I realized this year that I’ve pretty much stopped watching traditional TV, i.e. shows with 22-ish episodes per season and an undetermined end date.

I’m much more interested in limited series and shows with short seasons—the key being intentional and self-contained ideas from the show and a predictable time commitment from me. Luckily that’s becoming the norm, as what defines a series, a movie, or something else entirely blurs with every new release.

The clear winner of my “television” watching in 2022 is HBO Max, which accounted for 5 out of my 7 picks. Given the corporate and creative upheaval happening there now I assume that won’t be the case moving forward, but I’m grateful for the shows it provided while it could.

That said, here are my favorite shows from 2022 (listed alphabetically):

• Bluey (Disney+)
• The Last Movie Stars (HBO Max)
• Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon Prime)
• Minx (formerly on HBO Max)
• Station Eleven (HBO Max)
• We Own This City (HBO Max)
• Winning Time (HBO Max)