My Best of 2022 Winners

Greetings, reader!

Last week, I released the nominations for my annual 'awards' for my personal favorites in movies, television and music. So, now it's time for the winners! It may not be the Oscars, but hey, at least I didn't give Avatar: The Way of Water a Best Picture nomination over Nope, unlike a certain bunch of clowns.

Movies

Best Picture

All Quiet on the Western Front

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Nope

WINNER: Top Gun: Maverick

Best Director

All Quiet on the Western Front (Edward Berger)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Ryan Coogler)

Elvis (Baz Luhrmann)

WINNER: Nope (Jordan Peele)

Top Gun: Maverick (Joseph Kosinski)

Best Screenplay

All Quiet on the Western Front (Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell)

Elvis (Baz Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce & Jeremy Doner)

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Rian Johnson)

WINNER: Nope (Jordan Peele)

Top Gun: Maverick (Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Christopher McQuarrie)

Best Lead Actress

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Letitia Wright as Shuri)

Halloween Ends (Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode)

WINNER: Nope (Keke Palmer as Emerald Haywood)

The Batman (Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle)

The Gray Man (Ana de Armas as Dani Miranda)

Best Lead Actor

All Quiet on the Western Front (Felix Kammerer as Paul Bäumer)

WINNER: Elvis (Austin Butler as Elvis Presley)

Mr. Harrigan's Phone (Jaeden Martell as Craig)

Nope (Daniel Kaluuya as OJ Haywood)

Top Gun: Maverick (Tom Cruise as Capt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell)

Best Supporting Actress

WINNER: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia)

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff)

Elvis (Helen Thomson as Gladys)

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Kate Hudson as Birdie Jay)

The Gray Man (Jessica Henwick as Suzanne Brewer)

Best Supporting Actor

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Leslie Odom Jr. as Lionel Toussaint)

Mr. Harrigan's Phone (Donald Sutherland as Mr. Harrigan)

WINNER: Nope (Steven Yeun as Ricky 'Jupe' Park)

The Batman (Paul Dano as The Riddler)

Top Gun: Maverick (Miles Teller as Lt. Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw)

Best Score

All Quiet on the Western Front (Volker Bertelmann)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Ludwig Göransson)

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Danny Elfman)

Halloween Ends (Cody Carpenter, John Carpenter & Daniel A. Davies)

WINNER: Top Gun: Maverick (Lorne Balfe, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga & Hans Zimmer)

Best Cinematography

All Quiet on the Western Front (James Friend)

Avatar: The Way of Water (Russell Carpenter)

WINNER: Nope (Hoyte Van Hoytema)

The Gray Man (Stephen F. Windon)

Top Gun: Maverick (Claudio Miranda)

Best Editing

All Quiet on the Western Front (Sven Budelmann)

Elvis (Jonathan Redmond & Matt Villa)

WINNER: Nope (Nicholas Monsour)

Stutz (Nick Houy & Nicholas Ramirez)

Top Gun: Maverick (Eddie Hamilton)

Best Sound

All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Water

Elvis

WINNER: Nope

Top Gun: Maverick

Best Visual Effects

WINNER: Avatar: The Way of Water

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Thor: Love and Thunder

Best Production Design

WINNER: All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Water

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Elvis

Nope

Best Costumes and Makeup

All Quiet on the Western Front

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

WINNER: Elvis

Nope

The Batman

Total Wins:

Nope 7

Elvis 2

Top Gun: Maverick 2

All Quiet on the Western Front 1

Avatar: The Way of Water 1

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 1

Television

Best Television Series

Barry

WINNER: Better Call Saul

Big Mouth

Euphoria

House of the Dragon

Best Directing

WINNER: Barry (Bill Hader, 710N)

Better Call Saul (Thomas Schnauz, Plan and Execution)

Euphoria (Sam Levinson, The Theater and Its Double)

House of the Dragon (Greg Yaitanes, The Black Queen)

Stranger Things (Shawn Levy, Chapter Four: Dear Billy)

Best Writing

Barry (Alec Berg & Bill Hader, starting now)

WINNER: Better Call Saul (Vince Gilligan & Peter Gould, Saul Gone)

Euphoria (Sam Levinson, The Theater and Its Double)

House of the Dragon (Kevin Lau & Charmaine De Grate, Driftmark)

Rick and Morty (Justin Roiland, Dan Harmon & Alex Rubens, Full Meta Jackrick)

Best Lead Actress

Barry (Sarah Goldberg as Sally Reed)

Better Call Saul (Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler)

WINNER: Euphoria (Zendaya as Rue Bennett)

House of the Dragon (Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen)

The Crown (Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II)

Best Lead Actor

Barry (Bill Hader as Barry Berkman)

WINNER: Better Call Saul (Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman)

Euphoria (Jacob Elordi as Nate Jacobs)

House of the Dragon (Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen)

The Crown (Dominic West as Prince Charles)

Best Supporting Actress

Euphoria (Hunter Schafer as Jules Vaughn)

House of the Dragon (Emily Carey as Alicent Hightower)

WINNER: Stranger Things (Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield)

The Crown (Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana)

The Walking Dead (Cailey Fleming as Judith Grimes)

Best Supporting Actor

Barry (Henry Winkler as Gene Cousineau)

Better Call Saul (Michael Mando as Nacho Varga)

House of the Dragon (Paddy Considine as Viserys Targaryen)

Mo (Omar Elba as Sameer Najjar)

WINNER: Saturday Night Live (Kenan Thompson as Various)

Best Actress, Guest Role

WINNER: Better Call Saul (Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader)

House of the Dragon (Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen)

Mo (Cherien Dabis as Nadia Najjar)

Tales of the Jedi (Bryce Dallas Howard as Yaddle)

That Damn Michael Che (Heidi Gardner as Various)

Best Actor, Guest Role

WINNER: Better Call Saul (Bryan Cranston as Walter White)

House of the Dragon (Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon Targaryen)

Stranger Things (Robert Englund as Victor Creel)

The Crown (Anatoliy Kotenyov as Boris Yeltsin)

The Walking Dead (Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes)

Best Episode

Better Call Saul (Plan and Execution, Season 6 Episode 7)

Euphoria (The Theater and Its Double, Season 2 Episode 7)

Rick and Morty (Full Meta Jackrick, Season 6 Episode 7)

WINNER: Stranger Things (Chapter Four: Dear Billy, Season 4 Episode 4)

The Walking Dead (Rest in Peace, Season 11 Episode 24)

Best Season Premiere

WINNER: Better Call Saul (Wine and Roses, Season 6 Episode 1)

Euphoria (Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door, Season 2 Episode 1)

House of the Dragon (The Heirs of the Dragon, Season 1 Episode 1)

Rick and Morty (Solaricks, Season 6 Episode 1)

That Damn Michael Che (Join the Club, Season 2 Episode 1)

Best Season Finale

Andor (Rix Road, Season 1 Episode 12)

Barry (starting now, Season 3 Episode 8)

WINNER: Better Call Saul (Saul Gone, Season 6 Episode 13)

Big Mouth (F**ked Up Friday, Season 6 Episode 10)

The Walking Dead (Rest in Peace, Season 11 Episode 24)

Best Score

WINNER: Euphoria (Labrinth)

Mo (Common, Karriem Riggins & Patrick Warren)

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Natalie Holt & John Williams)

The Book of Boba Fett (Ludwig Göransson & Joseph Shirley)

The Walking Dead (Bear McCreary & Sam Ewing)

Best Cinematography

Barry (Carl Herse & Darran Tiernan)

Better Call Saul (Marshall Adams & Paul Donachie)

Euphoria (Marcell Rév & Rina Yang)

House of the Dragon (Alejandro Martinez, Fabian Wagner, Pepe Avila del Pino & Catherine Goldschmidt)

WINNER: Stranger Things (Caleb Heyman & Brett Jutkiewicz)

Best Editing

Better Call Saul (Skip Macdonald & Chris McCaleb)

Euphoria (Julio Perez IV, Aaron I. Butler, Laura Zempel & Nikola Boyanov)

House of the Dragon (Tim Porter, Crispin Green, Chris Hunter & Selina Macarthur)

WINNER: Stranger Things (Dean Zimmerman, Nat Fuller & Katheryn Naranjo)

The Book of Boba Fett (Jeff Seibenick, Andrew S. Eisen & Sana E. Glauberman)

Best Sound

Andor

Barry

Better Call Saul

House of the Dragon

WINNER: Stranger Things

Best Visual Effects

Andor

WINNER: House of the Dragon

Stranger Things

The Book of Boba Fett

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Best Animation

Big Mouth

Human Resources

I Am Groot

Rick and Morty

WINNER: Tales of the Jedi

Best Set Design

Andor

House of the Dragon

WINNER: Stranger Things

The Crown

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Best Costumes and Makeup

Euphoria

House of the Dragon

The Crown

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

WINNER: The Walking Dead

Total Wins:

Better Call Saul 7

Stranger Things 6

Euphoria 2

Barry 1

House of the Dragon 1

Saturday Night Live 1

Tales of the Jedi 1

The Walking Dead 1

Music

Best Album

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists

WINNER: Flogging Molly - Anthem

Ghost - Impera

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä

Soul Valpio - Ajan Hermolla

Best Song

Dream Widow - Lacrimus dei Ebrius

Dropkick Murphys - Talking Jukebox

Flogging Molly - Now Is the Time

Ghost - Twenties

WINNER: Scandinavian Music Group - Ne Kaikki Palaavat Lauluina

Best Music Video

WINNER: Arcade Fire - Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)

Dropkick Murphys - Ten Times More

Flogging Molly - A Song of Liberty

Ghost - Hunter's Moon

Harry Styles - As It Was

Best Composition

Band of Horses - In Need of Repair (Ben Bridwell, Jason Lytle & Ryan Monroe)

Dream Widow - Lacrimus dei Ebrius (Dave Grohl)

WINNER: Flogging Molly - Now Is the Time (Flogging Molly)

Ghost - Twenties (Tobias Forge, Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare)

Scandinavian Music Group - Elämä On Edessä (Joel Melasniemi)

Best Lyrics

WINNER: Dropkick Murphys - Where Trouble Is At (Woody Guthrie)

Flogging Molly - This Road of Mine (Flogging Molly)

Kiefer Sutherland - County Jail Gate (Kiefer Sutherland, Michael Gurley)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ne Kaikki Palaavat Lauluina (Terhi Kokkonen)

Soul Valpio - Ajan Hermolla (Ossi Valpio)

Best Mixing and Production

Arcade Fire - We (Nigel Godrich, Win Butler, Régine Chassagne)

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Ted Hutt)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (Adam Greenspan, Steve Albini, Gavin Glass)

WINNER: Ghost - Impera (Klas Åhlund & Andy Wallace)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Antti Lehtinen, Joel Melasniemi & Terhi Kokkonen)

Best Vocal Performance

Band of Horses - Things Are Great (Ben Bridwell)

Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Dave Grohl)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (Dave King)

Ghost - Impera (Papa Emeritus IV)

WINNER: Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Terhi Kokkonen)

Best Guitar Performance

WINNER: Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Dave Grohl)

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Tim Brennan)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (Dennis Casey)

Ghost - Impera (Fredrik Åkesson)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Joel Melasniemi)

Best Bass Performance

Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Dave Grohl)

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Ken Casey)

WINNER: Flogging Molly - Anthem (Nathen Maxwell)

Ghost - Impera (A Nameless Ghoul)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Oskari Halsti)

Best Piano/Keyboard Performance

Arcade Fire - We (Will Butler)

Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Rami Jaffee)

WINNER: Ghost - Impera (Martin Hederos)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Kyösti Salokorpi)

Soul Valpio - Ajan Hermolla (Lorenzo Laakso)

Best Drum/Percussion Performance

Apulanta - Sielun Kaltainen Tuote (Sipe Santapukki)

Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Dave Grohl)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (Mike Alonso)

WINNER: Ghost - Impera (Hux Nettermalm)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Antti Lehtinen)

Best Performance, Other Instrument

Arcade Fire - We (Liza Rey, Harp)

Band of Horses - Things Are Great (Ben Bridwell, Ukulele)

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Jeff DaRosa, Mandolin)

WINNER: Flogging Molly - Anthem (Bridget Regan, Fiddle)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Miikka Paatelainen, Pedal Steel)

Best Opening Track

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Two 6's Upside Down)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (These Times Have Got Me Drinking / Tripping Up the Stairs)

Ghost - Impera (Imperium)

Kiefer Sutherland - Bloor Street (Bloor Street)

WINNER: Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Uniemme Takaa)

Best Closing Track

Band of Horses - Things Are Great (Coalinga)

Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Lacrimus dei Ebrius)

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Dig a Hole)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (The Parting Wave)

WINNER: Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Ne Kaikki Palaavat Lauluina)

Total Wins:

Flogging Molly 4

Scandinavian Music Group 4

Ghost 3

Arcade Fire 1

Dream Widow 1

Dropkick Murphys 1

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I rank the episodes of Netflix's new heist spectacle Kaleidoscope.

My Best of 2022 Nominations

Greetings, reader!

It is once again the time of year to award the best of the best, across multiple different categories, from the cinema, television and music released in 2022. Putting my own twist on the concept of the Oscars, Emmys and Grammys, here are my nominations for these personal awards, and the winners will be decided next week.

Movies

Best Picture

All Quiet on the Western Front

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Nope

Top Gun: Maverick

Best Director

All Quiet on the Western Front (Edward Berger)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Ryan Coogler)

Elvis (Baz Luhrmann)

Nope (Jordan Peele)

Top Gun: Maverick (Joseph Kosinski)

Best Screenplay

All Quiet on the Western Front (Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell)

Elvis (Baz Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce & Jeremy Doner)

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Rian Johnson)

Nope (Jordan Peele)

Top Gun: Maverick (Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Christopher McQuarrie)

Best Lead Actress

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Letitia Wright as Shuri)

Halloween Ends (Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode)

Nope (Keke Palmer as Emerald Haywood)

The Batman (Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle)

The Gray Man (Ana de Armas as Dani Miranda)

Best Lead Actor

All Quiet on the Western Front (Felix Kammerer as Paul Bäumer)

Elvis (Austin Butler as Elvis Presley)

Mr. Harrigan's Phone (Jaeden Martell as Craig)

Nope (Daniel Kaluuya as OJ Haywood)

Top Gun: Maverick (Tom Cruise as Capt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell)

Best Supporting Actress

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia)

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff)

Elvis (Helen Thomson as Gladys)

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Kate Hudson as Birdie Jay)

The Gray Man (Jessica Henwick as Suzanne Brewer)

Best Supporting Actor

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Leslie Odom Jr. as Lionel Toussaint)

Mr. Harrigan's Phone (Donald Sutherland as Mr. Harrigan)

Nope (Steven Yeun as Ricky 'Jupe' Park)

The Batman (Paul Dano as The Riddler)

Top Gun: Maverick (Miles Teller as Lt. Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw)

Best Score

All Quiet on the Western Front (Volker Bertelmann)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Ludwig Göransson)

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Danny Elfman)

Halloween Ends (Cody Carpenter, John Carpenter & Daniel A. Davies)

Top Gun: Maverick (Lorne Balfe, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga & Hans Zimmer)

Best Cinematography

All Quiet on the Western Front (James Friend)

Avatar: The Way of Water (Russell Carpenter)

Nope (Hoyte Van Hoytema)

The Gray Man (Stephen F. Windon)

Top Gun: Maverick (Claudio Miranda)

Best Editing

All Quiet on the Western Front (Sven Budelmann)

Elvis (Jonathan Redmond & Matt Villa)

Nope (Nicholas Monsour)

Stutz (Nick Houy & Nicholas Ramirez)

Top Gun: Maverick (Eddie Hamilton)

Best Sound

All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Water

Elvis

Nope

Top Gun: Maverick

Best Visual Effects

Avatar: The Way of Water

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Thor: Love and Thunder

Best Production Design

All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Water

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Elvis

Nope

Best Costumes and Makeup

All Quiet on the Western Front

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Elvis

Nope

The Batman

Total Nominations:

Nope 11

All Quiet on the Western Front 10

Top Gun: Maverick 9

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 8

Elvis 8

Avatar: The Way of Water 4

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery 4

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 3

The Batman 3

The Gray Man 3

Halloween Ends 2

Mr. Harrigan's Phone 2

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore 1

Stutz 1

Thor: Love and Thunder 1

Television

Best Television Series

Barry

Better Call Saul

Big Mouth

Euphoria

House of the Dragon

Best Directing

Barry (Bill Hader, 710N)

Better Call Saul (Thomas Schnauz, Plan and Execution)

Euphoria (Sam Levinson, The Theater and Its Double)

House of the Dragon (Greg Yaitanes, The Black Queen)

Stranger Things (Shawn Levy, Chapter Four: Dear Billy)

Best Writing

Barry (Alec Berg & Bill Hader, starting now)

Better Call Saul (Vince Gilligan & Peter Gould, Saul Gone)

Euphoria (Sam Levinson, The Theater and Its Double)

House of the Dragon (Kevin Lau & Charmaine De Grate, Driftmark)

Rick and Morty (Justin Roiland, Dan Harmon & Alex Rubens, Full Meta Jackrick)

Best Lead Actress

Barry (Sarah Goldberg as Sally Reed)

Better Call Saul (Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler)

Euphoria (Zendaya as Rue Bennett)

House of the Dragon (Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen)

The Crown (Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II)

Best Lead Actor

Barry (Bill Hader as Barry Berkman)

Better Call Saul (Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman)

Euphoria (Jacob Elordi as Nate Jacobs)

House of the Dragon (Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen)

The Crown (Dominic West as Prince Charles)

Best Supporting Actress

Euphoria (Hunter Schafer as Jules Vaughn)

House of the Dragon (Emily Carey as Alicent Hightower)

Stranger Things (Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield)

The Crown (Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana)

The Walking Dead (Cailey Fleming as Judith Grimes)

Best Supporting Actor

Barry (Henry Winkler as Gene Cousineau)

Better Call Saul (Michael Mando as Nacho Varga)

House of the Dragon (Paddy Considine as Viserys Targaryen)

Mo (Omar Elba as Sameer Najjar)

Saturday Night Live (Kenan Thompson as Various)

Best Actress, Guest Role

Better Call Saul (Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader)

House of the Dragon (Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen)

Mo (Cherien Dabis as Nadia Najjar)

Tales of the Jedi (Bryce Dallas Howard as Yaddle)

That Damn Michael Che (Heidi Gardner as Various)

Best Actor, Guest Role

Better Call Saul (Bryan Cranston as Walter White)

House of the Dragon (Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon Targaryen)

Stranger Things (Robert Englund as Victor Creel)

The Crown (Anatoliy Kotenyov as Boris Yeltsin)

The Walking Dead (Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes)

Best Episode

Better Call Saul (Plan and Execution, Season 6 Episode 7)

Euphoria (The Theater and Its Double, Season 2 Episode 7)

Rick and Morty (Full Meta Jackrick, Season 6 Episode 7)

Stranger Things (Chapter Four: Dear Billy, Season 4 Episode 4)

The Walking Dead (Rest in Peace, Season 11 Episode 24)

Best Season Premiere

Better Call Saul (Wine and Roses, Season 6 Episode 1)

Euphoria (Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door, Season 2 Episode 1)

House of the Dragon (The Heirs of the Dragon, Season 1 Episode 1)

Rick and Morty (Solaricks, Season 6 Episode 1)

That Damn Michael Che (Join the Club, Season 2 Episode 1)

Best Season Finale

Andor (Rix Road, Season 1 Episode 12)

Barry (starting now, Season 3 Episode 8)

Better Call Saul (Saul Gone, Season 6 Episode 13)

Big Mouth (F**ked Up Friday, Season 6 Episode 10)

The Walking Dead (Rest in Peace, Season 11 Episode 24)

Best Score

Euphoria (Labrinth)

Mo (Common, Karriem Riggins & Patrick Warren)

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Natalie Holt & John Williams)

The Book of Boba Fett (Ludwig Göransson & Joseph Shirley)

The Walking Dead (Bear McCreary & Sam Ewing)

Best Cinematography

Barry (Carl Herse & Darran Tiernan)

Better Call Saul (Marshall Adams & Paul Donachie)

Euphoria (Marcell Rév & Rina Yang)

House of the Dragon (Alejandro Martinez, Fabian Wagner, Pepe Avila del Pino & Catherine Goldschmidt)

Stranger Things (Caleb Heyman & Brett Jutkiewicz)

Best Editing

Better Call Saul (Skip Macdonald & Chris McCaleb)

Euphoria (Julio Perez IV, Aaron I. Butler, Laura Zempel & Nikola Boyanov)

House of the Dragon (Tim Porter, Crispin Green, Chris Hunter & Selina Macarthur)

Stranger Things (Dean Zimmerman, Nat Fuller & Katheryn Naranjo)

The Book of Boba Fett (Jeff Seibenick, Andrew S. Eisen & Sana E. Glauberman)

Best Sound

Andor

Barry

Better Call Saul

House of the Dragon

Stranger Things

Best Visual Effects

Andor

House of the Dragon

Stranger Things

The Book of Boba Fett

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Best Animation

Big Mouth

Human Resources

I Am Groot

Rick and Morty

Tales of the Jedi

Best Set Design

Andor

House of the Dragon

Stranger Things

The Crown

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Best Costumes and Makeup

Euphoria

House of the Dragon

The Crown

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The Walking Dead

Total Nominations:

House of the Dragon 16

Better Call Saul 14

Euphoria 12

Barry 9

Stranger Things 9

The Crown 6

The Walking Dead 6

Andor 4

Rick and Morty 4

Big Mouth 3

Mo 3

The Book of Boba Fett 3

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 3

Tales of the Jedi 2

That Damn Michael Che 2

Human Resources 1

I Am Groot 1

Obi-Wan Kenobi 1

Saturday Night Live 1

Music

Best Album

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists

Flogging Molly - Anthem

Ghost - Impera

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä

Soul Valpio - Ajan Hermolla

Best Song

Dream Widow - Lacrimus dei Ebrius

Dropkick Murphys - Talking Jukebox

Flogging Molly - Now Is the Time

Ghost - Twenties

Scandinavian Music Group - Ne Kaikki Palaavat Lauluina

Best Music Video

Arcade Fire - Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)

Dropkick Murphys - Ten Times More

Flogging Molly - A Song of Liberty

Ghost - Hunter's Moon

Harry Styles - As It Was

Best Composition

Band of Horses - In Need of Repair (Ben Bridwell, Jason Lytle & Ryan Monroe)

Dream Widow - Lacrimus dei Ebrius (Dave Grohl)

Flogging Molly - Now Is the Time (Flogging Molly)

Ghost - Twenties (Tobias Forge, Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare)

Scandinavian Music Group - Elämä On Edessä (Joel Melasniemi)

Best Lyrics

Dropkick Murphys - Where Trouble Is At (Woody Guthrie)

Flogging Molly - This Road of Mine (Flogging Molly)

Kiefer Sutherland - County Jail Gate (Kiefer Sutherland, Michael Gurley)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ne Kaikki Palaavat Lauluina (Terhi Kokkonen)

Soul Valpio - Ajan Hermolla (Ossi Valpio)

Best Mixing and Production

Arcade Fire - We (Nigel Godrich, Win Butler, Régine Chassagne)

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Ted Hutt)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (Adam Greenspan, Steve Albini, Gavin Glass)

Ghost - Impera (Klas Åhlund & Andy Wallace)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Antti Lehtinen, Joel Melasniemi & Terhi Kokkonen)

Best Vocal Performance

Band of Horses - Things Are Great (Ben Bridwell)

Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Dave Grohl)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (Dave King)

Ghost - Impera (Papa Emeritus IV)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Terhi Kokkonen)

Best Guitar Performance

Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Dave Grohl)

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Tim Brennan)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (Dennis Casey)

Ghost - Impera (Fredrik Åkesson)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Joel Melasniemi)

Best Bass Performance

Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Dave Grohl)

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Ken Casey)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (Nathen Maxwell)

Ghost - Impera (A Nameless Ghoul)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Oskari Halsti)

Best Piano/Keyboard Performance

Arcade Fire - We (Will Butler)

Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Rami Jaffee)

Ghost - Impera (Martin Hederos)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Kyösti Salokorpi)

Soul Valpio - Ajan Hermolla (Lorenzo Laakso)

Best Drum/Percussion Performance

Apulanta - Sielun Kaltainen Tuote (Sipe Santapukki)

Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Dave Grohl)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (Mike Alonso)

Ghost - Impera (Hux Nettermalm)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Antti Lehtinen)

Best Performance, Other Instrument

Arcade Fire - We (Liza Rey, Harp)

Band of Horses - Things Are Great (Ben Bridwell, Ukulele)

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Jeff DaRosa, Mandolin)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (Bridget Regan, Fiddle)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Miikka Paatelainen, Pedal Steel)

Best Opening Track

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Two 6's Upside Down)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (These Times Have Got Me Drinking / Tripping Up the Stairs)

Ghost - Impera (Imperium)

Kiefer Sutherland - Bloor Street (Bloor Street)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Uniemme Takaa)

Best Closing Track

Band of Horses - Things Are Great (Coalinga)

Dream Widow - Dream Widow (Lacrimus dei Ebrius)

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Dig a Hole)

Flogging Molly - Anthem (The Parting Wave)

Scandinavian Music Group - Ikuinen Ystävä (Ne Kaikki Palaavat Lauluina)

Total Nominations:

Flogging Molly 13

Scandinavian Music Group 13

Ghost 11

Dropkick Murphys 10

Dream Widow 8

Arcade Fire 4

Band of Horses 4

Soul Valpio 3

Kiefer Sutherland 2

Apulanta 1

Harry Styles 1

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I reveal the winners.

Top 10 Anticipated Movies of 2023

Greetings, reader!

As is tradition, I have gathered a list of this year's upcoming films that I am most excited for, and ranked them based on the degree of my anticipation. Here is the cinema that I'm most enthusiastic to see throughout 2023!

Here are my honorable mentions: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Knock at the Cabin, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, The Marvels, The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

10. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Like millions of others, I rolled my eyes when hearing that there's going to be a fifth Indiana Jones movie in the Lord's year 2023, and joked around when hearing that the film will include the most ancient artifact to ever be explored in the franchise - no, I'm not talking about the dial of destiny, I'm talking about the man donning the fedora for one last time. I mean, who in their right mind would spearhead an action/adventure film with an 80-year-old Harrison Ford in the title role?

Then I saw the trailer, and realized that I had forgotten two key facts in my judgement of them making an Indiana Jones film with Harrison Ford still in the lead. Number one, I had underestimated my underlying love for the franchise, as merely hearing the iconic John Williams score filled me with excitement and nostalgia. And number two, I had severely underestimated the badass that is Harrison Ford. No matter how old the man is, fans of the franchise will feel goosebumps when he puts on that fedora, with the whip in his hand and that gritty smirk on face. Also, as the fourth instalment of the franchise was a mixed bag at best, one can hope that this will be a more deserving franchise finale.

9. Wonka

The whole Willy Wonka / Chocolate Factory universe was never a huge deal for me - I've never seen the 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (although I've seen enough clips to appreciate how magical Gene Wilder was in the role), and the 2005 reboot Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a film that I liked as a kid, but it never was a huge favorite. Honestly, my fondest memory relating to that world is the classic Futurama episode Fry and the Slurm Factory (Season 2 episode 4), with its top-tier parody.

So why am I excited for this prequel film then? Well, in short, Timothée Chalamet. As miniscule as my investment in this franchise has been when compared to many other universally beloved family movies, I still got goosebumps when I saw the first promo pictures of Chalamet in the role of a young Willy Wonka. He looks so right for the role, and knowing what a talented actor he is, I'm guessing he'll do the role's famous whimsy justice while bringing his own twist into it. Looking forward to this one!

8. Fast X

Don't get me wrong, I'm still pissed off at the absolute injustice that the 10th Fast and Furious film isn't called "FastTen Your Seatbelts". I suppose Vin Diesel just ignored all of my e-mails.

Still, I am looking forward to the film. The Fast and Furious films keep being massively entertaining and inventive against all expectations, with the popularity and relevance of the seventh, eighth and ninth films in the franchise breaking the laws of the universe even more than all of the physics-defying action stunts that these films are known for. So why should the tenth be any different?

After they outdid their stunts film after film to a point of fans joking that they'll probably take their cars to space next, the ninth film of this wonderfully self-aware franchise did just that, which raises the serious question: how in the name of Christ almighty are they going to top that? The Toretto family teaming up against Godzilla? Cars transforming into weapons and robot-like characters to the point of the film being a Transformers crossover? Cars traveling faster than light, thus breaking the space-time continuum? With this franchise, at this point, anything is possible, and I'm here for it.

7. Cocaine Bear

My dear friend Eetu brought this undoubtedly magnificent piece of cinema to my attention, exclaiming that we have GOT to see this on the big screen with our old high school friend group. The IMDB plot description goes like this: "An oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converge in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine".

Oh, and it's loosely based on a true story.

In the words of the great Kylian Mbappé: "I will be there no matter what".

6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

If you're waiting for the day I do a "Top 10 anticipated movies of the upcoming year" list that doesn't have proper Marvel Cinematic Universe representation in it, you're going to be waiting a long time. It seems that every year from 2014 to present day, half of the people in my social circles deliver a dramatic monologue on how they "just don't care about the MCU anymore" as it has all become too repetitive and there are too many films to keep up with - yet the films keep being relevant and popular, and those same people keep tuning in after the cinematic universe once again comes up with some cool new way of staying fresh.

When you consider the vast and endless swamp of comic books that these films are based on, it's no wonder that the MCU is still going strong despite everyone's cynicism - with so many interconnected characters and storylines to adapt, of course there's always material for the next film and the next one and the next one. A skeptic might say that they're just cash grabs designed to make money - but as long as the films are fun and entertaining, filled with charismatic characters, cool action sequences and neat connections, I don't really see the problem with that. There are worse ways of making money in the world, such as drug dealing, organized crime, or The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

So, once again, I'm quite keen on seeing what the MCU is cooking up next, as they have proved their ability to keep producing solid, entertaining content time and again. The first two Guardians of the Galaxy films are loads of fun, and that particular part of the fictional universe is begging to be explored more, so I can't wait to see what this rag-tag group of heroes does next.

5. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

This one has me even more hyped up than the new Guardians of the Galaxy! For starters, Scott Lang / Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) is one of my favorite Marvel characters, as Rudd brings such a laid-back and relatable vibe to a franchise full of dramatic and self-important characters. The dude is like the Jim Halpert of superheroes, and I love it.

Also, it just sounds like this film will have some serious narrative impact on the larger MCU. I'm especially looking forward to the role of Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors), who has been teased by Kevin Feige and other producers to be the cinematic universe's next 'big bad' after the Thanos era. The character's debut in the season finale of Loki (2021-) was exhilarating, and this will apparently be the next major project where he has a role. I can't wait to see more of that character, and the direction in which he will take the long-term MCU storyline.

4. Next Goal Wins

I love me a good football movie, and this sounds to be just that. Based on the true story of the valiant (yet ultimately unsuccessful) campaign of the infamously terrible American Samoa national football team to qualify for the 2014 World Cup, this biopic sounds like it'll combine the beauty of the sport with the comedy of its context. A bit of a Ted Lasso (2020-) vibe if you ask me, and that's always a good thing. The team's manager is even played by Michael Fassbender, and the film is being directed by the wonderful Taika Waititi!

3. Oppenheimer

The man who made Inception, Interstellar, Memento, Dunkirk and the Dark Knight trilogy has yet to make a bad movie, so there's good reason to be hyped up for Christopher Nolan's next big project. Always one for ambition, Nolan is now tackling the biopic genre by telling the true story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist behind the Manhattan Project and the atomic bomb.

Oppenheimer will be played by Nolan's longtime collaborator Cillian Murphy, who looks to be frighteningly right for the role based on the teaser trailer. And in classic Nolan fashion, the supporting cast is flooded with names like Emily Blunt, Gary Oldman, Matt Damon, Rami Malek and Kenneth Branagh. I reckon this film will blow us away (gallows pun not intended).

2. Dune: Part Two

This is a no-brainer for me. Dune was my most anticipated film of 2020, and when it was delayed due to Covid, it became my most anticipated film of 2021. When it was finally released, it met all of my expectations, becoming my #1 favorite movie of the year and perhaps the greatest book-to-film adaptation I've ever seen. So, naturally, I'm quite amped up for the sequel - it would in fact be at first place, if it wasn't for...

1. The Community Movie

Okay, a release date hasn't been confirmed yet, but all signs seem to be pointing towards streaming service Peacock wanting to get this film out there as soon as possible, now that it's greenlit and in the making. After all, the process leading up to this was quite something:

As many of you know, Community is the objectively* greatest TV sitcom of all time. And throughout the series, the phase "Six seasons and a movie" is uttered multiple times as a meaningful running gag, since showrunner Dan Harmon always intended to do just that. When the last scene of the show's sixth and final season fades away, we're left with the text "#andamovie" on a white screen - and this was back in 2015. After that, it was multiple years of excruciating waiting, with fans fretting over whether or not the movie will ever be made - Harmon kept giving cryptic answers, and the castmembers always seemed willing and excited about the idea, but it didn't always seem realistic as they've become big and busy stars with projects of their own.

There's even an Instagram account, @leggendario., who swore to post a Community-related meme every day until the movie is made. Years and years (as well as countless memes) later, it seemed hopeless, yet us fans never gave up hope. And then, on a magical day last fall, I open my Instagram to see that Ken Jeong (who plays Ben Chang on the show) had posted "Six seasons and a movie!". Curious as hell, I continue scrolling to see that Joel McHale (who plays Jeff Winger) had posted the same. Now full of adrenaline, I keep thinking - DOES THIS MEAN WHAT I THINK IT DOES? IS IT CONFIRMED?. The next post I see is from Dan Harmon himself, and he has tagged @leggendario., saying that he can finally stop. A tear runs down my cheek, as I process the news that my all-time favorite comedy is finally getting its destined movie sequel.

Much isn't yet known about the film, other than Dan Harmon is helming the project and at least Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Gillian Jacobs, Alison Brie, Ken Jeong, Jim Rash and Yvette Nicole Brown are returning (Donald Glover also sounded hopeful). And that's all I really need. The last time I checked, the film was set to be released straight to Peacock and that service didn't operate in Finland. But I don't really care - whether it's paying for a VPN, travelling to the States or starting a massive online campaign to bring the film to a service outside America, I will find a way to see this film.

*This is a fact.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for the nominations of my 'personal Oscars' (and/or Emmys and/or Grammys), as I reveal my nominees for various categories to the best cinema, television and music of 2022! Naturally, the winners will be decided and revealed the following week.

Top 10 TV Shows of 2022

Greetings, reader!

It is once again time to look back on some of the best offerings from the world of television over the course of the past year. These were the very best TV shows of 2022!

Here are my honorable mentions: Human Resources (Season 1), Saturday Night Live (Seasons 47B-48A), That Damn Michael Che (Season 2), The Crown (Season 5), The Walking Dead (Season 11B).

10. Stranger Things (Season 4)

The fourth season of Netflix's mega-popular coming-of-age sci-fi/horror 80's nostalgia blast was simultaneously the show's worst and best season. The lowpoints were the series at its worst, with the nearly two-hour lengths of episodes being a bit overkill and the abundance of new characters and storylines making for a sharp division between the actually interesting and quite unnecessary ones. But the highpoints? Well, there's a reason that Stranger Things 4 made it onto my list, while spectacular shows like The Crown and the final season of The Walking Dead barely missed out.

After the three first episodes of season 4, I wasn't sold - but then came episode four, hitting us with what I can honestly call one of the greatest individual scenes in television history. Yes, I'm talking about Max (Sadie Sink) running - don't worry, I won't go into spoiler-details. But Jesus Christ, what a scene - the breathtaking visuals, the profound use of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill in the soundtrack, the emotional stakes of what are going on and Sink's Emmy-worthy performance testing the very limits of how emotional and believable an acting performance can be, all combine to create the best moment in the show's four-season run and one for the television hall of fame.

From thereon out, the season provided many more memorable moments and great episodes, culminating in a massively eventful season finale.

9. Rick and Morty (Season 6)

The sheer creativity of this magnificent series, which I have often described as "Back to the Future meets South Park meets Doctor Who meets Community", will never cease to amaze me. Writers Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland are in their sixth season, and they're still coming up with episode premises like "Morty is stuck inside a video game, with his consciousness trapped in the collective personalities of all the game's characters, while Rick tries to help him out and the belief of all the characters actually being the collective consciousness of a teenage boy becomes akin to a religion within the game's fictional narrative", and "Rick creates an invention that allows the Smith family to do chores while sleeping, giving 'night personas' to everyone in the family, but the night family soon starts to realize their oppressed nature and plot to take over the day family's lives".

This limitless imagination is especially present in Full Meta Jackrick, easily the newest season's best episode. The show's barrier-breaking amounts of meta humor escalate further than ever before, with the episode's wild narrative ranging from Rick and Morty being trapped inside a "Previously on" montage, through them adventuring their way across the events in the show's opening credits sequence, all the way to showrunner Justin Roiland becoming a part of the story in a magnificent self-insert. Quite the masterclass.

8. Mo (Season 1)

I'm a big fan of the series Ramy, in which comedian Mohammed Amer plays a supporting character called Mohammed, often shortened to 'Mo'. So when I saw Netflix advertising a series called Mo with Mohammed Amer in the poster, I figured: 'Cool! A spin-off!' - only to find out that it is in fact not a spin-off. Sure, it's co-created by Ramy Youssef and Mohammed Amer, and features very similar humor and themes to Ramy, but the Mo played by Amer here is a different character from the Mo he plays on Ramy, as these shows don't take place in the same universe.

Confusion aside, Mo is just a damn good series. While being essentially similar to Ramy in being a sitcom balancing serious introspection of living as a Muslim in America with lots of tongue-in-cheek making fun of aspects in Muslim culture and American conventions, this series also differs from its predecessor to find a voice of its own as it follows a family of Palestinian immigrants. This allows for a whole new range of topics that hadn't been touched in Ramy, as well as for one of the funniest interactions in the history of television:

Mo: "You know, where I come from, olive theft is a huge problem too"

Buddy: "Yeah, where is that?"

Mo: "Palestine"

Manny: "Damn, that's a couple hours away"

Mo: "No, not Palestine, Texas - Palestine. The land of milk and honey?"

Buddy: "Uh, Israel, Manny."

Manny: "Oh! Uh, Shalom"

Mo: "Yeah, that's a real branding issue"

7. Andor

This year saw the debut of not one, not two, not even three, but four TV shows on Disney+ that take place in the Star Wars universe. And while Obi-Wan Kenobi was solid, Tales of the Jedi had a few really strong episodes and even The Book of Boba Fett had its moments, there's only one that made it into my top ten of the year - and that, my friends, is Andor.

Taking place several years after the prequel trilogy, some time before the original trilogy and leading up to the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, this show focuses on Rogue One character Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). Not the most interesting idea on paper, but damn, they sure go places with it. Andor does a big one-eighty by starting out as a series that feels less Star Wars than its compatriots from this year, yet ends up feeling more Star Wars than any of them.

In the beginning, the dark and gritty style will seem a bit off-brand for the franchise, but by those amazing final episodes, you will realize how the writers utilized this style to bring more meaning than ever to the ideas at the very core of Star Wars. You'll feel the passion and heroism of the Rebel Alliance, while fearing the iron grip of the Empire, more than ever before, making Andor into quite the emotional journey for fans of the franchise.

6. Surrounded By Enemies

This Viaplay original documentary series was scarier than any horror movie I've seen all year. Detailing the rise of far-right extremist groups in Nodric countries, journalist Henrik Evertsson takes a gripping look at the reasons behind these movements, the facts in how they operate, and the implications of such a rise for the future. The footage of events like SIAN ("Stop the Islamisation of Norway") rallies and such are bone-chilling, as are the interviews of figures who have joined such movements and try to explain their worldviews.

The existence of documentaries like this is very important, as we should be aware about these movements and the danger they pose; but in all its educational value and social (as well as psychological) fascination, it is not easy viewing. Surrounded By Enemies was a tough watch, but a very eye-opening one, and one that left me applauding the factual approach, respectable curiosity and sheer bravery of Mr. Evertsson.

5. Euphoria (Season 2)

If you're wondering why the second season of HBO's critically acclaimed (though somewhat controversial) drama isn't even higher on the list, I will say that the much-praised second season did have its less-than-perfect moments - episodes like Out of Touch (Season 2 Episode 2) are oddly paced and feel a bit off, and some of the bold directions that the story takes in the ambitiously titled season finale All My Life, My Heart has Yearned for a Thing I Cannot Name are questionable to say the least.

But, as was the case with Stranger Things 4, the positives vastly outweigh the negatives, which is why I can't help but see Euphoria's sophomore season as some of the year's finest television.

Throughout it all, Sam Levinson is one hell of a director and storyteller, with his style being so unique that the series feels like its own genre (IMDB user 'aidensherry' called Euphoria "the beginning of impressionistic filmmaking", which I found to be a beautiful sentiment). This is especially evident in the new season's penultimate episode The Theater and Its Double, which breaks many barriers of storytelling conventions while blurring the lines between reality and fiction, fiction and the fiction within the fiction, present and past, et cetera. And, as a cherry on top, Zendaya delivers what just might be the TV acting performance of the year, with her acting throughout the season being a pitch-perfect depiction of the grim realities of drug addiction.

4. Barry (Season 3)

Bill Hader's HBO darling Barry continues to be a masterclass in TV writing, directing and acting with its third season. If I had to pick a favorite element from this wonderful season, it would have to be the show's immaculate execution of its drama-comedy-hybrid format - every episode is filled with moments that are purely laugh-out-loud hilarious, other moments that are dark and serious as all hell, and multiple scenes that are an aggressive amount of both at the same time. A half-hour episode will take you on an emotional journey from macabre and hysterical to tragicomical and bittersweet.

Honorable mentions for my favorite element of Barry's third season would have to be the insanely well-coordinated chase sequence from the episode 710N, the genius comedic timing of the remote demolition app in the episode all the sauces, and the shockingly emotional and dramatic season finale that makes you re-evaluate how much of a 'you shouldn't care about the characters' show this is after all.

3. Big Mouth (Season 6)

I know, I know, I know. The TV elitist community will crucify me for the seemingly inexcusable opinion of putting the sixth season of Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg's crude animated puberty sitcom ahead of acclaimed TV masterworks of cinematic levels such as Euphoria and Stranger Things. But, the thing is, this is a subjective list of my favorite television from the past year, and the newest season of god damn Big Mouth did more for me than almost any other series. The chaotic humor had me rolling with laughter, the flawed but lovable characters won me over as I cared for them more than I could've ever imagined, the rich variety of important themes and topics that the season covered had me reflecting and pondering, and the feel-good payoffs seriously warmed my heart, occasionally putting a tear in my eye.

I can't believe that a series known for its abundance of dark and gross humor could have so much heart, so many honestly important life lessons, and so much positivity on sensitive topics. For all the childish jokes on the show's coming-of-age themes, it manages to be wholesome and sex-positive with an inclusive message that really makes you feel better about the world. There's a lot of joy awaiting you, if you can get past the acquired taste of Kroll & Goldberg's humor (even took me a while back in the day - I remember my friend Atte showing the pilot episode to me in 2017, and my reaction being "WHAT THE HELL, WHY WOULD ANYONE WATCH THIS?"). Oh, how wrong I was.

2. House of the Dragon (Season 1)

Funny how life ends up working - you spend your HBO budget on massive state-of-the-art visuals, off-the-charts action set pieces and lavish set designs, and when it's all said and done, the one moment everyone keeps talking about is the visual of an old man slowly walking towards a chair. I guess money can't buy you everything when trying to make a good fantasy series, isn't that right, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power? Oh, right, nevermind, you didn't make it onto today's list. Anyhow...

This Game of Thrones prequel is fantastic. It truly strikes the balance of being similar enough to be great in many of the same ways as Game of Thrones (the Shakespearean power dynamics, the sneaky politics, the fantasy intrigue of Westeros), yet different enough to not feel like a copy but rather stand on its own (the intense focus on a few families in a few key settings instead of following large-scope world events, the culture of the Targaryen era, the time jumps et cetera). There's a lot to love with this slow burn of a first season, where the steady pace starts to escalate towards some grand events, while maintaining a sense that this is all just a prologue to what is to come in the following seasons.

And yes, that scene of the old man slowly walking towards a chair. I won't give more context as I don't want to spoil anyone, but my God, that's peak television right there.

1. Better Call Saul (Season 6)

Yeah, I really didn't have to even consider anything else being in first place. With Breaking Bad, Vince Gilligan proved that he can absolutely master the art of landing a dynamite final season for a TV series, and with Better Call Saul, he proved that it was no fluke. The sixth and final season of the critically acclaimed Breaking Bad spin-off is every bit as good as the by-now modern classic that is Breaking Bad's final season. When I ranked the Top 10 episodes of Better Call Saul last summer, half of the list's episodes were from seasons 1-5 combined, and half were from this one banger of an individual season.

What I really love is how Vince Gilligan's unconventional story arch gives us multiple endings. A major part of the series gets wrapped up in a bittersweet manner in Rock and a Hard Place, the third episode of the 13-episode season, allowing for the rest of season to focus on the 'main' story. And most of that gets its climax in the eighth episode Point and Shoot, after which the ninth episode Fun and Games feels like an epilogue wrapping up loose ends. AND THEN WE STILL GET FOUR MORE EPISODES, tying back to a part of the series that some had forgotten to exist, yet that four-episode arch's role as the show's swan song ends up making perfect sense in a poetic manner.

Also, it's Better Call Saul, so it goes without saying that the directing and cinematography are impeccable, and the acting performances are nothing short of Golden Globe -worthy. What a way to wrap up one of the best TV dramas of its era.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for this year's edition of my January tradition - the top 10 most anticipated movies of 2023!