Stream the best series of 2022 (so far), according to Rotten Tomatoes

These 16 series now streaming on (or coming soon to) Showmax have been ranked by Rotten Tomatoes as the best of the year so far. Look out for brand-new shows from the likes of the creators, directors and producers of Downton Abbey, The Wire and Succession.

Stream the Rotten Tomatoes Best of the Year collection on Showmax »

Number 1: Barry Season 3 – binge now

Barry S3 finds our title character desperate to leave his violent past as a contract killer behind in favour of his newfound passion for acting. But getting out is messy. While Barry has eliminated many of the external factors that pushed him towards violence, he soon discovers they weren’t the only forces at play …

Critics’ consensus for Season 3: 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.

Number 3. Hacks Season 2 – coming soon; binge Season 1 now

The first season of HBO’s comedy-drama earned the incomparable Jean Smart her fourth Emmy – this time for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series – for her role as legendary Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance, who takes on an entitled, down-on-her-luck Gen Z comedy writer, Ava (Hannah Einbinder), in a bid to find fresh material and remain relevant as her performance dates start to dwindle.

Critics’ consensus for Season 2: 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.

Number 11: Somebody Somewhere – binge now

Somebody Somewhere centres on Sam, a 40-something woman grappling with loss and acceptance as she fields a mid-life crisis following her sister’s death. Sam returns to her hometown but struggles to fit into its mould, until she finds her saving grace in singing, and a community of outsiders who don’t fit in, and don’t give up.

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

Number 12: The Responder – binge from 1 August 2022

A captivating British crime drama starring Martin Freeman. An embattled first-responder tackles a series of night shifts in Liverpool while trying to keep his head above water personally and professionally.

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

Number 30: This Is Going To Hurt – binge from 1 August 2022

Ben Whishaw drives this cheeky, witty UK dramedy. It is an honest depiction of life as a junior doctor on the labour wards, from the hilarity and heart-lifting highs to the gut-wrenching lows.

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

Number 33: Gentleman Jack Season 2 – coming soon; binge Season 1 now

Yorkshire, England, 1832. Landowner Anne Lister will do whatever it takes to save her ancestral home, and that includes marrying well – but not to a man. Based on the story of the real-life Anne and her search for a wife.

Critics’ consensus for Season 2: Blessed with Suranne Jones’ exquisite performance and some of the crispest dialogue on television, Gentleman Jack remains a total ace.

Number 34: Peacemaker – binge now

In this superhero series that takes us back into the DC Universe, patriotic assassin Peacemaker and his ragtag A.R.G.U.S black ops squad must eliminate parasitic creatures that threaten the future of humanity. Starring John Cena.

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.

Number 35: The Girl From Plainville – binge now

Inspired by real events, The Girl From Plainville sees multiple Critics Choice nominee Elle Fanning take on the role of Michelle Carter, the teenager at the centre of the unprecedented “texting suicide case” following the death of her boyfriend, Conrad Roy, in 2014.

Critics’ consensus: Grounded by a disturbingly powerful performance by Elle Fanning, The Girl from Plainville dramatises a sordid true story with tasteful restraint.

Number 36: The Staircase – binge from 1 September

The Staircase explores the real-life story of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette).

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

Number 40: We Own This City – binge from 1 September

The Wire‘s producers George Pelecanos and David Simon are back in Baltimore for the HBO Original limited series We Own This City. The cast and crew explore Baltimore as a character, touching on the real people and locations portrayed in the series.

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.

Number 44: Women of the Movement – binge now

When her son is murdered in the Jim Crow South, a mother embarks on a crusade for justice. Based on the true story of Emmett Till and his fearless mother, whose actions helped spawn the Civil Rights Movement.

Critics’ consensus: Women of the Movement enlivens the tragedy of Emmett Till with solid storytelling and a deeply moving pair of performances by Adrienne Warren and Cedric Joe.

Number 55: The Flight Attendant Season 2 – coming soon; binge Season 1 now

When a flight attendant meets a handsome passenger, she decides to spend a very drunk night with him. But she wakes up in the morning next to a dead body. 2021 Emmy Award Winner.

Critics’ consensus for Season 2: While there’s some turbulence as The Flight Attendant charters a new course, passengers are in safe hands with Kaley Cuoco’s zestful turn and the writers’ knack for satisfying twists.

Number 61: Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty – binge now

Adam McKay (Succession) produces this captivating and controversial HBO series based on the 80’s Los Angeles Lakers becoming the most successful basketball team, and their legacy on and off the court.

Critics’ consensus: Gleefully excessive in both form and function, Winning Time pairs a larger-than-life roster of characters with whiplash style to deliver an absolute slam dunk.

Number 66: Euphoria Season 2 – binge now

Zendaya stars in a dynamic new HBO series that follows a group of high school students as they navigate a minefield of drugs, sex, identity, trauma, social media, love and friendship in today’s increasingly unstable world.

Critics’ consensus: As willfully provocative as ever in its second season, Euphoria still isn’t for all tastes – but when its addictive ingredients are mixed just right, the results remain intoxicating.

Number 67: The Baby – binge from 1 August

In this British comedy-horror from HBO, Natasha is 38 – all her friends have babies, and she’d like one, too. But when a baby appears on her doorstep, her life is turned upside down. Where does the baby come from? What does it want?

Critics’ consensus: The Baby’s tone can be as wobbly as a rocking crib, but its audacious nature of comedy and horror deserves to be nurtured.

Number 71: The Gilded Age – binge from 1 August

Oscar-winner Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey, delivers a mesmerising HBO drama. Set 1882, a rural girl moves to New York after her father’s death. There, she finds herself entangled in a social war.

Critics’ consensus: Julian Fellowes’ brand of upstairs, downstairs intrigue makes a seamless transatlantic transition in The Gilded Age, with an outstanding cast making the travails of the rich a compelling watch.

Stream the Rotten Tomatoes Best of the Year collection on Showmax »