Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
2016, you ignorant slut. We can all agree this was quite a year, but through it all, I managed to find the pop culture that pierced me directly in the heart. These are the shows I binged, the movies I binged (seriously, I’ve seen most of them multiple times already), and the songs I listened to on repeat.
A special shoutout goes to the musician on Snapchat that always surprised me, the Instagram videos of my new boyfriend dancing that I was not expecting but love oh so much, and the Housewife that really got in there and mixed things up this year by giving zero, zero, zero, none when it came to fucks.
As you can tell from the below, I love myself a strong female lead, a story about two people falling in love, and a damn good laugh. Each of these items presented me with one or all of those things and I’m thankful for that. So many stories I watched this year were told with maximum impact and really stuck with me. I hope you find something in here that you also love!
2016, thanks for everything that touched my heart and/or made me dance this year. 2017, what you got?
Tom Holland dancing
The world was introduced to our adorable new boyfriend in 2016, the new Spider-Man himself, 20-year-old British actor Tom Holland. He stole every scene he swung into during Captain America: Civil War, and he used his downtime rather appropriately when shooting Spider-Man: Homecoming this past summer. Nothing truly brought me more genuine joy this year than watching him bust a move. You can watch him dancing here and here, but brace yourself because swooning will happen.
'Blue Jay'
Oh my gosh, Blue Jay. This movie turned my heart into Play-doh, mushing it into new shapes with every scene, crumbling it up into tiny pieces, and then smashing it all back together, and somehow left me smiling in the process. It’s so simplistic, so beautifully done, and boasts some of the best performances we’ve ever seen from Sarah Paulson and Mark Duplass. Plus, it was nice to find out they have great taste when it comes to female rappers.
'Fleabag'
Fleabag was one of the most fulfilling binge-watches of the year at just 6 half-hour episodes that were each emotional and silly in equal parts. If you love a good cry-laugh as I do, Phoebe Waller-Bridge will make you do just that. The British comedy gets so much right about dating and being single, and will make you want to give your siblings and your BFF a gigantic hug. I’ve been telling everyone to watch it since it landed on Amazon in September, so if you haven’t done it already, do it now! Our friendship depends on it.
Beyonce's "Formation"
Beyonce kicked off the year by dropping the video for “Formation” one day before she lit the entire Super Bowl up with her (semi-controversial, of course) performance of the song. But that was nothing. Two months later, Lemonade premiered on HBO and we all lost our damn minds. If that pesky election didn’t get in the way this year, we’d probably still be talking about it and speculating and writing think pieces and listening to that entire album on repeat.
She also hit the road for the Formation World Tour where she danced on water and quite frankly, slayed on stage for hours every night. It’s hard to believe “Formation” was born in this calendar year because it feels like it’s been years that we’ve been condemning the haters for being corny with that “Illuminati mess” and walking around with hot sauce in our bags. Ok ladies now let’s STAY in “Formation”.
'Equals'
I watched Equals 3 times in one weekend when it was released, in case you weren’t sure how serious I am about this movie. Director Drake Doremus created a futuristic world that looked and sounded beautiful, matched only by the performances from Nicholas Hoult and Kristen Stewart. It’s a Romeo & Juliet story that takes place many years from now, that never ceased to be surprising and touching along the way.
'Flowers'
Flowers on Seeso gave me my favorite cry of the year. The British sad comedy is a quick yet delightful 6 episodes, and the amount of story they fit in there is perfect. Each character burrowed into a special place in my heart that made me cry and chuckle in equal amounts. It’s not for everyone, but for the people it resonates with, well, they’ll be walking around telling everyone to watch it, too.
'Hello My Name is Doris'
Hello My Name Is Doris hits you square in the gut and gives you feelings that quite possibly might never leave. Sally Field is incredible as a woman who develops a crush on her younger co-worker, played with ultra-charm by Max Greenfield. The way she navigates flirting and Facebook is more relatable than most of us ever want to admit, but if you’re looking for a film that will make you feel, introduce yourself to Doris.
'Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids'
I feel like not nearly enough of you are cherishing the fact that Mr. JT went ahead and dropped a full concert film on Netflix for our asses. Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids is packed with the hits (OMG “SexyBack”) to the deep cuts (the lasers of “Only When I Walk Away”) and he makes it look like singing and dancing to each and every one (occasionally jumping on an instrument) is totes NBD, while I was winded just from dancing around my apartment. It’s impressive and fun and clearly my go-to at all times.
'Full Frontal with Samantha Bee'
What would we have even done this year if it were not for the truthful, ballsy, incredibly important Full Frontal with Samantha Bee? The Daily Show alum wasted no time getting right to business and pointing out the ridiculousness of the election every step of the way. She did some of her best work here and here and here and for as grim as it got, she always had a smart joke ready to go. Sam, girl, I hope you’re getting some rest because you’re going to have a busy 2017. The entire world is counting on you.
Erika Jayne
Erika Girardi/Erika Jayne (her stage name) burst into The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills like an exciting comet that the series desperately needed. She’s a pop star, she’s funny, and she’s never afraid to call people on their shit. No one’s had a rookie season like Erika, and she’s already the most interesting part of the new season, too. Maybe it’s because she gives zero fucks, but I can’t get enough of her on and off of the Bravo series.
'Insecure'
Thank you Queen Issa Rae for Insecure. The HBO comedy was one of my absolute favorites of the year for the friendships, the relationships, and the sharp, witty writing of both these characters and the things that come out of their mouths. I want to be best friends with everyone, except you Lawrence, and cannot wait for season 2 in the new year.
Molly Shannon
Molly Shannon was part of the Saturday Night Live cast during the most important viewing years of my life, the late 90s and early 2000s. But wow, the work she put out this year was thrilling, moving, and hilarious. As a mother facing cancer and her last days with her family in Other People, she broke my heart into a thousand tiny pieces, and yet her smile made it feel ok? Her performance in this indie was breath-taking and will be celebrated appropriately as more people discover the film on Netflix.
She did a 180 for HBO’s Divorce, portraying a bit of a wacky friend to Sarah Jessica Parker. But even her acting there balanced between crazy and compassionate, which is sure to open us up to many more Molly Shannon lead roles in the very near future. It’s always good to see her, but it was great to see her this good.
John Mayer's Snapchat
I don’t know why I am so transfixed by @johnthekangaroo’s Snapchat, but it gives me everything I want as a fan of his. He demonstrates washing his white t-shirts, going for a jog, what’s happening in the studio as he records, and he frequently throws in silly games for good measure. More than anything, he chooses to display his sense of humor rather than selfies, and the mixed bag really keeps you on your toes about what Mr. Mayer just might present to the world today, in 10 seconds or less.
'The Meddler'
So many of us were just searching for something to brighten our hearts and make us happy in the pop culture we were consuming this year, and The Meddler is the perfect example of that. Yes, moms can be annoying. But Susan Sarandon plays one that means well, and has the checkbook to back it up. Her interactions with various friends, friends of friends, and even an Apple store employee serve as an excellent reminder to be there for the people in your life —whether they want you there or not.
Sebastian Maniscalco
I watched so much Sebastian Maniscalco stand-up this year. This dude repeatedly made me laugh with his everyday observations and overly Italian takes on family and culture. His new hour for Showtime Why Would You Do That? tackles everything from Uber to taking off your shoes at a dinner party, and it’s both the punchlines and priceless expressions that make his comedy so rewatchable.
Grown Up Pop Stars
This was the year that so many pop stars dropped the “former Disney/Nickelodeon star” descriptor and truly flourished as musicians. Ariana Grande made one of the best pop albums of the year with Dangerous Woman, and “Into You” may or may not have been my most played track on Spotify for 2016. It’s so damn catchy!
Right behind that was Zayn’s “Like I Would” from his first post-One Direction album, Mind of Mine, that wasn’t quite exceptional, but shows he’s on the road to becoming his own fully-formed artist.
Just ahead of him on that path are Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas; the duo shared the stage for their co-tour this year, looking and sounding the best they ever have.
2016 also saw the return of JoJo, now a fully grown, not to be fucked with woman, still very capable of cranking out pop/R&B hits, displayed clearly on her new album Mad Love..
The music of 2016 was not nearly as garbage of many of the other events that transpired. But what is most promising are the artists transitioning into new leaders of their genre. Keep bringing the hits in 2017, y’all.
