The 15 Best OTT Shows That Dropped This Year You Need To Watch

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Safe to say, all of us are still reeling from the tiny amounts of dopamine we received from Spotify — owing to our 2022 wrapped. And while it's always a big year for music, this year it was big for OTT shows too. We saw a lot of psychological thrillers on display, along with teenagers going wild with a side of wholesome fantasy. 

OTT shows have a magical hold on most of us who look at the moving pictures as an art form. They range from brilliance to trash and that’s a risk we’re willing to take while snuggling in for 8 to 9 hours of continuous binging. They have the ability to fix us, open conversations, pray for a better world, or give us an escape. Being someone who has watched (almost) everything, here’s a round up of the best OTT shows that hit our screen this year.

The Bear

The Bear

A comedy drama series that is arguably one of the best shows I’ve watched this year. It’s fast-paced and gritty, set in Chicago in a grimy storefront of an Italian restaurant selling beef and gyros. There are episodes that invite you to lay back, relax, and snuggle in for story time, while there are episodes where you exhale only once it ends. Jeremy Allen White plays a genius chef that inherits the restaurant from his brother and might we add, and tries his best to fix it all the while knowing that he's setting himself up for failure. 

Where To Watch: Disney+ Hotstar 

IMDb Rating: 8.4/10

Reservation Dogs

Reservation Dogs

An Americal comedy chronicling the lives of indegenous American teens, Reservation Dogs is steeped with charm and emotional depth while being close to reality. It celebrates and shines on the not-so-glamorous lives of four native American teens living in rural Oklahoma who dabble in robbing, stealing, and some responsible saving, all to reach the mysterious land of California. The show is fast paced, with the most memorable characters despite the tiny nuances and referential humor often going over our heads. 

Where To Watch: Disney+ Hotstar 

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

House Of The Dragon

House Of The Dragon

In a sentence, House Of The Dragon can be summed up as two siblings fighting for the throne after their dad died, with pet dragons causing a civil war. The show was much awaited, set almost 200 years earlier than Game Of Thrones. The first season was a slow, gradual buildup that ended with our jaws on the floor, in typical George RR Martin style. Beautifully made, with complex characters, and even more complex incestuous lines or lack of, HOD is a treat nonetheless. 

Where To Watch: Disney+ Hotstar 

IMDb Rating: 8.5/10

The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power

The Lord Of The Rings

Keeping up with this year’s fantasy theme spread across OTT, The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power is an epic drama set thousands of years before the J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," and taking viewers back to the abled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. It’s visually stunning with characters that gradually grow on you, while Prime’s billion dollar bet bears fruit. 

Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video 

IMDb Rating: 6.9/10

Black Bird

Black Bird

A mini series revolving around the character of Jimmy Keene who is tempted to strike up a deal with the FBI after being sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison. The show is your typical dark crime with great characters, twists, and WTF moments and of course, a serial killer. It’s a play of good vs evil but you realise there is no good, which is what is refreshing making it worth the watch. 

Where To Watch: Apple TV 

IMDb Rating: 8.2/10

The Patient

The Patient

This show takes the joke “I’d love to live with my therapist” to a whole new level that is dark and humorless. One of Steve Carrel’s most serious characters, the show follows a therapist who becomes a prisoner to one of his patients, who’s a serial killer. It’s slow-paced and tends to test your patience at times building up hope only to crash it at the last minute. 

Where To Watch: Disney+Hostar 

IMDb Rating: 7.0/10

Euphoria Season 2

Euphoria Season 2

Premiered in 2019 but blew up in 2022 with the onset of the latest season, Euphoria is a trippy rollercoaster revolving around un-relatable American teenagers that are constantly caught up in a web of drugs, sex, and violence. One of Zendaya’s best performances till date, the show is a must watch for its stunning dreamy visuals, the can of worms it opens with regards to society, and the weird combination of feeling absolutely empathetic and alarmed all at once. 

Where To Watch: Disney + Hotstar 

IMDb Rating: 8.4/10

Inventing Anna

Inventing Anna

A limited Netflix series starring Julia Garner, Inventing Anna follows the wild journey of Anna Sorokin who cheated her way up the NYC ladder walking amongst and scamming the wealthiest socialites. The series is gripping and tightly follows the real story making it all the more worth the hype. 

Where To Watch: Netflix 

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday became the most viewed Netflix show ever with 342 million hours (and counting). This Addams’ Family spin off based on the character of Wednesday Addams is a visually appealing, goth show that revolves around the teenager who comes to terms with her new found psychic abilities, solving murders that are taking place on campus, while also solving a 25-year-old case involving her parents. 

Where To Watch: Netflix 

IMDb Rating: 8.5/10

White Lotus

The White Lotus

This show starring the cool cat Jenifer Cooldrige is a comic drama revolving around the twisted truths, dark secrets, and exploits of the guests living at a tropical resort. The second season came out this year as good as season one with every episode leaving you craving for more, with just enough mystery to keep you hooked. 

Where To Watch: Disney+Hotstar 

IMDb Rating: 7.7/10

Heartstopper

Heartstopper

A much loved British romantic comic drama, Heartstopper is based off the LGBTQIA+ graphic novel by Alice Oseman. The show follows teenagers Charlie and Nick who soon realise that their friendship is something more as they try to navigate high school, love, and teen complexities together. What we loved the most about the show is that apart from being absolutely adorable, with a clean, to the point plotline, it never once overcompensates for being a queer based show that also tackles mental health and friendship. It’s non-preachy and that adds to the appeal. 

Where To Watch: Netflix 

IMDb Rating: 8.7/10

Sandman

The Sandman

Based on the comic written by Neil Gaiman, Sandman is an American fantasy drama that revolves around Sandman, aka Dream who controls all dreams, is captured and held prisoner. The show is all about his journey traveling various worlds in a bid to fix the damage caused by his absence. What we loved most about it is how each episode has it’s own agenda of sorts, making it a mini movie in itself. 

Where To Watch: Netflix 

IMDb Rating: 7.7/10

After Life Season 3

After Life Season 3

Starring Ricky Gervais, After Life came out in 2019 with the last season dropping this year. Guilty of re-watching this a couple of times now, the show does not get old. It's a classic British dark comedy that will leave you a nihilist. The show revolves around Tony who loses his wife Lisa to cancer and his quest to find purpose or not all the while working for a sad, free newspaper in the small town of Tambury. The last season was wholesome, and safe to say left us in a puddle of tears but in a good way. 

Where To Watch: Netflix 

IMDb Rating: 8.4/10

Abbot Elementary Season 2

Abbot Elementary Season 3

The second season of Abbot Elementary dropped this year. It is a mockumentary following passionate, dedicated teachers headed by a tone-deaf principal in an unsavory Philadelphia public school. Despite having all odds against them, they are willing to help their students. It’s got The Office vibe to it with diverse characters while being super funny. 

Where To Watch: Disney+ Hotstar 

IMDb Rating: 8.2/10

Family Guy Season 21

Family Guy Season 21

Family Guy is a never ending show that might or might not die till the last human is standing. Season 21 dropped in September this year airing the 400th episode chronically the same yet different and refreshing scenarios Peter Griffin and his family find themselves in. 

Where To Watch: Disney+ Hotstar 

IMDb Rating: 8.2/10

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opinionated fashion & beauty writer who follows a strict pros & cons framework for her recommendations; writer & editor with 4 years of experience