The 145 Best TV and Streaming Series of 2022 (cont.)

Critics Consensus: Our Flag Means Death's gentle sensibility doesn't quite strike comedic gold, but its bemusing band of buccaneers are endearing enough that viewers seeking a comforting watch will find bountiful booty.

Starring: Rhys Darby, Taika Waititi, Nathan Foad, Samson Kayo

Critics Consensus: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has seemingly run out of fresh material, but it continues to reward fans with expert delivery and snappy presentation.

Starring: Rachel Brosnahan, Michael Zegen, Alex Borstein, Tony Shalhoub

Critics Consensus: The honeymoon is over for Jessie and Tom's courtship as well as Starstruck's euphoric thrill, but Rose Matafeo's comedy still charms with observations about the ordinary challenges of sustaining extraordinary love.

Starring: Rose Matafeo, Nikesh Patel, Minnie Driver, Emma Sidi

Critics Consensus: The Staircase doesn't hold many surprises for those already intimate with the original documentary, but this dramatization brings a fresh perspective and texture to the mystery -- along with a terrific performance by Colin Firth.

Starring: Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Michael Stuhlbarg, Juliette Binoche

Critics Consensus: Reacher captures the trademark bulk of its titular hero while trading away some of his definition, but fans of the novels will find plenty to love about this faithful adaptation.

Starring: Alan Ritchson, Willa Fitzgerald, Malcolm Goodwin, Marc Bendavid

Critics Consensus: Whether she's fighting bad guys, defending a client, or managing her messy social life, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law passes the bar for bingeworthy viewing.

Starring: Tatiana Maslany, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Roth, Benedict Wong

Critics Consensus: Sarah Lancashire portrays Julia Child with infectious joie de vivre in this appetizing valentine to the iconic chef.

Starring: Sarah Lancashire, David Hyde Pierce, Brittany Bradford, Bebe Neuwirth

Critics Consensus: Horror maestro Guillermo del Toro lends his household name to a collection of spooky tales directed by genre veterans and promising newcomers -- with each curious trinket adding up to a treasure trove of gothic storytelling.

Starring: Guillermo del Toro, Ben Barnes, Peter Weller, Rupert Grint

Critics Consensus: A spiritual successor to The Wire with an even more pessimistic outlook on law enforcement, We Own This City deftly explores compromised individuals to paint an overall picture of systemic corruption.

Starring: Jon Bernthal, Wunmi Mosaku, Jamie Hector, McKinley Belcher III

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: Chloe can sometimes strain credulity, but Erin Doherty's excellent performance brings a human touch to this technological thriller.

Starring: Erin Doherty, Jack Farthing, Billy Howle, Pippa Bennett-Warner

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.

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

Critics Consensus: A League of Their Own puts some spin on its pitch, lobbing a serialized expansion that swerves dangerously close to anachronism but hits home thanks to a roster filled with all-stars and a field rich with possibilities.

Starring: Abbi Jacobson, Chanté Adams, D'Arcy Carden, Roberta Colindrez

Critics Consensus: John Cena's still in solid form in Peacemaker, leading a bloody good time that gives writer-director James Gunn full permission to let his freak flag fly.

Starring: John Cena, Steve Agee, Jennifer Holland, Danielle Brooks

Critics Consensus: Blessed with Suranne Jones' exquisite performance and some of the crispest dialogue on television, Gentleman Jack remains a total ace.

Starring: Suranne Jones, Sophie Rundle, Lydia Leonard, Gemma Whelan

Critics Consensus: Like an addictive pop song, Girls5Eva is just as delightful the second time around, with its band of scrappy divas remaining one of the funniest ensembles on television.

Starring: Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Paula Pell, Busy Philipps

Critics Consensus: Ben Whishaw's live-wire performance of an exhausted doctor powers This is Going to Hurt, a smart drama full of humor and pain.

Starring: Ben Whishaw, Ambika Mod, Michele Austin, Alex Jennings

Critics Consensus: Catnip for cinephiles and a welcome spotlight for the spellbinding Alicia Vikander, Irma Vep is a worthwhile expansion of writer-director Olivier Assayas' cinematic opus.

Starring: Alicia Vikander, Vincent Macaigne, Jeanne Balibar, Devon Ross

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.

Starring: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas

Critics Consensus: Ably anchored by Harold Perrineau, From is an intriguing journey toward a mysterious destination.

Starring: Harold Perrineau, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Eion Bailey, Hannah Cheramy

Critics Consensus: Undone broadens out into a family affair in a gorgeously trippy continuation that's as heady as it is moving.

Starring: Rosa Salazar, Angelique Cabral, Bob Odenkirk, Constance Marie

Critics Consensus: Finessing complicated financial jargon into scathing repartee, Industry's stock is way up in this superlative sophomore season full of frustrated ambitions and tested loyalties.

Starring: Myha'la Herrold, Marisa Abela, Harry Lawtey, David Jonsson

Critics Consensus: Sweetly nostalgic without sacrificing substance, The Wonder Years captures the magic of the original while adding necessary nuance and context to its tale of Black life in America.

Starring: Don Cheadle, Elisha Williams, Dulé Hill, Saycon Sengbloh

Critics Consensus: Single Drunk Female's clear-eyed chronicle of the challenges of sobriety is a joy, thanks in part to some spiky satire and Sofia Black-D'elia's spirited star turn.

Starring: Sofia Black-D'Elia, Ally Sheedy, Rebecca Henderson, Sasha Compère

Critics Consensus: The Rehearsal gives Nathan Fielder carte blanche to take his absurdist comedy to the limit, which he pushes even further past with deadpan aplomb in what might be his most uncomfortably funny feat yet.

Starring: Nathan Fielder, Anna Lamadrid, Isaac Lamb, Gigi Burgdorf

Critics Consensus: Atlanta takes Paper Boi and his entourage out of Georgia, but this inspired third season proves that the more things change, the more they stay weird.

Starring: Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, Zazie Beetz

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: Evan Rachel Wood is fearless in Phoenix Rising, a harrowing exposé on abuse, tabloid complicity, and the long process of healing.

Starring: Evan Rachel Wood

Critics Consensus: Employing some risky stylistic flourishes that Andy Warhol himself might have approved of, these Diaries are a revelatory glimpse into the inner life of a purposefully unknowable artist.

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: 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.

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

Critics Consensus: Diabolical's animated shorts pack the same supersized punch as The Boys, transposing the original series' scabrous social commentary into a cartoonish medium that's just as much devilish fun -- and definitely not for kids.

Starring: Ben Schwartz, Chris Diamantopoulos, Asjha Cooper, Khary Payton

Critics Consensus: Whether you're a fan of stop-motion animation or just looking for something deeply, alluringly weird, The House will feel like home.

Critics Consensus: The rapport between Ophelia Lovibond and Jake Johnson is the irresistible centerfold of Minx, a bawdy and sharp comedy that merits a full-page spread.

Starring: Ophelia Lovibond, Jake Johnson, Idara Victor, Oscar Montoya

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.

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

Critics Consensus: Intricate yet intimate, Pachinko is a sweeping epic that captures the arc of history as well as the enduring bonds of family.

Starring: Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Min-Ho, Kim Min-ha, Soji Arai

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: Dennis Lehane's penchant for authentic grit is on full display in Blackbird, an absorbing prison drama distinguished by its moral complexity and elevated by an outstanding ensemble.

Starring: Taron Egerton, Ray Liotta, Greg Kinnear, Sepideh Moafi

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: Foregrounding its characters and namesake again after an anthological sojourn in Europe, Atlanta closes out in its sweet spot: funny, insightful, and weird as hell.

Starring: Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, Zazie Beetz

Critics Consensus: W. Kamau Bell deftly unpacks the Cosby scandal by allowing the conversation to be uncomfortable, yielding a robust examination of the disgraced entertainer and the culture that enabled him.

Starring: Gloria Allred, W. Kamau Bell, Lili Bernard, Todd Boyd

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.

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

Critics Consensus: Managing to up the ante on what was already one of television's most audacious satires, The Boys' third season is both bracingly visceral and wickedly smart.

Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty

Critics Consensus: Ms. Marvel is a genuinely fresh addition to the MCU -- both stylistically and substantively -- with Iman Vellani ably powering proceedings with her super-sized charisma.

Starring: Iman Vellani, Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah

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: With a playful tone and an expansive sweep that allows Anne Rice's gothic opus to mull like a chalice of blood, Interview with the Vampire puts a stake through concerns that this story couldn't be successfully resurrected.

Starring: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Bailey Bass, Eric Bogosian

Critics Consensus: Better Call Saul remains as masterfully in control as Jimmy McGill keeps insisting he is in this final season, where years of simmering storytelling come to a scintillating boil.

Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Michael Mando, Patrick Fabian

Critics Consensus: Issa Rae's razor-sharp sensibility is fully felt in Rap Sh!t, a raucous chronicle of female camaraderie and youthful ambition.

Starring: Aida Osman, KaMillion, Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell

Critics Consensus: Lizzo acquits herself splendidly as master of ceremonies in Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, a joyous reality competition that's equal parts fun and uplifting.

Starring: Lizzo, Tanisha Scott, Chawnta' Marie Van, Shirlene Quigley

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.

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

Critics Consensus: Spanning an epic runtime, George Carlin's American Dream is an exhaustive and revealing retrospective on the beloved comedian's career that ought to be mandatory viewing for standup fans.

Starring: Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Patton Oswalt, Stephen Colbert

Critics Consensus: The Responder is unrelentingly dark and inescapably absorbing, with Martin Freeman's hangdog performance carrying the drama.

Starring: Martin Freeman, Adelayo Adedayo, Warren Brown, MyAnna Buring

Critics Consensus: High School is as effervescent and sensitive as a Tegan and Sara album, delivering a highly specific coming of age comedy that rings with universal truth.

Starring: Railey Gilliland, Seazynn Gilliland, Cobie Smulders, Kyle Bornheimer

Critics Consensus: Bittersweet, funny as ever, and brimming with wisdom, Better Things's final sendoff is as good as it gets.

Starring: Pamela Adlon, Celia Imrie, Mikey Madison, Hannah Riley

Critics Consensus: The Serpent Queen dramatizes one of history's most infamous monarchs with a deft, sardonic touch, with Samantha Morton's commanding star turn likely to swallow viewers' attention whole.

Starring: Samantha Morton, Amrita Acharia, Barry Atsma, Enzo Cilenti

Critics Consensus: Parting is such sweet sorrow, but Derry Girls' final season promises to milk as many laughs as it can before viewers say a fond farewell to this lovable band of miscreants.

Starring: Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Ian McElhinney, Kathy Kiera Clarke

Critics Consensus: Who woulda thought? -- Harley Quinn graduates from a ribald spoof into one of the most heartening additions to the DC canon in a diabolically clever and emotionally textured third season.

Starring: Kaley Cuoco, Lake Bell, Alan Tudyk, Jim Rash

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

Starring: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas

Critics Consensus: Peaky Blinders' sixth season gracefully addresses the untimely passing of star Helen McCrory while setting the stage for a fitting climax to this epic saga of likable scalawags.

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Natasha O'Keeffe, Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle

Critics Consensus: The Kids in the Hall have become seasoned comedy veterans without missing a beat, delivering a fresh set of sketches that will delight longtime fans.

Starring: Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney

Critics Consensus: Led by a captivating Bridget Everett, Somebody Somewhere explores the human condition with tenderness, grace, and warmth.

Starring: Bridget Everett, Jeff Hiller, Mary Catherine Garrison, Danny McCarthy

Critics Consensus: Aside from turning this demonic household into Three Vampires and a Baby, What We Do in the Shadows doubles down on what it does best without drastically changing the formula -- and remains fang-tastic all the same.

Starring: Matt Berry, Kayvan Novak, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén

Critics Consensus: Marrying state of the art visual effects with equally immersive narration by David Attenborough, Prehistoric Planet wondrously brings viewers back to the age of dinosaurs.

Starring: David Attenborough

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.

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

Critics Consensus: Reservation Dogs has bittersweet bite in its sophomore season as it mines more difficult dilemmas than before with its spiky sense of humor, making for a piquant portrait of a community and a place.

Starring: D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Devery Jacobs, Paulina Alexis, Lane Factor

Critics Consensus: Frequently hilarious while possessing an absorbing sense of place, Mo is a thoughtful depiction of the immigrant experience that is light on its feet.

Starring: Mohammed Amer, Teresa Ruiz, Farah Bsieso, Omar Elba

Critics Consensus: Fluidly animated and intelligently scripted, The Legend of Vox Machina is an addictive treat for fans of Dungeons & Dragons-style RPGs.

Starring: Laura Bailey, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Liam O'Brien

Critics Consensus: The Last Movie Stars delivers the goods as a revealing retrospective of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward's romance, but director Ethan Hawke elevates this docuseries into a revelatory exploration of marriage and stardom.

Starring: Laura Linney, Melanie Griffith, Sam Rockwell, Billy Crudup

Critics Consensus: Hacks hits the road, but Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder remain very much at home with each other in a sterling sophomore season that finds novel ways to deepen the central pair's lovable friendship.

Starring: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Rose Abdoo

Critics Consensus: Dark secrets are a family affair in Bad Sisters, a riotously funny murder mystery that makes fine use of its gifted ensemble while exemplifying creator and star Sharon Horgan's penchant for salty warmth.

Starring: Sharon Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Claes Bang, Eva Birthistle

Critics Consensus: Bill Hader and company can take a well-deserved bow -- Barry makes its belated return to the screen without missing a step, retaining its edge as one of television's funniest and most unsettling offerings.

Starring: Bill Hader, Stephen Root, Henry Winkler, Sarah Goldberg

Critics Consensus: An inclusive romance told with striking sensitivity, Heartstopper is so effortlessly charming that viewers won't dare skip a beat.

Starring: Kit Connor, Joe Locke, William Gao, Yasmin Finney

Critics Consensus: Like an expertly confected sandwich, The Bear assembles a perfect melange of ingredients and stacks them for optimal satisfaction -- and thankfully keeps the crust-iness for extra flavor.

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Abby Elliott