Heroes, “Game of Thrones,” political comedy, drama defined the decade
It was the decade of “Game of Thrones,” peak drama, political comedy and superhero films. Here are a few works that defined 2010-19.
Big was in, as “Game of Thrones” demonstrated repeatedly through its epic 2011-19 run on HBO. The last “GoT” season might have been rushed and wildly uneven, but the fantasy collected the best drama Emmy for a fourth time in the decade. With its high-flying dragons, threatening White Walkers and ruthless royal schemers, the series elevated TV production values and took storytelling in provocative directions. The show’s sheer size dwarfed criticisms of it, and the series was more riveting than most big-screen fantasies.
The decade’s other acclaimed television dramas were far smaller yet also fueled by intrigue. Bryan Cranston gave a landmark performance as drug kingpin Walter White in AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” which remained riveting to the end.
Showtime’s “Homeland” started explosively with a twisty story of treason that still resonates in the culture. Claire Danes and Damian Lewis were exceptional. The final season begins Feb. 9.
AMC’s “The Walking Dead” was a phenomenon before tiresome villains sent many fans fleeing from the zombie drama. It was involving for so long, and the falloff was a cautionary tale to producers.
Broadcasting’s best was “The Good Wife,” a CBS legal drama that offered a determined heroine (Julianna Margulies), topical writing and brilliant acting. The approach lives on, gloriously, in the spinoff “The Good Fight,” a CBS All Access drama with Christine Baranski headlining timely scripts.
Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” was the decade’s most influential political comedy, its lacerating approach carried on by CBS’ Stephen Colbert, HBO’s John Oliver and Trevor Noah, Stewart’s successor.
HBO’s “Veep” satirized Washington through a classic character played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus in top form. Yet her Selina Meyer had trouble keeping up with President Donald Trump.
“Modern Family” freshened the comedy genre with recognizable characters, fine actors and an understanding style. The ABC series won the best comedy Emmy five times in a row. Amazon Prime’s “Fleabag,” buoyed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s frank style, collected the last comedy Emmy of the decade.
The enduring popularity of CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” proved that fan support means more than prizes. The beloved Sheldon Cooper lives on in “Young Sheldon.”
At the movies, the weekly box-office tallies dominated headlines in a business known for franchises, sequels and superheroes. Yet certain blockbusters surpassed the bottom line to become cultural events.
“Frozen” represented Disney animation at its most magical and made “Let It Go” a power ballad for the ages. (The so-so sequel “Frozen II” demonstrated how hard it is to capture magic just once.) “Black Panther” supplied a superhero breakthrough for its diversity and passion.
But generally, the decade’s most notable films were smaller and more personal. Here are a few titles that could be this decade’s answer to “Casablanca” or “All About Eve.” “The Social Network” provided sharp insights into Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook history. “Silver Linings Playbook” reaffirmed, through Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, the importance of stars.
Jordan Peele jolted the horror genre with “Get Out,” and Greta Gerwig charmed with “Lady Bird,” a tender coming-of-age story with Saoirse Ronan.
The Oscar for best picture went to “12 Years a Slave” and “Moonlight,” vivid works told in wrenching ways. “Parasite” from South Korea was the decade’s most memorable foreign-language film and possibly a best-picture contender.
Martin Scorsese closed out the decade with “The Irishman,” one of his finest works and another sign of Netflix’s dominance in streaming.
The way that films and TV series are shown may change, but first-rate storytelling cannot be replaced. On that score, the decade offered reasons to hope.
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/35aybdR
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