Defining moments in pop culture this year

The entertainment industry has had its ups and downs this year, as 2008 played out like a story full of both failures and successes. Here are three events that made 2008 memorable.

• The Writer’s Guild of America Strike – Though it ended in the middle of February, the WGA strike disrupted the film and television industries in ways that we probably don’t yet understand.

The writers bargained for more residual money in the increasing online arenas. They didn’t get more than the initial offer, and it’s arguable the strike was even worth it, especially considering the damage done: production stoppages, layoffs, $500 million in opportunity costs, $1.5 billion for Los Angeles and lost credibility.

The TV industry was hit the hardest, as shows that returned from the strike in the spring faced weaker ratings, the new pilot season had little to no time to develop and shows held over from fall ’07 failed miserably when they finally made it back in September.

The film industry survived, but production logjams can’t be good, and movies that couldn’t do re-writes during the strike have been hurt critically (“Quantum of Solace”).

• “The Dark Knight” – After the murky initial months of 2008, the audience needed something to capture its attention, and not many would have predicted that it would be the Dark Knight himself. Although everyone saw it as a tent pole release, no one expected that the sequel to “Batman Begins” would rake in the biggest day and weekend grosses ever, be the fastest film to $500 million and become a bona fide critical darling.

“The Dark Knight” proved that in today’s pirated Internet culture, audiences are still willing to see a movie in theaters on multiple occasions and that critical acclaim and financial success are not mutually exclusive.
Its effects on the industry will be everlasting. Comic book heroes will infiltrate the silver screen even more in the future, and they’ll be developed with care not seen in most adaptations.

Hopefully the film will encourage other filmmakers to put increased effort into sequels in hopes of improving upon the originals. Finally, director Christopher Nolan had the gumption to shoot sequences in IMAX, and that trend will only continue.

• The 2008 Presidential Election – No drama is more appealing than real drama, and boy, did the election provide that for audiences all over the world. The industry took full advantage of this, ensuring that the two candidates were somehow involved with everything from “SportsCenter” to “Saturday Night Live.”

And don’t forget the ratings boost the news networks saw during election season. The three presidential debates were watched by 57 million, 63.2 million and 56.5 million viewers each night, while 69.9 million watched Joe Biden and Sarah Palin face off. On election night, 71.5 million tuned in for the results. Entertainment junkies will forever remember these capstone events.

Hopefully, 2009 will provide moments that are just as exciting.