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.

Epic Fantasy for Winter Viewing

I like winter for many reasons: snow (when I don't have to drive in it), time off to spend with family, those pine cones that smell like cinnamon, cozy blankets and sweaters, tea and cookies, beautiful decorations. I could go on and on. But one thing I especially love about winter is that I associate it with fantasy stories, whether epic or simply high or other-world fantasy. I'm not really sure why. I think it's because fantasy is my favorite genre and therefore it feels cozy to me, and winter is the season for coziness.

In that vein, here are some suggestions for epic fantasy movies and TV shows to watch this winter.

The Letter for the King
This TV show is from 2020 and is on Netflix. My friend Meredith recommended it to me ages ago, but I only just got to it and finished it. I'm glad I did! The series follows Tiuri, a teenage squire who's trying to follow in his adoptive father's footsteps. On the night he and his fellow squires are going through the trial to become knights, he breaks the silence by answering a knock at the chapel door. Answering the door leads him to a dying knight, who gives him a letter for the king across the mountains. By accepting the letter, he begins a journey that will have change both his world and himself.

Amir Wilson, who plays Tiuri, is absolutely endearing, and I loved watching his character grow. Thaddea Graham, Islam Bouakkaz, Jonah Lees, Jack Barton, and Nathanael Saleh play his fellow squires. All of them are interesting and have satisfying character arcs (although I disagreed with how one of their stories ended). Ruby Ashbourne Serkis has a standout role as Lavinia, a brash and hotheaded girl who joins Tiuri's quest mostly to run away. Their different personalities play off each other really well. 

There's lots to love here! The story feels very Arthurian inspired, and it's set in a world where chivalry matters. In epic fantasy fashion, there are multiple kingdoms, a war going on, and political aspects at play, which is why delivering the letter to the king is so vital. Each episode introduces new things about the world, which ultimately feels familiar in a comforting way.

I will say that I didn't find myself fully invested until the third episode, and it's only six episodes total. Once I was invested, though, I was really invested and finished the show in a couple days. Unfortunately, it's been two years since Netflix released this, and since Netflix likes to cancel things or let them languish instead of investing in them, it seems like this won't get a second season. However! It's based on a book series by Tonke Dragt, and I absolutely plan to check it out.

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.

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!

FRIDAY FIVE: Favorite Visual Media of 2017

That is a long way of saying "TV and movies" (even though most of these are TV shows). These are in no particular order, and, as far as the television shows, they're not particular to 2017.

Orphan Black
This show is a roller coaster. I came to it a little bit late, watching all of season 1 on Amazon Prime right after season 2 began. It took me a couple episodes to get into it, but once I did, I was hooked. The premise of clones fighting for their autonomy appeals to me as a sci-fi fan, and I love that it centers around women, but the biggest draw is Tatiana Maslany, who is incredibly talented. I've watched all 50 episodes, and I still find myself forgetting that one person plays all those characters. The show came to an end this summer, and it was one of the most satisfying series finales I've ever seen. I love that they took the time to wrap up the plot and then show us the aftermath and how each character is affected and moves on. I'm sad to see it go, but I love the five seasons it gave me.

Wonder Woman
I've been a big fan of Supergirl since the first season, and I've been waiting a long time for a female-led superhero story on the big screen. I loved the setting and story in this one. I was a little disappointed that Diana's entourage was all men, but I did like that they weren't all white men. I thought it was refreshing, too, that Diana's strength and power ultimately come from love. It turns the tired old tropes of "strength as isolation" and "women have to be like men to be strong" on their heads. Looking forward to the sequel, but I'm hoping it has more women in the ensemble and that, even though it takes place decades later, somehow keeps Etta Candy in the cast!

Broadchurch
I never mention mystery as one of my favorite genres because it never really occurs to me that it is, but recently, I realized that I read and watch a lot of them. It's partly the mystery and the satisfaction that comes with solving it (whether I guess the culprit correctly or not) and partly that I'm morbidly fascinated by evil. I like these stories especially, though, when the lead investigators, either professional or amateur, are intriguing. I'm not really a David Tenant fan (although he kind of won me over here, at least by season three), but I do love Ellie. In addition to the characters, I love the small-town setting and the seaside scenery, the music, and the way the writing lets the story breath.

The Great British Baking Show
Not only do I love baking, but I love how everyone in this show is nice to each other (except Paul. I could leave Paul). I don't want to be friends with anyone who doesn't like this show.

Dark Matter
There's not a lot I can say about this show that I haven't said already HERE. It's strong, character-drive science fiction that satisfies me both as a writer and a viewer. SyFy canceled it prematurely, and I'm going to miss it. I hope it lives on in a different form, and I hope I see the actors again on my screen very soon.






UPDATE: I can't believe I forgot Power Rangers. It was delightful, and I love it, and I've watched it over and over.

An Incomplete List of Anti-heroines

Late last night, I had a conversation with a friend about how we're often bored by male characters, especially ones who exhibit anti-heroic traits, such as selfishness, manipulation, and gray morality. However, we find female characters who toe the line of heroism way more fascinating. With that conversation in mind, I'm starting a list of these characters in both television/film and books as both a recommendation page for anyone looking for anti-heroines and as a reference page for myself.

The way I'm defining an anti-heroine is a central female character who doesn't care to play by the rules, whether those rules are society's or her workplace's or her own. Characters marked with an * are suggestions from friends whose shows/films/books I haven't seen or read.

FRIDAY FIVE: Summer Sci-Fi

Although I'm more of an autumn person, there are a ton of things I love about summer--sunshine, storms, ice-cold lemonade, fireflies, reading in a hammock. Plus all the science-fiction television shows that come around. I read a lot of fantasy, but I tend to watch more sci-fi. Maybe it’s because sci-fi shows are easier to find. Maybe I haven't been reading the right sci-fi. Whatever the reason, one of my favorite things about speculative fiction in general and science fiction in particular is that a lot of it remains grounded in humanity. Even though the settings and plots are outlandish, the characters and relationships are ones we recognize and connect with. This summer, my favorite new spec-fic shows were Fox's Wayward Pines and AMC's Humans. In honor of the summer sci-fi tradition, here are some of my all-time favorites.

The 100

This is a gem of a show. I discovered season one on Netflix halfway through the airing of season two and scrambled to catch up. It starts a bit slowly, but once it gets rolling, boy, does it get rolling! 97 years after a worldwide nuclear war, the last of the human race survives on a giant space station called the Ark. Air is running out faster than they thought, and they send 100 underage delinquents down to Earth to see if it's habitable. The kids face threats from each other, nature, and Grounders, the humans who managed to survive on the surface for nearly a century.Along the way, the show asks big questions, like what it means to be human and whether they can hold onto their humanity while fighting for their survival.

That girl in the middle up above is Clarke Griffin. Even though this is an ensemble show, she's the main protagonist, and she's awesome. She's smart, bossy, courageous, and an all-around badass. Her season two arc, in which she takes on the burden of protecting her people and fully realizes the consequences of it, is exceptionally complex and heartbreaking. The rest of the main crew--Octavia, Raven, Bellamy, Lincoln, Lexa, and more--is just as compelling. In a show with no black-and-white morals and no true "heroes," it's easy to root for nearly everyone (with the exception of the Wallaces, of course).

Orphan Black

Orphan Black's opening scene is one of my favorites of any TV show. Sarah Manning gets off a subway at night, makes a phone that does not go well, and then hangs up and sees a woman taking her shoes off and setting down her purse. The woman turns and looks exactly like Sarah. Then she jumps onto the track. Talk about a hook!

The first two episodes are chock-full of suspense as quick-thinking small-time grifter Sarah snags the woman's purse and takes over her identity. Until she finds out that, rather than having a long-lost twin sister, she's in fact part of an illegal cloning experiment. Then the story gets kicked into high gear, and we're introduced to Alison, Cosima, Rachel, Helena, and others, all played by the superb Tatiana Maslany. It's about women joining together to take ownership of their bodies and lives, and it's great to see a show with an ensemble cast that's mostly women (even if it's all the same woman), all distinctive and interesting in their own right. Solid all around, the show's at its best when it gives in to dark comedy.

Battlestar Galactica

I've told this story a bunch, but I'm going to tell it again. I took a class in undergrad on Renaissance drama at the same time the last season of this show was airing. Every Monday before class, my teacher, a classmate, and I would discuss Friday's episode. And then she'd find away to talk about it in class and relate it to the Renaissance plays we were reading. The lesson I walked away from that class with was: stories last because, despite their period trappings, they're about human beings. The space trappings are wonderfully designed, and the characters will all have you rooting for them in different ways, but BSG's greatest strength, like The 100's, is in raising the question of what it means to be human.

Fringe

This is such a wacky and engaging show. It centers on Olivia Dunham, an FBI agent who is drawn into the Fringe Science division following a biological incident on an airplane. She enlists the help of Dr. Walter Bishop but needs his son, Peter, to act as a handler of sorts as they solve cases. The mythology deepens and the story arcs become longer as the seasons go on, culminating in a shorter fifth and final one that revolves around the Bishop/Dunham family and their fight for their future. Throughout the many imaginative developments, such as parallel universes and alternate timelines, the relationship between Olivia and Peter anchors the story.

 

Chuck

Definitely the most lighthearted show on this list, Chuck is about a regular guy who works as a Nerd Herder computer repair guy at Buy More until his ex-best friend sends him an email that downloads a government super computer into his brain. Enter NSA agent John Casey and CIA agent Sarah Walker, sent to protect him until they can get the secrets out. It's an outlandish premise but one that works because of the strength of the characters. Chuck and Sarah's will-they-won't-they relationship is the heart of the show, and Chuck's lovable family--sister Ellie, brother-in-law Devon, and best friend Morgan (who takes a little while to grow on you)--round out an endearing cast.