I did something stupid this year, which was to try to keep up with television and streaming series as they came out. I didn't watch everything, but I watched a lot more than normal, drastically cutting down my consumption of films in the process. This didn't really help, in a season when there were roughly 60 new scripted series in spring alone, plus 30 returning ones. Even limiting myself to only the cream of the crop, I didn't get around to shows as buzzed about as "Yellowjackets" or "The Dropout," or the third season of "Atlanta."
Still, I watched and enjoyed a lot of TV, and I'm at a point where I'm ready to make a Top Ten list.
A quick reminder before we start that I'm a big genre nerd, notoriously bad with comedies, and have a neverending "To Watch" list. I'm using Emmy rules for cutoff dates, which means that this list covers everything from the summer of 2021 to the spring of 2022. Again, this is a lot. Entries are unranked, and I'm limiting myself to one episode per show or miniseries.
Here we go. I'll try to keep the spoilers to a minimum.
Pachinko, "Chapter 3" - Most people seem to pick "Chapter 4" with Sunja's emotional departure for Japan as a favorite, but I prefer the far more uncertain "Chapter 3," where she and her mother discuss their options while nursing an ailing Isak. I love the final conversation between Sunja and Isak that decides her fate, as well as the 1980s sequence where Sunja accompanies Solomon to visit the Korean holdout preventing his real estate deal project from completing.
White Lotus, "The Lotus-Eaters" - While Jennifer Coolidge and Murray Bartlett were constantly stealing the show, one of the most interesting characters was Paula, played by Brittany O'Grady. She's the only one of the guests who isn't white, who sees the privilege that she enjoys the most clearly, and can sympathize with the workers. However, in this episode, we see her idea of equalizing the playing field is a stupid scheme that backfires spectacularly on everyone - and sets up the big finale.
Severance, "The We We Are" - One of the tensest episodes of television I've seen in ages sees our characters in unknown territory, trying to piece together how their other halves live. I was on high alert during the entire thing, watching the clock and urging the characters to move faster before time ran out. The execution of the cliffhanger moments are perfect, and somehow wildly satisfying despite the uncertain fates of our heroes. Season two really can't come fast enough.
Station Eleven, "Goodbye My Damaged Home" - I had several good options to choose from for "Station Eleven," but I settled on the episode where we finally find out how Kirsten, Jeevan, and Frank spent their time in quarantine during the pandemic. There are moments of joy, like Frank spontaneously rapping to A Tribe Called Quest, and moments of heartbreak, like the tragedy we all knew was coming. I especially love the ending, with Kirsten's elegeic goodbye to someone who was once kind to her.
Better Call Saul, "Plan and Execution" - Please keep in mind that my cutoff date was the end of May, so only the first half of the final season is eligible. This episode was set up to be all about Jimmy and Kim taking down Howard by sabotaging his settlement talks. However, Howard turned out to not be the big bad of the episode. By the end of the episode he's clearly the victim - not just of the actual big bad, but of Jimmy and Kim too. Patrick Fabian really didn't get enough praise for his work.
Arcane, "The Base Violence Necessary For Change" - The animation in "Arcane" is beautiful, but what really sets this show apart is its writing. It draws from Greek tragedy, and takes a macroscopic view of how events unfold. The best example of this is the end of the show's first "Act," where defeat is snatched from the jaws of victory, and everything goes very wrong. I love how we see Powder's attack three different times, each time revealing a little more of the awful fallout.
Squid Game, "The Man With the Umbrellas" - It feels like it's been forever, but "Squid Game" was a September release. I considered the "Gganbu" marbles episode, but I prefer "The Man With the Umbrella," where the show is still setting up how the universe works, and all the characters. The dalonga game plays out so beautifully, showing the cruel arbitrary nature of who lives and who dies, and gives us important insights into the survival skills of Gi-hun and Sang-woo.
Ted Lasso, "Man City" - I think I'm in the minority who genuinely enjoyed the second season of "Ted Lasso" as much as the first. This is the episode where AFC Richmond gets to play in Wembley Stadium, and the show got to shoot there. However, the real drama takes place off the field, when Jamie Tartt has a confrontation with his father in front of everyone. It's shamelessly melodramatic, but it works, and I like that it provides some closure to a season one storyline that largely played out in the background.
The Kids in the Hall, "Episode 3" - Segments include "Doomsday DJ," Shakespeare's Bust," and "Ambumblance." Honestly, I picked this episode because it had the highest concentration of good sketches. The whole season is remarkably consistent. "Shakespeare's Bust" is my favorite because it's so profane and gory and silly, while still being as nerdy as anything. It was one of the best surprises of this year, learning that the Kids in the Hall are still this good and this daring in 2022.
Stranger Things, "Dear Billy" - Again, only the first part of the season is eligible. There's nothing new or innovative about any of the elements in play here, and the story is pure pulp, but the execution is so good that I didn't care. It's Sadie Sink's finest hour, making Max so endearing and vulnerable that we totally buy her fear. And kudos to Shawn Levy for ramping up to that final escape sequence designed to get the audience on their feet, and shouting at the screen.
Honorable mentions:
The Beatles: Get Back, "Days 17-22" - I'm not entirely convinced that this should be counted as a television episode, as "Get Back" is clearly a documentary feature that's been carved up into arbitrary segments. However, the rooftop concert deserves recognition somewhere, so it's going here.
---
No comments:
Post a Comment