10 Things That Still Hold Up in 2020

We all know that many things don’t age well, particularly when it comes to media and pop-culture. We’ve all been locked up with all of our old movies and books that many of us have revisited, so I thought this would be an interesting thing to post. Being twenty years into the 21st century, I think it’s a good time to look back at some of the things that actually do still hold up well today, and are most definitely worth returning to.

Home Improvement – It’s been an absolute pleasure introducing my kids to this show. Watching Tim Allen’s brilliant family-friendly sitcom is like stepping into an actual time capsule that’s chock-full of pieces of my own childhood memories. Rewatching it now almost thirty years after the pilot originally aired on ABC, I can say two things for certain. 1) It’s extremely interesting watching it from Tim’s perspective as an adult now, and 2) I think I laugh even harder now than I did as a kid, and I’m talking some pretty big laughs that often a 90-minute comedy can’t get out of me.

Back to the Future – Speaking of a time capsule, I’ve also been showing this time-traveling trilogy to my kids. Being five and six, the whole time-traveling concept is still a little confusing to them, but the fights are fun, the chases are rollicking, and the jokes are still really funny. If you don’t own the box set on DVD or blu ray,  you’re in luck because all three movies are on Netflix.

Creedence Clearwater Revival – I know this goes way back, but if you’re looking for the best road trip music ever, you need look no further than this San Fransisco Bay-born band. When I’ve got my mix list playing, I’m always delighted when CCR comes up with their swamp, rock, and Southern blues tunes, a part of me just comes to life a little.

Lord of the Rings – Sarabeth and I have been making our way the extended editions (yes, with the behind-the-scenes documentaries), and after almost twenty years, almost every scene still looks as realistic as it did back then on the big screen. Peter Jackson proved to be more of a visionary  than the older George Lucas, as his Tolkien-inspired trilogy looks a billion times better than the Star Wars prequels ever did. And that’s just praise for the visuals. The script and music and acting and editing is still unmatched in Hollywood today, even by Marvel standards.

Jigsaw Puzzles – We discovered something new as a family during our time in quarantine. Not that Jigsaw puzzles are a new thing, per say. But as a family we discovered that they’re really addicting! Especially the smaller the pieces, the more there are, and the harder the picture is. I think it’s safe to say that Jigsaw puzzles made a hell of a comeback more than 250 years later.

The Office – I’m cheating on this one a little bit because this ran well into the ’00’s and ’10’s, but the early seasons are still pretty dated with flip phones and polaroid cameras. The point is, the show is still just as funny as it was back in 2005. It’s just as easy to get invested and the whole Pam and Jim backstory is still just as emotionally gripping.

NASA – Sure, they scrubbed the latest mission for now. But Dragon will still take off the day after tomorrow, and I think it’s safe to say that after almost ten years, people are excited to see how much further NASA can keep pushing us into the future.

Armageddon – Speaking of space adventures, this movies still F-ing rocks. All you Michael Bay haters, you can just shove it. Because Bruce Willis as an astronaut is kick-ass.

Legos – These little bricks have been around for nearly 90 years, and still our kids connect ’em, build ’em, and fight over ’em. And they still hurt like hell when stepped on barefoot.

The Grateful Dead – I’m a Deadhead. You’re a Deadhead. We’re all Deadheads. Go back and revisit this gem of a band. It’s hard to find a song that just doesn’t make your foot tap the floor, or your head bob, or your joint lit up.

Homeschooling – Our daughter just graduated from kindergarten today, and just as much praise goes to Sarabeth for teacher her these past eight months. Sarabeth puts a lot of work into it, but she also gets a lot of joy out of homeschooling our kids. It’s her full-time gig, and it’s really fun to see her seeds bare fruit. This is yet another thing that’s come back with a vengeance thanks to the pandemic.

Thanks for reading! Do you agree with our list? What are some things we missed? List your opinions below!

 

 

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