As 2025 comes to a close, I keep hearing the same thing: Good riddance. This year really messed with us. Los Angeles burned, immigration raids raged, Hollywood limped, AI slop exploded, arts institutions struggled.
If you found yourself turning to TV, movies, books, comedy, music and the arts to escape, or perhaps process, we’re right there with you. Here are some of our favorite lifeboats during a year of rough seas.
— Brittany Levine Beckman, entertainment and features editor