropped out after two episodes, lmao) but I stuck with it and it did eventually win me over. The power play politics involved between the iconic women made for some real juicy telly, especially when the shade is cutting rather than scream-tests. Nobody can deliver a dig like Christine Baranski can.

I think this is kind of dampened by being massively in Downtown’s shadow. It’s missing a Maggie Smith-esque figure who provides proper laugh out loud humour and therefore it can feel a bit dull at times. Also, the only gripping storylines were around the Russells and thus it was hard to care about literally any other character. The servant storylines were so ridiculously low stakes that you can barely remember who’s who by the end of the season and don’t grow to care for them like you did for characters like Mrs Patmore or Bates in Downton.

However, I must give a major shoutout to Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector as the aforementioned Russells. If it wasn’t for them, I would have dropped out of the season without doubt. She was serving absolute c**t the whole time and she looked absolutely amazing doing it. Beautiful gowns, beautiful gowns! I really fell in love with their supportive relationship too. They had their sights on different goals but they always did what they could to help out the other wherever possible. They felt like a proper family unit and he wasn’t afraid to get a little dirty too to get his way much like his wife, haha. My jaw was dropped when he bought out the whole market just so that they had to pack up shop… absolutely savage behaviour.



24. The Watcher (Netflix)
Series 1

What a year for Ryan Murphy. Fresh from the smash hit Dahmer series, we were treated to another creepy Netflix thriller from Murphy. The Watcher, also somewhat based on a true story, really gets you worried to just sit in your own home. Especially with the dark nights in October, it almost became the norm for me to have this irrational fear of being watched at home whilst I was watching this. There's nothing worse than feeling at danger in your safe space and I think that's what makes The Watcher so engaging. This could happen to anyone.
 
It's quite a short miniseries and therefore manages to pack in quite a lot in a short space of time. I think that helps it succeed at never being boring, and the cliffhanger tease in each episode always lures you in for more. It had a lot of similarities to AHS: Murder House in my opinion and I think that's one of the better seasons of that franchise that I've seen. I found the voice they used for The Watcher especially creepy too which only added to how unsettled I felt.
 
Murphy is also strong with his casting choices too and this is no exception. I was impressed by the neighbour played by Mia Farrow (so odd, I'd be straight out of there!) and the family's father played by Bobby Cannavale as he slowly loses it (total DILF too). The true MVP is Jennifer Coolidge though in another standout comedy supporting role following on from The White Lotus. I'm so glad she's having a bit of a renaissance at the moment because her comedic timing and line delivery is unmatched.
 
I can see why people have taken to social media and shouted that the finale was a waste of time but I don't think I minded it personally. Sure, it would've been nice to have some closure but it's not like the real-life story has any concrete answers either. There are a few plot lines that actually do go nowhere that seem a bit frustrating (the old inhabitant, the true identity of 'John Graff') but I'm quite content that we never did find out who The Watcher actually was.
 
Who doesn't love a Ryan Murphy series dripping in eerie mystery?! Sign me up for more.



23. After Life (Netflix)
Series 3

I hadn’t ever seen this show until it was covered on Gogglebox during season two and I saw all the families tearing up and then decided to give it a go which turned into a binge session. Ever since then, season three has been hotly anticipated by myself and it didn’t disappoint.

It’s one of those life affirming pieces of entertainment where you really sit bit and appreciate life after you’ve finished watching. Ricky Gervais is brilliant in it and deserves all the praise for creating it all himself. He has that perfect balance of miserable old sod with a heart of gold. The humour lands more often than not, as we all have that inner voice which agrees with most of the rude stuff he comes out with, haha - we just don’t say it aloud!

The emotional side of things massively hits home too by showcasing how complicated we are as humans, especially when dealing with grief. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t crying by Episode 6 when Penelope Wilton and Gervais were talking about their angels on the graveyard bench.

I love Diane Morgan in this too, she had some of my favourite scenes in this series. I loved her awful date where she was told not to put her elbows on the table. This series did miss Roisin Conaty though… I was she appeared herself rather than just being name dropped.



22. Abbott Elementary (Disney+)
Series 1

So I'd heard all about this show on social media and other places but it's not very often at all that I'll put on an American comedy so I was a bit sceptical at first. As all the awards started to roll in, I decided I must give it a go and I'd go as far as to say it's one of the easiest TV binges I've ever done. It's just so light and fun, and the episodes are self-contained too so each one is different.
 
I wasn't 100% sold on Ava, the head teacher, at first because she seemed like the least realistic character. Every other character felt like someone you'd seen in a real school but hers felt a bit far-removed. By the end, I was totally won over and she was my favourite though. Everything (I mean everything) she said was GOLD!
 
Every character was great though. Quinta Brunson should go on to huge things after this and I know I'd have loved her a teacher too. So sweet and she wore some awesome outfits. Sheryl Lee Ralph as well.
 
Some episodes were a bit weaker than others. The real highlights were the naughty student being transferred into Janine's class and the hippy art teacher. Others I didn't enjoy the plots as much like the one where Ava has to persude the superintendent for her job.
 
It's a shame we don't get a simultaneous UK release to accompany the US release but I'm looking forward to getting through Season 2 when we get it. I want to see Mr Eddie and Janine get together now she's single, aah!



21. Love, Victor (Disney+)
Series 3

Aw, man. I must say that I do think this show came to a close a little bit too soon. They definitely could’ve done a Glee and seen how these relationships panned out as they went off to college and things. It’s such a charming little show where all the characters are pretty likeable so I’d have gladly tuned in for longer. I guess Heartstopper has stolen its shine now so it’s move over Love, Victor for many.
 
In terms of this season, it was more of the same from the previous two seasons really but I was largely happy with how things ended. I wouldn’t say Victor and Benji are great for each other but I do think they’re cute and was kind of hoping they’d be endgame so that was a good outcome for me. I hope they talk their issues out off-screen afterwards though, lmao. I also appreciated the addition of Nick who brought out that wilder side in Victor, it was cool to have something a bit more risqué go on in another wise very wholesome show.
 
I just love Victor’s parents too. Their uptight European flavour brings a lot of the laughs to the show but his mum’s growth from season to season is just lovely to see too. I’m glad she showed so much support to her children, and stood up to some of the church’s older-fashioned views in the end even though it took some persuading to get her there.
 
All in all, I’m happy this existed and made me nostalgic for realising who I was in high-school. I just wish I had Victor’s bravery at the time. Victor’s bravery speech as he accepted the award in the final episode was a very touching moment and hopefully strikes a cord with other high-schoolers to be brave and do the same.

Re-cap
21. Love, Victor (S3)
22. Abbott Elementary (S1)
23. After Life (S3)
24. The Watcher
25. The Gilded Age
26. Anne
27. Wednesday
28. Ms. Marvel
29. Pam & Tommy
30. The Book of Boba Fett
31. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (S3)
32. The Umbrella Academy (S3)
33. Under the Banner of Heaven
34. Doctor Who (Specials)
35. Moon Knight (S1)
36. Andor (S1)
37. Grey's Anatomy (S18 & S19)
38. Four Lives
39. Blockbuster
40. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (S1)

Hey Josh! :wub:

 

I haven't seen most what you've counted down so far, but I'm particularly interested in trying out The Watcher and Wednesday! I added High School Musical: The Musical: The Series to my list a while ago, but still not seen an episode... now that there's been 30 episodes I wonder if I've kind of missed the boat :thinking:

 

I've still not seen the final season of Killing Eve, so I only glanced that post to avoid spoilers. I'll get around to it eventually but for some reason I've not felt like diving in like I had with previous seasons... and it not even being in your Top 40 doesn't fill me with confidence for it! :o It's a shame because the first couple of seasons were epic and Season 3 at

 

The first TV show in your count down that I've actually seen is Abbott Elementary Season 1! I found it very enjoyable on the whole, regularly amusing and rather heartfelt. I agree that it's a very easy binge (I think I saw them all in a couple of days). I'm impatient for Season 2! I want to wait until it can be streamed here.

 

Season 3 of Love, Victor was a bit of a let down for me unfortunately, mainly because it felt so rushed. A lot was thrown at it in order to bring it to a close, and I feel it would have benefited with at least another season to give it a proper and well rounded ending... if only! I wish we'd had more episodes of Victor and Benji being happy in their relationship. Too much angst and drama between them made me wonder if I was even particularly rooting for them or thinking that they'd be better off out of each other's lives! :lol: Still, overall I enjoyed and appreciated Love, Victor - in particular Season 2, I feel like it really found its groove across those episodes!

 

I look forward to your Top 20 :cheer:

Hey Josh! :wub:

 

I haven't seen most what you've counted down so far, but I'm particularly interested in trying out The Watcher and Wednesday! I added High School Musical: The Musical: The Series to my list a while ago, but still not seen an episode... now that there's been 30 episodes I wonder if I've kind of missed the boat :thinking:

 

I've still not seen the final season of Killing Eve, so I only glanced that post to avoid spoilers. I'll get around to it eventually but for some reason I've not felt like diving in like I had with previous seasons... and it not even being in your Top 40 doesn't fill me with confidence for it! :o It's a shame because the first couple of seasons were epic and Season 3 at

 

The first TV show in your count down that I've actually seen is Abbott Elementary Season 1! I found it very enjoyable on the whole, regularly amusing and rather heartfelt. I agree that it's a very easy binge (I think I saw them all in a couple of days). I'm impatient for Season 2! I want to wait until it can be streamed here.

 

Season 3 of Love, Victor was a bit of a let down for me unfortunately, mainly because it felt so rushed. A lot was thrown at it in order to bring it to a close, and I feel it would have benefited with at least another season to give it a proper and well rounded ending... if only! I wish we'd had more episodes of Victor and Benji being happy in their relationship. Too much angst and drama between them made me wonder if I was even particularly rooting for them or thinking that they'd be better off out of each other's lives! :lol: Still, overall I enjoyed and appreciated Love, Victor - in particular Season 2, I feel like it really found its groove across those episodes!

 

I look forward to your Top 20 :cheer:

Hiya Jay, hopefully you'll have seen more of the top 20 than you did the bottom 20.

 

I think you'd be fine to continue living your life without ever seeing the Killing Eve conclusion, lmao. It was just so disappointing and the show ended up being a shell of its former self. The first two seasons were two of my biggest obsessions when they first came out too! :cry:

 

I'm impatient for Abbott Elementary series two here in the UK as well. We always get the worst end of the stick here in the UK, don't we? I'm more won over by the cast than anything though. They're so likeable in real life that I'm so happy when they're getting so much success. There was the odd episode where I didn't laugh much though in all honesty. Principal Ava Coleman is the character that keeps me going back for more!

 

Enjoyed reading all your thoughts Jay!

20. American Horror Story: NYC (Disney+)
Series 11

This would've been even higher if it wasn't so derailed towards the end of the season. But then it wouldn't be American Horror Story if it did't start out well and then go on decline from then, haha. I wasn't the episodes once we'd revealed the Mai Tai killer to be honest and could've done without the Christmas Carol-esque visiting our past segments.

BUT the rest of it was so good so it earns a top 20 spot. There was just something so unapologetically gay about this that it's mad to think straight people would even be interested in all the fetish stuff/saunas etc. that are on display here. AHS has always been pretty gay but this felt like pushing the boat out further than it ever has before and I liked having something like that be so prominent in a major telly show.

The plot of finding out the Mai Tai killer was interesting, and the HIV/AIDS subtext was touching too to begin with. Plenty of Russell Tovey looking bloody gorgeous. I was hooked coming back for more week after week until about Episode 8. A shame some plot threads are started and don't go anywhere but again, that's just what one expects from AHS nowadays.



19. Derry Girls (Channel 4)
Series 3

Absolutely gutted this is over but it was a brilliant ending to a brilliant series. Here's to hoping we can revisit the characters with a Christmas special every few years or something like that - they're just so damn good! The adult cast really hold their own against the youngsters (and stars of the show). That episode where they were working out how they knew the lady on the train was comedy genius.

There were just so many special moments that manage to both warm your heart and make you giggle. The Spice Girls performance was everything. I think it might be my favourite sequence in all three seasons of the show so far. The kiss between James and Erin actually felt really special too. I'm high-key shipping them and want them to be endgame to be honest. Please can we see more of their adult lives!!

I would say that Claire was a bit too shrieky this season and almost difficult to understand which meant not many of her moments really landed for me. I love Nicola Coughlan so it's a shame but I just needed it brought down a notch, lmao. The tonal shift with the death of her dad felt a bit out of place too although it did give us that lovely shot of our five leads embracing in the hospital atrium.



18. The Tourist (BBC)
Series 1

I didn’t know anything about this going into it but thought I’d give it a go with some spare time I had after New Year before returning to work. Little did I know how hooked I’d be and that I’d finish it in a couple of days. Each episode always left me wanting more and that’s all you can ask for in a thriller like this. It did lose me a little in episode 5 with the whole LSD trip thing (became a bit confusing/convoluted when it was actually trying to help the audience understand more, lol) but it won me back with the closure of the character arcs in episode 6.

Of course Jamie Dornan was the big name here and he did a brilliant job. Some of his final moments on screen had such a bittersweet feel to them which kept me intrigued once the main mystery plot had come to an end. Him finding out the truth about who he was, and then doing everything he could in his final moments to right some of his wrongs was really touching.

However, I had two even bigger highlights that I must praise. Danielle Macdonald has the glass half-full cop who gets involved was such a delight. She was funny, vibrant, hard-working and just such a joy to watch on screen. She reminded me of Judy Hoops from Zootropolis if she was a real-life character, lmao. Billy, the big burly American bad guy, was terrifying too in his minor role. I had such an unease set in my stomach whenever his cowboy boots stepped into frame. Two brilliant roles that will stick with me the most from this show, I think.



17. Bridgerton (Netflix)
Series 2

Like many, I was wrapped up in the romance of Brigerton’s season one and was excited to see how love would work out for Daphne’s siblings. When I heard the next season would be about sexiest man alive Jonathan Bailey… well I was very excited. Unfortunately, they did tone down the sexually charged aspect of the show (though we still got plenty lovely Anthony Bridgerton in the nude scenes) but they certainly made up for that in juicy storyline.

I have to say that I preferred this season to season one as the main love triangle plot was much more entertaining compared to the soppier romance of Daphne’s story. I couldn’t believe Kate & Anthony let it go on so long with Edwina stringing her along when they had such a connection. I knew the gist of the storyline going into the season but I couldn’t believe they’d get as far as the altar before calling off the wedding! I felt awful for Edwina actually and I wish we’d got to see her be happy by the end too, hopefully she shows up in season three now she’s been sponsored for another season by Lady Danbury.

Aside from Anthony, I also enjoyed the subplot of Lady Whistledown’s identity struggling to remain hidden and eventually being revealed. Coughlan and Jessie acted the f*** out of that screaming match they had in the bedroom after she found the stash of money. I did think it was a shame that Daphne was turned into a mere cameo (I think she’s my next fave sibling after Anthony) and the Duke completely absent (never bite the hand that feeds you, Rege-Jean Page…).

I can’t not mention the Queen’s hair as well. I don’t remember her being that fabulous beforehand but her was a masterpiece in every appearance she had. I don’t know how Golda Rosheuvel hasn’t sued production for neck cramp after filming, lmao.



16. Only Murders in the Building (Disney+)
Series 2

The little show that could! I was so happy seeing this show be a critical darling after season one and slowly more people seem to have discovered it. Thanks to the leading trio, you can get a good 30 minute dose of laughter and a strong murder mystery. And that cliff-hanger!! Bring on more please. Especially if we’re throwing Paul Rudd in the mix.

I think this season was even funnier that the first in places. I laughed out loud at them using slo-mo and tomatoes on Cinda Canning in the final episode. And then the mystery was just as good too… I particularly thought the Son of Sam episode with the lights switching off was really engaging too.

My only gripe was Cara Delevigne being added to the cast because she’s totally annoying and massively lacks in charisma. Thankfully she wasn't too central to the plot after a couple of episodes but they need to cut her completely moving forward. Hopefully there’s a chance to discover new characters now they’re moving out of murders in the building only.

Re-cap
16. Only Murders in the Building (S2)
17. Bridgerton (S2)
18. The Tourist (S1)
19. Derry Girls (S3)
20. American Horror Story: NYC (S11)
21. Love, Victor (S3)
22. Abbott Elementary (S1)
23. After Life (S3)
24. The Watcher
25. The Gilded Age
26. Anne
27. Wednesday
28. Ms. Marvel
29. Pam & Tommy
30. The Book of Boba Fett
31. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (S3)
32. The Umbrella Academy (S3)
33. Under the Banner of Heaven
34. Doctor Who (Specials)
35. Moon Knight (S1)
36. Andor (S1)
37. Grey's Anatomy (S18 & S19)
38. Four Lives
39. Blockbuster
40. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (S1)

Seeing some great shows on here already, i was meant to start Blockbuster but decided not to watch cause it was cancelled. the shows i did see were:

Greys Anatomy - I do think i quit now, now meredith has gone

Doctor Who - excited for the new RTD era

The Watcher - loved it , i wonder if it gets a season 2

After Life - what a lovely show :heart:

Abbott Elemantary - Another brilliant comedy :heart:

Love Victor - Season 3 was a bit meh and it seemed they were told halfway it was gonna be ended after season 3

Derry Girls - what a lovely show. absolutely adored it

Bridgerton- Fantastic show but Jonathan Bailey is mine so hands off Josh x

Only Murders In The Building - Jay told me to watch it and im glad i did another great show only seen series 1 but will start season 2 at some point.

Seeing some great shows on here already, i was meant to start Blockbuster but decided not to watch cause it was cancelled. the shows i did see were:

Greys Anatomy - I do think i quit now, now meredith has gone

Doctor Who - excited for the new RTD era

The Watcher - loved it , i wonder if it gets a season 2

After Life - what a lovely show :heart:

Abbott Elemantary - Another brilliant comedy :heart:

Love Victor - Season 3 was a bit meh and it seemed they were told halfway it was gonna be ended after season 3

Derry Girls - what a lovely show. absolutely adored it

Bridgerton- Fantastic show but Jonathan Bailey is mine so hands off Josh x

Only Murders In The Building - Jay told me to watch it and im glad i did another great show only seen series 1 but will start season 2 at some point.

Thank you for your thoughts Maz!!

 

It's time to quit Grey's, isn't it? If the show isn't going to give up then it's about time we do, lmao.

 

You can have Colin!! I'll be keeping Anthony, thank you very much xx

 

You gotta catch up on OMITB series two soon too... do it for Selena!! x

15. The Boys (Amazon Prime)
Series 3

I love The Boys for giving us some more grown-up content in comparison to the family affair that is the MCU/DC. It fills in that same sort of slot to the Deadpool movies which are totally refreshing in that regard. I do think that The Boys peaks when it throws itself into taking the micky and isn't afraid to offend. For me, I laughed the most during the Gal Gadot singing 'Imagine' gag and the Kendall Jenner Pepsi parody too.
 
Another strong season for The Boys as it balances humour with gritty action with ease. I liked the introduction of temporary Compound V and seeing Hughie and Butcher power up. I'll never say no to seeing Jack Quaid with less clothes on either tbh. Starlight levelled up in a big way too and it was awesome to see her stand up for herself. I hope she's not too in danger of being killed off at the end though because she's my favourite character.
 
Homelander just gets scarier and scarier. Knowing now that he has fans who don't mind him lasering someone's face off in broad daylight in that season finale makes him beyond dangerous. Let's see how things go in Season 4 - bring it on!



14. Monster: A Dahmer Story (Netflix)
Limited Series

I am in two minds about this as personally I did enjoy it as a piece of television but can also side with the families of the victims have spoken out about it. It did have a tendendency to focus on certain victims as more important ones and disregard some victims completely. Each one of these lives lost was major and would've all been treated with equal dignity if touched on justly. Instead, this prioritises being a piece of entertainment and gives more attention to what will pull on your heartstrings.
 
Of course, the story of Dahmer has been told for decades now but this is the first in-depth re-telling that I've watched or read myself so I was very intrigued by the plot itself. It was a tough watch at times, especially episodes 5 and 6 where he's introduced to Tony. The scenes with the 14 year old boy were hard to sit through too, knowing the negligence of the police cost more lives in the future. It reminded me of an American 'Four Lives' but on an even worse scale.
 
We know Evan Peters can play a good creep but he disappeared into this role. The hair/make-up department did very well capturing his look but the rest is testament to Peters. Niecy Nash also shone in a very emotional role which impressed me as I've only seen her in Scream Queens before.
 
I'm glad I watched this as it was intriguing learning about the ins and outs of Dahmer's crimes for the first time. It is marketed as a piece of entertainment though and really should've handled each victim with more respect.



13. Uncoupled (Netflix)
Series 1

I'm always happy to tune into a gay comedy-drama and this was no exception. Plenty charming and comedic with some loveable characters too. There were a few cliche characters too (mainly Neil Patrick Harris' two gay besties) but they weren't prominent enough to ruin the show.
 
My highlights were NPH in the lead role who was just so sweet, bless him. He has a very expressive face too which made me feel so sad for him with his evil ex-husband dropping him over text for no good reason. I loved his colleague too and their three-way relationship with Marcia Gay Harden. She was hilarious, lmao. I think her calling her ex 'Jabba the Husband' was my largest chuckle all season.
 
It gave me similar vibes to 'Bonding' and 'Special' on Netflix from the past couple of years. Here's hoping like those two that this does get a second season. That cliffhanger ending was just too good! Who was waiting in the restaurant? Will NPH take him back? I want answers.



12. The Dropout (Disney+)
Limited Series

This is the sort of show where you know a bit about the story beforehand but it still manages to be 10 times more insane when you see it play out. I was absolutely gobsmacked watching this week on week as Holmes and Balwani made more unethical decisions and deceived so many stakeholders and innocent patients. And nobody was safe from their constant gameplay. The fact they even turned on each other in the final episode and had both covered their own backs without thinking they’d done anything really bad. Total madness?!

I can’t comment on this miniseries without praising Amanda Seyfried’s transformative performance. I’ve always liked her as an actress but this is one of the first times that we’ve seen her do something different with the way she acts (and most importantly perhaps, speaks). The way she practiced the Elizabeth Holmes voice in the mirror was the first moment we realise her public persona is all an act. That final scene of her screaming waiting for an Uber and then turning on her smile as she hops in sums her up pretty well.

It’s just bonkers to think Theranos were allowed to operate as long as they did, and had secured funding for it all. But then Holmes was so endearing as a CEO and clever with the way she orchestrated it all that you can see how it happened. It almost feels too insane to be true if we didn’t know otherwise. (I’m high-key in love with Dylan Minnette too so this gets props for having him featured).



11. Peacemaker (Sky / Now TV)
Series 1

I’ll never forgive the DCEU for making us wait so long in the UK to watch this. One of my favourite things about watching TV shows is the weekly drop and sharing reactions online but unfortunately we missed out on that with Peacemaker. Thankfully it dropped in one go so I could quickly binge it before the drop of Bridgerton’s season two but I felt like I didn’t get to enjoy a big superhero TV show rollout with this one like I do with the Disney+ MCU shows.
 
The show itself though was oodles of fun. The Suicide Squad was a huge return to the form for the DCEU and Peacemaker was probably my cast highlight even though I’d never heard of the character before. Cena has turned into a really reliable comedic star (I loved him in Daddy’s Home too) since retiring from wrestling and this show really played on that. His back-and-forth juvenile humour with his co-stars was without doubt the best thing about this show. I would’ve happily just watched the cast riff off each other with no action at all and still had a good time, haha.

Plot wise, I enjoyed the concept of the butterflies a lot once we actually got to know what they were about. I couldn’t believe when Murn was revealed as one himself and it did a great job of leaving us on cliffhangers so I’d click play on the next episode right away. The Justice League showing up late was a fun gag too and it’s the sort of movie universe joys that I love when we can see how everything is interconnected.
 
Vigilante and Peacemaker were a brill duo and constantly matched each other’s energy which was a delight to watch. The hardest I laughed in the show was when Vigilante was first unmasked and keeps changing up his facial expression so he can’t be recognised by anyone, haha. The absolute best duo has to be Peacemaker and Eagly though. Who knew a pet eagle could be so adorable but even I want one now! It’s that sort of outlandish insanity that made the Suicide Squad film so much bonkers fun with a Godzilla-esque starfish terrorising the streets. I can’t wait for a season two of this and seeing more of that perfect mix of teenage humour and nuts villains. I just hope the UK rollout is better next time around…

Re-cap
11. Peacemaker (S1)
12. The Dropout
13. Uncoupled
14. Monster: A Dahmer Story
15. The Boys (S3)
16. Only Murders in the Building (S2)
17. Bridgerton (S2)
18. The Tourist (S1)
19. Derry Girls (S3)
20. American Horror Story: NYC (S11)
21. Love, Victor (S3)
22. Abbott Elementary (S1)
23. After Life (S3)
24. The Watcher
25. The Gilded Age
26. Anne
27. Wednesday
28. Ms. Marvel
29. Pam & Tommy
30. The Book of Boba Fett
31. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (S3)
32. The Umbrella Academy (S3)
33. Under the Banner of Heaven
34. Doctor Who (Specials)
35. Moon Knight (S1)
36. Andor (S1)
37. Grey's Anatomy (S18 & S19)
38. Four Lives
39. Blockbuster
40. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (S1)

I still need to see Boys (remember me that i need to do)

I have seen 2 eps of Dahmer but was so grossed out i couldnt watch the rest oop.

I still need to see Boys (remember me that i need to do)

I have seen 2 eps of Dahmer but was so grossed out i couldnt watch the rest oop.

Yeah, Dahmer was a tough watch, but certainly an interesting one. Horrible stuff though and hits 10x harder being gay yourself, gah.

 

Thank you Maz x

10. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+)
Limited Series

What a total nostalgia fix. The prequels were probably the thing I loved most during childhood so to revisit so many characters and find out what bridged the gap between Episodes III and IV just made me feel all warm inside. Ewan McGregor was born to play Obi-Wan Kenobi and he slotted right back into the role with style. He was by far the highlight because the less said the better about the annoying child actor who portrayed Leia.

Order 66 gets me every time so seeing a new perspective in the opening scene grabbed me right from the hook. Anakin was so cold-blooded in that moment but he gave us a great character in Reva who turned out to be quite the anti-hero. She had one of the coolest weapons we’ve seen yet in Star Wars too - she was the breakout star of the series for me.

The action overall was really strong and we got plenty of lightsaber action which was glorious as that is always my highlight of any SW films or television show. Darth Vader was totally brutal on numerous occasions and Disney have done a great job establishing him as a total threat. Watching him pull Obi-Wan through hot coals and set him on fire using the force was bad enough but then burying him alive below hundreds of rocks… savage! And then when he used the force to pull down that entire starship and pulls the doors right off their hinges. Only for Obi-Wan to outsmart him and fly off. It was just brilliant. Their interactions were what made the show so great.

There were a few silly bits which felt a bit childish. A lot of Leia’s scenes were irritating and fell into place a bit too easy. I couldn’t believe how long they got away with being hidden whilst she was just under Obi-Wan’s cloak in the middle of hundreds of stormtroopers?! They’d be noticed instantly! Definitely could’ve done with less of her, lol.



09. Euphoria (Sky / Now TV)
Series 2

I would do anything to go back to earlier this year when Euphoria Twitter would blow up every Monday when a new episode dropped. I enjoyed season one when it aired but I was worried it’d had been too long a wait for season two by the time it finally arrived. I was wrong though as I was able to dive back in straight away and enjoyed it even more alongside so many weekly memes and discussions online.

Whilst season one was certainly Rue’s and Jules’ story, the love triangle of Nate, Cassie and Maddy was the show stopper in this season. Watching that betrayal unfurl and just knowing that shit would hit the fan when it went public was like a season long edging session that paid off big time. This season was the moment I became fully obsessed with Sydney Sweeney’s Cassie who just looked so gorgeous constantly and gave us so many iconic face reactions.

There was still really strong material focusing on Rue’s addiction and especially how it was affecting her family life. Her mum and Gia had some real standout moments where you could tell their heart was breaking at the constant relapses. The family drama between Nate and Cal was juicy too. Nate really turned up the ante on the psycho in this season… especially in any scene where he had that pistol!

And it wouldn’t be a discussion about season two without mentioning Lexi’s play. I thought it was a really fun way to close a season, and re-cap some of the best parts of the show whilst also creating a catalyst for things to really kick off. Nate’s homoerotic musical number is one for the ages.

Bring on Season three and don’t make me wait so long next time please.



08. Severance (Apple TV+)
Series 1

It’s not all that often that a really unique concept comes along and completely wraps you up as a viewer but that’s what Severance managed by the end of its first episode. The idea of our having our minds at home split from our minds in the workplace was enough to get me hooked and whirring through the possibilities of where this show could go. Even then, it managed to surprise us week after week with its twists, turns and reveals and things seemed to not quite add up.

Apple TV are already making themselves known for excellent production values too. Everything about this was so glossy and crisp from the Lumon headquarters to the cinematography. It felt gorgeous to just sit back and watch, regardless of the juicy plot. This was just a brilliant watch from start to finish. It had a sense of humour to it with this underlying unease and then it all added to an explosive finish.

I didn’t think it’d get more shocking that Helly’s attempted suicide in episode 4 but then they somehow managed to go even further and have outie Helly film a video for her innie telling her to sort her shit out, haha - it was just insane! And then that final episode was perfectly written by providing us answers for so many questions and yet setting up new things knowing that we’d be dying for more after that cliffhanger ending. Adam Scott is brilliant in this but it’s really all about Britt Lower as Helly for me. My mouth was agape at the twist that her outie works for Lumon as a founder all this time. I mean, what the fuuuuck?!?

Bring us season two and answer all my new questions! I have so many.



07. The Crown (Netflix)
Series 5

I've always enjoyed The Crown for giving us an insight into the last 70 years of Royal life and telling some lesser known stories from British history. I'm enjoying it just as much though now that we're getting closer and closer to the stories we all know from recent history. The whole Diana vs Charles debacle has been an intriguing watch and they've still shone the light on lesser known stories like Sydney Johnson and Margaret's reunion with her old flame.
 
I love the revolving cast and always think they jump in at the right time to breathe a new lease of life into the show. Elizabeth Debicki is JUST what this show needed and I think she'll rightfully go down as THE portrayal of Diana. I found Emma Corrin's Diana insufferable but this time round, she was the best character in the show. They did make her a bit of a bitch at times but it was fun to watch. I cackled at her repeatedly voting no to the monarchy on the telly polls.
 
Imelda Staunton jumped into the lead role well and I thought she did a strong job with the quiet emotion behind the Queen's eyes. It sounds silly but even I was touched a bit by her affinity for the royal yacht and watching it be decommissioned. Definitely should've pulled out some dosh from her own back pocket though...
 
Philip and Margaret were total side characters this time but it was nice to see them pop up in a few scenes. I actually think Manville had my favourite monologue of the season where she's reminding the Queen of how she wasn't allowed to marry who she wanted like Anne is now. I hope she gets a good send-off in the final season because Margaret has by far been the best thing about the entirety of The Crown.
 
But yeah, The Crown just keeps on giving high-brow entertainment with excellent performances and I continue to be impressed. I'm gutted to have this ending in a year's time because there's soooo much opportunity for further scandalous stories but maybe we'll get an extension/reboot in years when the dust is settled a bit. I need to see Andrew’s Pizza Express gate and Harry and Megan vs the monarchy. It's what we deserve!!



06. House of the Dragon (Sky / Now TV)
Series 1

I already feel like one of the few people in the world to have never seen Game of Thrones, and then probably the only person to have then watched House of the Dragon with no experience of R. R. Martin's fictional world. I got my boyfriend to explain the important parts though and decided to dive right in with this prequel as I'm a fan of Matt Smith. Little did I know that it'd turn out to be one of my favourite shows of the year.
 
I did find the beginning a little hard to follow at times with the time-jumps and cast changes, but I was absolutely hooked once the sides had been established around halfway through the season. I will say though that the re-casting of Milly Alcock was a huge shame and I felt like she was gone too soon. Surely she's going to be a huge star off the back of this. On the other hand, Olivia Cooke's arrival as Alicent felt really refreshing for a rather boring character up until then. Another one that I hope their star continues to rise.
 
Matt Smith's Daemon was my favourite character for his sheer arrogance and hunger for power. I was gobsmacked when he killed his wife (at the time) after telling everyone she was hideous. I feel like no deed is too evil for Daemon and there'll be nothing that can get in his way from what he wants. It makes him an excitingly dangerous character. It seems as though Aemond could be the Daemon of the opposing side too so I'd like to see them showdown in the future.
 
There's just something so epic about this season where you felt like you were watching proper event television as a viewer. I never wanted to have plans on a Monday for fear of us missing out on the chatter or seeing spoilers. And that final 15 minutes or so with the accidental death of Lucerys was just insane. Season two is about to go full pedal to the metal on war and I can't wait. I'll have to get round to Game of Thrones in the interim period so I can be properly in on all the references.

Re-cap
06. House of the Dragon
07. The Crown (S5)
08. Severance
09. Euphoria (S2)
10. Obi-Wan Kenobi
11. Peacemaker (S1)
12. The Dropout
13. Uncoupled
14. Monster: A Dahmer Story
15. The Boys (S3)
16. Only Murders in the Building (S2)
17. Bridgerton (S2)
18. The Tourist (S1)
19. Derry Girls (S3)
20. American Horror Story: NYC (S11)
21. Love, Victor (S3)
22. Abbott Elementary (S1)
23. After Life (S3)
24. The Watcher
25. The Gilded Age
26. Anne
27. Wednesday
28. Ms. Marvel
29. Pam & Tommy
30. The Book of Boba Fett
31. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (S3)
32. The Umbrella Academy (S3)
33. Under the Banner of Heaven
34. Doctor Who (Specials)
35. Moon Knight (S1)
36. Andor (S1)
37. Grey's Anatomy (S18 & S19)
38. Four Lives
39. Blockbuster
40. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (S1)

Euphoria and The Crown are both in the top 5 shows of 2022 for me , sincerly hope they make a extra season of The Crown to round of the story and work up to the Queens death in 2022.

Euphoria and The Crown are both in the top 5 shows of 2022 for me , sincerly hope they make a extra season of The Crown to round of the story and work up to the Queens death in 2022.

Like I say, it's what we deserve!!

05. Heartstopper (Netflix)
Series 1

This one completely took me by surprise! On launch day, I was only mildly interested but by the end of the day I’d completed the whole season, haha. I wasn’t expecting it to grab me so but Nick & Charlie’s love story was just so lush that I was dying to see how much cuter they’d grow to be. It was nice to see an LGBTQ+ story told from a happy viewpoint rather than all the struggles and bullying etc. that is normally covered. Sure, there were some horrible characters doing some horrible things to our leading men but they were so supportive of one another, and just so interested in getting to know one another that the whole show had such a happy vibe and that’s what us gays deserve for once!
 
Everything about this just felt like such a warm hug and there were so many little touches that I thought really added to it. I adored the cartoon etchings (the leaves, sparks, hearts and so on) that made some key moments really pop on screen. The soundtrack was perfect too and took me back to being a little closeted teen myself listening to Soak and Shura. The songs from Baby Queen worked too and I was lucky enough to see her live two days later performing some of the songs. Those were two things that massively stood out to me that gave it the edge over other shows that have appeared lower on the list. It was Britain’s answer to Love, Victor and I’m just as obsessed as I am with that.
 
The best part of this was undoubtedly the friendship between Nick and Charlie that slowly became more. Seeing them interact with one another on the show and disregard all the toxicity from others was just so heart-warming. There were little moments where I was getting butterflies myself watching it as a grown man, lmao. And seeing Nick’s growth to the point where comes out to none other than Olivia Colman!! We all want to be received like that by our loved ones, and I think that’s the one scene that has stuck with me since too. I can’t wait to step into this world and I hope it continues to focus on their developing relationship and discovery together rather than get bogged down in teen drama. Side note, Tao was insufferable though and knocks off some points. Elle can do so much better than that, she’s fierce and he’s whiny af.



04. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Disney+)
Series 1

I feel like this show has been pretty divisive online but I pretty much loved everything about it. The MCU has been feeling a bit downhill for me in the last couple years and this really injected some new life into it for me. It just leaves me dying to see more She-Hulk again before long rather than the likes of Moon Knight or Jane Foster.

My favourite thing about it was the humour which landed for me more than comedy normally does. I like the odd quip we have in the MCU but this was creative with its 4th wall breaking and MCU references that felt like proper treats for fans. I also enjoyed Jameela Jamil but I did think she was shamefully under-utilised. I thought she’d be a bigger part of the finale at least but then Jen Walters came in and rewrote the story, lmao.

The Daredevil comeback was so exciting too. And the fact they slept together! The MCUs hottest couple for sure. Charlie Cox is just perfect for the role and you can tell he loves doing it so I’m so glad he’s back. I’d love She-Hulk to return the favour and appear in his upcoming show if that’s possible.

I will say that I thought the show lost a bit of steam in the middle. The wedding episode and the wellness retreat episode seemed like unnecessary detours so far through the season when I was hoping to see a bit more that would actually further the plot. I wouldn’t have minded if we got more episodes but 9 isn’t many, especially when they’re 30 mins long at most. It was a shame an hour was wasted on those scenes when they weren’t as fun or as interesting as the other episodes.

I’ll finish by saying that this feels like the first MCU show that genuinely feels like it could run for multiple seasons like network TV used to. I’d love to see Jen work through superhero cases season by season in a legal dramedy kind of format. The more cameos they get would be awesome too. I think Megan Thee Stallion was probably in my top three MCU moments this year, lmao.



03. Yellowjackets (Sky / Now TV)
Series 1

I thought I’d just give this a spin after I’d seen a bit of chat about it online, and I was excited to see more from Jasmin Savoy Brown after her breakout role in this year’s Scream movie. However, I was not expecting to be as HOOKED as I was from episode one. I ended up binging the season in a few days and then I’ve been absolutely dying of anticipation for the upcoming season 2 ever since. Season 2 is going to be older Taissa’s season, I can just sense it! It just had everything I want from a drama. Loveable characters, jaw-dropping moments, so much mystery. I couldn’t wait to start the next episode after the last finished.

I love that it was so well-crafted that we’d always be drip-fed something useful or some sort of clue in each episode as to what might be happening. The simultaneous storylines of past & present really had your mind stirring as a viewer too wondering why certain characters weren’t appearing as adults or where they might be.

I think the most shocking moments came with Van’s wolf mauling, and Laura Lee’s exploding plane death. My mouth was literally over my mouth at both of these moments. Especially because Van was my favourite character and I was really rooting for her. I knew it was coming of course, but Jackie’s death was really touching too. I felt awful for her… she was a bitch at times but she displayed some real moments of kindness at times and then not one girl looked out for her in return.



02. Big Boys (Channel 4)
Series 1

What a lovely surprise! I’d not really given this much of a second thought when I saw it advertised during Derry Girls but the Twitter-sphere started to really rally behind this so I thought I had to give it a go. And then it was just impossible to put down. So charming, so funny, so full of references just made for me as a 21st century gay and here it lies higher than Derry Girls in the final countdown :o

It totally reminded me of my own university experience at times being thrust into this big gay world after arriving closeted, haha. I think we’d all say we wished we had a Danny who would be so understanding and supportive. It’s not often you see a straight character in a show like this be so normal, never mind one based on a real life person and that relationship is what made the show so special. To the point where you felt so bad for Danny and his mental health struggles in the last few episodes and didn’t mind the break away from the jokes.

I can’t write about this without mentioning the iconic JACKIE TYLER playing Jack’s mum though. She brought all the humour from that character and brought it straight back 15 years later which felt like a little nostalgia filled hug. I was a little worried about how she’d react in the coming out scene but making predictions like it’s The Xtra Factor was more perfect than I could’ve ever imagined, haha. I’ll be sure to check out anything else in the future written by Jack Rooke… he has gay culture down to a T.



01. The White Lotus (Sky / Now TV)
Series 2

Despite so many plots going on at once, the script expertly juggles each character and reveals a little more secret about each one as the episodes go on. Every character in The white Lotus has something to hide and it's the tension and slow reveal that makes you want to tune in as soon as possible. It was horrible having to wait to finish work on a Monday to catch this knowing Twitter will have been all over it throughout the day.
 
I think my favourite subplot was the two couples and the adultery accusations being thrown about between them. Aubrey Plaza did what she does best and gave us plenty of deadpan humour which landed like comedic genius every time without fail. Will Sharpe’s character made me chuckle too with his overly paranoid character arc. I enjoyed seeing him do plenty exercise too.
 
The two Italian local girls and Tanya's debacle with the gays/Mafia were almost as brilliant stories though and you never mind being taken away from one story to focus on another. That's something that happens in a lot of ensemble movies/shows where you naturally enjoy watching certain characters less. None of that in The White Lotus though. Every story is just so good!
 
I can't wait to see rumours about who's going to be cast in season three. This show just keeps getting better and better so there's no reason to expect that won't continue, eeeeeeeee!!! Hopefully more eye candy too after we had Will Sharpe, Theo James, Leo Woodall and Adam DiMarco this season!

Re-cap
01. The White Lotus (S2)
02. Big Boys (S1)
03. Yellowjackets (S1)
04. She-Hulk: Attorney At Law (S1)
05. Heartstopper (S1)
06. House of the Dragon
07. The Crown (S5)
08. Severance
09. Euphoria (S2)
10. Obi-Wan Kenobi
11. Peacemaker (S1)
12. The Dropout
13. Uncoupled
14. Monster: A Dahmer Story
15. The Boys (S3)
16. Only Murders in the Building (S2)
17. Bridgerton (S2)
18. The Tourist (S1)
19. Derry Girls (S3)
20. American Horror Story: NYC (S11)
21. Love, Victor (S3)
22. Abbott Elementary (S1)
23. After Life (S3)
24. The Watcher
25. The Gilded Age
26. Anne
27. Wednesday
28. Ms. Marvel
29. Pam & Tommy
30. The Book of Boba Fett
31. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (S3)
32. The Umbrella Academy (S3)
33. Under the Banner of Heaven
34. Doctor Who (Specials)
35. Moon Knight (S1)
36. Andor (S1)
37. Grey's Anatomy (S18 & S19)
38. Four Lives
39. Blockbuster
40. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (S1)

Severence, Big Boys and the Dropout all favs of mine!

Glad to see Heartstopper in your Top 5! :wub: "Warm hug" really is the perfect description for the series. It felt good to watch a LGBTQ+ series that is uplifting, refreshingly so. I imagine if I'd seen it as a teenager I would have felt so much better about myself back then. Roll on Season 2!

 

Yellowjackets!! Amazing to see it so high up your count down. :cheeseblock: What a wild ride of a first season, I was completely hooked. I'm glad the network that airs it has so much faith in it that there's already a confirmed third season. I can't wait to see how it all plays out.

 

:heart: Big Boys was so funny and touching in equal measure, it's a really special show. The references were everything. :lol: If only there were more straight allies like Danny!

 

I haven't seen any of The White Lotus but it's very high up my list of things to watch, somehow I've avoided spoilers even though I've noticed lots of praise for it!

 

 

Really enjoyed your count down, lots of great taste shown of course :cool: xx