Just like every year, I like to take a look at all the time I’ve wasted spent watching TV last year.
Let’s start with some stats: 347 hours, a bit less than in 2020. No cinema again (thanks COVID). 36 different shows, 414 episodes.
Here is an overview of everything we’ve watched.
No surprises here: drama and science-fiction still stand out, and Netflix is still our most watched network.
Disney+ and Apple TV+ are also well represented. Disney+ mostly thanks to Marvel shows (Wandavision, The Falcon & The Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye), and Apple TV+ because I’ve been really happy with the quality of series produced by Apple since they launched their service.
All that said, even though we’ve again watched a lot of TV this year, I don’t think I’ll remember many of those shows. A lot of the things we watched were really just okay; we watched them because we started watching the series and felt like we had to watch it till the end. Out of everything we’ve watched, here is what I would really recommend you to watch.
Drama
The Crown (Netflix). We started binging it at the end of 2020, and really enjoyed it. Even though I knew nothing about the Royal Family, I really enjoyed the show.
This Is Us (NBC) . This remains one of my favorite dramas. The series will end this year. I’ve grown to love (and at times hate) pretty much all characters by now, I’ll miss that show when it ends. It is, after all, the definition of Drama!
The Good Fight (Paramount+). This show gets better every year, and often approaches current real world events (Trump, COVID) with an interesting dark humor, funny, sarcastic, sometimes absurd twist. I still recommend it!
Mare of Easttown (HBO). This show, starring Kate Winslet, reminded me of The Killing. It was dark, sad, and gave us a good look into the secrets of a small town unravelled as our protagonist investigates a murder.
Science Fiction
I won’t mention any of the Marvel shows below. They were all okay, but I’m getting bored with the Marvel shows and movies. I’ve probably watched too many of them. Marvel is trying a different recipe with some of the shows, a bit different from what we’re used to with the movies. Yet I think it often goes back to the same type of dialogs and easy quips so common to all the Marvel movies. I’d like to see something really different at this point.
For All Mankind (Apple TV+). I really enjoy this show. Good actors, good story, good dialogs, and an interesting setting. If you have not started watching it yet, give the first few episodes a try. Don’t check the trailer, let yourself be surprised by this show about space travel, the cold war, politics, and more.
See (Apple TV+). See was a good Apple TV+ show, starring Jason Momoa, with an original story and setting. Check the trailer, you may like it!
Sweet Tooth (Netflix). Another original story, with cute kid-animals. What’s not to like? :) Careful though, although the greenery and cuteness may seem appealing to young children at first, that show is definitely not for kids. It’s also yet another post-apocalyptic show.
Beforeigners (HBO). I don’t remember where I first heard about this show. Even though it’s an HBO show, it was shot for HBO Nordic and wasn’t available everywhere. It’s been renewed for a second season, and I’m now struggling again to figure out how to watch it!
This is a very original take on the “2 cops forced to work together” trope. In modern day Norway, people from different time periods (stone age, viking age, 19th century) suddenly start appearing. Fast forward a few years later, the show introduces us to the unlikely team of Viking + modern day troubled cop, having to solve murders and mysteries while showing how all those people from the past have integrated and changed society. Give it a try!
Comedy
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+). I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to include that one here. I had really enjoyed the first season, but the second season fell a bit flat for me. I’ll still mention it, because I must add at least one comedy on that list. My wife and I tried different comedies this year, hoping to find something light and funny, that would change our minds from all the mess out there in the real world. We didn’t really find anything great this year. If you have any recommendations, please send them my way!
That’s all for this year. Here is hoping for more great shows in 2022! The year is only starting, but I’ve already found 2 shows that will definitely be on my 2022 recap post: Severance (Apple TV+) and Station Eleven (HBO).
Send me your recommendations in the comments!