Best of 2022
A retrospective nobody asked for!
In 2023, may we all embody the effervescent spirit of this photo! 🙏🏼 Chris Pine giving “proud, elated, sockless Dad” represents our delight for the successes of others. Paired with the sui generis je ne sais quoi of Florence Pugh’s knees/spangled gauze/ankle feathers proclaiming, “I celebrate MYSELF!”
If that’s not aspirational, I don’t know what is!
I mean, it’s either that or this video of Oprah showing off her new knees. [This video says, “You’re not aging, you’re just poor.” God bless!]
Some people make mood boards, I find spiritually aspirational pop culture moments. Do you have a “mood board photo” or pop culture moment that embodies what you want for 2023?
Anyhoo…before I officially launch another year of pop culture ✨think pieces✨, we’re looking back on the best of 2022. [And signing up for therapy to process the bad! That’s my resolution and I don’t even do resolutions! They just make me feel like I canNOT accomplish anything I set my mind to!]
Tonight: A collection of Hannah’s Weekly posts you may have missed this year or forgotten about — organized by my favorite movies, TV shows, most popular posts [as decided by you!], and the posts I liked the best.
I also would love to hear YOUR favorite recommendations from 2022. What did you watch, read, or listen to that changed your life, or made you laugh, or just helped you through the year? What are you looking forward to in 2023?
My Favorite TV Shows of 2022
Let’s be real — I’m a TV slut gal. When given the option to watch a ~*~filme~*~ or put on a TV show, it’s no contest.
We all do this. We say, “Oh, let’s just put on a show because it’s less of a commitment than a movie,” when, deep down, what we really mean is, “Let’s put on a show so we never have to face the end of something but can always click ‘next episode’ and binge so deeply we forget who we are and all our responsibilities to ourselves and our sleep.”
So, without further ado, my favorite TV shows of 2022 — in order:
(Links are to my reviews!)
Severance. Slow burn to start, best finale I’ve seen in this year.
The Bear. This is the show I overheard strangers on the streets of NYC talking about about the most. As my sister said, “It’s like the perfect short novel.”
Bad Sisters. For all the girlies out there who would kill for their sisters! A sister romp + murder mystery + dramedy + great ending.
Yellowjackets. SEASON 2 COMING MARCH 2023!!!!!!!
House of the Dragon. Not perfect by any means, but we love to get the people talking about dragons and incest.
Wednesday on Netflix. I watched six episodes of this three times across the course of my efforts to [successfully] evangelize my entire family! Belissima!
Our Flag Means Death. A LARK!
Under the Banner of Heaven. The Mormons really came under the heat this year with the TikTok and the docuseries(es) and this was my favorite retelling of an old story.
Andor. Full disclosure, I still have to finish it. But it is so much more than just another Star Wars entry and much more grown up.
Best Sequel Seasons:
(Links are to my reviews!)
Atlanta Seasons 3 & 4. I’ve never done a full review because this came out before I started this blog, but Atlanta is one of the funniest, most poignant and incisive, original comedies I’ve ever seen! Season 2 is weird as hell!
The White Lotus Season 2. Chaos! Scandal! Perfection!
Stranger Things Season 4. Half of this season was blah and half of it was perfect television.
Never Have I Ever Season 3. Mindy Kaling’s best work.
Reservation Dogs Season 2. I reviewed Season 1 last year and it continues to deliver. Again…it’s Taika Waititi’s world….
What We Do In the Shadows. I told you it’s Taika’s world.
Best Comedy Special:
(Link is to my review!)
Rothaniel. Modern stand-ups are doing it different [in a good way], but sometimes they get preachy. Jerrod Carmichael is the opposite of preachy, he’s just vulnerable. And hilarious.
My Favorite Movies of 2022
I’m gonna be honest, y’all, I didn’t watch a whole lot of movies that blew me away this year! Maybe it’s time for me to get that AMC membership thing and spend more time with my canned wine and my own private recliner at the Cinépolis!
I still haven’t seen — Elvis, The Menu, Bones and All, the good Pinnochio [NOT the one with Tom Hanks], Triangle of Sadness, Decision to Leave, Tár, RRR, The Banishees of Inisherin, or Aftersun — and they’re all in the conversation for best movies of the year!
Am I a fraud!??!???
This is certainly not the time to excavate THAT question [and if the end of the year isn’t the right time, the right time is never!]. So, of the movies I DID watch, here are my favorites.
(Links are to my reviews!)
CODA [technically a 2021, but I watched in 2022! We all agreed time isn’t real!]
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
My Most Popular Posts
Here are the posts y’all opened the most, clicked the most, liked the most, or commented on the most — in other words, showed love to the most!
"Lift Me Up." -Rihanna & Ben's New Baby Niece. People love babies.
"Welcome back into my heart, Miles Teller." -Jane Austen, probably. Y’all really like misattributed quotes, I guess.
New Movies Galore, Teen Horror Fun in Yellowjackets, & What's Making You Happy. Almost a whole year ago!
Summer Blockbusters: Don't Call It a Cruise-aissance (but it is). I actually did watch most of these movies — but not the swamp girl one, and history has borne out the wisdom of that decision!
Where I've Been + All The News I Missed. Reader, we missed each other!
It's Taika Waititi's World & We're All Just Living in It. Just straight facts.
Does Brad Pitt Have Main Character Energy? Spoiler, he doesn’t. But Brian Tyree Henry does!
The Manti Te'o Doc, Never Have I Ever, Olivia Wilde Wildin', & Tay's New Album. The hidden nugget here is Zach Braff’s horrific NYC apartment.
Ranking the Most F***ed Up Things That Happened in House of the Dragon Episode 4. This episode had me retreating to my Puritan roots!
5 of My Personal Favorites — Posts where I had the most fun writing or just felt super in my bag
In order of publishing. I have no hierarchy among my children.
Hemsworth Villain Era. [K but this one IS my favorite.]
House of the Dragon Power Rankings - Ep. 8 "The Lord of the Tides"
🗣 Karma is my boyfriend! What can I say, a Swiftie is at her best when Taylor is in the peak of her powers.
What kinds of posts did you like the most — and what do you want to see more of in 2023?