Our Favorite Things from 2021

Personal
Written By Joel

Before our flight home from California this year I sent Jenn two tasks to complete. Ranking all of the TV shows we watched in 2021 and this prompt, our favorite things from 2021. I go back and look at these posts as much if not more than the year-in-reviews because it’s so interesting to see how our tastes change and evolve over time. And so without further ado here are our favorite things from 2021.

Favorite TV Show

Jenn - Only Murders in the Building

This category continues to be challenging for me: there is just too much great content available to binge these days. Instead of picking one, let me explain my top five, as they all deserve an honorable mention:

  • Only Murders in the Building — This was a standout new show, and played to all my sensibilities: murder, intrigue and perfectly crafted comedic timing all staged in my favorite city, New York. Brilliantly acted and envisioned by the great Steve Martin, this show is not to be missed.

  • The Great — I adore this show so much. Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult are the perfect duo. Their chemistry and acting chops make this show a delight to watch. I’m always finding myself giggling and fully intrigued to know what will happen next. I wish this show got the attention it deserves, its brilliantly written and casted. The stage and costume design is incredible, the script is so witty and fun, and the premise of the show is perfection. Huzzah!

  • West Wing — If you ever want to see what brilliant writing looks and sounds like, this show is it. It gives me hope in a better future, and makes me wishful that one day our country will return to its ideals and intrinsic values. Until then, the West Wing continues to be emblematic of what our government and country at large could be.

  • Handmaid’s Tale — I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: the Handmaids Tale is a screaming cautionary tale for how quickly women’s rights (and freedom) can be stripped away. The acting in this show is the best I have ever witnessed, and I’ll admit watching the show often fills me with rage. The sad truth is we are only a heartbeat away from this fictional show becoming a reality. We need more women like June to fight for, vocalize and demand change and progress of women’s rights. This show should be required viewing.

  • Squid Game — Thirty seconds into this show I was hooked, and continued to be until the very end of the season. Forget the gore (which there was plenty)… at the heart of this show was a story of classism, social inequality, poverty…and its effects on our communities, people’s self worth and lives. How do we expect their conditions to ever change if our system doesn’t? I often wondered if I would choose a different path if I was in as desperate situations as the characters were.

Surprised that Succession didn’t make my top 5? Me too. Although it did make my top 10 (technically #6), this past season was a bit too dark for my taste, and really dragged until the final two episodes (which of course brought back all its luster and brilliance). I still adore the show, and can’t wait to see what’s next, but wasn’t as fixated on the series as in year’s past.

Joel - The White Lotus

What an incredible year of television. I could have easily put any of my Top 5 as my favorite show of the year. But at the end of the day the show that I refer back to the most, and the show I enjoyed the most in 2021 was The White Lotus on HBO Max. A show about different families and couples coming to a 5-star resort in Hawaii and how they interact with the staff and their own families made for one of the funniest, wittiest, and enjoyable shows of the year and one that I hope comes back swinging with its second season. My close runner-ups were Ted Lasso which had a phenomenal (albeit a few episodes too long) the second season, The Great season two which continues to be phenomenal, and Succession which had one of the great season finales in recent memory. 

Favorite Political Satire

Jenn - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

I think it’s time to admit I have a crush on Stephen Colbert. Haha, sure he is good looking… (not as handsome as Joel of course)…but what I love about him is so much more than that. He is so freaking talented! I love that he can quote Shakespeare out of thin air. I love his humor and comedic style. I appreciate his POV on the world. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will always be my favorite political satire, and I owe him and his staff a ton of gratitude for helping get me through COVID and the Trump era without feeling completely depressed and hopeless. I look forward to watching him every night, and in many ways, to me, his show feels like “home.”

I would be remiss not to mention Seth Myers as well - specifically his “Corrections” and “Closer Look” segments. Those are a delight, and the writing of those are my sense of humor to a tee. I also love how grounded Seth seems, and how much he involves his staff in his bits.

Joel - Last Week Tonight

This category was so competitive this year. After the insurrection and the inauguration in January, it was interesting to see how a lot of the different late-night satirist would handle a post T**** world. For me, John Oliver continues to be the king of late night political satire although the gap is closing. His show is one that I still look forward to and appreciate week in and week out. Jon Stewart did return with The Problem which is starting to catch its stride. Colbert has a solid daily foray into the political landscape and Seth Meyers Closer Look are almost always gold, especially Corrections at the end of every week. 

Favorite Movie

Jenn - Luca

I adored the Disney and Pixar movie, Luca. I watched it twice this year, and both times it brought me to tears: happy tears. Yes, the animation is unbelievable and the voice actors are all A-listers. Yes, it’s set in one of my favorite countries (Italy). But more than all of that, the story of this tale is about love and acceptance. And I can’t think of anything more beautiful than that. Showing kids (and adults) the importance of treating everyone with kindness, no matter what they look like, act like… or love is what we as a society should be doing every day. We should never make people feel like they have to hide who they are to fit in, be loved, or be accepted by others. I can see why the LGBTQ+ community adored and related to this movie as much as they did. Just writing about it now makes me want to watch it again.

Joel - Dune

It’s rare that I would choose a pure “sci-fi” movie for a book that I truly disliked as my favorite movie of the year but Denis Villeneuve’s Dune was easily my favorite movie of the year. From a pure “spectacle” alone Dune was a masterpiece. But the way in which he was able to craft a world and story out of a book that I found to be overly convoluted was a true triumph. Although I am a bit bummed its only “part one” I cannot wait to rewatch this movie and see part two in IMAX when it releases. 

Favorite Live Performance

Jenn - Trouble in Mind

Oh gosh. Let me start by saying that I was literally brought to tears when I saw “A Night with Carmen Cusack” this past June. It had been over a year since I had seen a live performance, and I can’t even begin to describe, nor at the time did I even realize just how much I missed it. I have really come to love the theatre (thanks to Joel). Watching someone who is so passionate and excellent at their craft…and experience that with them and a crowd is a gift. I remember sitting there with my eyes closed hoping to take a mental video of the moment in case I had to wait another year or more before the next one.

Luckily I didn’t have to wait too long. And while that wasn’t my favorite performance, it also wasn’t the last time I could enjoy Carmen’s gift. My second favorite live performance of the year, Flying Over Sunset, was such a joyful surprise and once again had Carmen in it. In fact, what got me excited about this show was one of the songs she performed for us back in June. All I can say is Flying Over Sunset was masterful. How they intermixed the story with the set design, different forms of dance, song, and visual effects were simply superb. I would absolutely go back and see that show again, and I rarely say that.

But the true stand-out for me this year was Trouble in Mind. I came into that show with zero expectations. Not because I wasn’t interested, I just hadn’t had the time to do any pre-reading on it. But what a delight it came to be. Such a brilliant way to highlight racism in the entertainment industry - while doing it in a dramatic yet comedic way. Didn’t hurt that it included actors we recognized from Search Party and Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. It was a fantastic show that should absolutely be nominated for a Tony.

Joel - Trouble in Mind

It felt like we saw more theater in 2021 but I think the pure joy of being back in Broadway again was so sweet that it felt like we never left. Far and away the best play/musical we saw this year was Trouble in Mind put on by Roundabout Theater. A play originally written in the 1960’s is just as poignant, striking and appropriate as it was when it was first put on. It was a beautiful production, with perfect casting, and a show that will stick with me for years to come. A close second was Come From Away our first foray back to Broadway and a beautiful musical. 

Favorite Song or Artist

Jenn - Freaking Out by Arizona

This response makes me laugh because my favorite song this year is called “Freaking Out” by Arizona. I think Spotify said I played it like 50+ times. It kind of embodied my mood for 2021. I had no idea what to expect, where life was going to take us, or where our careers where headed. Would we come back to NY? What if NY the city I have come to love never returned to what I adored about it? Luckily, they all had happy outcomes this year. Am I still “freaking out?” Absolutely. Every day. But this song has a great, fun upbeat way to make me feel ok about it. 

Joel - Sunday Best by Surfaces

It’s probably not a song that ten years from now will stand the test of time but on the drive from Orange County to New York whenever Sunday Best by Surfaces comes on our Spotify mix I’d immediately turn it up and start singing along. For a year that has continued to be quite stressful, having a fun song like Sunday Best come on is always a good time. If you went by my Spotify wrapped my top song of the year was Lover by Taylor Swift.

Favorite Game or Board Game

Jenn - Ball Game with Frasier

This response may come as a surprise, and Joel might even say it might not count, but I think it does, and am writing it down….therefore it must be true. ;) My favorite game is “Ball Game” with Frasier. While this is mostly occurring between Joel and Frasier, it is one of the moments that I completely treasure. The way Frasier lights up when we scream, “it’s…..ball….game…..time!!! It’s ball game time!!!” It’s my everything. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I love listening to Joel play Jeopardy with Alexa, and watching Frasier’s huge grin each night as he runs back and forth down our hallway to retrieve his squeaky ball. Frankly, it’s one of those moments I live for. 

Joel - Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla

Although Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla came out in 2020, most of what I played was this year. It isn’t my favorite game in the series but when this game hits it’s one of the most thrilling, enjoyable, and relaxing games I played all year. It’s also a game I still have not completed, so that’s something I hope to rectify before the year ends. The other honorable mentions would be Madden NFL 22, MLB The Show 21, and Spider-Man Remastered.

Favorite Book

Jenn - Bible App, Verse of the Day

Believe it or not, I read 5 books this year. All of which were OK. But the book that continues to stand out for me, genuinely, is the Bible. I downloaded the Bible app on my phone a long time ago, and every night I read a verse a day. I know it’s not much, but it means the world to me. I feel like God speaks to me through those verses. He has given me so much wisdom, peace, and strength during some very uncertain and challenging times this year. Whenever I felt lost or like I was going to have a panic attack, I would just re-read a verse and discover his voice all over again as if he was saying it in the room with me. 

Joel - The Midnight Library / Anxious People

In a year in which I read 45 books, I didn’t have one book that was the king of them all. I really had 3-4 books that I loved that I could have chosen for this category but narrowed it down to two. The honorable mentions would go to The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. The winners however were The Midnight Library and Anxious People. The Midnight Library hits that sweet spot for me of time travel, life perspective, and a touch of Its a Wonderful Life. Anxious People is what I consider pure unadulterated wit that I just found tremendously charming and surprising at almost every turn. 

Favorite Purchase

Jenn - New York Apartment

I don’t know if it is a purchase per se… but I’m beyond grateful for our apartment. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine having a corner unit that overlooks the Empire State Building, Central Park, and the Hudson River. I pinch myself daily that we have such an incredible apartment that we can easily afford in the city. Just last night we got to watch New Years’ Eve fireworks from Times Square and Central Park from our living and dining room. I don’t know if it gets much better than that.

Joel - OLED TV’s

When we moved back to New York we decided that it was time to upgrade both of our TV’s (living room and bedroom) rather than bringing them back with us. Jenn was so incredibly gracious to allow me full reign over that purchase decision and I ended up getting LG OLED’s for both rooms. For the bedroom I purchased a 55” LG CX for the bedroom and a 65” LG GX (Gallery) for the living room. The upgrade of the TV’s was massive and most days I still sit back and amaze at how beautiful they are. Too make things even better we also upgraded the sound in the living room and now have the Sonos Arc with the subwoofer there and the Sonos Beam in the bedroom really making for two great viewing experiences. 

Favorite Memory

Jenn - Frasier

This isn’t a singular memory, but something I am fortunate to experience every day. It is our morning and nightly ritual with Frasier. I would be the happiest woman in the world if I just did those two things for the rest of my life, it brings me that much joy and peace. I love waking up and kissing Frasier on the head, to have him yawn back at me as if he too was just waking up (even though I know he has been up for a bit). I love grabbing his collar and coming back to the bedroom to find him laying on top of Joel, and Joel giving him a huge cuddle and lots of kisses. I love “crowning the king” and giving Joel a kiss on the cheek. I love coming back from taking Frasier potty to hear Joel scream, “is that Frasier?…buddy!” And have Frasier run down the hall and gallop on the bed.

At night, I love walking with Joel around our neighborhood, talking about the day, our dreams, and life. I love coming back home to have Joel play ball game with Frasier as he plays Jeopardy on Alexa. I love then to find Frasier running to the bed, waiting for Joel to play with him once again, this time with his socks. I watch Frasier pounce all over the bed, and Joel just laughs, and it melts my heart. I love when we both kiss Frasier good night, and we turn off the TV, and Frasier knows we are going to bed, and on cue, turns on his back with his belly and feet in the air. It’s as if he is signaling what we all are feeling: what a wonderful day and life.

Joel - Maldives

There were so many different memories to choose from in 2021 that I really struggled. Before I finally landed on the Maldives I had our road trip across the country, walking Frasier in Riverside Park, Abu Dhabi, and our first Broadway show back (Come from Away). But at the end of the day, I landed on the Maldives for a couple of reasons. First, it was Jenn and my first international trip in nearly two years and it’s a trip that almost didn’t happen. We had contemplated canceling the trip until a few days before but we went through with it and I am so glad we did. By the time we finally landed at the St. Regis the stress of the world went away and for a week outside of checking on Frasier, we let the rest of the world fade away. It was the first time in over 18-months that I felt like I was able to fully disconnect and what better way than in the pure majestic beauty of the Maldives. I’ll never forget our morning tennis, amazing breakfasts, lounging on our back patio and pool, and walks in the afternoon and evening. It wasn’t our normal trip but it was the right trip for 2021 and for that, I’ll cherish that memory for the rest of my life. 

Joel

https://www.worldofjoel.com
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