The best shows of 2022 have been revealed – and surprisingly, Stranger Things didn’t take the top spot.
In the data submitted to TechRadar, the highly successful Netflix series only took third place in the IMDb’s highest-rated revenue series of the year so far (Opens in a new tab). Given how popular the superhero show’s latest post – Stranger Things Season 4 – is with audiences, it might come as a shock to TV fans.
So what are the shows that halted the progression of Stranger Things to take first and second place? Two of Stranger Things’ competitors on Netflix, funny enough. According to IMDb ratings, Peaky Blinders and Better Call Saul – both returning this year with their sixth and final season – are ahead of Stranger Things. Currently, the duo has a rating of 8.8 out of 10 among the IMDB user base, with Stranger Things right behind the pair with a rating of 8.7 out of 10.
Surprising to see Stranger Things miss out on its cousins’ number one spot on Netflix, the streaming giant will be delighted to see many of its TV shows feature in the top 10 returning series on IMDb. Of the shows listed, six are available on Netflix – confirmation that despite its recent problems, Netflix is still the king of the streaming scene. Other Netflix shows to make the list? Love, Death and Robots, plus The Last Kingdom.
Also on the list were Prime Video’s The Boys and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel – a duo that tied Stranger Things at 8.7 out of 10. Meanwhile, HBO Max’s Euphoria and family drama This Is Us – the NBC series also available on Disney Plus – round up the Top 10.
Stranger Things may only have earned the bronze spot in the IMDb ratings, but the show could eventually usurp Peaky Blinders and Better Call Saul. Season 4’s second installment was released on July 1, so it may receive a ranking boost (and move up to number one) if viewers consider the last two episodes to be the season’s best entries yet. If you caught these episodes over the weekend, be sure to check out the Season 4 finale of Volume Two, where we cover everything you need to know about the end of Stranger Things 4.
Analysis: Turning data upside down?
Interestingly, IMDb’s top-rated returning show data is that it doesn’t paint the full picture of the streaming scene.
First, IMDb only considered the multi-season performances of this data set. Each series on this list has two or more seasons, so it’s hard to say how these TV series matches up with shows that debut in 2022.
If we factor the new offerings into the equation – again, using IMDb user scores (Opens in a new tab) – There is only one other series (other than the aforementioned duo) rated as better than Stranger Things. Again, it’s yet another show on Netflix, with the hugely popular Heartstopper equaling Peaky Blinders and Better Call Saul’s 8.8 out of 10 ratings. Meanwhile, the brilliant sci-fi show from Apple TV Plus Severance joins Stranger Things in the 8.7 out of 10 category.
However, considering all 20 scores, the fourth season of Stranger Things will actually be the fourth best syndicated show of 2022 so far. Heartstopper, Peaky Blinders, and Better Call Saul will joint number one on IMDb’s compiled top-rated show of 2022, with Stranger Things and Severance forced to settle in fourth.
Again, however, this doesn’t tell the whole story. IMDb isn’t the only place where viewers can rate TV shows, with other review aggregator sites including Rotten Tomatoes just as important in determining how the series is perceived among audiences globally.
Interestingly enough, though, Stranger Things isn’t the best 2022 returning series on Rotten Tomatoes either. Carrying the display created by the Dover brothers A 90% certified new rating (Opens in a new tab) Among Rotten Tomatoes users, but it’s unable to topple Peaky Blinders (93%), Heartstopper (98%), and Better Call Saul (96%) here. Even Severance (93%) and Hulu’s original series Only Murders in the Building (92%) were rated as better than Stranger Things Season 4.
Sure, there’s still plenty of time for Stranger Things 4 to snatch the lead from its competitors. As we said earlier, the latest episodes of the series can raise their rating if fans think they deserve to do so. Likewise, though, Volume 2 may not be the ending that fans were hoping to see from Season 4, which could lower its rating. This is the risk of review aggregation sites.
However, Stranger Things Season 4 can hold its head high. His most recent entry is getting back into shape after a good but not great third season, plus he recently set a new record as well. 7.2 billion minutes were viewed in the week of May 30 to June 5, setting a new standard for Nielsen analytics firm broadcasting (per The Hollywood Reporter (Opens in a new tab)), with Tiger King and Ozark’s 5 Billion Minutes ranked second by a wide margin.
Stranger Things may not have earned the crown for the best-rated TV show, but it did get more than its latest achievement. Expect to reclaim the number one spot in the top 10 lists on Netflix in the near future as well.
