My Pop Culture Saviors of 2024

My views on pop culture were forever changed in 2024.

After losing my mother at the end of the summer, three years after losing my father, my approach to the sources of entertainment I always relied on…shifted. Naturally, my nostalgic ass turned to familiar titles from the past, seeking comfort in characters and stories I already knew; it’s a coping mechanism used by anyone who has suffered through tremendous loss. However, while my personal tragedy has impacted my outlook on the bizarre, twist-filled dramedy that is Human Life, I recognize my tastes continue to age mature. I consume my pop culture morsels with more discerning eyes and ears, seeking narratives and other art that continue to expand my worldview and inspire me to keep on keepin’ on.

These are the TV shows, films, music, and other media that moved me more than anything else I experienced in the last twelve months. I wholeheartedly salute the creative minds and efforts behind these notable pieces of entertainment:

Somebody Somewhere

In the second episode of the final season of HBO’s criminally under-appreciated (but Peabody Award-winning) Somebody Somewhere, the character…