Looking Back On 2018…

In just a few short hours we will be in 2019! It’s kinda hard to believe. This year feels like it’s lasted at least a decade, so let’s take a second to look back…

Here’s a short list: Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, Doctor Who Series 11, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir season 2, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Deadpool 2, Disney bought Fox, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 lost its director, Red Sox won the World Series, Game of Thrones dropped the trailer for its last season, we got a sequel to Mary Poppins over 50 years later, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Incredibles 2, American Horror Story crossover, Life-Size 2 almost 20 years later… the list goes on.

Once again it was a big year for revivals and nostalgia. In addition to She-Ra, Sabrina, Mary Poppins, and Life-Size, we saw the revival of Roseanne/The Conners, Murphy Brown, Magnum P.I., American Idol, Tomb Raider, Oceans 8, Charmed, Titans, and Halloween. Now, I may have been a little lax with my viewing. When I was in college, I once had a couple months where I was seeing a new movie each week. Right now, my life is not in a place where I can do that, so that will not be my New Years Resolution. No, instead, I will attempt to put out a blog entry each week and on time! (And I can promise that I will be seeing Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame the weekends they open!)

We’re also currently riding on the wave that is the aftermath of #metoo and its effecting the industry. People are speaking out and its becoming a wise marketing choice to use female and minority filmmakers. Wonder Woman did amazing things for female directors in 2017 and this year Black Panther opened the door for minority filmmakers and superheroes.

TV also got very political this year, with liberal Hollywood speaking out against President Trump and his policies (a trend I expect to continue). This was true even for shows like Doctor Who, which is a British program. His racist and sexist remarks have inspired plot points, such as Who‘s “Rosa” and the political and racial backgrounds of characters on primetime TV shows such as Charmed and Rosanne/The Conners.

So, what does this mean for the entertainment industry? Well, Disney is slowly but surely monopolizing the film industry and cornering the market on mega franchises. It’s no longer just Princesses, there’s Star Wars and the MCU– now with the addition of Fox’s character library (and making us all nervous about Deadpool 3). Meanwhile, Netflix went and canceled a bunch of programs, including all of its Marvel programs (save for Jessica Jones and Punisher), but also released 3 seasons/20 episodes of Nailed It!. NBC is making a comedy comeback with lineups that include The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Will & Grace, while ABC stands by The Conners and snatches up American Idol, with no end in sight for Grey’s Anatomy. America’s Next Top Model is on VH1 now and Black Mirror just released a “Choose Your Own Adventure” episode…

2018 has been a year for reinvention and creativity. It’s been about branching out as production companies try to nail down what audiences are after. While many of us are reading news headlines with dismay, the entertainment industry is actually starting to step up with female and minority representation. Shows like Steven Universe, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and Doctor Who (as played by Jodie Whittaker) are upping the ante on gender and sexuality representation. It’s an exciting time for TV and Film, with even more to come in 2019!

…Okay, so this is another late post, and once again a bit ramble-y, but as I stated above, New Year’s Resolution! For those of you who have taken the time to read my idle thoughts, thank you! This has been a labor of both passion and discipline and I’m really excited I’ve kept it going this long– and plan on more to come!

I’m expecting 2019 to be a big and happy year and wish you and those closest to you the same! Happy New Year!