I’m 42 years old, and most of the movies and TV shows I look at nostalgically are from the 1980-2000 time period. Movies like the Star Wars original trilogies, Indiana Jones, and Ghostbusters which we’ve discussed on the board recently are all on my list. I’d also include a lot of John Candy’s comedies like The Great Outdoors, Summer Rental, etc. TV shows on my list include Seinfeld, Star Trek TNG and DS9, and the X-files among others. I don’t want to make the list too long, but suffice to say I could name other movies and TV shows.
Looking back at the last 20 years, I wonder what today’s 20 year olds will look at with nostalgia when they’re 40. I can really think of only one thing that might qualify, that being the Marvel movies. What else is likely to be on this list that younger people will remember fondly but that people in my age group around 40 are likely to have forgotten about when we’re 60?
Marvel movies (Avengers) like you said will likely be remembered nostalgically. Deadpool, which is disconnected from the Avengers franchise, I think will become the source of nostalgia. I can also see Wonder Women being looked back on. The John Wick series may as well.
Game of Thrones may be a source of nostalgia (at least the rebirth of some high fantasy series).
I was trying to think of other TV, but I wonder if the rise of streaming will make fandom too diffuse to have a similar style of generational nostalgia as opposed to different fan groups having different nostalgias (so some may get nostalgic for The Witcher, while others get nostalgic for Fleabag, while others get nostalgic for The Boys, etc).
Game of Thrones is one that I was thinking about being unlikely to be looked at fondly in 20 years, in the sense that I doubt many people will even still think about it. I’ve never even heard of any of those other ones you mention. I assume they’re TV shows?
The Witcher is the big huge thing on Netflix (talked about all over social media). Fleabag was a highly buzzed about show on Amazon Prime - won a bunch of Emmys as well. The Boys also was a highly buzzed about show on Amazon Prime.
I’m surprised you haven’t heard of any of them.
Almost as much as hearing that you think few people will think of GOT in 20 years. After the anger at S8, I think people will remember the show quite fondly and think “what could have been” with the last season.
I think you’ve indirectly hit on the issue. Some people watch Amazon Prime, others Netflix, others Hulu, and now there’s Disney Plus. Throw in network TV, cable, YouTube, and who knows what else I may be forgetting, and there are a lot fewer communal entertainment experiences than there used to be.