From the premiere of original series across streaming services and cable television to the continued success of others, 2022 has been an exciting year for television. Its assortment of fresh faces, thrilling new stories, and heartbreaking moments have made some of these series a must-watch. Fortunately, Rotten Tomatoes has diligently rated the series throughout the year, keeping track of those most worth the view.
This year, the highest-rated series courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes are unanimously comedies and dramas. Despite their commonalities, the entries that top this year's list hail from four different streaming services: Hulu, Netflix, HBO, and Apple TV+. Thankfully, those atop the Rotten Tomatoes rankings this year have all been renewed for additional seasons, ensuring the viewing pleasure won't end just yet.
The Bear (100%)
Hulu's comedy-drama took the world by storm in 2022 following its summer premiere, as Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri have been highly praised for their performances in the Chicago-based series. The Bear quickly became one of the most streamed series of the summer, and its universal success earned it a swift renewal a few weeks after its premiere. Its comedic rhythm and painful reflections of real life created a well-balanced and engaging series whose buzz became difficult to ignore.
The Bear follows Carmy Berzatto (White), who returns to Chicago following the death of his older brother Michael (Jon Bernthal), to aid his failing restaurant. There, Carmy is introduced to a charming group of characters who are as frustrating for Carmy as they are witty. Together, they form a chaotic work environment that becomes virtually impossible for anyone to navigate.
Heartstopper (100%)
Adapted from the Alice Oseman graphic novel is Netflix's LGBTQ+ coming-of-age romantic comedy, Heartstopper. The charming show tells the story of Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor), who find themselves seated next to one another in class before sparks begin to fly. It quickly captured the hearts of its viewers.
Heartstopper became highly regarded not only for its charming narrative or its cast, but its pacing, representation of the LGBTQ+ community, and its treatment of budding young love. The overwhelmingly positive response to the series earned Heartstopper a triumphant second and third-season renewal with Netflix that is all but certified to find similar success.
Barry: Season 3 (100%)
The longest-running series to find itself in the top 5 of Rotten Tomatoes' rankings of 2022, is Bill Hader's Barry. Returning for its third season in 2022, the Emmy-winning series began to drift further away from its comedic label to deliver an emotionally grueling 8 episodes. Built around Barry Berkman (Hader), a hitman turned actor, the performances from Hader, Sarah Goldberg, Henry Winkler, Anthony Carrigan, and Stephen Root continue to lead the HBO series with promise.
Barry's flexibility to deliver moments of charming comedy and bone-chilling discoveries, create a fascinating viewing experience where viewers are rooting for the bad guys. It's one of the many things that makes the series so highly regarded, earning it a renewal for its final season.
Hacks: Season 2 (100%)
Last year, the debut season of Hacks ranked just one spot shy of the top spot on Rotten Tomatoes' top series of 2021 list, listed behind the triumphant premiere of Hulu's Only Murders in the Building. Hacks continues to receive a favorable rating on the Tomatometer and its viewers, finding itself awarded with a season 3 renewal with HBO Max.
The Emmy award-winning comedy series tracks Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) in their efforts to help one another through personal and occupational struggles. Of course, this doesn't occur without conflict. They are joined by Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins), who tries to help Deborah get her life back on track while balancing his own troubles. Among critics, the on-screen chemistry between Smart and Einbinder continues to be one of the highlights for Hacks, earning both actresses with Emmy nominations two years in a row.
Bad Sisters (100%)
The Irish Apple TV+ series has become admired for its comedic but thrilling tale of four sisters who become the focus of a life insurance investigation following one of their husband's deaths. Bad Sisters is told through flashes between the present day and life prior to John Paul's (Claes Bang) death. The five Garvey sisters, Eva (Sharon Horgan), Grace (Anne-Marie Duff), Ursula (Eve Birhistle), Bibi (Sarah Greene), and Becka (Eve Hewson), are each equipped with their own motives for wishing ill upon John Paul, creating an environment that's difficult to know who's telling the truth.
Following the reception of its debut season, the Apple TV+ series was renewed for a second season in early November. The series was adapted from an early 2010s Flemish series, Clan, by Dave Finkel and Brett Baer, who previously worked on comedy series including New Girl and 30 Rock, as well as Horgan, who stars as one of the Garvey sisters. Those that enjoyed the frequent absurdity of Desperate Housewives, or the darkly comedic but intense moments of Big Little Lies, will find much to value in Bad Sisters.
Other series favored by the Tomatometer in 2022 include The Last Movie Stars, The Legend of Vox Machina, Mo, Dark Winds, Somebody, Somewhere, and the final season of Peaky Blinders. Given the running success of 2022's top five, some of these titles may find themselves back at the top of the list in 2023.