While it’s important to look upon the previous year in regards to the events that changed the status of the world, one can also judge a year just as well on the media and entertainment it produces.
“I learn more about the community around me than I would usually just watching national news or browsing Twitter,” junior Quiana Dang said.
In these terms, 2015 proved itself to be a strong year for the entertainment industry, especially in the television division. Different sorts of new and returning programs offered a wide array of content for all demographics and various advances within the industry revolutionized key aspects of common media.
An integral aspect of new content was an emphasis on viewer representation. Never before has there been as much representation for audiences of all genders, sexualities and races than in 2015. A prime example of this added representation was in the premiere season of the Netflix original series Narcos, a biographical drama detailing the life of a Colombian drug lord named Pablo Escobar.
“I guess as a Colombian it was easy for me to identify with what was going on in the show because I’ve always heard about it,” senior Luisa Beltran said. “I thought it was really cool how the show was very familiarized with Colombia. The actors were Colombian and they spoke Spanish which just made it seem a lot more realistic.”
Meanwhile, returning hit shows such as Game of Thrones continued to break ground in their respective genres. The high fantasy series sped through its fifth season with twist after twist, uniting a worldwide audience in their anticipation for what would happen next.
“Game of Thrones fully encapsulates all the great things you could ever hope for from a TV show,” senior Deniz Kosereisoglu said. “The plot line is complex yet comprehensible while being unbelievably unpredictable at the same time.”
In addition, those tiring from the unending darkness of modern dramas found solace in a strong set of comedies throughout the year. The Zooey Deschanel comedy New Girl entered its fourth season, evidence of a growing audience for female-led television.
“It’s an absolutely hilarious show. The cast has very diverse characters and their chemistry is very strong,” sophomore Itzel Trejo said. “The show itself is the feel-good type, with a lot of relatable moments I’m sure lots of people can connect to.”