2023 Superlatives

Run it back one more time

Hi homebodies! It’s the most wonderful time of the year (safe from emails), and you know what that means – superlative season has arrived.

Source: Tumblr

Before we get into it, I wanted to thank you for reading, responding to, and sharing Homebody. Validation is the lifeblood of any writer, even if they pretend otherwise, so it means a lot that you take the time and energy to engage with these posts. My little pandemic newsletter baby couldn’t have made it to 3 years without your support – it really does take a village.

Worst Attempt at a Redemption Arc

Nate in season three of Ted Lasso.

Lazily executed, emotionally incoherent, and completely unearned – that’s the Ted Lasso special.

Best Attempt at a Redemption Arc

Richie in season two of The Bear.

I no longer actively root for cousin to get stabbed, it’s a miracle.

Hottest Trend

Casting Academy Award-nominated actresses as moms of bisexual sons. See: Olivia Colman in Heartstopper and Uma Thurman in Red, White & Royal Blue.

Uma’s accent work here is nonsensical, to match the movie surrounding it.

Messiest Moment of Asian Representation

Tiffany Chen (age unverified, but reportedly somewhere in the range of 39 to 45) getting pregnant with 80-year-old Robert de Niro’s baby – his seventh, and their first.

It’s so important to see people who look like you in the stories that matter most (age gap discourse).

Least Comprehensible TikTok Comment

Hey, quick question – what the fuck are you guys talking about?

Line Reading of All Time

He Was In The Amazon With My Mom When She Was Researching Spiders Right Before She Died

Nosiest Itch I Want Scratched

The details of how Ronan Farrow and Jon Lovett’s engagement unraveled after eight years together.

And what are Mia Farrow’s thoughts on the matter?

Biggest Height Difference Since Pushing Daisies

Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla.

Lee Pace and Jacob Elordi are both 6’5”. Do with that what you will.

Most Merciful Series Cancellation

Netflix putting Shadow and Bone out of its misery after two ill-conceived seasons.

Now Ben Barnes can devote himself full-time to his true passions: reminding everyone about how Tumblr used to fancast him as young Sirius Black and starring in T-Mobile commercials.

Dirtbag of the Year

Still Amy Adams in Sharp Objects.

The miniseries may have come out in 2018, but her crown hasn’t tipped once in the years since.

Favorite Ayo Edebiri Pic

There she is!

Most Severe Case of Can’t-Log-Off-Itis

A tie between Selena Gomez and Doja Cat. Their teams need to change the passwords to their respective social accounts, posthaste.

Best Performance in a Mediocre Show

Hong Chau in The Night Agent. (The Sushi Shop has an entire post dedicated to this genre: “An Ode to Bad Television and Its Brightest Stars.”)

She wins the wig-off too, obviously.

Worst Self-Inflicted Injury

I live on the edge, what can I say?