The Pop Culture Pundit

Kate’s Greats are awards given to movies, TV shows, and music that the author has viewed and/or listened to over the past month. These awards may celebrate underrated, overlooked, or obscure moments of pop culture that may not otherwise get the attention they deserve. Other times, they will celebrate the buzziest pop culture–but will always have a fresh take. Award categories may include, but are not limited to, ‘Goofiest Thriller’ and ‘Tiniest Mustache’ (the latter of which Timothée Chalamet wins by a landslide). May the best, worst, boldest, and weirdest win. 

Most Impressive Sweep: ABC Renewing All of Its TV Shows

For the first time in ABC’s history, the alphabet network has decided to renew every one of its current shows. With a last-minute renewal of RJ Decker (yay!) and a pick-up for The Rookie spin-off The Rookie North, ABC will have a full lineup of shows. ABC has had a great year, between the triumphant comeback of Dancing with the Stars, the viral, Gen Z-driven success of The Rookie and High Potential’s ratings propelling it to the #1 network drama in the 18-49 demographic. Not many networks can say that. 

Most Relatable Bird Moment: Willem Dafoe Gently Shooing Away Sandhill Cranes, The Florida Project

^{A24 via YouTube}

On my commute to work most days, I usually see a sandhill crane or two. And then when I walk into work, those birds are so close to me I could reach out and touch them. Cranes are one of my favorite animals, so this is often the highlight of my day. And it was highly relatable when Willem Dafoe in The Florida Project was trying to gently shoo them away as they were in a vulnerable spot of the parking lot in the motel he manages. I guess cranes have lived alongside humans for so long that they are unbothered. And honestly, I love the energy.

Best Potential Love Triangle: Isla, Jay and Luke, Running Point

Let me pitch a novel idea: Challengers, but basketball. I think that’d be a great set-up for season 3 of the recently renewed Netflix comedy, which follows Kate Hudson’s Isla Gordon as she leads her family’s basketball team, the LA Waves, to glory. Things might be more complicated now that her brother Cam (Justin Theroux) and former Waves Coach Jay Brown (Jay Ellis) team up to start their own basketball team. But sometimes you need to fumble a basketball in order to score a layup (did I get my sports metaphors right?) Though Isla undoubtedly feels betrayed by Jay’s switch, there are certainly still feelings there–and there may just be something with Luke McShay (Scott Speedman) too. The only thing complicating this is the fact that Ellis and Speedman will both be starring in ABC procedurals next year! But if Zendaya can film The Odyssey, Euphoria and Dune: Part Three all at once, I’m sure everyone can work out their schedules here too. We need another sports love triangle! 

Best Needle Drop: “Two of Hearts” by Stacy Q, Vladimir 

Most of Vladimir centers around the premise that Rachel Weisz’s fourth wall-breaking M develops a massive crush, then a concerning obsession, on Leo Woodall’s titular character. While M turns out to be an unreliable narrator (what are we to make of THAT ending??), there are some fun scenes early into the show, with the highlight being Woodall frolicking around in a pool set to Stacy Q’s “Two of Hearts” while M looks on in near disbelief. It also reminds me of one of THE greatest lip syncs on RuPaul’s Drag Race, when Morgan McMichaels gave us some fearless choreo set to the same song. Hey, maybe she’ll be the wild card pick in All Stars season 11! 

Most Shocking Song Omission from a Setlist: “Kiwi,” Harry Styles’ Together Together Tour

^{Harry Styles via YouTube}

For Harry Styles’ last two tours, he would close every show with the wild, rock-adjacent “Kiwi,” which was my top song on Spotify in 2022. For his current tour to celebrate his new album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally…the song isn’t even there??? I completely understand Styles ending his set with “As It Was,” which is his biggest hit, similar to how Sabrina Carpenter ended each of her Short N’ Sweet tour shows with “Espresso.” But not including “Kiwi” at all feels like a crime! Are we to rob new Harry Styles fans of screaming “I’M HAVING YOUR BABY, IT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS,” at the top of their lungs???? You could run a marathon to this song! This probably signals we’ll never get a studio version of “Medicine.” Sigh.