Wow, it was a shit year, wasn’t it? However, even in a year like that some golden kernels of enjoyment could still be had. Here were mine.
Best TV Show: I actually didn’t watch a whole lot of TV in 2020. I dropped off watching The Flash. Stargirl couldn’t keep my attention. The only show I really watched on a consistent basis was VICE’s Dark Side of the Ring. It’s a series of mini-documentaries that delve deeper into some of pro wrestling’s darkest moments. It’s basically the ‘true crime’ series for wrestling fans. I recommend the episodes about the murder of Dino Bravo and the tragic death of Owen Hart. There’s also a two-part episode about Chris Benoit, but I couldn’t bring myself to watch it.
Best Movie: I don’t think I watched any live action movie that was released in 2020. Not that there were a whole lot to choose from. So, I guess I have to give it to the DC Comics animated movie Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. It was a nice wrap up to the DC Animated Movie Universe.
Best Album: Once again my choices are limited as I only bought two albums that were released in 2020. However, even if I had bought more albums in 2020, this would probably still have been my pick and that’s Queen of Spades by the band Liliac. If you’re not familiar with them, I consider them the Partridge Family of metal as they’re all brothers and sisters. For being so young they do have amazing talent. Give them a listen.
Best Comic Book: Once again, 2020 was not the best year for comics. There wasn’t one storyline from either DC or Marvel that I was truly invested in. You may think that I would pick The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage, but I didn’t think it stuck the landing. So instead, I’m picking Shazam! #15. It was just a nice little heartwarming one-issue story.
Best Podcast: Since Burnie Burns stopped appearing in Rooster Teeth content, I fell off listening to The Rooster Teeth Podcast. However, I did start listening to the F**k Face Podcast featuring another Rooster Teeth founder Geoff Ramsey. Rooster Teeth stalwart Gavin Free also appears on the podcast. It’s just a bunch of friends talking about the weird stuff that real friends talk about.
Best YouTube Channel: Even before the pandemic, I watched an inordinate amount of YouTube. It’s mostly video game and pro wrestling videos although I also watch science and history videos as well. So for the initial award I’m giving it to history channel Atun-Shei Films. I especially enjoy his series where he debates a fictional Lost Cause believer called ‘Checkmate, Lincolnites’.
Best Wrestling Match/Moment: (Tie) Of course, one of the best matches of the year was The Young Bucks vs. Kenny Omega and Hangman Page at AEW’s Revolution PPV. It was the perfect blend of action and storytelling I also thought it was much better than The Young Bucks vs. FTR. I thought that match was anticlimactic. But the match I really want to focus on is the NWA Women’s title match between Thunder Rosa vs. Allysin Kay on NWA Powerrr Episode 17.
Ever since this match, I’ve been a fan of Thunder Rosa. Not only do I like her Day of the Dead aesthetic, but her hard hitting style of wrestling is refreshing to see in women’s wrestling. She also has an interesting story about how she came to pro wrestling. You couldn’t tell she’s a former social worker by the way she wrestles.
Best Video Game: Again, I only bought one video game that was released in 2020, but it’s a good game. It is (takes deep breath) Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III. While it was released on PlayStation in 2019, it wasn’t released on PC until March 2020. It’s the J-est of JRPGs, but I’ve been invested in the ongoing Legend of Heroes story since the first Trails in The Sky. It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite franchises of all time ranking up there with Suikoden.
Most Inane Political Agenda of 2020: That would be politicizing the pandemic instead of taking action to actually help the populace. Yes, I’m talking about Trump. I’ve never been so happy to see a politician leaving office.
Dumbasses of 2020: Any and all the mass amount of Covidiots. Whether you hoarded toilet paper, refused to wear a mask, thought COVID-19 was a hoax, or engaged in any other activity that put other Americans at risk, you’re a dumbass.
Well, if the anti-vaxxers don’t kill us all this year, we’ll be back at the end of 2021 to do this all over again.
The Trench Reynolds Report 