2022 TV shows: 22 shows you should see if you haven’t yet
With a seemingly never-ending number of streaming services and shows from which to choose, we’ve served up 22 of the best.
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With a seemingly never-ending number of streaming services and shows from which to choose, National Entertainment Writer Lisa Woolford serves up 22 of her favourites from 2022 on the off-chance they’ve passed you by.
THE BEAR
Disney+
The series follows young, award-winning New York chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Shameless’ Jeremy Allen White), who returns home to Chicago to run his brother’s sandwich business after his unexpected death. Michael (Jon Bernthal) left the shop, The Original Beef, to Carmy in his will – along with the rag-tag team that had been running the place. Set mostly in the kitchen of the sandwich shop, it’s a slow-burn, but the eight episode series has the perfect blend of unexpectedly funny moments, mixed in with compelling script as it explores grief, addiction, failure, family dynamics, burnout, and what it’s like to give up on your dreams. Bon appetit.
HEARTBREAK HIGH
Netflix
The original Heartbreak High defined what it meant to be a teenager in Australia in the ‘90s. It was bold, brave and way ahead of its time, with a super diverse cast who tackled big issues in between telling each other to “rack off”. This reboot had huge shoes to fill and thankfully it did that and more. We’re back at Hartley High following a new era of friendships – and fallings-out – tested by an “incest map” drawn on a school wall exposing the sexual relationships among students. It’s a mix of the edge of Euphoria, with the humour of Sex Education while still managing to nod back to the original. Plus there’s again a diverse cast of relatively new faces with a bright future ahead.
THE TWELVE
Foxtel
The most annoying thing about this production was that it only dropped an episode at a time – fortunately it’s all there now for you to binge in its entirety. It’s a gripping 10-episode courtroom drama focused on 12 ordinary Australians who are selected for jury duty in a controversial murder trial, in which a woman, Kate Lawson (the outstanding as always Kate Mulvaney), stands accused of killing her niece. Sam Neill is the defence lawyer, Marta Dusseldorp the prosecutor and a mix of well-known names, including Bollywood star Pallavi Sharda, Brooke Satchwell, Brendan Cowell, Jenni Baird, Matt Nable and fresh faces such as Ngali Shaw round out the huge cast – which had one of the biggest ensembles of any series produced in Australia.
BAD SISTERS
AppleTV+
It’s not often you’re cheering for the murderer, but Bad Sisters is a wickedly clever revenge fantasy that will see you doing just that. The 10-part series was written by and stars Sharon Horgan. It follows the story of the five Garvey sisters: Eva (Horgan), the eldest who became the stand-in mum after their parents died. Ursula, a nurse and mum-of-three, who’s having an affair with her photography teacher. Fierce and uncompromising Bibi (Sarah Greene), and whimsical baby of the family Becka (Eve Hewson). And then there’s Grace, the only sister who seems to be mourning the premature death of her husband – one of the most despicable TV characters of all time – John Paul (Claes Bang).
THE STAIRCASE
Binge
The Staircase – based on the 2004 French-produced documentary of the same name – is by no means an easy watch, but it’s been credited with changing the true crime genre forever. It tells the story of crime novelist Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), his wife the wealthy North Carolina business executive Kathleen, her untimely death at the bottom of the flight of stairs (let’s not talk about that scene, you know the one with Collette on the staircase …) and the subsequent arrest and conviction of Michael for her murder. Part of the success is every single actor is a standout in their roles. The other key – you’re still left wondering Did he? Or didn’t he? You be the judge.
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
Prime Video
Set in the same world as the much-loved 1992 Penny Marshall movie with Geena Davis, Madonna and Tom Hanks, the TV version follows a new group of characters in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that sprang up in the Midwest when the stock of athletic young men was depleted during World War II. Abbi Jacobson, Chante Adams, D’Arcy Carden and Nick Offerman are the stars, with a sprinkling of Rosie O’Donnell. This eight-episode series tells the stories the movie couldn’t, taking what was brilliant about the original and making it even better. A funny, warm and, at times, surprising watch.
EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT LOVE
Stan
Dolly Alderton’s memoir, Everything I Know About Love, was a runaway bestseller and this riotous show is a joyous – and poignant – adaptation. Full of huge nights out, empty bank accounts and awful first dates as four friends move into their first sharehouse in London in 2012. There’s Maggie (Emma Appleton) the main character loosely based on Alderton herself. And her childhood best friend Birdy (Bel Powley), plus Nell (Marli Siu) and Amara (Aliyah Odoffin). The hit-you-in-the-absolute-feels heart of the series is Maggie having to live life more independently when the perpetually-single Birdy finally gets a boyfriend and is not constantly available to her any more.
HEARTSTOPPER
Netflix
If Sex Education and Love, Simon had a baby, it would result in this heartwarming show. This boy-meets-boy tale, adapted from a romance comic book series, follows 14-year-old Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), who develops a crush on popular rugby player Nick (Kit Connor). The pair form a firm friendship which soon develops into something more. With quirky nods to its graphic novel origins, it’s a super sweet, coming-of-age story about best friends, first loves, and big heartbreaks. A perfect tonic for the harshness of the real world.
THIS IS GOING TO HURT
Binge
This is not your run-of-the-mill medical drama. Based on Adam McKay’s best-selling memoir of the same name, this gritty dramedy gives viewers an accurate, and somewhat scary sneak peek behind the curtain of Britain’s much-loved National Health Service. Set in 2006 in a busy obstetrics and gynaecology ward, the series follows junior doctors Adam (Ben Whishaw) and Shruti Acharya (Ambika Mod) as they juggle tricky patients, the worst bosses, medical emergencies on little to no sleep as they work seemingly never-ending shifts. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, and then rips your heart out in the next moment.
ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL
Netflix
The titular scandal centres on handsome British MP James Whitehouse (Rupert Friend). Whitehouse’s charmed life unravels as it’s revealed he’s been having an affair with his staffer, Olivia (Naomi Scott). If that’s not bad enough for his supportive wife, Sophie (Sienna Miller), things get worse when Olivia accuses Whitehouse of rape, and he must stand trial. Enter Kate Woodcroft (Michelle Dockery), the QC prosecutor, who appears to have secrets of her own.
The six-part series is a thrilling tale of consent and lies, mixed in with the right amount of soapy drama. The icing on the cake is ogling Miller’s outfits and their impossibly chic home.
HUNTED
10Play
Hunted was one of the surprise hits of the year, debuting as Australia’s No. 1 new show of 2022, and remained a runaway ratings success. Based on the wildly successful UK version, 18 ordinary Australians – or fugitives – with limited funds and resources had to devise ingenious ways to survive and remain undetected for 21 days. With a crack team of world-renowned experts including former AFP agent Dr David Craig, who led several high profile investigations including into the 2005 Bali bombings, and former British Intelligence officer Ben Owen, it really is the ultimate game of hide and seek.
INVENTING ANNA
Netflix
Given it was created by uber producer Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal), you just know you’re in for a good time. The series tells the (mostly) true story of Anna Delvey (Julia Garner), a Russian-born German woman who pretended to be a German heiress worth millions of dollars and infiltrated the city’s most elite social circles. In 2017, she was arrested for defrauding international banks, hotels, and even some of her closest friends. This follows Anna’s rise and fall plus the story of the journalist Jessica Pressler – fictionalised as Vivian Kent (Anna Chlumsky) – who broke the story.
THE DROPOUT
Disney+
This might be even more of a relevant watch now, given Elizabeth Holmes has just been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison. But quite apart from that news value, it’s worth tuning into see Amanda Seyfried give one of the standout performances of 2022 in this real-life Silicon Valley drama. She was rewarded with an Emmy for her portrayal, inhabiting the mannerisms and increasingly frayed morality of Holmes, whose medical start-up Theranos went from a multibillion-dollar company to scandal and criminal charges. Honestly, with each episode you’re constantly marvelling at Holmes and her increasing convoluted untruths.
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON
Foxtel/Binge
In good news – you don’t have to be a GoT fan to dive headfirst into this prequel. But if you are a fan (and yet somehow have not watched this) it will help you put the many disappointments of that concluding season behind you. Where the original series hinged on rival dynasties vying for control over the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, House of the Dragon is a largely one-family affair. This is sumptuous-looking TV again with an eye-watering $200m budget and it shows in the stunning costumes and set design.
FIVE BEDROOMS
Paramount Plus
Michael Lucas and Offspring partner-in-crime Christine Bartlett have created another masterpiece in this drama about five very different people who buy a house together. In this third series, we see the surrogate family – Liz (Stewart), Harry (Joseph), Ben (Stephen Peacocke), Heather (Doris Younane) and Ainslie (Katie Robertson) – settle into their new property and Evie’s nursery has been turned into a functioning B&B. There’s a bitter break-up for the house to navigate, an opportunity for one to become a parent and, finally, the first Five Bedrooms wedding. In good news, the fourth series has just wrapped filming and will screen next year.
COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS
Binge
This eight-episode series has dropped just in time to make the list. It’s the Aussie rom-com we’ve been waiting for, created, exec produced by and starring Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall. When Ashley (Dyer) decides to flash Gordon (Brammall), a complete stranger, as he’s driving, she has no idea he would in turn accidentally run over a dog – thrusting new responsibilities onto the pair. The comedy certainly has elements of real life from the couple, who met on set for TV show No Activity in 2016 and live in the US. If you’ve watched their antics on Instagram, you know they are hilariously entertaining.
BRIDGERTON
Netflix
When an uber-successful show heads into its second season, you always wonder if it will be anywhere near as good. Thankfully season two soared to great heights. It was somewhat different to the first outing – the enemies to lovers of Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) and Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) meant a little less raunch and more slow burning chemistry. However, there was probably a little more emotional depth with the romantic leads drawn together by shared burdens of grief, duty, and sacrifice, as their mutual attraction.
UPRIGHT
Foxtel
“Hey d. khead. Did you miss me?” Meg (Millie Alcock) says as she arrives unannounced at Lucky’s (Tim Minchin) door. And yes, yes, we did. It’s three years since the debut of this Australian road-trip romp. The odd couple reunite as wild child Meg barges back into the life of hard-living rock star Lucky. This time, they swap the desert for the rainforest on an epic mission to find Meg’s missing mum. Did we need a second instalment of the quirky dramedy? Not necessarily. But are we glad they did? That’d be an absolute yes.
THE SPLIT
Iview
The final season in this brilliant divorce drama is all about endings – good and bad. It begins with family lawyer Hannah Stern (Nicola Walker) and her barrister husband, Nathan (Stephen Mangan), contemplating their own divorce papers, and Hannah is clearly having second thoughts. Married for more than 20 years, they’ve had their trials including the first-season revelation Nathan had signed up to a dating app for married men and Hannah’s second-season affair with fellow lawyer, Christie (Barry Atsma). The mess extends to include Hannah’s sisters, Nina (Annabel Scholey) and Rose (Fiona Button), and their mother, Ruth (Deborah Findlay), a famed legal eagle who until recently ran her own firm. Fingers crossed hints of a spin off will come to fruition.
DEAD TO ME
Netflix
After two years of waiting, this third – and final – series picks back up with Jen (Christina Applegate) and Judy (Linda Cardellini), after their dramatic car crash in the season two finale. However, as the pair deal with the aftermath, both women receive shocking news set to change their lives. And be warned, you will need all of the tissues, it’s a tear-jerker throughout, culminating in a totally heartbreaking finale.
FISK
Iview
Dust off your brown suit and brew your cheapest coffee. Kitty Flanagan is back as probate lawyer Helen Tudor-Fisk in the hilarious, feel-good show she co-wrote and co-directed. Season two sees Tudor-Fisk moving up in the world of Gruber & Associates – and actually gets an office in this second instalment. As she settles in, Roz (Julia Zemiro) takes on a new venture and Ray (Marty Sheargold) needs Helen to up her game. As well as the incomparable key ensemble of Zemiro, Sheargold, and Aaron Chen, there’s a veritable who’s who of Aussie comedy in the guest stars. More than 20 comedians including Anne Edmonds, Geraldine Hickey, and Aunty Donna’s Broden Kelly and Rob Sitch will pop up for guest appearances.
DERRY GIRLS
Netflix
After three hilarious seasons, this winsome coming-of-age comedy about teenagers growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles has come to an end. And while it’s often difficult to wrap up a show, this was quite the marvellous ending. Season three sees the gang stressing about exams, grades, and the unknown future as they prepare to graduate from their Catholic high school. You’ll laugh so hard your stomach hurts, and probably shed a tear too. As our Derry Girls (and boy) wrestle with all the challenges of heading into adulthood. Look out for the guest appearance of Liam Neeson, Long live the Derry girls.
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Originally published as 2022 TV shows: 22 shows you should see if you haven’t yet
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