2022 in review: The top 5 TV shows you may have missed

As the world slowly returns to a new semblance of normal, television has been the perfect escape for people looking to pass the time as they wait out their first trip in three years, or looking for a glimpse into characters on screen whose lives are very different from their own.

Here's the top five TV shows of 2022 you may have missed:

Season 2 of the dark comedy sees a new group of guests head off to the White Lotus resort in Sicily and all the delights on offer.

It's darkly funny with its cutting satire on sex, desire and excess which doesn't feel stale the second time around.

But beyond the memeable moments was a sense of pity for the guests who, despite their lavish lives, are undoubtedly human as they return to their baser instincts.

The sci-fi series follows Mark (played by an incredibly Adam Scott), a staff member at biotech company Lumon Industries as he slowly uncovers a web of conspiracy behind its 'severance' mindwipe procedure.

The show, drawing inspiration from films Office Space and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, captures the existential dread of the workplace and the desire for a perfect work-life balance many of us may have felt at one time or another.

It's dark and riveting viewing despite its slow burn, but a palate cleanser may be needed after watching.

Set in Northern Ireland in the 1990s, the series follows a group of girls at an all-girls school – and a "wee English fella" – as they navigate their teenage years amid the Troubles.

The final season of the coming-of-age comedy is full of laughs and a sense of nostalgia for those early teen years, never losing the charm of its earlier seasons.

It's a bittersweet send-off to the characters we've known and loved from the first episode.

Based on a bestselling novel, the series follows a Korean family who migrate from Japan-occupied Korea to Japan's Korean quarter in the early 20th century.

The multi-generational drama switches effortlessly between different time periods and locales as it explores themes of family, yearning and the desire to belong, with one woman at its centre.

It's a compelling tale of the immigrant experience, and one which may resonate with many viewers.

The Bear follows an award-winning chef who returns home to run his family's sandwich shop following the death of his brother, along with all the demons it entails.

The series captures the anxiety and frenetic energy of working in a kitchen, and its short run-time only adds to that feeling of claustrophobia.

It's frustrating and hopeful in equal measure, making it the perfect late-night fix for a day of bingeing.