Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Ever since Decider launched all the way back in August 2014, our Editor-in-Chief Mark Graham has asked the staff to write a list of their favorite things — films, TV shows, viral moments, performances, memes, and more — from the year in question. As a result, I now have an online time capsule reminding me that I was very into a video of a man training for American Ninja Warrior while in a T. Rex suit in 2015, or that I loved me some Durrells in Corfu and porgs in 2017.
In 2019, I obsessed over Florence Pugh’s sly smile in Midsommar, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s triumphant return to Fleabag, and the moment J. Lo asked Constance Wu to step into her fur in Lorene Scafaria’s Hustlers. I was basically high on feminine accomplishment. Almost every single one of my favorite things this year had to do with women taking control of their kingdoms, their careers, their destinies, and even, the wrestling ring. Only one dude-focused project made the cut, and it’s a weird one.
So thank you, 2019, for giving me a pop culture community of ambitious, ruthless, and charismatic women there to make me feel held, to make me feel like home.*
*That’s a Midsommar joke. I make a lot of them.
Queen Sansa
For the past eight years, I have been obsessed with HBO’s Game of Thrones. While I didn’t necessarily agree with all the moves made in the show’s final season, there was one creative choice that left me exultant. I’m talking of course about how Sansa Stark finished the series as Queen in the North. I’ve always had a soft spot for Sansa because she feels the closest to what most teenage girls are: not aspiring assassins, but confused innocents who find themselves hurled into the world too soon. Sansa’s evolution over the show’s eight seasons were fascinating, and I dare say made for a better story than Bran the Broken’s.
'Fleabag'
It’s sort of annoyingly on brand for me to love Fleabag Season 2. I absolutely adored the first season when it came out in 2016, but Season 2 hit me harder. On a personal note, it came out almost a year after I lost my own best friend, so Fleabag’s personal journey touched a nerve. On a professional note, it is simply one of the most incandescently perfect seasons of television I have ever seen. Phoebe Waller-Bridge exposed the raw, soulful heart of the modern tetchy woman.
'Hustlers'
To me, Hustlers is perfect. It’s a perfectly humble film full of violet shadows and heartbreaking choices. It’s also meticulously crafted by writer/director Lorene Scafaria to be as entertaining as it is haunting. Hustlers examines two parallel rivers of power: money, as is wielded by the 1%, and love, in the form of loyalty, comfort, and acceptance. Constance Wu’s character believes she needs money, but what really drives her is the need to please the first person she meets who pays her in love: Jennifer Lopez’s Ramona.
'Midsommar'
Eerily beautiful, Midsommar is an emotional epic that doubles as a glorious exercise in catharsis. When Dani (an incandescent) Florence Pugh loses her entire family in a tragedy, she only has her dirtbag boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) to depend upon. When she accompanies him and his buddies on a trip to an obscure Swedish folk festival, Dani finds herself plugged into a community she never knew she needed, and Christian finds himself, well…I won’t spoil the ending.
The 'Little Women' (2019) Trailer
Whenever my spirit has been low, I have found myself revitalized by watching one thing: the trailer for Greta Gerwig’s Little Women. I’m an easy mark since I loved Gerwig’s first film, Lady Bird, and I happen to be the youngest of four sisters. The 1994 Little Women has long been one of my personal favorites, but this 2:43 minute trailer seems to capture the hope, heartache, and inspiration I’ve always found in Louisa May Alcott’s work.
'Frankenstein's Monster's Monster, Frankenstein'
“…and the most delicious yellows you ever saw!”
“I’m not interested in the gun.”
“…and that’s how I got into Juilliard!”
Maybe all this sounds bizarre to you, but for me and my best friends, it’s become a second language. Over the last year, I’ve become obsessed with Netflix’s Frankenstein’s Monster’s Monster, Frankenstein, and I’ve made it my mission to get as many of my friends on board with it, too. The half hour comedy special stars Stranger Things star David Harbour as a fictional version of himself delving into his “father’s” doomed TV theatrical, Frankenstein’s Monster’s Monster, Frankenstein. Full of absurdist comedy, sharp satire, and perfect performances, it’s a must-see.
Where to Stream Frankenstein's Monster's Monster, Frankenstein
Laurie Blake's Big Blue Dildo on 'Watchmen'
Watchmen has quickly become one of my favorite new shows of the year. Damon Lindelof’s remix of the graphic novel deals with racial injustice, generational trauma, and yes, Doctor Manhattan’s big blue dong. Episode 3, “She Was Killed By Space Junk” isn’t just one of my favorite TV episodes of the year, but of all time. The episode reclaimed the legacy of the second Silk Spectre and reimagined her as a 70-year-old FBI agent who hadn’t lost her humor, courage, or raw sex appeal. She also, it seems, hadn’t lost her appetite for that dong.
Princess Anne's Vibe on 'The Crown'
The Crown has long been one of my favorite escapist dramas. As an Irish American, I have no reason to find the British monarchy fascinating, but as a fan of good old fashioned drama, I love them. They are a living, breathing soap opera: the original reality TV family. This season of The Crown introduced the world to the Windsor’s coolest star. Princess Anne isn’t often in the spotlight, but as Erin Doherty portrays her, she ought to be. Irreverently witty, completely detached, and bored of everything, her whole vibe is swoon-worthy.
My New Culinary Queens: Claire Saffitz, Molly Yeh, and Alison Roman
I love cooking, and in 2019, I became obsessed with three shining new culinary stars: Bon Appétit‘s Claire Saffitz, Girl Meets Farm‘s Molly Yeh, and The New York Times‘s Alison Roman. All three women have a genuine charm that makes you want to be their BFF, but more importantly, all three have killer skills. Both Yeh and Roman have introduced me to some of my favorite home recipes this year, while Saffitz continues to dazzle me with her “Gourmet Makes” series.
Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks at Hell in a Cell
2019 was the year I got hardcore into wrestling, specifically women’s wrestling. While I adored watching Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair headline Wrestlemania with Ronda Rousey, my favorite PPV match of the year came later. After Sasha Banks returned to the ring as a heel with blue hair and an axe to grind, she and Becky Lynch faced off in Hell in a Cell. Their half hour match was a full throttle celebration of athleticism, nerve, and kendo sticks. It also encapsulated everything I’ve come to love about the sport: a perfect combination of charismatic performers throwing themselves out there for the fans, and for the love of wrestling.
