Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Series 2022

Critics Consensus: Covering an era of tenuous peace with ferocious -- albeit abbreviated -- focus, House of the Dragon is an impressive prequel that exemplifies the court intrigue that distinguished its predecessor.

Starring: Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke

Critics Consensus: A gritty adventure told from the ground perspective of the Empire's reign, Andor is an exceptionally mature and political entry into the Star Wars mythos -- and one of the best yet.

Starring: Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgård, Genevieve O'Reilly, Forest Whitaker

Critics Consensus: Strange New Worlds treks across familiar territory to refreshing effect, its episodic structure and soulful cast recapturing the sense of boundless discovery that defined the franchise's roots.

Starring: Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Babs Olusanmokun

Critics Consensus: Audacious, mysterious, and bringing fresh insight into the perils of corporate drudgery, Severance is the complete package.

Starring: Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Patricia Arquette, Zach Cherry

Critics Consensus: Station Eleven rewards patient viewers with an insightful and thematically rich assertion that -- even in the post-apocalypse -- the show must go on.

Starring: Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel, Daniel Zovatto, David Wilmot

Critics Consensus: Not all of Russian Doll's gambles pay off in this ambitious and thrillingly audacious second season, but the show's willingness to take risks is often its own reward.

Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Charlie Barnett, Greta Lee, Annie Murphy

Critics Consensus: It may not yet be the One Show to Rule Them All, but The Rings of Power enchants with its opulent presentation and deeply-felt rendering of Middle Earth.

Starring: Morfydd Clark, Robert Aramayo, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Owain Arthur

Critics Consensus: For All Mankind's third season goes as far as Mars while maintaining a homey focus on its original ensemble, delivering another epic adventure with an intimate focus.

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Shantel VanSanten, Jodi Balfour, Sonya Walger

Critics Consensus: Folding together time-traveling wonder with a strong ensemble of youngsters who are as dimensional as origami, Paper Girls is an absolute blast to the future.

Starring: Camryn Jones, Riley Lai Nelet, Sofia Rosinsky, Fina Strazza

Critics Consensus: While it may hold few surprises for fans of the source material, The Sandman's first season satisfyingly adapts an allegedly unfilmable classic.

Starring: Tom Sturridge, Gwendoline Christie, Vivienne Acheampong, Boyd Holbrook