Happy New Year! 2023 had a lot of ups and downs in terms of pop culture, and I’m looking forward to a fresh start and to what’s ahead. This is the year we (hopefully! finally!) get to see Dune: Part 2 and my regional comic con is celebrating its 25th anniversary, with some great guests including Ian McDiarmid, the Emperor from Star Wars.
In terms of what I’m most looking forward to entertainment-wise, Dune is at the top of my list (but you knew that). I’m excited for more Bridgerton over on Netflix (my favorite period drama guilty pleasure) and the next season of House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel. The first season of HotD was phenomenal, and I’m hopeful for more epic action and layered character development.
Every year, I like to pick a word of the year that defines my personal development, and this year I have selected “simplify.” In light of that, I’m embarking on a major shift in how I consume entertainment. I’m only going to sign up for one streaming service at a time. Am I crazy? Will I regret it? 😉 That’s entirely possible. But I think it makes sense for 2024. As a passionate geek who is also a parent to two young children, my free time/down time is limited during this season of life, and I typically just get to watch one episode of a show a day. Trying to keep up with all these new shows week by week was starting to feel like a chore, especially as favorite franchises like Marvel and Star Wars weren’t necessarily hitting all the right notes for me last year.
By focusing on one streaming service at a time, I can really dig in and focus on individual TV series. I just signed up for Apple TV+ and I’m loving the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters series. I’m planning to watch For All Mankind next.
I know I will miss getting to be a part of conversations surrounding new shows as they air, and I will probably pick a couple to watch as they’re released (I’m pretty sure I’ll be selecting HBO’s streaming platform as my service of the month during the time House of the Dragon is airing). Anyway, I’m curious to see how this works for me, and I look forward to reflecting on the experience after the year’s experiment concludes!
With less streaming on the docket, I’m also hoping to go to the movie theater more often and watch more films in person. I’d like to try to go to the movie theater once a week if possible. I don’t know if that’s an attainable goal but I want to try!
I’d like to balance a mix of franchise films like the Furiosa Mad Max prequel, with original fare like the spy action/comedy Argyle.
What are your own entertainment goals for 2024?
