When you see a movie or read a book that you cant get out of your head, theres nothing better than sharing that experience with other people. But in a fractured media landscape with countless new releases a year and a significant portion of the entire history of human culture at our fingertips it can be hard to find someone else obsessed with the same thing you are. We asked our newsroom: What captured your attention this year? Weve pulled together our colleagues obsessions, from buzzy new movies and music, to older TV shows and books that feel as relevant as ever. Weve rounded up the best stuff on our radars during a long, jam-packed year. Heres everything we couldnt stop thinking about.LostLost, the 2000s mystery drama serial, always seemed like a fools errand to me. I knew it was long-winded, sometimes unsettling, and would probably exhaust me with its circularity. When I saw it was on streaming, I tuned in out of curiosity, thinking an episode or two would be an amusing way to spend a weeknight. But I havent grown tired of it yet. In fact, I havent been so gripped by a television show in a while; one evening has turned into months of obsessive viewing.Watching the castaway characters navigate the unknown, despite its violence and ridiculousness, has been a soothing reprieve from the casual chaos of my own everyday life. On Lost, nothing makes sense, but everything kind of turns out okay even when it doesnt (unless it really doesnt? Im just starting season five, dont tell me!). (Streaming on Netflix.) Melinda Fakuade, culture editorThe Double Netflix promptly snapped up the hit Chinese drama The Double for a week-by-week release before it was even done with its original run this spring. I know because I was glued to every episode as they released on Chinese streaming platform IQIYI, which I woke up early to stream before work. This fun, fierce palace revenge drama stars the fabulous Wu Jinyan, who broke through in 2018 with the wildly popular, Vox-approved Story of Yanxi Palace. After a murder attempt at the hands of her husband, Wu Jinyans character adopts the identity of a friend who suffered a similarly tragic betrayal. The mysterious Jiang Li returns to court to enact revenge not just for herself but for her friend, piquing the interest of the incredibly suave Duke Su (newcomer Wang Xingyue in a charming, star-making turn). The Double is pulpy, addictive binge material, with a delightful slow-burn romance between the two leads. Its also firmly feminist, forever dangling the possibility of sympathy toward its nice-guy husband turned villain, then yanking it back and redoubling its critique of toxic masculinity. (Streaming on Netflix.) Aja Romano, senior culture writerAll things Top Dawg EntertainmentIf VH1 still did its Best Year Ever television specials, my vote would be for Top Dawg Entertainment. The rap label has been absolutely dominating the music conversation and the charts this year. From ScHoolboy Qs Blue Lips to Doechiis Alligator Bites Never Heal, the labels signees have garnered plenty of critical acclaim. And no one can deny their marquee artist Kendrick Lamars influence and commercial success this year. He arguably took down hip-hops golden boy with diss track after diss track, topped it all off with a surprise album, and announced a stadium tour for this coming summer with his label-mate SZA. Theyll even be playing next years Super Bowl halftime show. Top Dawg, indeed. (Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Doechii, and SZA are all streaming on Spotify and Apple Music.) Jonquilyn Hill, host of Explain It To MeSZA performs at the United Center in Chicago. Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty ImagesCastaway Diva A teenager runs away from an abusive home to pursue her dream of becoming a pop star in Seoul but ends up stranded on an island for over a decade before being found and then fights ageism in the music industry to become a star anyway. Castaway Diva provides lots of glorious musical numbers and soap opera-esque side plots. The premise is totally wild, but lead actor Park Eun-bin (of Extraordinary Attorney Woo) is a joy to watch, making it easy for viewers to suspend their disbelief while rooting for her character, Mok-ha. As K-dramas do, it smacks you with some serious childhood trauma up front, and it doesnt shy away from gut-wrenching moments; at one point I realized I was crying at every episode! But amid all the pain, the show tilts toward optimism and hope, which is something I needed in 2024, and maybe you do, too. (Streaming on Netflix.)Kim Eggleston, copy editorEverything Laurie Colwin wroteThis year, I wanted an escape from the now, which manifested as reading many books fiction and nonfiction alike about an older, though not terribly distant, New York City. A big part of this was making my way through Laurie Colwins bibliography. Colwins career spanned from the mid-70s to the early 90s; she experienced a mini-revival a few years ago when her novels and collections of short stories and essays were reissued. I got lost in whats been referred to as her sneakily deep romcomedies of manners and her utterly delightful version of the city Ive lived in and loved for so long. Start with Family Happiness, and go from there. (Available on Bookshop.org.) Julia Rubin, senior editorial director, culture and featuresHard TruthsMike Leighs film Hard Truths is maybe the most radical (and funniest) depiction of female and working-class rage Ive seen in a long time. Its like if Nightbitch didnt try to convince you that motherhood is an innately satisfying experience at the end. Leigh boldly commits to the grouchiness of its lead, played by an excellent Marianne Jean-Baptiste, granting her enough dimension that she never feels like a cartoon. He doesnt offer an easy answer as to why she cant enjoy life, or at least pretend to, like her even-keeled relatives. While were often fed stories of women overcoming things and finding themselves, its surprisingly moving to watch a woman live in her miserable truth. (Now playing in select theaters.) Kyndall Cunningham, culture writerMarianne Jean-Baptiste stars in Mike Leighs film Hard Truths. IMDbThe God of the Woods by Liz MooreApproximately 300 pages into The God of the Woods, a propulsive literary mystery centered on a teenager who goes missing from her summer camp, I texted the friend who had recommended it in all-caps: NOVELS ARE SO GOOD, MAN. Liz Moores latest had successfully reminded me that one of the greatest pleasures of a truly well-done piece of long-form textual fiction is that it can feel like magic, in the literal, I-have-had-a-spell-cast-upon-me type of way. Moore demonstrates a mastery of conjuring whole worlds and lives inside your head, and then shifting the perspective just slightly to let you see what was always there but hidden from view. The power and misery of wealth, the awe and darkness of the forest, the strictures and potential of being a woman, the anxiety and thrill of growing up and coming into your own; I dont want to give anything away, I just want you to read it, and text your friends. (Available on Bookshop.org.) Meredith Haggerty, senior culture editorOnly ConnectAs Connections became the hottest new puzzle on the New York Times game app, I soaked myself in luxurious superiority, for I knew a secret. Connections is nothing but a flimsy simulacrum of the cult British quiz show Only Connect, a game so fiendishly complicated that it makes New York Timess Connections look as easy as Strands (iykyk). To work out the average Only Connect category, you have to possess an esoteric combination of knowledge of advanced high mathematics, the topography of South American mountain ranges, and snooker balls, not to mention a high tolerance for truly terrible puns. Watching the contestants make their way through the categories each week under the ironical eye of host Victoria Corin is like watching Olympic athletes attempting death-defying feats only instead of winning international fame and medals, victors walk away with nothing more than a warm congratulations from Corin. This show is as absurdly, smugly difficult as Jeopardy! on Mensa mode, and I love it with my whole heart. (Available on BBC Two in the UK, and some episodes are on YouTube.) Constance Grady, senior correspondentBratIt was late July when Jake Tapper inquired, Is the idea that were all kind of brat? live on a CNN panel. That was just after Kamala HQ went neon green, and well after a million memes threatened overexposure. But Brat has staying power. It didnt hurt that Charli xcx later dropped a remix album that adds even bigger beats and deeper meaning to already pitch-perfect source material. She didnt have the biggest tour, and she certainly didnt have the most streams, but I bet Brat is the album well still be talking about in 10 years, because behind the sunglasses and the club classics is a vulnerable ode to stumbling through life while falling in love again and again.(Streaming on Spotify and Apple Music.) Sean Rameswaram, host of Today, ExplainedBull Believer by Wednesday In November 2023, I Shazamd a song I heard playing on the speakers of my local coffee shop. A year and many streams later, I still find myself obsessed with this 2022 alt-rock single. Bull Believer by Wednesday is moody and gritty, soft and hard, full of distorted guitar and a vibe I can only describe as a little delirious. And at 8 minutes and 30 seconds, it feels like a journey with a beginning, middle, and an absolutely explosive and wailing end. The song has stuck to me because its unabashedly full of rage and despair emotions that we tend to avoid, even at a time when theres a lot of reasons to feel them. We all need an outlet for these feelings, and if youre searching for a raw musical catharsis, this is just the thing. (Streaming on Spotify and Apple Music.) Sam Delgado, Future Perfect fellowSami Blood A look into the lives of the Smi, the Indigenous peoples in Scandinavia, Sami Blood follows a 14-year-old girl struggling with an identity crisis as she faces Swedens racist attitudes toward native people. The movie stuck with me because of how little I knew about the Smi going into it, and still how familiar the story was. It helped me better understand the universality of anti-Indigenous racism in the West and the similar oppressive tactics deployed in country after country, from discriminatory boarding schools to segregation to plain-old mocking and shaming. Its also a really well-made and compelling film, with powerful characters that are hard to forget. (Streaming on Peacock.) Abdallah Fayyad, policy correspondentRachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Special I first saw Rachel Bloom perform Death, Let Me Do My Special live back in 2023. I loved it then, but something about watching the show again when it was released on Netflix this October gave me new appreciation for its jokes and themes. Its tempting to wish for an escape to a time before Covid as Bloom tries desperately to do over and over again in the show, only to be pulled back to the present by her grief. But something about the way she decides to disarm Death with a few jokes before confronting him head-on feels really cathartic, like a good cry or a big laugh. Fair warning: Its highly likely youll do a fair amount of both as you watch. (Streaming on Netflix.) Carla Javier, supervising producer, Explain It to MeHacksThere are few shows I love more these days than Hacks. Its hilarious, heartwarming, fresh. I love that it focuses on the intergenerational relationship between two women, and once you get hooked on Hannah Einbinder, you can go watch her also great comedy special on HBO. I cant wait for season four. (Streaming on Max.) Rachel Cohen, policy correspondentJean Smart and Hannah Einbinder star in Hacks. IMDbMy Brilliant Friend The Story of the Lost DaughterThe final season of this Italian series, like the three seasons before it, is a marvel on every level. Based on the novels by Elena Ferrante, this whole series is stunning; the filmmaking, acting, storytelling, all of it is extraordinary. At the center are two complicated, angry, unpredictable women who are so marvelously depicted youll feel like you know them. Plus, youll learn a lot about 20th-century Italian politics, and this season features some spectacular 80s fashions. (Streaming on Max.) Ellen Ioanes, reporterManning Fireworks by MJ LendermanAmericas pantheon of sad cowboy poet crooners a list that includes Bill Callahan, David Berman, Stephin Merritt got a new member this year. And somehow, hes only 25. MJ Lenderman announced himself as one of the greats with an album in September, Manning Fireworks, a collection of catchy, heart-achingly good songs with sometimes poignant, often tragicomic lyrics. I listened to Wristwatch and You dont know the shape Im in an embarrassing number of times already. (Streaming on Apple Music and Spotify.) Marin Cogan, senior correspondentRebel Ridge Writer-director Jeremy Saulnier is a pro at luring opposing parties into cage matches one will escape and the other wont. In Saulniers suffocatingly tense Green Room, that entrapment is literal; its legal in this years Netflix thriller Rebel Ridge. The film opens with Terry, a Black ex-marine played with simmering intensity by Aaron Pierre, pedaling into a small Alabama town with a backpack full of cash to post bail for a wayward cousin. Hes sent flying off his bicycle by a cop, part of the predictably crooked department that stymies Terrys attempts to work within the towns labyrinthine legal system. What choice does he have but to respond like John Rambos harassed veteran before him? The police chief (a terrifically tyrannical Don Johnson) and Terrys verbal sparring escalates into a brutally elegant showdown, concluding a film as taut and satisfying as the First Blood it echoes. (Streaming on Netflix.) Caity PenzeyMoog, senior copy editorAaron Pierre stars in Rebel Ridge. IMDbRejection by Tony Tulathimutte If youve ever felt angry or lonely or resentful or like the worlds hugest loser, take solace in the world of Rejection, where everyone is constantly getting fucked (except, of course, when they cant). Incels, porn addicts, Twitter freaks, hustle bros, and desperate romantics populate Tony Tulathimuttes sad, hilarious world in this short story collection where all the characters connect in the cringiest ways possible. Reading this book made me want to physically crawl out of my skin (complimentary). Consider it a refreshingly bleak antidote to the upcoming deluge of try-hard New Years resolution content. (Available on Bookshop.org.) Rebecca Jennings, senior correspondentShgunMy husband and I traveled to Japan in February, and afterward immersed ourselves in Shgun. I found it to be not only culturally competent but also a faithful depiction of James Clavells 1975 novel. (Im actually re-reading that now because I cant get enough of this story!)After so much crappy TV for so long, FXs remake was refreshing, with excellent acting and casting, pacing, and dialogue. It all hit. (Streaming on Hulu.) Paige Vega, climate editorMovies of Hollywoods pre-Code era In 1930, sound films became widespread in Hollywood; in 1934, Hollywood studios agreed to heavily censor their films under the Hays Code. The brief window in between is the Pre-Code Talkies Era, a rich and inventive period in which the idea of just what a movie could and should be was in flux. Unfolding during the Great Depression, movies got far bolder in what they dared to say and show, defying what we think of as Old Hollywoods clichs. My favorites of the period include classy auteur films (Trouble in Paradise, Shanghai Express), fun trashy romps (Baby Face, Night Nurse), social critiques (Heroes for Sale, Wild Boys of the Road), and dazzling extravaganzas (42nd Street, Gold Diggers of 1933). If youre interested in challenging your preconceptions for what old movies are like, this is the era to look at. (A list for your perusal here.) Andrew Prokop, senior correspondentMessy Star by chokecherryI miss being a teenager just before streaming services were a thing, when that visceral, desperate pull to scavenge for illegal downloads formed my identity. With their debut EP Messy Star, Bay Area-grown band chokecherry gives me that feeling again. Their siren-esque vocals, fearlessly heavy guitars, and pop-grunge hypnosis are exactly what our inner teens need. Especially in the deflated liminal space between the election and the next administration, where it feels like all efforts to scream and fight for change amount to nothing, we need women riling up mosh pits. Chokecherry is going to take over the world. (Streaming on Apple Music and Spotify.) Celia Ford, Future Perfect fellowIndustryFew things captured my attention this year more than Industry. Living under the shadow of Succession for its first two seasons, HBOs hot business-drama delivered a landslide season three. The copious sex, drugs, and wealth hooked me, but it was the exploration of nepotism, aristocracy, and relationships that kept me coming back. Each character is deeply flawed and equally cunning. I am still trying to understand the individual jobs within the firm, and the esoteric language they speak may require homework. But hate to watch, love to hate watch: you simply must watch Industry. (Streaming on Max) Claire White, senior manager of network developmentKit Harington and Harry Lawtey star in the latest season of Industry. IMDbStar Wars: AndorAndor came out in 2022 but I rewatched it this year with joy and awe. I think a lot of people who would love this show have stayed away because its Star Wars, even though it also never really caught on with Star Wars fans because its not really Star Wars. You could barely call it sci-fi; its basically a show about how political movements form and how ones politics can change, from the director of Michael Clayton. Fine, if that still sounds bad to you, I get it. (Streaming on Disney+.) Adam Freelander, supervising story editor, videoCaravan by Van Marrison with The BandI found myself retreating into the music of the past this year, particularly live instrumental performances and none transfixed me the way Van the Mans appearance with The Band during Martin Scorseses concert documentary The Last Waltz did. Writer Nick Hornby once described Morrisons live performances of Caravan like this: In the long, vamped passage right before the climax Morrisons band seems to isolate a moment somewhere between life and its aftermath, a big, baroque entrance hall of a place where you can stop and think about everything that has gone before. He was referring to the showstopper on Morrisons own live album, Its Too Late To Stop Now, but I think it applies just as aptly to his rendition with The Band, a fusion of their Celtic and Ozark blues. Something about the connectivity and immediacy of these old live performances resonates with me in our disconnected age. I crave it. (Streaming on Spotify.) Dylan Scott, senior correspondent1000-lb SistersI am not a complicated woman: I enjoy television that is charming and makes me laugh. Amy and Tammy Slaton of TLCs 1000-lb Sisters check both of those boxes. Earlier this year, a friend introduced me to the show, which chronicles the sisters incredible weight loss journeys. But Amy and Tammy are more than their struggles. Frankly, theyre hilarious. Viewers are invited into their small Kentucky hometown and are eventually introduced to their three older siblings, who join Amy and Tammy in transforming their health. This season, the shows sixth, Amy gets adventurous with cooking, adding white chocolate to her alfredo sauce; Tammy experiments with fashion and burlesque dancing. In a culture where reality TV seems less and less real, Amy, Tammy, and their entire family feel like a relic from the genres glory days: Theyre loud, they fart on-camera, and theyre not at all concerned with personal branding. (Streaming on Max and TLC GO.) Allie Volpe, senior reporterDropoutDropout is a comedy channel offering a wide mix of content some D&D/roleplaying stuff, but also a lot of Whose Line Is It Anyway-style improv. I got into their stuff this year after seeing some clips on TikTok and enjoyed the rapport between the recurring comedians. There are episodes where the players improvise a whole musical based on a few wacky prompts, and its pretty jaw-dropping to watch people so witty and quick on their feet. The channel is also a lesson on how smaller media companies can survive the era of Big Streaming. It charges $6 per month for a big collection of high-quality, regularly updated content, and as far as I know, the business is thriving. (Available on YouTube.) Whizy Kim, senior reporterMy Old AssI went into the theater thinking My Old Ass would be a lighthearted, quirky comedy. I left determined to double down on my gratitude for the most important people in my life. Actors Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella do a fantastic job of invoking a bittersweet nostalgia while reminding us just how precious the present moment is. (Available on Amazon Prime.) Lauren Katz, senior newsroom project managerAubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella star in My Old Ass (2024) IMDbThe Later DatersThe world fell in love with The Golden Bachelor, and rightfully so watching seasoned singles find their mate was the feel-good content we didnt know we needed, especially for those of us who might feel already disillusioned by the dating pool in our 20s and 30s. Later Daters is another take on dating for golden singles, but with, in my opinion, more nuance, heart, and personality than The Golden Bachelor. It employs more of a polished docuseries tone, chronicling the lives of several older men and women looking for love the second (or third or fourth!) time around. Michelle Obama is a producer on this show, which makes sense; it presents a poignant mix of humor and heartfelt charm that made it hard for me to turn off. (Streaming on Netflix.) Elizabeth Price, director of grants & foundation developmentThe joys of PinterestIn a world full of cursed algorithms, my tried-and-true social platform is Pinterest. For the past 11 years, Ive built my homepage brick by brick. From the board cool pools of you guessed it cool pools I created in high school, to a board of dinner recipes I share with my partner so we can take the guesswork out of what to make for dinner, Pinterest is both the perfect place to ignite inspiration and a hilarious time capsule. Whatever the opposite of doomscrolling is, Ive found it on this social platform. (Located at Pinterest.com.) Gabby Fernandez, associate director of audienceEvan Baggs Live @ Watergate BerlinThis year, when Spotify Wrapped came out, my listening minutes were a fraction of previous years; I had moved to the long-forgotten SoundCloud, where my playlists have been replaced with roving DJ mixes.What I like so much about the DJ mix format is that they remind me of the mixtapes and CDs of my youth. My most-streamed mix was made in 2011 by New York/Berlin DJ and producer Evan Baggs. The synthesizers are sparse, the bass lines are minimal, the drums are somehow loose and sturdy at once, while the energy shifts from melancholic to serious to hypnotic to playful in the span of an hour. Even though its a decade old, it remains a great introduction to, for lack of a better phrase, what the modern underground house music scene has to offer. (Streaming on SoundCloud.) Kenny Torella, Future Perfect staff writerImmortal John Triptych gamesAttempts to describe Joe Richardsons indie video games often invoke Monty Python. One look at them, and its easy to see why: The three games included in his Immortal John Triptych the last of which, The Death of the Reprobate, he released on Steam in November are intricate pastiches of Renaissance art and classical music, but they are also wildly irreverent and very funny. Nothing in these point-and-click worlds is sacred, even if their soundtracks are, and Richardsons bonkers collages make magnificent backdrops for solving satisfyingly complex puzzles. Fans of stunning visuals (did you ever imagine youd see a masterwork move?) and self-aware humor will find each of these a high-low delight to the end. (Available on Steam.) Keren Landman, senior health reporterAll of Us Strangers (2023)This British fantasy movie set in the peripheries of London tells a story of modern loneliness that has haunted me since the frigid January night I went to see it in theaters. Andrew Scott, playing a gay screenwriter entering early middle age, channels angst in a tenor that will resonate with anyone who has ever confronted the fear of dying alone. And yet, this movie offers so much hope. It set me on an existential spiral for the following days that culminated with a reinvigorated appreciation and special gratitude for chosen family. Think of it this way: This movie can be a tear-wrenching, cathartic experience, a comforting companion to get you through at least one cold winter night.-(Streaming on Hulu.) Christian Paz, senior politics reporterAndrew Scott and Paul Mescal star in All of Us Strangers. IMDbRobert Caros LBJ biographiesI know I am not the first person to say, Hey, did you know that Robert Caro is really good at what he does? But Robert Caro is really, really good at what he does. I did not come into his four-part series on Lyndon B. Johnson with any interest in the subject matter. I didnt even come into it with a particular interest in biographies. But these books read like novels and made me care deeply about LBJ and his myriad machinations. Each book is full of mini-dramas with clear stakes that all layer together to create a full and fascinating picture of how power works in politics. I found myself rooting for LBJ sometimes, rooting against him at other times, and thoroughly disgusted with him much of the time (Justice for Lady Bird!), but I was never, never bored. (Available on Bookshop.org.) Byrd Pinkerton, senior producerYouve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More: