2020 wrap-up
Usually end of December newsletters are a jubilant celebration of all the amazing TV, music, movies and books consumed throughout the year. I revisit old favorites. I continue to rave about new releases. I remember a movie I watched in March that I forgot. This year the list is different. This year was different. On the whole my viewing patterns were disjointed. I consumed less new content. It was often easier and more comforting to rewatch an old movie than to tackle something new. It was hard to pay attention to a book or dive into a new series. Releases were delayed. The sheer weight of this year rippled across us in ways that are difficult to articulate. In order to capture the reality of my 2020 viewing habits, I've broken the list into two parts -- one focused on 2020 releases and another focused on other pop culture pieces that I either revisited or watched for the first time that were released before this year. Writing this newsletter has helped keep me sane, so thank you for continuing to read my musings. I wish you all a happy new year and sincerely hope next year is filled with more peace and more joy than this one.
Pop Culture Picks of 2020: The best movies, books, TV shows, and music of the year.
Not one, but TWO Taylor Swift albums: The true overachiever of quarantine, Taylor didn't rest until she'd given us two albums filled with new stories (and she did all that while starting to re-record her old music too). Both Folklore and Evermore are filled with beautiful, joyous, sad tales that sound truly different from anything she's ever created before. Betty, August, Seven and The Last Great American Dynasty accompanied me on sunny summer bike rides. Champagne Problems, Gold Rush, 'Tis the Damn Season, No Body, No Crime and Dorothea have been in my headphones as I take chilly, winter walks.
Romance continues to rise in popularity: Ever since I've started writing this newsletter, romance as a genre as made a huge resurgence in public popularity. In my 2018 best of list, I discussed To All the Boys I've Loved Before and Crazy Rich Asians. In the 2019 list, I wrote about the only political story I could handle: the novel Red, White & Royal Blue. Last month, the Netflix series Dash & Lily gave me a burst of joy, as two adorable and awkward teenagers ran across New York City at Christmastime to send each other secret notes. Over the summer, I got my romance fix from Emily Henry's delightful (and occasionally dark) Beach Read -- a novel that delivers much more than its title suggests with a smart romance set on a Michigan beach. And I'm excited to embark on my Bridgerton journey as we head into 2021...
Smart, satirical takes on old high school stories: On first glance, High School Musical the Musical the Series and the Saved by the Bell reboot don't have much in common. Upon closer examination, both shows take an undeniably smart approach to revamp the original subject matter. High School Musical the Musical the Series, which premiered on Disney+ at the end of 2019 (but I didn't watch it until 2020...), is a documentary style, scripted look at the students at the school where HSM was filmed as they create production of HSM. It's self-aware. It's goofy. It's a musical about a musical. It's filled with theater kid jokes and ridiculous plot lines and was just what I needed in March/April. Similarly, Peacock's Saved by the Bell reboot also pokes fun of the characters from the original series and utilizes its original cast just the right amount, while turning the focus to a new group of students in a core story around addressing school inequities. It's truly smart and funny and perfectly balances the old and the new.
The simultaneous return and re-introduction of The Chicks: One of the most anticipated known releases of 2020 was The Chicks' Gaslighter album, which marked their return to music after more than a decade. The entire album is a masterpiece detailing a relationship that's falling apart. My favorites remain Texas Man, My Best Friend's Wedding, Tights On My Boat, Julianna Calm Down and obviously the title track.
A fond farewell + Emmy love for Schitt's Creek: Schitt's Creek first premiered in 2015 but didn't enter public popularity until about 2017, after the Canadian show appeared on Netflix. Soon it was topping "best of" lists and videos of David and Patrick's most romantic moments, Alexis' mannerisms and Moira's absurd pronunciations began popping up everywhere. As the Emmy's moved to a virtual ceremony, there was buzz that Schitt's Creek's final season, which premiered earlier in 2020, might finally receive some recognition. No one could have predicted it would sweep EVERY comedy category during the awards show. Dan Levy himself quipped "the internet is going to start turning on me," after he went to the microphone to give yet another acceptance speech. Oftentimes small shows like this don't get the celebration they truly deserve. It was beautiful to watch the cast and creative team beam with pride as they accepted their well-deserved trophies.
Hamilton, The Prom, and bringing Broadway into our homes: In a year where live theater practically disappeared, those of us who love Broadway musicals weren't sure that theater companies would be able to adapt to the changing times. And quite frankly, a lot of them didn't. Broadway is so scared that creating a more accessible way to watch their shows will take away from the in-person theatergoing experience. After this year, I don't know how that's possible, because I certainly can't wait until it's safe to watch a live musical production again. Fortunately, we're seeing some positive movement to bring theater into our homes in the meantime. In the early stages of the pandemic, Broadway stars took to their computers to deliver several nights of musical entertainment through Sondheim tributes, virtual trivia, benefit concerts for the Actor's Fund and more. Typically these benefit funds take place, are filmed and are only available for those who purchased tickets to attend the live concerts in NYC. This year, anyone could watch the performances for free from their couches, which mean we all got to experience Ladies who Lunch! The much anticipated filmed stage production of Hamilton debuted one year early on Disney+ and proved so successful that more production companies announced plans to release filmed versions of performances in the coming years. And Ryan Murphy's move adaptation of The Prom premiered on Netflix earlier this month. The Prom was the joyful and exuberant movie we needed this year. So many 2020 films were bleak, The Prom had me beaming for the full two hours (and tearing up at some very moving moments) with its bright lights, incredible songs and brilliant choreography. Meryl Streep was outstanding (and had some amazing chemistry with the always delightful Keegan Michael Key). Nicole Kidman finally got to have some fun in a movie for the first time in years. And we're just not going to talk about James Cordon's performance... The answer is clear -- we need more musical theater on our TV and movie screens!
Pop Culture Beyond 2020: While not released this year, these TV shows helped me escape.
Clear eyes, full hearts: Entering the world of Dillon, Texas during my first-ever viewing of Friday Night Lights has provided a wonderful escape over the last few months of quarantine. It's been so delightful that I've dragged out the last few episodes so as not to let it end (I still have two left), because I don't want to stop watching Coach Taylor, Tami and the ever evolving cast of high school students tackle challenges on and off the field.
Fictional trips to Hawkins, Indiana and Capeside, Massachusetts: Out of the many, many shows I revisited in quarantine, two highlights were Stranger Things and Dawson's Creek. My brother and his girlfriend had never watched the science fiction Netflix series and I hadn't seen it again since consuming the original seasons within about a week after their debuts. It was the perfect escape and the series worked even better the second time around. I watched Dawson's Creek on my laptop late at night because it's a ridiculous show that I couldn't force my family to watch with me. But when you skip a lot of the Dawson storylines, as I did, it's fun to watch Joey Potter and Pacey Witter grow up, find their way and fall in love.
In a year where we couldn't travel, we still raced around the world in our heads: There are 32 seasons of The Amazing Race, which made it the perfect reality show to work through in quarantine. With a seemingly endless amount of content and the opportunity to watch people travel, it was a much needed escape that made me feel like I wasn't just sitting on the couch.
It's time to bake (or at least to watch people bake): As many of you did, I also took to baking in quarantine. I finally started using yeast. I made a yule log cake. I made cinnamon rolls from scratch. And while doing this, I've also fallen in love with The Great British Baking Show, which has provided further inspiration for baking adventures.
