The best Netflix shows in 2022
Online cinemas continue to develop rapidly, and the amount of interesting content on them is becoming more and more. In this article, we decided to talk about the best Netflix series to watch in 2022: horror, comedy, adventure, crime dramas and much more.
Stranger Things
One of the platform’s most popular and expensive series, it tells about the adventures of a group of friends in a provincial American city in the 1980s. The quiet life of the inhabitants is interrupted by a series of inexplicable disappearances of children, as well as the appearance of a mysterious girl with unusual abilities. Soon friends realize that they are faced with paranormal phenomena that threaten not only them, but the whole world.
With each season, Stranger Things grows in scope, the number of interesting characters grows, and the characters develop and face new challenges. The series has enough passing episodes, but in general, Netflix turned out to be a very high-quality show, full of pleasant surprises.
Arcane: League of Legends
One of the best, if not the best game adaptation of all time. The series was developed on the basis of the most popular MOBA League of Legends from Riot Games, however, it is absolutely not necessary to know the device of the game and its characters. Of course, fans will be a little more interested in watching the series because of the easter eggs and favorite characters, but the authors came up with their own story, and a very exciting one at that.
The events of the series unfold in two cities – a prosperous, utopian Piltover and seedy, dying Zaun. Both are part of the world of Runeterra, but there are many notable differences between them. Tensions are also rising between the districts due to the creation of Hextech technology, with which anyone can learn to control magical energy. The rivalry between the two cities leads to discord between the strata of the population, including between the closest people.
“Unbelievable” (Unbelievable)
A captivating detective thriller about a teenage girl, Marie, whose allegations of rape are found to be false. However, a few years later, two female detectives take on another similar case, who suspect that a serial rapist is operating in the country, carefully covering his tracks. The viewer will have to constantly doubt and wonder who is really right in this confusing story.
The series is partly based on a true story. The show is based on Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong’s The Incredible Story of Rape, for which they won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in 2016.
“Mindhunter” (Mindhunter)
One of the most interesting detective series of our time from director David Fincher, author of the cult films Fight Club, The Game and Seven. The main characters are special agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench, who work in the Behavioral Sciences Department of the FBI Academy in the 70s. In the course of their service, they come up with the idea of interrogating imprisoned serial killers, classifying their behavior and creating guidelines for solving criminal cases.
Like Unbelievable, Mindhunter is partly based on real events and tells about real people. Ford and Tench are real agents who once invented profiling. It is a psychological profiling technique used by law enforcement to identify suspects and establish links between crimes.
Matryoshka Life (Russian Doll)
Comedy drama about 36-year-old Nadia, who gets into a time loop on her birthday. All the events of the day are repeated over and over again, and even death does not allow her to escape the paradox. Every time Nadia dies and wakes up in the same place, it is not so easy to figure out the reasons for this time loop.
“Matryoshka Life” is a very dynamic, bright and funny series that can easily distract from pressing problems. Particularly good in the show is Natasha Lionni, who played the main character.
The Queen’s Gambit
A seven-episode dramatic mini-series based on the novel of the same name by Walter Tevis. In the center of the plot is Elizabeth Harmon, who, after the death of her mother, ends up in a Catholic orphanage. There, the girl meets an elderly janitor, whom she asks to teach her how to play chess. Growing up, Harmon is even more interested in the game and even decides to become the best player in the world.
The Queen’s Move is a series not only about chess, but also about strong hobbies, passions and even addictions. It also has a great cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Camp, Harry Melling and Thomas Sangster.
“Sex Education” (Sex Education)
British comedy-drama television series about the problems of students of the English town of Moordale. The protagonist is schoolboy Otis Milburn, who lives with his mother, a well-known specialist in sexology and relationship psychology. Working as a mom and meeting girlfriend Maeve inspires the guy to create his own training course, where he decides to share relationship advice.
In each season of the series, there are several storylines at once, and calling Otis the “main character” can only be a stretch: there are many characters, and each has its own problems. Due to the large number of characters, the show does not tire: in each episode, some new story awaits.
“Darkness” (Dark)
A German science fiction series that begins with the mysterious disappearance of two children. However, the story quickly twists, and in the center of the story are the mysteries of time travel, affecting several generations at once. It would be a crime to tell more about the plot: the creators turned out to be a very tricky and interesting story.
There are quite a lot of characters in “Darkness”, and due to the peculiarities of the plot, each of them has several versions. Therefore, watching the series with interruptions is difficult: it is easy to get confused in the characters, their relationships and family ties. So if you are still going to get acquainted with the show, then free up more free time.
“Squid Game” (Squid Game)
An unexpected hit by Netflix, which drew the attention of viewers to Korean series. In the center of the plot is Song Ki-hoon, an elderly and divorced man who is deep in debt. One day he learns that the ex-wife and her new husband are going to take his daughter to America, and the only way to stop it somehow is to find money. The hero decides to become a participant in the brutal survival games, where the winner will receive a huge prize – $ 40 million. There was nothing left – to get around 455 participants.
After the release, the show topped the Netflix top list in 90 countries at once, launched a wave of merch and brought almost a billion dollars to the online cinema. The director of the series, Hwang Dong-hyuk himself, explained its popularity this way: fans are attracted by the idea that desperate adults risk their lives to play children’s games. This makes it easy for viewers to focus on the problems of the characters rather than on a complex scenario.
The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor
Two similar horror series from the same author – Mike Flanagan. The plot of The Haunting of Hill House centers around an extended family who encounter supernatural occurrences as children. After that, nightmares continue to haunt them into adulthood. And The Haunting of Bly Manor tells the story of a wealthy London lord who hires a young governess to look after his young nephews. The girl moves to the Bly country estate, which, of course, is haunted.
Both series are great examples of good mystical horror that you can gulp down over the weekend. Great stories, creepy creatures, atmospheric soundtrack quickly capture attention and do not let go until the last episode.
Santa Clarita Diet
Comedy series about a married couple of realtors who live with their daughter in California. The life of the family changes dramatically when Sheila becomes the victim of a strange experiment and turns into a zombie. Now the couple is forced to look for human meat to feed the ever-hungry woman.
The main thing in “Diet” is a wonderful cast, thanks to which even the most everyday situations are played out very funny. There are two powerful duos in the show at once: Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant play desperate parents, and Liv Hewson and Skyler Gisondo play two children who are trying to help solve very adult problems. The series has only one problem: the show was closed after three seasons at the most interesting place, but even in this form it is more than worth watching.
“You” (You)
Drama series with elements of a thriller based on the books by Caroline Kepnes. The show is about a bookstore worker named Jo who meets a talented aspiring writer. Unable to forget the girl, the hero begins to follow her with the help of social networks, find out all the details of her personal life, until he finally decides to make her fall in love with him.
“You” is a creepy but fascinating story about stalkers and their victims. However, the series does not focus on one topic: in subsequent seasons, the plot changes significantly, and it is very difficult to predict where the script will lead the characters next time.
“Narcos”
A crime series about the everyday life of DEA operatives and their main targets – drug cartels. The first two seasons focus on the rise of the famous Pablo Escobar as head of the Medellin cocaine cartel. The third and fourth seasons follow the DEA’s fight against criminals from the Cali drug cartel.
In “Narcos” – one of the first notable roles of the now popular Pedro Pascal. And in itself, this is just a great series: there is an interesting story of Escobar, and a good mixture of suspense with action, and a minimum of genre clichés.
“The Sandman” (The Sandman)
An adaptation of the cult comic series by Neil Gaiman, which is considered one of the best in the history of the format. The protagonist is an unusual entity that brings dreams to people, and is also able to control their minds. Together with “relatives” like Death and Desire, he travels the mortal world and tries to understand what people want.
The Sandman is often referred to as an “intellectual comic” and some of the stories seemed difficult to film because of the format. However, Netflix still managed to make an adaptation that is very close to the original work. The first season included 10 main episodes and one bonus episode, which turned out to be especially successful.
“Love. Death. Robots (Love, Death & Robots)
The famous Netflix anthology from a variety of authors. The name of the series indicates the thematic connection of each episode with three main themes, however, not every episode contains them all at once.
In “Love. Death. Robots ”you can find, it seems, any story. Alien attacks, destruction of mankind, battles with mythical creatures and mutants, space exploration: in each chapter, adventure, love and, often, death await the heroes. Each episode has its own visual style, and famous directors, artists and actors took part in the process of creating the series.
“Ozark” (Ozark)
Crime series from Bill Dubuque, which became a kind of Netflix’s answer to the cult “Breaking Bad”. The show is about financial consultant Marty Byrd, who, due to circumstances, gets involved in money laundering operations for a drug cartel. The hero, along with his wife and two children, is forced to move to a town near the Lake of the Ozarks and continue to engage in crime there – otherwise they promise to kill his family.
The series captures from the very first episode, and each new season shocks with plot twists. The main advantage of “Ozark” is a frantic pace: problems are pouring on the heroes without stopping, but they masterfully solve them. The acting work is also very impressive, and Jason Bateman not only played the father of the family, but also personally directed many episodes.
The Witcher
Adaptation of the cult Polish series, which in two seasons has already generated a lot of controversy. First of all, game fans paid attention to the series: despite the fact that the creators promised to rely on books and ignore CD Projekt RED’s version of Geralt. However, after the very first episodes, it is easy to see that the authors still looked at the games and were not afraid to take ideas from there.
Netflix turned out to be a controversial adaptation, but not a failure. Henry Cavill really got used to the role of the witcher (and he plays Geralt like in the game), and if you wish, you can close your eyes to the free interpretation of the original plot.
“The End of the F***ing World” (The End of the F***ing World)
British series based on the comic book of the same name by Charles Forsman with elements of drama, black comedy and road movies. The plot revolves around a couple of teenagers with complex characters – James and Alyssa. From childhood, the guy withdrew into himself because he saw the death of his mother, and now considers himself a psychopath who can easily kill a person. The girl is a caustic rebel who hopes to find her father who left her many years ago. The couple meet at school and run away together in a car.
“The End of the F***ing World” stands out sharply against the background of other series: unusual, even controversial characters, the surrealism of what is happening and the unpredictable plot, where the life of any hero seems to be cut short at any moment. The show has received many prestigious nominations, and for good reason.
«Cobra Kai» (Cobra Kai)
The spiritual heir to the once popular film “The Karate Kid”. The martial arts series predominantly focuses on Johnny Lawrence: a once-up-and-coming athlete who has long lost his former glory now survives through odd jobs. One day, he decides to open a karate school called “Cobra Kai” – with a very harsh and uncompromising philosophy.
There aren’t many martial arts shows, but Cobra Kai is a great show too. Successfully balancing on the verge of comedy and drama, he talks about people with strong characters and the will to win.
“Breaking Bad” (Breaking Bad)
A cult show that needs no introduction. Breaking Bad is the story of schoolteacher Walter White who is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Fate brings him together with former student Jesse Pinkman: together they decide to produce and sell methamphetamine in order to make as much money as possible before White’s death.
Breaking Bad has gained wild popularity – it is often called, if not the best, then one of the best TV shows in history. The show has received numerous awards, including 16 Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, six Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Directors Guild of America Awards, and many, many more. The series is still remembered and parodied to this day, with Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul regularly returning to their iconic roles.
“Better Call Saul” (Better Call Saul)
A prequel series to Breaking Bad, which is still better to watch after watching Breaking Bad. The plot revolves around small-time lawyer Jimmy McGill, who is trying to become a successful lawyer while trying to solve dozens of problems at the same time. For example, taking care of your older brother, who believes he is severely allergic to electricity.
“Better Call Saul” is a captivating drama about a good person who transforms due to circumstances. Bob Odenkirk and Ray Seehorn show a real acting master class, and each subsequent season is better than the previous one.
Peaky Blinders
British crime drama series directed by Stephen Knight. This is a gangster saga about a gang of bandits from Birmingham, based on real events. Sharp peaks were called a gang that operated at the end of the 19th century in England: according to one version – because of their appearance, according to another – because the guys allegedly sewed sharpened blades into the peaks of their hats. The events of the series cover almost 15 years, during which the fate of the characters change dramatically.
The show has received many prestigious awards and has many English stars in the lead roles. The series has already ended, but instead of the previously planned seventh season, it is planned to release a full-length film that will close all storylines.
“Rick and Morty” (Rick and Morty)
Adult animated series created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon. The main characters are the mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his naive grandson Morty, who is always drawn into cruel and crazy adventures by his grandfather. Heroes travel in space, fly to other planets and explore parallel realities, where they encounter outlandish creatures, creepy monsters, and even other versions of themselves.
The series quickly won the love of critics and viewers, and in 2022 the sixth season has already started. Despite the large amount of violence and vulgar humor, the authors manage to draw attention to eternal issues: relations between relatives, the value of the family, moral rules, and much more.
“Vikings” (Vikings)
Canadian-Irish series from Michael Hirst, which loosely interprets Scandinavian legends about Viking raids on Britain, the West Frankish kingdom and other territories. The key character is the legendary Scandinavian ruler Ragnar Lothbrok, who allegedly had the power of the god Odin himself in his veins. Other protagonists include his children, friends, wives, and other famous historical figures.
The events of Vikings start with a drama of one character, but rapidly gain momentum, turning into an epic story about courageous warriors. There is also mysticism in the series: from ghosts to the incarnations of the gods.
“13 Reasons Why” (13 Reasons Why)
Drama series based on the popular novel by Jay Asher. In the center of the plot is the suicide of Hannah Baker, who leaves audio recordings for her friend, where she explains the reasons for her act. Each episode is another event in the life of a girl that forced her to commit suicide.
Despite the fact that the first 13 episodes fully revealed the entire plot of the book, the series was stretched over four seasons. But you should only watch the first one: it is the most interesting, emotional and beautiful.
“Black Mirror” (Black Mirror)
Science fiction anthology series created by Charlie Brooker. The series are not related to each other either by plot, actors, or setting, but are united by a common theme – the impact of information technology on society and human relations. And the name of the show is a reference to the black displays of gadgets that now surround almost every person.
“Black Mirror” is usually praised for its innovativeness and unexpected outcomes of episodes. After the release of four seasons, the series was frozen due to a dispute over copyrights, but many viewers believe that the show has just begun to run out of steam by this point.
Midnight Mass
Another series from Mike Flanagan, author of The Haunting of Hill House. According to the plot, a charismatic young priest comes to an island isolated from the rest of the world. The city is experiencing an economic downturn after a tanker accident and an oil spill that destroyed the local fishery. However, after the visit of a guest, this problem fades into the background: the population is faced with mystical events, inexplicable miracles and terrible omens.
The show was praised by critics and viewers, although the pace of the series at the beginning seemed to many to be too slow. But it’s worth giving “Messa” a chance: the slowness in the first episodes is more than offset by a twisted plot.
“The Crown”
Historical drama series dedicated to the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The show covers a huge period: the first season begins with the wedding of the future ruler and Prince Philip in 1947, and the fifth and sixth seasons will tell about the reign of the queen at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st century. Because of this, the actors regularly change, and the series is filmed all over the UK.
The Crown received high marks for its acting, direction, screenplay, and fairly accurate depiction of different historical eras during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The first four seasons managed to receive as many as 63 nominations for the prestigious Emmy Award.
BoJack Horseman
The events of this show unfold in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals and people. BoJack is the star of a popular sitcom in the past, and is now going through a midlife crisis. In an attempt to regain his former glory and love of the audience, the hero BoJack is trying to write an autobiographical book, but even this task becomes a test for him.
BoJack Horseman is a tragicomedy series about how even the best life can change beyond recognition in a few years. Depression, addictions, conflicts: problems endlessly fall on the protagonist, and the audience can only sympathize with the character and wonder how he manages to solve them.
“Dexter”
Crime series about Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analysis expert who works for the Miami Police Department. Knowledge of the work of law enforcement agencies helps the hero to commit crimes: in fact, he is a serial killer who preys on other maniacs. Dexter tries to keep his code and live as normal a life as possible. However, his criminal activity still leads to collateral damage, destroying people’s lives.
Dexter is a one-of-a-kind series that ran for eight seasons before being softly rebooted in 2021. Despite the mediocre last couple of seasons, almost every other episode of the show leaves very cool impressions.
On March 7, Netflix announced its withdrawal from Russia: then all users lost the opportunity to pay for a subscription with a Russian card. But you can still legally watch Netflix from Russia – we talk about all known methods of paying for a subscription .
