The year 2022 was an excellent year to be a geek, as the multiple streaming services offered up a plethora of shows based on franchises in the science fiction, fantasy, comic books, and gaming sectors. And whether you loved or hated the shows, you were undoubtedly talking about the shows, driving social media interactions throughout the year. So here's a geek's-eye view of the year in streaming in the US -- let us know your faves (and disses)!

Amazon Prime

Paper Girls

Adapted from the comic book of the same name by Brian K. Vaughn and Cliff Chiang, this series is a time travel adventure in which a group of young girls finds their way to the future to see what their lives will become and what they can do to alter the course of their destinies.

The Boys

The hyperviolent and deconstructive superhero vision of Garth Ennis is just as over the top in its live-action form. Even the comic saga's shocking "Herogasm" chapter was translated to the screen, showing how hedonistic and vile these super characters are when they're not in the public spotlight.

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

It takes a fair amount of chutzpah to provide a prequel to a master storyteller's beloved epic, but that didn't stop J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay from trying. Of all the projects of 2022, Rings of Power may be the most controversial in terms of fans taking sides and arguing on behalf of J.R.R. Tolkien and what his established lore meant, could mean, should mean, and didn't mean.

HBOMax

Peacemaker

Spinning out of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, John Cena's Peacemaker was an irreverent spin on some of the lesser-explored corners of the DC Extended Universe. From its opening credits dance number to its explosive climax, Peacemaker surprised and delighted most comics fans who watched it.

House of the Dragon

Where Rings of Power flops, House of the Dragon seems to be succeeding -- no doubt because the Game of Thrones author, George R.R. Martin, is involved in the film's production so things can remain true to his original vision. This fantasy prequel to the fantasy fan-favorite series is shaping up to be just as popular as the story it builds toward.

Netflix

The Sandman

Neil Gaiman's greatest comic masterpiece has been in development limbo for decades, but the Netflix series adaptation is the closest thing one could hope for in seeing The Endless and their story make it to the screen. While fan controversy abounded over the casting choices (some of which couldn't be helped due to legal contracts attached to some of the characters), the acting was spot-on throughout, and the storytelling was as gripping as the source material.

Stranger Things

Matt and Ross Duffer's nostalgia-horror series continued to capture the hearts of geeks everywhere. The 1980s are brought to life for our team of (rapidly growing up) friends and their battle to protect their Indiana town against beasts from a neighboring dark dimension. 

Disney Plus

One might expect that the House of Mouse might leverage its streaming service to remind viewers of what built the empire, with more Mickey and more of the family comedies that established the brand. But the Magic Kingdom is instead flooded with acquisitions, pumping out a variety of spin-offs to recoup the investment dollars plowed into them.

Star Wars: (The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor)

The galaxy far, far away continues to serve as a source for spacefaring adventure, with mixed results. Most fans seem to be taken with The Mandalorian (although, to be fair, the bulk of the attention seems to be the adoration of the Muppet-like "Baby Yoda"). In contrast, true fans have picked apart Obi-Wan Kenobi. The jury is still out on how Andor will ultimately fare in the eyes of the Star Wars fandom.

MCU: (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight)

Disney also continues churning out more Marvel content, filling in the gaps between MCU big-screen events. However, most of the Disney Plus shows had not lived up to the action and drama the MCU once had when Netflix was the platform for the shows, steering more toward a silly, sitcom-like environment.

Paramount Plus

Star Trek: (Lower Decks, Prodigy, Discovery, Strange New Worlds, Picard)

Where Disney Plus is dominated by two main worlds of storytelling, Paramount Plus is the proverbial one-trick pony. It has Star Trek, and it's milking that cash cow until its udders chafe. This may be a streaming paradise if you're a Trekkie or a Trekker. Still, even the most hardcore fan of any franchise eventually realizes when interest in the franchise is threatened by oversaturation.