As 2022 comes to a close, we reflect on the best shows that have graced our screens and the brilliant minds responsible for them.
We have been spoiled with a wide range of genres and award-winning performances, clearly, the standard and the budget have been raised. The constant stream of top-tier tv shows that are churned out every year is a direct result of a demanding viewer base and a healthy rivalry between competing networks. But this year, only one TV network has separated itself from the pack and stands tall, a grade above the rest.
With a catalog filled with some of the greatest shows of all time, HBO has yet again magically conjured up a new batch of seriously good TV.
The Sopranos, The Wire, and Game of Thrones are just a few of the names that helped establish them as one of the most respected networks in the industry.
When HBO announces a new show, people pay attention. However, with that moniker comes a very high bar, an expectancy that every year the standards will not drop but improve. This can be a very hard balancing act but HBO has exceeded the audience’s expectations, yet again.
House of the Dragon
A spin-off of the original critically acclaimed series, Game of Thrones, we are thrust back into Westeros 200 years before the time of Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen.
We are given full insight into the history of the Targaryen family tree, as we follow the events that lead up to a full-blown civil war. HBO may have been lucky to have the rights to such a great story in its arsenal, but it is still a gigantic task to entice viewers who may still be scarred from the final season of Game of Thrones.
The first episode of the series was viewed by nearly ten million people, a record-breaking feat for a series premiere on HBO. It has powered on since its debut and has now finished as one of, if not the best show of 2022.
Euphoria
The second season of HBO’s teen drama was released at the start of the year and ran for a total of eight episodes. The show picked up where the first season left off, welcoming us back into the deeply emotional story without missing a beat.
Littered with substance abuse and classic rock, the critically acclaimed series started HBO’s year with a welcomed bang. The series maintains its unique originality and even adds to it with some creative tweaks, encapsulating everything that makes an HBO show special.
The series was so successful that it now ranks as HBO’s second-most-watched show ever, just behind Game of Thrones. With an average viewership of 16.3 million per episode, it is safe to say this was an unrivaled success for the network.
With quality TV shows being produced at an alarming rate, it is hard not to get excited about what next year may have in store. With new releases like the premiere season of The Last of Us just around the corner, it is hard to not see HBO at the top of the pile once again.
