PrestigeTV Miniseriesseems to be the new golden goose of streaming, and it’s easy to see why. Its draw is appealing — creators can develop longer stories, big-name actors aren’t stuck in the same characters for years, and studios can skip the intricacies of the box office altogether. These limited TV shows seem to have everything, from unique stories with interesting characters to easily bingeable runtimes. It’s no wonder they’vebecome so popular.
What was once a novel, misunderstood concept, however, has since oversaturated the market. Now, it seems every streaming service worth its salt has its own limited miniseries. There has been a boon of riveting new miniseries in the past several years, so much so that it’s near impossible to keep up. There were so many in 2022 one likely missed a few titles because there was just so much to watch.
Thankfully, we’ve done all the ‘hard’ work for you. Here are the most binge-worthy miniseries of 2022 for your viewing pleasure.
Update June 26, 2025: Fans of the miniseries will be happy to know this article has been updated with even more favorites and where each title can be streamed.
15WeCrashed (2022)
The greed-filled rise and inevitable fall of WeWork, one of the world’s most valuable startups, and the narcissists whose chaotic love made it all possible. Starring Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway.
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The Apple TV+ miniseriesWeCrashedstars Jared Leto as Adam Neumann,the founder of WeWork, and Anne Hathaway as his wife Rebekah. The series follows the rise of the co-working space, whose valuation reached a ridiculous $47 billion at its highest point, and highlights the crash that soon followed, which lead to its untimely demise.
What Makes It Great?
Leto is great as the eccentric business owner, as is Hathaway, who is wonderful opposite her co-star. In a modern workspace fueled by online meetings, its subject is one that has become easily relatable. It should be noted that, in addition to its talented cast, the series features a mix of real and fictional characters and events, some of which were further enhanced for TV.Stream on AppleTV+.
14Irma Vep (2022)
Irma Vep,which debuted with a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, is about Mira (Alicia Vikander), an American movie star looking to change the direction of her career. Mira travels to France to star in an adaptation of the infamous silent filmLes Vampires. This film within a film was created, written, and directedby Olivier Assayas, and is a remake of an earlier 1996 film.
What Makes It Great
Anagram for vampire aside, Vikander’s acting as Mira is absolutely stunning, which in and of itself is a perfect tribute. The original actress forLes Vampires, an early femme fatale, arguably played a large part in the success of the early film, so it’s only fitting that Vikander would prove just as prominent. Set against the gorgeous backdrops of France, this film captures the complexity of the first while transporting its audience to the precipice of early 1900s cinema. No wonder it has such ahigh Rotten Tomatoes rating!Stream on Max
Related:Irma Vep and Les Vampires: A Long, Weird, and Ghostly Movie History
13Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
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The great Ewan McGregorreprised his former role in the highly anticipated Star Wars series,Obi-Wan Kenobi.The series takes place 10 years after the end ofStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith(2005), with Obi-Wan now hiding out on the planet Tatooine.Obi-Wan Kenobibrings memorable characters back to the franchise, including Jimmy Smits, James Earl Jones, and even Hayden Christensen, who reprised his role as Darth Vader.
The series took full advantage of the troubled time frame to give a unique spin to an old story. McGregor was and still is excellent as the titular character, which is only highlighted by Deborah Chow’s directing style. The film dug deep into exploring how Obi-Wan Kenobi went from the lowest point in his life to becoming the wise mentor audiences meet inA New Hope. All in all, the show calls upon previous material while adding to the expanded universe Lucasfilm has created.Stream on Disney+
12The Essex Serpent (2022)
The Apple TV+ limited seriesThe Essex Serpentis aGothic romance period dramabased on the book by Sarah Perry. The series stars Claire Danes as the recent widow Cora Seaborne, an archeologist who travels to the coastal town of Essex to investigate reports of a mythical serpent. There she meets the local pastor, Will Ransome (played by Tom Hiddleston), with whom she forms an unlikely bond.
The Essex Serpenthas stunning cinematography and gorgeous costuming as well as an interesting plot, not to mention a specifically fascinating performance from Hiddleston. No one does modern Gothic reinterpretations quite like him. Not to be outmatched, Danes is absolutely delightful as the forward-thinking Seaborne.Stream on Apple TV+
11Candy (2022)
Candy (2022)
Texas in 1980 and based on the true story of killer Candy Montgomery and her victim, Betty Gore. Starring Jessica Biel.
Jessica Biel stars as the titular Candy Montgomery in the biographical dramaCandy. The miniseries is based on the brutal 1980 murder of her neighbor, Betty Gore (Melanie Lynskey) in Wylie, Texas. Montgomery is accused of the crime and is forced to stand trial in the small town.
Not to be confused withLove & Death, which was released one year later and also covers the tale, this version explored the case from a more psychological, introspective angle of its perpetrator.
Said Writer Robin Veith,
“The thing about this story is there’s like 100 ways to tell this story. I’m also the person who watched three Fyre Festival documentaries that came out at the same time, I watched them all back-to-back. I just love different perspectives, so I’m very excited for what they’re doing.”
While both versions feature an all-star cast, Jessica Biel’s nuanced performance is nothing short of phenomenal. Both her and the rest of the cast make this an absolutely captivating drama.Stream on Hulu
10Under the Banner of Heaven (2022)
Andrew Garfield is a police detective faced with solving a devastating murder of a wife and infant child in the Hulu true crime dramaUnder the Banner of Heaven.The show chronicled the efforts of a Utah police department as they are rocked by the two brutal deaths in the Mormon community. Adapted from Jon Krakauer’s acclaimed novel, this riveting program is based on real-life crimes committed in 1984 by two Mormon brothers who claimed to be doing so in the name of God.
Garfield is phenomenal as Detective Jeb Pyre, a Latter Day Saints officer who finds his faith rocked by the heartbreaking deaths and the unfortunate truth behind them.His compelling performanceearned him both a Golden Globe and Satellite Award nomination and with good reason. This character-forward drama is far removed from true crime porn. In fact, its attention to the humanity of the victims and the situation in which they found themselves is told with a previously unforeseen grace and dignity.
A word of warning - this is a lengthy saga, so have the popcorn at the ready.Stream on Hulu
9Esterno Notte (2022)
2022 was a great year for Director Marco Bellocchio. First, his deeply moving yet politically complicated documentaryMarx Can Waitpremiered to great acclaim. Shortly after, he revealed his five-hour epic miniseriesEsterno Notte, akaExterior Nightat Cannes to great acclaim. Much likeMarx Can Wait, Bellocchio’s miniseries investigates the intersection of the personal and the political by dramatizing the 1978 kidnapping of Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro.
The combined five-hour cut was screened in theaters to great acclaim, the only one on this list to premiere in this manner. It’s obvious Bellocchio had mixed feelings about the Red Brigades, the revolutionary group responsible for the act of terrorism, whose legitimate political concerns devolved into sheer acts of chaotic violence. The result is an ethically complicated epic in the truest sense of the word, one that sheds light not just on the gray areas of politics, but on the grayness of the human condition itself.
Unfortunately, this title is unavailable for streaming at this time.
8The Dropout (2022)
The Dropoutdocuments the shady exploits of the dishonored biotechnology company Theranos and its infamous co-founder, Elizabeth Holmes. The company manufactured and marketed a faulty medical device that was meant to perform lab tests for public use. Spoiler alert… it didn’t work. The attempts to keep this minor detail under wraps while actively promoting its use led to much heartbreak and mayhem for everyone involved, from doctors and patients to employees.
The lengths this company went to in order to hide its faulty product was nothing short of despicable. Beyond a compelling story, however, this Hulu biographical crime drama features a sensational performance by Amanda Seyfried, who sheds light on Holmes' journey from Silicon Valley Wonderkind to disgraced charlatin. Both audiences and critics couldn’t get enough ofSeyfriend’s commanding portrayal, with the actress mastering both Holmes' demeanor and distinct voice.Stream on Hulu
7The Thing About Pam (2022)
Adapted from theDatelinepodcast,The Thing About Pamis a story that’s nothing short of diabolical. The miniseries centers around the murder of Betsy Faria, who was found dead in her Troy, Missouri home in 2011. Her best friend, Pam Hupp, played byplayed by Renée Zellweger, was the last person to see her alive. She points the finger at Faria’s husband, Russ. One wrongful conviction later, investigators are less than certain of her intentions.
This series takes full advantage of comedic undertones to enhance the outrageousness of the story. Zellweger’s off-kilter performance as the self-proclaimed businessperson turned potentialGone Girlmurderess is ridiculous in the best of ways. Who can forget that Big Gulp moment! This, of course, leads to a tone that is moreFargothan true crime.Buy on Apple TV+
6The Girl From Plainville (2022)
The Girl From Plainvilleis based on the true story of the death of Conrad Roy III and the later conviction of his girlfriend, Michelle Carter, who encouraged him to kill himself via text. She was later convicted of manslaughter, thereby setting a precedent for similar text-based crimes.
Elle Fanning is captivating as high schooler Michelle Carter and received praise for her performance, as did her costars Colton Ryan and Chloë Sevigny. The series is emotional andshed light on cyberbullying, but offers few easy answers to this painful subject.Stream on Hulu
