Best Mystery & Thriller Series 2022

The winning combination of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez has struck again. The second season of Hulu comedy Only Murders in the Building has come out on top in our Mystery & Thriller Golden Tomato Awards category. Last year, the series won Best New Series and Best Comedy Series. Interestingly, Apple TV+ released both seasons of Slow Horses in 2022, and both made the top 10 in the genre.

The order reflects Tomatometer scores (as of December 31, 2022) after adjustment from our ranking formula, which compensates for variation in the number of reviews when comparing movies or TV shows.

Only Murders in the Building: Season 2

#1

Adjusted Score: 104631%

Critics Consensus: Only Murders in the Building gets a new lease on life with a knottier sophomore outing that retains the series' core charm and wit.

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Starring: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Amy Ryan

Directed By: Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Jamie Babbitt, Dan Fogelman

Dark Winds: Season 1

#2

Adjusted Score: 102572%

Critics Consensus: Zahn McClarnon is riveting as a coiled cop in Dark Winds, a solid procedural that derives much of its texture from an underrepresented cultural milieu.

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Starring: Zahn McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon, Jessica Matten, Deanna Allison

Directed By: Chris Eyre, George R.R. Martin, Graham Roland, Robert Redford

Slow Horses: Season 2

#3

Adjusted Score: 101579%

Critics Consensus: Slow Horses says neigh to the sophomore jinx with a second season that might be even better than its supremely addictive predecessor.

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Starring: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas

Directed By: Graham Yost, Jeremy Lovering, James Hawes, Will Smith

The Old Man: Season 1

#4

Adjusted Score: 102051%

Critics Consensus: The Old Man is just as intrepid and spiky -- and derivative -- as younger action heroes, with Jeff Bridges lending invaluable gravitas to this bone-crunching thriller.

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Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Lithgow, Amy Brenneman, Alia Shawkat

Directed By: Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz, Warren Littlefield, Robert Levine

The Tourist: Season 1

#5

Adjusted Score: 99670%

Critics Consensus: Jamie Dornan makes for a compelling guide through The Tourist, a beguiling drama that deepens its mystery with solid shocks and welcome moments of levity.

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Starring: Jamie Dornan, Danielle Macdonald, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson

Directed By: Daniel Nettheim, Chris Sweeney, Chris Aird, Chris Sweeney

Slow Horses: Season 1

#6

Adjusted Score: 99952%

Critics Consensus: Slow Horses refreshes the espionage genre by letting its band of snoops be bumbling, with Gary Oldman giving a masterclass in frumpy authority.

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Starring: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas

Directed By: Graham Yost, James Hawes, Will Smith, Douglas Urbanski

Sherwood: Season 1

#7

Adjusted Score: 101282%

Critics Consensus: A gripping mystery that draws immense power from its sterling cast and the specificity of its location, Sherwood is such a rich series that it makes the competition look all the poorer.

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Starring: David Morrissey, Lesley Manville, Joanne Froggatt, Kevin Doyle

Directed By: Lewis Arnold, Ben A. Williams, Lewis Arnold, James Graham

The White Lotus: Season 2

#8

Adjusted Score: 102424%

Critics Consensus: Swapping its tropical trappings for Euro chic while focusing primarily on the corrosive influence of carnal desire, The White Lotus remains a cookie full of arsenic that goes down smooth.

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Starring: F. Murray Abraham, Jennifer Coolidge, Adam DiMarco, Meghann Fahy

Directed By: Mike White, David Bernad, Nick Hall

The Afterparty: Season 1

#9

Adjusted Score: 95944%

Critics Consensus: The Afterparty sometimes strains to keep the jamboree of yuks going, but its ambitious melding of genres and extensive guest list of actors make for a worthwhile nightcap.

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Starring: Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, Zoe Chao, Ben Schwartz

Directed By: Christopher Miller, Phil Lord, Anthony King, Christopher Miller

The Resort: Season 1

#10

Adjusted Score: 91068%

Critics Consensus: The Resort teases more mysteries than it can satisfyingly pay off, but its likable cast and jaunty tone make for a compulsively watchable vacation.

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Starring: William Jackson Harper, Cristin Milioti, Nick Offerman, Skyler Gisondo

Directed By: Sam Esmail, Ariel Kleiman, Chad Hamilton, Rania Attieh