2020 felt like a bad haircut that needed to be fixed as soon as possible, was even photographed in a yearbook and its impact lasted more than expected. But, lucky us who live in the stream era and there are several sitcoms to make us feel better no matter our moods and the crazy world surrounding us.
Let us review this year as if every month could be somehow determined by quotes from some of our favorite sitcoms. Therefore, as it follows, let us see an important world event that came to happen each month and put on a happy face with famous phrases we possibly remember from some of the funniest TV shows we adore.
1. January: is this the bad place?
On January the 05th, 2020, the Chinese scientific researcher Zhang Yongzhe was the first one who let us know about a strange virus later known as COVID-19 or coronavirus. Yes, the world we knew was about to change, so what a better quote to start this quite particular year than one the most recognized phrases from the funny yet philosophical sitcom The Good Place.
As Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) would repeatedly say on the show:
“What the fork?”
2. February: Troy and Abed would approve it
On February the 09th The Academy Awards were held and Parasite took home all the Oscar’s.
That made all of us feels good. And like our beloved geek Abed (Danny Pudi) the TV and trivia expert from Community could say in moments like that one:
“Cool. Cool, cool, cool.”
3. March: shout it out Miss Fine!
After the #MeeToo movement, we knew that evil person Harvey Weinstein was. On March the 23th,2020, mister Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for being a rapist who committed sexual assault and thought he would get away with it.
On The Nanny, Fran Fine was a strong and independent woman who would not stand any kind of abuse. But this time, due to the kind of news, we are going to quote two other characters of the show. The ones who let us know how a love might come out of animosity: CC Babcock (Lauren Lane) and mister Niles (Daniel Davis).
Hey bullies! Pay attention to these words:
CC: “I feel like I have died and gone to heaven”
Niles: “I have that dream too, but you go in the other direction”.
4. April: gleefully raise your voice
On April the 22nd this year, the Republic of the Sudan banned the female genital mutilation.
Yes, the year was mean, but every good news is out there to be found. And even though this 2020 Naya Rivera departed, her legacy and the voice of representation Glee was at the time it was aired is still relevant. So, to remember this April, let us think about these words Tina Cohen-Chang (Jenna Ushkowitz) told us about being a woman is not being an object:
“…My eyes? Up here! I am a person with feelings! Get out of my grill! I am a powerful woman, and my growing feminism will cut you in half like a righteous blade of equality!”
5. May: the Rose family knows a thing or two
May the 25th, 2020, was a breaking point for the social issues in the United States, a black citizen: Mister George Floyd died while he was in police custody for allegedly using a fake 20 dollar bill. An outrageous video of almost 9 minutes recorded everything that happened with him and the world felt ashamed of police brutality against black people.
Schitt’s Creek gave us numerous lessons about acceptance and the importance of representation, but Moira Rose (Catherine O’Hara) said a phrase I am pretty sure resume sort of the way we felt after knowing the terrible news and wanted to let every person know there was time to change:
“Why should I be the only one encumbered with this emotional cargo?”
6. June: in 5, 4, 3, 2…
After the terrible events in May, lots of riots and protests took over America and on June the 7th 2020, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement went worldwide. The whole Globe started to speak out and stand up for black lives and social injustice.
When thinking about some words, we rather not say out loud because they come to our minds while feeling angry, Wade Collins (Alex Schemmer) the infamous character of iCarly ̶ the first web show I came to know ̶ gave us an expression that sums what we think about those who do not care about other people:
“You are all a bunch of hob-knockers!”
7. July: there is more than one side to any story
Yes, the world had changed and this day was for good. On July the 27th, 2020, Google told their workers it was time to remote working and telecommuting; and the rest of the world started to do the same.
We remind that day quoting our beloved Dove Cameron as Liv on her hit TV show Liv and Maddie:
“Oh, fabosh! We are now officially ready for step two.”
8. August: they came to stay
Taylor Swift already told us: ‘haters gonna hate…’, and on August the 08th, 2020, lots of haters came out when the Democratic Party politician Joe Biden accepted the nomination for the presidential run. Even more haters appear when two days later, on August the 20th the one and only Kamala Harris said she was also in for that race.
To evoke those days we recall one of the most notorious expressions in the history of sitcoms and the beloved character portrayed by Jim Parsons.
Say it out loud, Sheldon Cooper:
“Bazinga!”
9. September: does her skin make you nervous?
Dark days kept coming, but on September the 15th, 2020, the family of the always remembered Breona Taylor received $12 Million when the city of Louisville finally recognized the police officers negligence.
To quote this day, let us bring back a phrase from Black-ish one of the funniest current sitcoms that never ceases to teach us very important lessons.
Pay attention to this conversation between Dre (Anthony Anderson), his son Jack (Miles Brown) and grandfather Pops (Laurence Fishburne):
Dre: “We are black homeowners and because we are black homeowners we have to look at things through kind of a dual lens. We need to think about every situation and how it should go normally and how it could go because we are black.”
Jack: “Like being asked to sit on the curb while they checked your ID. They didn’t ask any of the white people to do that.”
Pops: “It is different for us baby boy.”
10. October: hail king James
The NBA proved to have the safest biosecurity protocols around, so the finished a season that brought the glory back to the LA Lakers and gave LeBron James his fourth championship ring becoming the MVP and alongside his partner Danny Green became the latest basketball player to do so with 3 different teams on October the 11th, 2020.
Let us get a little bit cocky and have fun with this phrase of Alex Dunphy (Ariel Winter) from Modern Family:
“You have your fans, I have mine. Someday your fans are going to work for my fans.”
11. November: who said vaccine?
The pandemic was not over, but at least in November 2020 we heard about successful vaccines. Pfizer started the 09th, the Moderna the 16th and later on, the 23rd, AstraZeneca made the good announcement.
The sitcom New Girl has the perfect quote to remember this month, and let us thank Schmidt (Max Greenfield) for this important message:
“Take these [shoes], and take care of them. I can get a tetanus shot, but I can’t cure damaged suede.”
12. December: the world welcomes Elliot Page
Lots of things have been going on and ever more are going to come, but let us remember how December 2020 started. The first day of this month the actor who brought us witty characters from Juno to Number Seven in The Umbrella Academy let the world know his name was Elliot Page and that is the way it would like to be remembered.
2020 made us feel like if ‘we were on a break!’, so let us remember this December with one of the most memorable phrases of our beloved Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc):
“How you doin’?”
Before we go
As we expect this 2021 to be the best we can imagine, and I cannot talk about sitcoms without mentioning The Office, let us wish the best as we remember one of the many funny phrases the self-proclaimed world’s best boss, Michael Scott (Steve Carell) has said:
“I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.”
Neither am I, but please 2021 be kind to all of us.