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Oh my god. This is one of most clear examples of a hate-watch show I can think of. Sure, some of us hate-watched The Vampire Diaries or TeenWolf, but I would argue that both of those shows have big enough fanbases that I think it outweighs the hatred. On the contrary, I can't think of a single person who genuinely watched Riverdale beyond the second season because they actually enjoyed the show. Why did we like it then? I mean ... did we? Perhaps in the first season we enjoy

So this one won't be immediately recognizable to an outside observer of YA culture, but the over 350K Goodreads ratings proves that Sabaa Tahir gave us a quiet cornerstone of 2010s-ish culture with her 2015 novel An Ember in the Ashes. This series also holds a special place in my heart for another reason; through a casual "have you read this book?" I met my college roommate (who then became one of my closest friends). Why did we love it then? If Goodreads is any indication, w

One of the heroes of the dystopian craze -- The Hunger Games. In anticipation of the release of the Sunrise on the Reaping movie, we're talking about the film that started it all. Members of my age range remember Jennifer Lawrence for her portrayal of Katniss more than anything else. Looking with a critical eye, we'll explore the strengths and pitfalls of The Hunger Games film. Why Did We Like it Then? Like I said, this movie kickstarted the dystopian craze. Following its r

MCR sang about growing up to watch your heroes sell a car on TV. For many of us, we've grown up to watch some of our heroes sell out. (Looking at you MCR & your million dollar concert tickets.) Or we've grown up to watch our heroes reveal themselves to be terrible people (@ Brendon Urie). Does the same apply to Paramore? Within the past couple years, the biggest "issue" that Paramore has publically undergone is that of their separation from Atlantic Records upon the completio

Oh Panic! At the Disco. A third of the emo trinity. Did they deserve their place? (I’d say probably not; it should have been Paramore.) Why did we like it then? From Brendon’s vocals (ya know, before he ruined his voice) to Ryan Ross’s lyrics - what wasn’t there to love? Any kid worth their smudged eyeliner knew exactly what came after “oh! Well imagine” & could sing their heart out through the church corridor. Panic! embraced their oddness, even incorporating it into later a

Today we're going back to one of my high school favorites. Parks and Rec. If you were a fan of The Office, it’s likely that you too watched Parks and Rec in you post-Office depression. I expected a light-hearted comedy in an attempt to fill that void, but I got something much greater. Why did we like it then? From the very first episode, we’re greeted with a talented ensemble of characters: Leslie, who genuinely believes in the power of local government, Ron, who despite his

Today we're revisiting my roman empire, the 2005 YA novel Twilight . Don't worry -- we're probably going to talk about all of the books. and the movies. If you don't like that, then I suggest you file a complaint with the professor who forced me upon this platform by assigning me to make a blog for this class. Why did we like it then? And who didn't? Twilight was a cultural phenomenon for young women that began in 2005 and lasted throughout the 2010s. Looking back, the most

Does New Girl count as 2010s-ish media? The google says it ran from 2011-2018, so yes it does. From the time that I was in high school, New Girl has been my "I've had a bad day" show. This is one of the few shows that I argue is still entertaining when watched for the first time years later, likely due to the fact that its comedy is done in relation to the series's time setting, but the humor is not solely contingent upon it. Why did we like it then? When watching New Girl

Infinity on High is 19 today ??? You mean the album I listened to religiously on the way home from junior high is old enough to vote now? That’s crazy! In my humble opinion it is a massively underrated piece of work, but I guess that’s what happens when you’re the follow up to a classic like From Under the Cork Tree. Share your favorite track with us! Mine is Golden.

According to TikTok, Instagram, Forbes, and even Wikipedia, 2026 is the new 2016. Given the current state of our world, it isn't surprising that people are longing for "the good old days" -- complete with their snapchat filters, ombre hair, casual Instagram posts, and actually good music from The 1975 . To anyone like me, "the good old days" of the 2010s featured a number of dystopian YA novels, a Twilight movie marathon (that we were all totally hate-watched because we were