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The five nominees are Andor, Better Call Saul, Severance, The Bear and House of the Dragon. They span political science fiction, crime drama, workplace mystery, restaurant drama and fantasy. “Best” is an editorial selection, not a single objective ranking: the shows differ in genre, critical reception and awards recognition.
How the five nominees compare
| Series | What it offers | 2022 reception snapshot |
|---|---|---|
| Andor | A grounded, political story about rebel operatives in the Star Wars universe. IGN described it as “the most adult Star Wars show yet.” | Ranked second on Rotten Tomatoes’ Best New Series 2022 list. Its captured page showed an 88% audience score. |
| Better Call Saul | The final-season culmination of Jimmy McGill’s transformation into crime lawyer Saul Goodman. | Season 6 ranked fourth on Rotten Tomatoes’ broader Best TV Series 2022 list, with a 99% Tomatometer and 95% Popcornmeter on the captured page. |
| Severance | A science-fiction workplace mystery about employees whose work and personal memories are separated. | Season 1 ranked ninth among Best New Series and twentieth on the broader 2022 list. The captured page showed 97% Tomatometer and 86% Popcornmeter scores. |
| The Bear | A high-pressure Chicago kitchen drama about grief, family conflict and demanding restaurant work. | Season 1 ranked fourth among Best New Series 2022, with a 100% Tomatometer and 92% Popcornmeter on the captured page. |
| House of the Dragon | A Game of Thrones prequel centered on Targaryen succession and court politics. | Season 1 ranked first on both Rotten Tomatoes’ Best New Series and Best TV Series 2022 lists, with a 90% Tomatometer and 82% Popcornmeter on the captured page. |
Rotten Tomatoes’ percentages and rankings are snapshots, not permanent measurements. Its two 2022 lists reflect Tomatometer scores as of December 31, 2022, adjusted for differences in the number of reviews. The Best New Series list began with House of the Dragon, Andor, Ms. Marvel and The Bear; the broader Best TV Series list began with House of the Dragon, Andor, Ms. Marvel and Better Call Saul. Rotten Tomatoes’ Best New Series 2022 ranking and its Best TV Series 2022 page provide the dated list context.
Which show should you watch first?
- Choose Andor for a politically minded, grounded take on rebellion in a familiar space-fantasy universe.
- Choose Better Call Saul if you want a character-driven crime story reaching its final-season conclusion. Its appeal is strongest for viewers ready to follow Jimmy McGill’s full arc.
- Choose Severance for an unsettling high-concept mystery that uses office life to explore identity and corporate control. Rotten Tomatoes’ critic consensus calls it “Audacious, mysterious, and bringing fresh insight into the perils of corporate drudgery, Severance is the complete package.”
- Choose The Bear for tense, intimate drama rooted in kitchen work, grief and family dynamics.
- Choose House of the Dragon for dynastic conflict, court intrigue and the fantasy setting of Westeros. Rotten Tomatoes’ critic consensus describes it as “an impressive prequel that exemplifies the court intrigue that distinguished its predecessor.”
Both consensus statements are Rotten Tomatoes’ editorial summaries, not quotations from an individual critic. The series pages and ranking context are available through Rotten Tomatoes’ 2022 rankings.
What awards recognition says—and does not say
The Television Academy’s 2022 Outstanding Drama Series nominees included Better Call Saul (AMC), Euphoria (HBO/HBO Max), Ozark (Netflix), Severance (Apple TV+), Squid Game (Netflix), Stranger Things (Netflix), Succession (HBO/HBO Max) and Yellowjackets (Showtime). Succession won. Among the five shows here, the Academy’s drama category recognized Better Call Saul and Severance.
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#1 Best Overall
That nomination list is one useful measure of industry recognition, not a verdict on the best new series overall. It is also a drama category, while this group includes shows with different formats and genre identities. See the Television Academy’s 2022 Outstanding Drama Series nominees and winner.
Where can you stream the nominees?
Streaming rights change by country and over time, so the historical network and platform labels are not a reliable guide to current availability. The Television Academy’s 2022 nominee listings associate Severance with Apple TV+, Better Call Saul with AMC, and several other drama nominees with HBO/HBO Max, Netflix and Showtime. Check the services available in your country for each series before subscribing; the Academy list records historical associations, not today’s catalog rights.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Andor better than House of the Dragon?
There is no single evidence-based winner between them. Rotten Tomatoes placed House of the Dragon above Andor on both of its cited 2022 rankings, but those are critic-score-based lists, not a judgment that one will suit every viewer. Pick Andor for grounded political rebellion in space; pick House of the Dragon for royal succession and court intrigue.
Quick Recap
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