The holidays are here. Time to don your favorite sweater, curl up with a cup of coffee, and catch up on the media you missed while caught up in the rat race. But where to start? There was no shortage of great content this year—The Queen’s Gambit, BLACK IS KING, Among Us, Wind Of Change, The Crown. The list goes on. With all the choices available, deciding what to watch or stream can cause unnecessary stress when you should be relaxing.
We decided to help you out. Below, we’ve put together a few picks from our Editor and The Webby Awards team of the best podcasts, shows, albums, and online experiences you should dive into during the holidays. These recommendations (including a few Webby Winners) are some of the most impactful, entertaining, and thoughtful work created this year. Enjoy! And as always, stay safe.
Wind of Change: The eight-part podcast explores if one of rock’s biggest ballads was written by the CIA to end the Cold War, by Crooked Media (2020 Webby Winner).
Okay, Now Listen: For a laugh, listen to Scottie Beam and Sylvia Obell’s hilarious pop culture podcast.
Chameleon: Hollywood Con Queen: Uncover the story of a notorious scammer who lured Hollywood’s working class to Jakarta, and away from their savings.
Canary: The Washington Post investigates the stories of two women who refuse to stay silent after being sexually assaulted, by The Washington Post (2020 Webby Winner).
Smartless: Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett talk to people from all walks of life, to learn about their shared and hilarious experiences.
This Christmas, Netflix: This holiday classic is about a family that meets for Christmas for the first time in four years, starring Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, and Loretta Devine.
Holidate, Netflix: For an updated holiday movie, watch this romantic comedy about two singles who decide to be each other’s platonic holiday date.
World of Tomorrow 3, Vimeo: The animated, science fiction film is a story that’s all at once funny, loving, and heartbreaking.
The Queen’s Gambit, Netflix: If you haven’t already, dive into one of the year’s breakout shows, about a young girl with an incredible talent for chess.
Veneno, HBO Max: The series brings to life to story of transgender icon Cristina Ortiz (La Veneno), a Spanish singer, sex worker, and media personality in the ‘90s.
Ted Lasso, Apple TV+: This hilarious series follows an American football coach to London to manage a struggling team.
I May Destroy You, HBO Max: One of the year’s most important shows, the comedy-drama tells the story of a burgeoning writer in London whose life changes when her drink is spiked.
The Expanse, Amazon Prime: Season 5 just started, but binge the first four seasons of this sci-fi show.
The Midnight Gospel, Netflix: This year, we all need a little healing. This beautiful, animated series touches on existential questions like life, death, love, and more.
SAULT, UNTITLED (Rise): Easily the album of the year (in our Editor’s humble opinion), the London trio made dance-floor tracks that reflect a year of a global racial reckoning.
Rina Sawayama, SAWAYAMA: Described as the perfect Y2K pop album, the Japanese-British singer’s debut album will take you back to the days of Britney Spears, Korn, and P!NK.
Kid Cudi, Man On The Moon III: The Chosen: More nostalgia: Cudi released the third installment of this album series, showing an updated version of the artist we love.
Róisin Murphy, Róisin Machine: This disco-infused album will have you dancing at home. The Irish singer throws listeners into a world of full fantasy for her fifth project.
Yves Tumor, Heaven to a Tortured Mind: Released in April 2020, Yves Tumor’s album also brings you into a full experimental, rock fantasy.
Fiona Apple, Fetch the Bolt Cutters: Who doesn’t love Fiona Apple? Her fifth album is in a league of its own, using sounds from real life (screams and dog barks) to create a masterpiece.
Tired of playing the same virtual games? Buy your family tickets to play Plymouth Point, an immersive virtual escape room by Swamp Motel. It’s a conspiracy theory, cult-filled good time, and it’s made for the Internet.
