2022 Favorites

As the year winds down, I'm reflecting on the pop culture I've consumed throughout the year. Below, you'll find my lists of the favorite TV shows, movies, music, and books I've enjoyed. Unsurprisingly, this is genre heavy! None of the lists are in any particular order.

TV Shows

1. Willow (Disney+)

20 years after vanquishing the wicked queen Bavmorda, the sorcerer Willow Ufgood leads a group of misfits on a dangerous rescue mission into the unknown.

2. The Letter for the King (Netflix)

Tiuri, a teenage squire, answers a call for help that sends him on a perilous mission across the three kingdoms to deliver a secret letter to the King.

3. Andor (Disney+)

Prequel series to Star Wars' 'Rogue One'. In an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue, Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a Rebel hero.

4. Rings of Power (Amazon Prime)

Epic drama set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.

5. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+)

Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi has to save young Leia after she is kidnapped, all the while being pursued by Imperial Inquisitors and his former Padawan, now known as Darth Vader.

Honorable mention: Motherland: Fort Salem. Couldn't leave this baby out, especially since this year's third season was the final season.

Favorite Books of 2019

Queen's Shadow, E.K. Johnston
It's no secret I love Star Wars. (This is a fact that doesn't need to be continuously reiterated, and yet I do.) It's also no secret that my favorite character from the prequel trilogy is Padmé. I was pretty ecstatic when I heard this book was coming out, especially since I've enjoyed what I've read by E.K. Johnston in the past. This book did not disappoint. It's kind of everything I wanted from a Star Wars universe book. I especially loved that it focused on the bonds Padmé formed with her handmaidens and friends. Getting to see Sabé have a larger, more defined role was a treat. This is definitely not as action-packed as the movies, but I really appreciated the focus on the characters, and I'm really excited that Johnston is writing a prequel, Queen's Peril, to be released this summer.

Rule, Ellen Goodlett
This book was quite the surprise! I downloaded it as an audiobook from my library because it was available and it had been on my list for a while, but at the time, I didn't know that much about the story line. What I appreciated about this book was that it featured three different point-of-view characters: Ren, Zofi, and Akeylah. They're half-sisters vying for their father's throne, but they each have secrets to keep about their pasts. Even though they start out suspicious of one another, by the end of the book, they've learned to trust each other as sisters and friends. I liked this so much and wanted to get to the end so badly that I actually just lay in bed after getting home from work and listened. That's not something I usually do! And although book two wasn't quite as good (and had one aspect I really didn't like), book one was a breath of fresh air.

The Protector of the Small series, Tamora Pierce
I only recently began reading Tamora Pierce. I think I would've devoured these books as a kid, but I'm making up for lost time! The Protector of the Small series is a four-book series featuring Keladry of Mindalen, who quickly became my favorite Pierce heroine. A generation before Kel, Alanna successfully trained as a knight, although at the time, no one knew she was a girl. After the king decides to let girls train as pages, Kel becomes the first. In the first book of the series, she has to deal with a lot of sexism, but by the second book, most of the characters have come to like and trust her. Lady Knight is the final book in the series. In it, Keladry is a full-fledged knight, and she's tasked with guarding a refugee camp. I found Kel as a character to be stubborn and charming, and I found her story to be fun, adventurous, and uplifting.

Fly Girls:  How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History, Keith O'Brien
Fly Girls tells the story of female pilots in America in the '20s and '30s, focusing mostly on Amelia Earhart, Florence Klingensmith, Ruth Elder, Ruth Nichols, and Louise Thaden. O'Brien gives a lot of background on the planes, what flying was like for men at the time, and what the sexism the women were up against. He tells their stories with empathy, and I often found myself reacting out loud to the audiobook as I drove. I was elated and inspired when one of the women triumphed, and I was dismayed and nervous when pilots were crashing or close to crashing. I was also struck by the fact that O'Brien included information about what happened to these women after the heyday of flying. For a lot of them, the answer wasn't glamorous. By turns exciting and emotional, this is definitely my favorite non-fiction book of the year.

Ancillary Sword, Ann Leckie
This series blows me away. I listened to the first book in 2018 on a road trip and loved it but wanted to give myself some time to savor it. Also, the narrator changed between books one and two, and that was surprisingly disappointing. I ended up not listening to this one, book two, until 2019. (And yes, I got used to the new narrator.) Book one was pretty sprawling with back-and-forth timelines that could get confusing. Book two narrows the focus on Breq, who was once the ship the Justice of Toren, who had thousands of ancillary bodies but now has just the one. Here, she goes to Athoek Station, where she takes it upon herself to protect the family of Lieutenant Awn, whose fate was revealed in book one. There's also lots of tea, and the preoccupation with it made me chuckle. One of my favorite things about this series is that Breq's language doesn't recognize gender, so she's constantly referring to everyone as "she." Leckie leaves it up to you to decide what gender everyone is, basically. Even though I found book three on the bargain table at Barnes & Noble and have easy access to the audiobook through my library, I've been putting off reading it. I think it's because I don't want the series to end. 

Favorite TV of 2019

Runaways/Cloak and Dagger
I know what you're thinking. I'm cheating on the very first one! Yes, you're right. I try to keep these lists to five items, but these two shows are interconnected enough that hey, I do not feel bad about this decision! Runaways was one of my favorite shows last year, and I was eagerly anticipating this season, although I'm sad that it's the last. The show was really finding its groove, and there's so much potential for a few more seasons. But what I liked about this season was that the kids know who they are now. They know their powers, they know their strengths and weaknesses, and they know they have to stick together. And found family is one of my favorite tropes!

Like in Runaways, in Cloak and Dagger, my favorite aspect is the relationship between the main characters, Tandy and Tyrone. I thought that really grew in season 2, and I absolutely loved the cross-over episode between these shows. Tandy and Tyrone brought a different vibe to the Runaways group, and for such a heavy episode, it was also pretty funny. I'm sad both of these got canceled because they both deserved bigger audiences.

Batwoman
I didn't expect to like this as much as I do, but one of the reasons for that is the support cast. Camrus Johnson as Luke, Meagan Tandy as Sophie, and Nicole Kang as Mary are all great in different ways. The story focuses on a Gotham that hasn't seen Batman (or Bruce Wayne, but no one connects the two because comics!) for three years. Kate Kane rolls back into town and back into her complicated family when her ex-girlfriend is kidnapped by a villain named Alice. In her efforts to save Sophie, she accidentally gives Gotham hope that Batman has returned. Only he hasn't, so who is going to step up to walk in his shoes? Kate can only do it with Luke's help, and I'm looking forward to seeing whether she lets other people in on the secret during the second part of the season. For a show that's just getting started, I think this has a lot of potential.

Schitt's Creek
Okay, I had to split up the superhero shows a bit. This was an unexpected find for me. I have a few friends who were raving about it, so I finally decided to check it out. I'm really glad I did even if it took me until about season 2 to really get a feel for the show and the characters. It follows the Rose family, who lose everything and are forced to move to a town they bought as a joke years ago--Schitt's Creek. They end up living in the motel, where they befriend the proprietor, Stevie, who is probably my favorite character. The Roses have a hard time adjusting to their new lifestyle, but eventually they learn to appreciate the town and its interesting characters. The townspeople learn to appreciate the Roses' eccentricities, too, like Moira's wig collection, every item of which she has named. There are five seasons of 13 episodes available on Netflix (and a sixth currently airing on Pop TV), and the episodes are short enough that I can fit one in when I just need a little break to laugh.

Legends of Tomorrow

The only one of my hold-overs from last year, and no one is surprised because it's one of my favorite shows ever. First of all, time travel! Second of all, as already discussed, I love the found family trope, and this show really leans into that. Sometimes that means characters I love decide their path lies elsewhere and they leave. And a lot of times, that means new characters I will come to love jump onto the ship. Although I didn't like season 4 as much as I liked season 3, this remains one of my favorite shows, and I'm looking forward to season 5 starting later this month.

Gentleman Jack

A friend and I watched the first episode together, and then I liked it enough that I watched the rest without her! Suranne Jones plays the main character, Anne Lister, a real historical figure who lived in Halifax, England, in the 1800s. And she's a marvel in the role. Anne is a force to be reckoned with, refusing to live within society's rules by loving who she loves and taking care of her own property and controlling her estate's coal business. Sophie Rundle plays Ann Walker, who is the polar opposite of Anne Lister--shy, not confident, and thought of as unable to make her own decisions. As they fall in love, they also grow as people. And let me be clear--this period drama is lush. Intricate costumes, gorgeous landscapes, soaring music. This is simply a wonderful show all-around.

Favorite Movies of 2019

Terminator: Dark Fate
I've never seen a Terminator movie, and yet the trailer for this had me anticipating this one. I loved it for its action sequences and the fact that the heart of the film is three very different women: Sarah, Dani, and Grace. You can hear me squeal about it on episode 9 of my podcast, Positively Pop Culture, with my friend and fellow author C.S. Lytal.

Captain Marvel
First, I was really excited that this was coming out because it's the first Marvel movie focused on a female superhero. Then I watched it and really connected with Carol because what can I say? I love angry heroines! This is no longer surprising about myself. I really loved that Carol's strongest relationship is the one she shares with Maria, her best friend. I loved the story line of Carol learning about her true past and fixing the mistakes she participated in. But most of all, I loved the message of empowerment in how Carol always, always gets back up when she's knocked down.

The Rise of Skywalker

I could go on and on about how influential Star Wars was to my childhood and my writing career, but the main point is I'm a big fan and was both worried and excited about the sequel trilogy. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked The Force Awakens. It was my favorite film of 2015, and, actually, now I consider it my favorite Star Wars film of all time. When The Last Jedi disappointed me, I wasn't sure how I would feel about The Rise of Skywalker. Like in 2015, though, I was pleasantly surprised. Rey is my favorite character in the Star Wars universe, so I really enjoyed this exploration of her anger, her powers, and her past. I also thought it was a nice little wrap-up to the trilogy in particular and to the series as a whole.

Charlie’s Angels
I wasn't sure what to expect from this. I never watched the show, and I barely remember the early 2000s movies. This turned out to be a lot of fun! I appreciated that it was written and directed by Elizabeth Banks, who also starred as Bosley, and that all three main characters were diverse and interesting and given their own issues and strengths. A solid adventure story that I'll be sure to revisit sometime soon.

Aladdin
In general, I'm not very interested in the live-action remakes of Disney movies. My sister and I went to see this together, and I ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would! Like most of the other movies on this list, this was a lot of fun, and more and more, I'm just appreciating movies that I can genuinely have a good time at. What I liked most about this was that it expanded Jasmine's role--and gave her a new kick-butt song. 

Fave Shows of 2018

The Great British Baking Show

I'm starting off with an old favorite. In a year that's been hard for a number of reasons, this show always brings some much-needed joy and comfort to my life. Even though I was apprehensive about the new judge and hosts, they ended up being charming in different ways than the former ones, and I'm looking forward to as many new seasons as Netflix and PBS will give me. Maybe this year, I'll even start baking more. I've always wanted to try bread.

Killing Eve

What a wacky show--in the best way. I didn't expect a show about a serial killer to be as funny as it is, but all the characters seem so real and genuine. The whole cast hits it out of the park, and I have a soft spot for Fiona Shaw's serious, enigmatic Carolyn. Sandra Oh is a particular strength, and it's wonderful to see her in the lead even if her character isn't always as put-together and in control. Despite the synopsis, this isn't simply a spy thriller cut-and-pasted to include women. I haven't read the novellas on which it's based (the first is Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings), but I think I can credit Jennings as well as show creator/writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge and her writing crew for featuring fascinating women who also feel real. There are lots of women in this story, all of whom are different and messy, and that's one thing I love to see on TV.
 

Doctor Who

Although I'm not quite finished with the season, I found it to be full of wonder and heart. I was excited at the prospect of a female Doctor, and Jodie Whittaker certainly hasn't disappointed. She's got a ton of energy, but my favorite thing about her character is something she said herself in her first episode: "When people need help, I never refuse." The world's been pretty dark, and a lot of times, I find that hard to deal with. Watching this show for an hour reminds me that there are genuinely good people in this world (and out of it!) who want to help. What I find even more refreshing, though, is the trio of companions--Yaz, Ryan, and Graham. I love seeing a more inclusive cast, and I love that they each have their own strengths and struggles. This is getting long, so I'll end it with one of my favorite quotes from the season:

May the saints of all the stars and constellations bring you hope as they guide you out of the dark and into the light on this voyage and the next and all of the journeys still to come for now and evermore.

Legends of Tomorrow

Apparently, I just love wacky shows! While Killing Eve skews dark, Legends of Tomorrow skews silly while still managing to tackle important topics and hit emotional beats. Time travel has always been a staple, but the current season has added magical shenanigans! How could I possibly not love it? That said, the strength of this show is in its characters and its heart. I'm always a sucker for found-family stories, and this one features a timeship full of weirdos who stick together out of necessity before becoming friends and then family. I can't wait to see what the second half of the season has in store.

Runaways

Season 1 was a slow burn that I didn't fully appreciate until I rewatched it in preparation for season 2, which really embraces the found-family trope as Alex, Chase, Gert, Karolina, Molly, and Nico face the reality of leaving the (relative) safety of their parents' homes. Not only does it give them a chance to bond and argue while living under the same abandoned roof, but it makes them band together to figure out and increase their powers. Karolina was always a favorite because I happen to like genuinely nice characters, and it was a treat digging into her background a bit more. But this season has endeared me to all six of the Runaways, with Nico and Molly in the running for second favorite. The show also features some kick-butt music. I'm really hoping Hulu renews this one because I can't wait to see what's next!

Stay tuned for my favorite movies and books of 2018!