The 2022 Emmys are near and TV fans everywhere are making their predictions. HBO’s Succession is expected to win the Outstanding Drama Series Emmy at this year’s Emmy Awards ceremonies but according to review aggregator websites like Rotten Tomatoes, it isn’t necessarily the best show among the nominees.
Taking an average of ratings from respected critics, Rotten Tomatoes comes up with its “Tomatometer” score for every show. Among this year’s Outstanding Drama Series nominees, the ones that rank at the top aren’t necessarily the ones fans would expect.
Ozark (Netflix) – 82%
Concluding this year after its fourth and final season, Ozark has received positive reviews through its run, including a total of 32 Emmy Award nominations to date. Julie Garner, who pays Ruth, won twice in the supporting actress category while star Jason Bateman won for directing in 2019.
The compelling show follows the Byrde family after it is revealed that the patriarch has been working with a criminal enterprise, helping with their accounting and laundering money. They get swept up deeper into the criminal drug underworld, forced to move to the Ozarks. The character development has been likened to other iconic shows like Breaking Bad and the actors have been praised for their convincing portrayals and on-screen chemistry. Ozark has 13 total nominations this year.
Euphoria (HBO) – 88%
With a total of 16 Emmy nominations this year, teen drama Euphoria won last year in the Outstanding Lead Actress category for Zendaya. In the series, considered one of the most realistic teen shows, according to Reddit, she plays a teenage addict named Rue trying to deal with integrating back into life after rehab.
It's Zendaya's immensely relatable and emotional performance that has drawn fans in alongside the stunning visuals and wonderful soundtrack. Euphoria also features a strong supporting cast including Maude Apatow, Eric Dane, Jacob Elordi, Colman Domingo, and Sydney Sweeney. Ranked HBO’s second-most watched show behind only Game of Thrones, there have been two seasons to date with a third on the way of the show that has become one of the most popular series for teens.
Stranger Things (Netflix) – 91%
Another massive hit for Netflix, Stranger Things is one of the most talked about shows right now thanks to the release of the action-packed, extra-long season 4. With the show concluding after an upcoming season 5, fans can’t wait to find out how the story ends. Along with the exciting story, Stranger Things has received accolades, including nominations, for everything from make-up to special effects as well.
With a respectable 13 nominations this year, the ‘80s-set sci-fi drama is about a group of kids, parents, and the chief of police investigating strange happenings in their town of Hawkins, Indiana. Fans have fallen in love with the '80s look and feel of the period series, the incredible throwback soundtrack (that has only gotten better in season 4, resurrecting hits like Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" and Metallica's "Master of Puppets). Plus, the main and supporting cast members, including fan favorite Joseph Quinn, give fans something exciting and new every season.
Succession (HBO) – 94%
This satirical black-comedy drama centers around the dysfunctional and obscenely wealthy Roy family that runs the Waystar Royco media conglomerate and the patriarch Logan’s decision about who should take over whenever he decides to step down. There are so many acts of betrayal on Succession, every episode offers more nail-biting tension than the next. The story has been compared to real-life stories of corporate succession and wealthy billionaire families. While fans might not be able to relate to the family, they can loathe their greed and spoiled attitudes, marveling at the opulent lifestyles. Every fan has a favorite character, with each Roy child as unique a personality as the next, allowing for a truly engaging ensemble cast.
Succession is the most nominated show of 2022 with an impressive 25 nominations. This includes both this category and major acting categories for lead and supporting roles. Despite this, Succession is only fifth-highest on the list of nominees when it comes to Rotten Tomatoes rankings.
Squid Game (Netflix) – 95%
Seemingly coming out of nowhere, Squid Game is a foreign language series that shocked viewers with its horrifying premise and gruesome scenes. While fans who love blood and gore gravitated to the show, others also appreciated that the series, about various people in desperate situations competing in a deadly game for the chance to win a huge cash prize, spoke volumes about class disparity. Squid Game drew comparisons to shows like Black Mirror and quickly became Netflix’s top-viewed show ever, surpassing Bridgerton. The juxtaposition between typically fun, childhood schoolyard games and deathly decisions made Squid Game the type of show that was so brutal, it was tough to look away. And once an episode was done, it had to be talked about and analyzed.
While the dialogue was dubbed in English, it was clear the performances by actors like Lee Jung-jae and HoYeon Jung were worthy of recognition, and they were nominated along with the show itself.
Severance (Apple TV+) – 97%
Should Severance win in this category, it means Apple TV+ will have taken home the biggest awards at both the Emmys and the Oscars: the streaming service’s original film CODA won Best Picture at the Academy Awards earlier this year.
Severance is a gripping, thought-provoking sci-fi psychological thriller that had fans completely glued to the screens to see what happens next. An organization has created a way to sever peoples’ brains so they can live personal lives as themselves (the “outies”) and work lives as “innies,” never knowing anything about the other side of their lives to allow for complete focus, free from distraction. What made fans so drawn to the show, alongside the star-studded cast that includes Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, John Turturro, and Christopher Walken, was the fact that the situation depicted in the show could very well happen in real life, with technology developing at a rapid pace. Each actor was so convincing in, in some cases, dual roles, while the nail-biting tension only intensified by the final episode. Severance received several nominations this year, including for the actors who play some of the best characters on Severance.
Better Call Saul (AMC) – 98%
One of only a few series on the list from a specialty network versus a streaming service (though AMC does indeed have its own streaming option as well), the Breaking Bad prequel series Better Call Saul ended on a high note this summer after five seasons. Many fans, in fact, said the ending was as good, if not better than Breaking Bad. The show told the backstory of fan favorite character from Breaking Bad, Saul Goodman. And while it was a slow burn, the show received consistently positive reviews throughout, with fans loving the layered look at how Jimmy McGill slowly transformed into the slimy Saul Goodman. The supporting characters as well, including his colleague/friend/eventual wife Kim, played by Rhea Seehorn who was also nominated, really made fans love the concept as an entirely unique show as well.
Along with the compelling story and the acting, especially in some of the best episodes of Better Call Saul, the series has been consistently recognized each year: the show has amassed a total of 46 Emmy awards through its run.
Yellowjackets (Showtime) – 100%
Quietly making its way onto the list this year after its first season debuted in November 2021, Yellowjackets immediately had fans talking and theorizing. Taking place across two different timelines, a group of teenage soccer players in the ‘90s crash on a remote island while traveling by plane to a big game. In the present-day timeline, the women are now in their 40s and dealing with the trauma of having spent 19 months in isolation before being rescued. A lot happened during that time, much of which they aren’t comfortable talking about.
With a star-studded cast that includes Melanie Lynskey, Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, and Lauren Ambrose, it’s no wonder Yellowjackets not only received a nomination in this category, but has a perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes, topping the list. In total, the show received seven nominations, including ones for Lynskey and Ricci. Yellowjackets has been renewed for a second season, with fans loving the drama and intrigue that gives the show a Lost meets The Wilds meets Lord of the Flies feel with strong feminine power.