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I think we all can agree that 2020 was a nightmare. Throughout the year, various media provided some relief and a pleasant escape from an upsetting reality. 2020 was full of content that we knew were coming and content that we wouldn’t have had without 2020 being what it was. From “Animal Crossing” (( “Animal Crossing.” Nintendo, 2020. )) to actors providing live readings of beloved movies and TV shows, 2020 gave us a lot to be grateful for. Let’s take a minute to remember some of the good moments we were able to create.
Things We Knew Were Coming
First, let’s start with some awesome pieces of media that we knew were coming in 2020: “Animal Crossing” and season two of The Mandalorian (( Favreau, Jon, creator. The Mandalorian. Disney Platform Distribution, 2019. )). These two treats from 2020 created an enormous amount of hype, memes, and general buzz on the internet. And, most importantly, they brought an escape from the world that fans gratefully welcomed.
“Animal Crossing“
“Animal Crossing” is at the top of a lot of people’s lists of things to be grateful for. This game is well-liked for its calming aesthetics, kind characters, and free play elements. “Animal Crossing” also helped keep people sane throughout quarantine, as the game provided a calming atmosphere and helped people develop a routine.
One of the interesting aspects of “Animal Crossing” is its use of real-world time. For example, turnips are coveted items in the game, but they can only be bought on Sundays during a certain time. Additionally, many players used cataloging apps to build personalized daily lists. These daily lists may include talking to villagers, finding the daily recipe, and more. The villagers in the game are also aware of the real-world time. This awareness makes them keep track of how often the player plays the game, and they will become worried if the player is gone for a long time, which players are really grateful for.
This game provided structure for a seemingly structureless world, which many people were grateful to have. “Animal Crossing” made a lot of people happy and inspired memes and discourse that added some fun to 2020.
Season Two Of The Mandalorian
Season two of The Mandalorian was just as good, if not better than season one. Packed with action, tender moments between Din and Baby Yoda (we learned his name!), and new characters, season two of The Mandalorian created a world that viewers gratefully escaped into. As far as characters go, the show did a great job of bringing animated characters to life and reintroducing some old favorites.
Most notably, fans finally got to see a live-action Ahsoka, and she is an absolute badass. From her connection with Grogu (Baby Yoda) to her impressive fighting skills with bright white lightsabers, The Mandalorian did this beloved character justice.
The show also featured some familiar faces. Boba Fett’s reintroduction to the Star Wars franchise gave us a newer, older version which is more charitable with his help. Star Wars fans were also thrilled to find out about his new TV show that will allow audiences to explore this new Boba Fett even more. Lastly, The Mandalorian featured an amazing fight scene with Luke Skywalker. Grogu’s decision to go with Luke left fans excited for what’s to come in the future of Star Wars.
Things We Didn’t Know Were Coming
2020 came with a lot of twists and surprises. This year has been all about adapting to new restrictions in a different world, from halts in TV and movie productions to the Broadway shutdown. Let’s glance at platforms and events that used virtual events to entertain audiences and raise money to help others who needed it.
The Shows Must Go On
The Broadway shutdown left those who worked on shows and those who loved to watch feeling like they lost a piece of themselves. However, various people and platforms help provide financial support for grateful Broadway workers and content for fans by putting on virtual performances.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s YouTube account is one such platform that has adapted to this new world of virtual performances. The account, The Shows Must Go On, appeared early on in the first months of quarantine. Every week, the YouTube account makes full recordings of all kinds of shows available for a weekend, which is always accompanied by a fundraiser. Shows like The Phantom of the Opera, Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds, Kinky Boots, Shakespearean performances, and more have all been featured on this YouTube account.
While the Broadway shutdown has been devastating, fans have enjoyed and been grateful for platforms like The Shows Must Go On that provide free access to full-length recordings of all kinds of performances. This YouTube account did an excellent job of adapting to COVID rules and regulations, and it does its part to help keep the arts alive by donating money to actors’ funds.
Community Live Reading
Live virtual readings also made regular appearances throughout 2020. Back in May, the TV show Community (( Harmon, Dan, creator. Community. Sony Pictures Television, 2009-2015. )) put on a virtual table reading of the episode “Cooperative Polygraphy” to raise money for COVID relief. The stars and writer of the show (and Pedro Pascal, who filled in for Walton Goggins) gave audiences an energetic rendition of a beloved episode.
In “Cooperative Polygraphy,” one of the main characters, Pierce, has died. In his will, he wrote that his friends must each participate in a polygraph before they can receive what he left for them. It’s a crazy episode from start to finish, and watching the cast perform it live was so much better than just watching the actual episode. Everyone on the cast has amazing chemistry with each other that fans were grateful to be able to see again.
Additionally, the performance by Pedro Pascal added something new to the episode. Pascal found himself struggling to stay in character during the reading due to the ridiculous nature of Pierce’s will. His bouts of laughter had the rest of the cast (and viewers) laughing with him, which added a really awesome energy to the night. Avid fans of Community were grateful for the opportunity to watch the actors come back together to perform as some of their favorite characters for a night of fun.
The Princess Bride Live Reading
Another memorable table reading from 2020 was WISDEM’s production of The Princess Bride (( Reiner, Rob. The Princess Bride. Twentieth Century Fox, 1987. )). Much like with the Community live table read, many of the original actors reprised their roles as the beloved characters from the 80s classic.
This virtual reading captured some of the same magic of the original movie with some new actors. The star of this performance was Mandy Patinkin, who reprised his role as Inigo Montoya. Patinkin was not afraid to jump up out of his seat and fence with the air, and he did a good job of keeping the show going even when other actors’ mics weren’t working.
After the reading of the movie was over, the cast partook in a Q&A, so audiences learned more fun facts about the movie and some hilarious drinking stories about André the Giant. The event left me feeling just as charmed and in love with the story as I was when I first saw the movie as a kid.
Find More 2020 Media To Be Grateful For
While I didn’t even come close to naming all of the awesome media people made in 2020, I hope that this article made you think of content that you can be grateful for from this past year. It’s very easy to get buried underneath the weight of the hardship and struggles of 2020, so taking some time to be grateful for the things that kept you going in 2020 might help keep you afloat.