The Resort This seemed to fly under everyone’s radar but my husband and I absolutely loved it. It starts out with an (unhappily) married couple celebrating their anniversary at a resort in Mexico. Something in the past has caused their emotional detachment to each other, but we’re given no explanation at first. Then the show starts to transcend genre as the couple become involved in the mysterious disappearance of two teenagers 10 years previously. There is comedy, mystery, mysticism, slapstick, a hurricane and a barnstorming performance by Luis Gerardo Méndez as the wannabe detective Baltasar Frias. We also maybe see time travel. We felt like we went on holiday watching it. Erin Mallory, 41, Worthing Heartstopper I have worked as a teacher for 30 years in the Reading area, supporting the development and self-realisation of young people, their role in society, attitudes and who they are amid the barrage of pressures from media, parents, peers, society (the list is endless). Then this programme comes along and says it’s OK to encounter that confusion, curiosity and challenge expectations. It highlights bigotry in a way people of any age can reflect upon and it showcases the power of kindness and love. A wonderful show that should have been made 40 years ago! Andy Love, 54, Reading Andor I didn’t expect much going into this, after finding some of the other Disney Star Wars shows a bit flat. But Andor is a completely different look at the Star Wars universe. It shows how the empire works and oppresses regular people just looking to survive. Episodes six, 10 and the finale were epic payoffs. There are standout performances from Diego Luna, Alex Lawther and best of all, Andy Serkis. It’s a shame more people haven’t watched it: this is Star Wars for adults – and some of the best Star Wars ever. Andy Steer-Smith, 45, Bridgwater The Rings of Power Despite fierce criticism from a diverse array of Bezos-haters, racists and teenagers with short attention spans, I found The Rings of Power to be an unexpected triumph of rich production design, poetic dialogue, measured pacing, beautiful music and gorgeous cinematography. Though not without its flaws – the story structure was uneven – the Rings of Power nevertheless achieved the almost impossible feat of truly immersing you in Middle-earth in a way I had previously thought only the films ever would. Far from the corporate cash grab it was painted as, it seemed much more a labour of love from a team dedicated to doing Tolkien justice. I found the bilious, toxic response from many to be truly depressing. Bring on season two. Roman, 33, London Severance Severance is a fabulous satire of workplace culture which never forgot to be an entertaining and evolving story. The cast were amazing, with Adam Scott, John Turturro, Patricia Arquette and Christopher Walken doing sterling work. However, it was the work of lesser known performers Britt Lower, Dichen Lachman and especially Tramell Tillman as the skincrawling Mr Milchick that made the strongest impression. Ben Stiller’s direction was inspired, but it really was the finale that blew my mind. An hour of TV where everything you’ve built up to, all the character setup and slow burn plotting, bursts into life and crescendos into a final shot so exciting and devastating that it’s not easily forgotten. Patrick, 25, London Better Call Saul The way Better Call Saul wrapped itself around and expanded upon Breaking Bad is like nothing I’ve seen on TV before. The time skip was executed better than any of the many other shows that have done it in the past, and Rhea Seehorn and Bob Odenkirk delivered some of the best acting ever in a TV series. Adrian Decker, 27, Birmingham Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared Nothing comes close to the wonderful Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared – it’s the most intelligent, inventive, funny, creepy and deep programme I’ve seen in years. The transfer from a web series to Channel 4 was a triumph, and I’m desperate for it to be recommissioned. Who would have thought a live action musical puppet show could be so good? Joe Stafford, 38, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire The White Lotus My favourite is The White Lotus because of its incredibly on-point contemporary dialogue about power structures, gender ideologies, social hierarchies and accepted behaviours. One of the most relevant and entertaining shows this year. Ekaterina, 38, Montreal Richard Osman’s House of Games Richard Osman’s House of Games is the diametric opposite of The Weakest Link. Its relaxed good humour is very welcome in this age of political conflict and internet trolls. The players and host all seem to be enjoying themselves, and it’s a welcome break from the stresses of everyday life, with some excellent quizzing thrown in. Richard, 78, East Ham Industry I read that the writers decided when writing this season to pull out all of the stops – anything they thought may happen to these characters, they wouldn’t hold back for later seasons, but incorporate now – and that definitely comes through. Every episode is thrilling, and the cast, led by Myha’la Herrold, is incredible. I don’t know if a week has passed since it aired that I’m not telling someone just how much they need to watch it. You need to watch it. Eóin, 29, London Slow Horses I’m a big fan of Mick Herron’s Slough House books, and the TV adaptation is amazingly true to the spirit and feeling of them. I was initially worried about this series, but the trailer for season one convinced me that the books were going to be well represented on screen. The casting is brilliant, the writing is top notch, the sets are perfect, all in all one of the best series on the air. Chris Muir, San Francisco The Bear How the makers managed to cram so much tension into what was a relatively low-stakes scenario: “Will this chef be able to keep serving Italian beef sandwiches in his dead brother’s deli?” – I have no idea. But at its heart The Bear is a funny and moving story about family and passion and loss, set in a tiny kitchen, and led by an astonishingly good cast (Jeremy Allen White should collect all the awards next year, if there’s any justice in the world). It made the overwrought, CGI-heavy juggernaut shows of 2022 look hollow and lazy by comparison. But a warning: the stress of episode seven might just do you in if you’ve ever worked in a kitchen. Jo, 38, London Blackbird This was a hauntingly gripping and beautifully made account of a true story. The tale of murderer Larry Hall and how he was befriended in prison, leading to his convictions, was unknown to me prior to watching it – but this series unpacks the horrors and mysteries in one of the best TV shows of the year. The performances of the lead actors, including Taron Egerton as drug dealer turned prison-mole and Paul Walter Hauser as Hall, were flawless. It’s a shame this programme isn’t more widely known – due to it being on Apple TV+ – but it has been the best show on there in my opinion (with Slow Horses not far behind). Chris Knight, 37, Margate Conversations With Friends I know it was a bit polarising, but I related to the protagonist so much. It was thrilling to see someone so like myself at that age: closed off, quiet, odd. Watching her navigate relationships, stumble, and ultimately unlock and grow, was very moving for me and helped me access a lot of compassion for my younger self. Kate, 35, Seaford The English This achingly beautiful series set against the raw, challenging truth of British colonialism has etched itself permanently on my memory. Not just because it gives an unfiltered snapshot of the horrors the English unleashed upon the native Americans – a story that is just beginning to be truthfully told. But also because of the almost palpable relationship between Emily Blunt and Chaskee Spencer whose subtle, never spoken discovery of each other on their journey is the perfect love story. Esther, Bristol Sherwood The acting was superb, showing the strong and weak, flawed and capable complexities of human nature. The plot showed the past and present impact of the miners strikes so well, with real insight into the conflicts within a community. It was good to see the issues faced by a small Northern area portrayed realistically but without sentimentality. A compelling watch. Rachel Booth, Durham Ghosts There has been nothing better or more welcome than the new series of Ghosts. It has been consistently well-written and performed, with Charlotte Ritchie holding together the mayhem of the supernatural characters. The episode when Mary was “sucked off” also made us cry – the thought of not seeing one of our favourite two characters (alongside Robin) was heartbreaking. Wonderful programming and worth the licence fee on its own. Jack Robson, 64, Devon Hacks Jean Smart shines in THE comedy for comedy lovers. Season two takes a winning cast, and runs. It’s the type of show you watch in a weekend, then rewatch and rewatch. Every joke lands and the story has you rooting for the characters. It gives you intergenerational friendship, the trappings of modern queer life, analysis of work-life balance, an inside look at show business and the pressures of success, all punctuated by laugh-out-loud performances from stars old and new. The show perfectly toes the line of quotable jokes, dramatic tension and thought-provoking subplots. Ben, 32, Hackney This is Going to Hurt Five years ago my life was saved, and subsequent care delivered, by committed medics who bear a striking resemblance to Adam and Shruti in This is Going to Hurt – always striving to do their best for patients, often at the expense of their own mental and physical wellbeing. The drama feels very real, and the show can be seen as a plaintive hymn to the daily achievements of the NHS and those who work within it. The script, casting, direction, performances, production, are all pretty much what the piece demanded. As anyone involved in producing TV drama or comedy will tell you, they would always want to work on shows that make an audience laugh and cry. Shows that do this are invariably the ones that stay with audiences long after their original screening. Andrew Smith, 68, TV and film producer, Oxfordshire