opinion | The year is coming to an end: The editors of TVSPIELFILM.de look back and remember the series that impressed them the most.
Better Call Saul (Netflix, Season 6)
Netflix
“Better Call Saul” is available on Netflix.
With a Cliffhanger that took your breath awayends the fifth season of the “Breaking Bad” offshoot already in 2020. In April 2022 the time had finally come: The series about lawyer Jimmy McGill continued and was to come to an end at the same time. A slightly different structure than usual should not harm the series: the main story ended after that nine episodes, the last four episodes looked far into the future and shed light on the fate of the shady main character.
When big fan of the series, who thinks it’s even better than “Breaking Bad”, I couldn’t have wished for a better ending. It brings all the characters back together and finds a real conclusion – something many other series have neglected. Even the cameo appearances by Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul weren’t even necessary. For me, “Better Call Saul” was clearly the series highlight of 2022.
– Nicky Wong
House of the Dragon (WOW, Season 1)
IMAGO / Picturelux
Poster for “House of the Dragon”.
The fictional continent of Westeros, some 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones”: Because he has no male heirs, King Viserys appoints his daughter Rhaenyra as his successor. She is to rule over Westeros after his death. But some nobles don’t like the decision at all – including Otto von Hohenturm. And so it’s crazy the king’s adviser a fatal web of intrigues leading to a bloody civil war…
As a spin-off or prequel series of “Game of Thrones”, “House of the Dragon” had huge shoes to fill. The degree of skepticism among the fans was correspondingly high. But as was shown at the start of the series, the doubts were unfounded: “House of the Dragon” is a real stunner. Not only does the famous screenplay tell a gripping story about family, betrayal, disappointment, honor and duty. Season 1 also takes viewers to new locations in Westeros and introduces a new cast of multi-layered characters, all of which are fantastically played. Milly Alcock and Emma D’Arcy excel as young and older versions of Princess Rhaenyra. Matt Smith delights as the ambivalent Prince Daemon. Rhys Ifans is delightfully sneaky as the villain Otto von Hohenturm. But the real highlight is Paddy Considine as King Viserys – all TV and series awards should soon fly to him. Even the many dragons pale in comparison to his acting power.
– Martin Arnold
Euphoria (WOW, Season 2)
HBO / Sky Germany
Zendaya has created a monument with “Euphoria”.
Never has a series hurt as much as “Euphoria”. Adults cannot imagine how tough it must be for teenagers these days and how authentically the series conveys these torments, while at the same time not only focusing on grief with dramatic dynamics, but also depicting serious problems, is masterful. Add to that a soundtrack that will stay with me forever, a visual energy that cannot be forgotten, and characters that I miss today as if they were my friends. In season 2, however, Rue’s argument with her mother in episode 5 and the play at the end of the season are nothing like that. Please look at this!
– Jan Thinius-Heemann
Absolute Fiasco: Woodstock ’99 (Netflix, Season 1)
Netflix
The title says it all: Woodstock in 1999 really was an absolute fiasco.
High temperatures, too much rubbish and huge fires were the images I had in mind for Woodstock 1999. I’ve seen a lot of bad festivals, so I couldn’t really be surprised I thought. What begins harmlessly with poor organization and mismanagement ends in explosions and rapes. Followed me Shame, disbelief and anger on each other.
While those responsible tried again and again to hold artists and bands accountable, it quickly became clear where the problems lay. How could something like this happen in 1999 and how much can those responsible admit of any blame? That Prime example of toxic masculinity and greed for profit left me stunned. A good documentary, although I would have wished for more critical questions from the organizers.
– Johannes Heinsohn
Wednesday (Netflix, Season 1)
Netflix
Jenna Ortega became the shooting star of the year with “Wednesday”.
Now I almost get an allergy when I hear the words “reboot” and “remake”. Some movies or shows that I loved as a kid were remade or continued so badly that I never want to hear about “remake” ever again. That’s what happened to me when I heard about the Netflix series “Wednesday.” Growing up watching the Addams Family movies, I had a queasy feeling – only the fact that Tim Burton would produce and direct the series gave me hope.
And indeed: “Wednesday” turned out surprisingly well! In an age when only politically correct jokes are allowed, Wednesday Addams has retained its macabre sense of humor. My biggest fear was that the character would be “adjusted” in some way – luckily that didn’t happen, at least in the first season.
“Wednesday” is a series for teenagers, who will certainly find a large part in Wednesday Addams (great: Jenna Ortega). At the same time, this is also a thriller, so that the series is also a pleasure to watch as an adult. Nostalgia, mystery, dark humor and just the right dose of romance – what more could you ask for?
– Beatrice Predan-Hallabrin
Safe (ZDFneo, Season 1)
ZDF/Julia von Vietinghoff
“SAFE – Episode 3”: Tom (Carlo Ljubek) and (Valentin Oppermann, r.).
A ZDFneo production particularly touched me: “Safe”, the first drama series by Oscar winner Caroline Link. Even if it is about mental illnesses of children and adolescents and their therapy, the eight episodes are captivating – too without gimmicky drama. Link manages to get the audience literally drawn into this process of the children slowly approaching and opening up.
There is Sam, for example, who was diagnosed by the Berlin psychotherapists Katinka (Judith Bohle) and Tom (Carlo Ljubek) with a social behavior disorder in existing social ties. “Should I cry?” Sam asked Tom if it wasn’t exhausting to always be tough. “I prefer to be angry.” “You’d rather be angry than sad?” “However, my mother was always sad, my father was always angry, they are both dead.”
The hypersensitive Jonas also has to deal with the death of his father. At the end of the therapy he can be a child againhow the other children being treated here endure the trauma. Or as Tom Sam explains: “[Trauer] is like a scab that settles on a wound, eventually becoming a scar. But you can live with her quite well.”
– Ina Milert
Slow Horses (Apple TV+, Season 1-2)
AppleTV+
“Slow Horses” on Apple TV+ released two seasons in one year.
So the lame horses, among them the ambitious River Cartwright (Jack Lowden), crouch without a chance, and yet they wait for their chance. Of course it will come – twice, because Apple TV + already has 2022 two seasons of 6 episodes each in this brilliant series (based on the novels by Mick Herron). In Season 1, a Pakistani student is kidnapped by right-wing terrorists and beheaded live on the internet. In Season 2, a Cold War Russian sleeper network threatens to threaten Britain.
The secret services as a bureaucratic circle of hell, paranoia trauma from the time of the Iron Curtain and fascist petty bourgeoisie as far as the eye can see. If you want to understand post-Brexit Britain, you have to watch Slow Horses.
– Michael Hille
