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Tracking down the best scotch whiskies of 2020 is definitely a fun activity, but it’s sure as hell not a cheap one. Partly because of import costs and tariffs and partly because to taste great — whether single malt or blended — scotch needs quality ingredients and time in the bottle. That level of craft costs money, as it should.

As UPROXX’s drinks coverage expanded this year, I tasted a lot of scotch whiskey in 2020. Now, with the year winding down, it’s time to name the best among them. For the most part, all of the bottles below were released this year. In a few cases, we shouted out the 2020 release of a classic expression. This isn’t a comprehensive list of every single scotch in the world — there are just too many to make that happen — but these bottles hit high marks, are accessible around the U.S., and taste really good (which is the most important metric).

Read on for the best 10 bottles of scotch whisky we drank in 2020.

10. Ardbeg Blaaack

ABV: 46%
Average Price: $135

The Whisky:

Ardbeg is the peat-monster of peat-monsters from Islay. But their 20th-anniversary release of Ardbeg Blaaack was a stellar scotch for 2020, no “if you like peat” conditions need apply. This year’s juice was aged in Pinot Noir casks from New Zealand, adding a whole new dimension to the whisky.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a matrix of mushroom umami and earthiness, cedar bark, lemon zest, ripe cherries, and a note of red wineberries. The palate of this dram is pure velvet, with plenty of peaty smoke, more of those vinous grapes, and a plummy note of oak.

Adding a little water, a dusting of dark cacao arrives with a mild spice and more of the oak. The end really embraces the berries, spice, umami, and peat as it very slowly fades away.

Bottom Line:

Yes, this is smoky, but it’s not a smoke bomb. There’s so much going on in the glass that you’ll want to give it time and focus. I recommend adding a little water or a rock.

9. Compass Box Hedonism

ABV: 43%
Average Price: $115

The Whisky:

London blendery Compass Box consistently hits their whiskies out of the park with balance and excellence. This year’s release of Hedonism celebrates the shingle’s 20th anniversary with a dialed-in grain whisky blend. The key is in the varied casks used to age the juice. In this case, re-charred American oak, ex-bourbon, and first-fill bourbon casks were married to create the whisky.

Tasting Notes:

You’re greeted with a nice dose of bourbon vanilla that leans towards a creamy pudding, with rich toffee balanced by toasted coconut. The taste really delivers on those notes, with the addition of caramel grains, warm oak, and a hint of red berry. The end lingers in all the right ways, marrying the bitterness, coconut, and buttery toffee.

Bottom Line:

It’s a little spendy for this, but this bottle really works wonders as a highball with nice, fizzy water and good ice. The water helps each note shine its brightest.

8. Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake

ABV: 46%
Average Price: $100

The Whisky:

This is an interesting dram. The juice was created to conjure up tastes reminiscent of pineapple cake by way of malty whisky. To accomplish this, Hungarian Tokaji casks were used in the aging process. The dessert wine casks bring sweetness while holding onto the integrity of the whisky.

Tasting Notes:

There are a lot of layers here, starting with tropical fruits — not unlike a hazy IPA — with a note of honey sweetness next to malts, nuts, and vanilla, orange oils, and a whisper of dried flowers. The dram then focuses on peaches, vanilla, cakey malts, pear, and a distant hint of mint. The end is medium-length and veers into more nuttiness with a mild dark chocolate bitterness, especially when you add in some water.

Bottom Line:

We really wanted to dismiss this as too sweet or too gimmicky but it’s a damn fine dram and pairs really well with the end of a meal dessert or cheese course. It also works well as a cocktail base, if you have that sort of money.

7. Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie

ABV: 46%
Average Price: $60

The Whisky:

The Classic Laddie is a unique whisky, almost bottle to bottle. The sweet malt juice is aged in American oak specifically picked to highlights the Scottish barley in the mash. However, you’ll need to look at the “code” on the bottle to figure out exactly which concoction you’re drinking, a nice touch that makes every bottle feel special.

Tasting Notes:

This is going to obviously vary by bottle, but expect tasting notes hovering around the following: Sea brine, orange oils, caramel malts, and a touch of cherry candies on the nose. The taste delves into the sea brine and then usually adds in spicy stewed apples covered in caramel sauce with a counterpoint of berries. The maltiness carries on the slow fading end with more spice, fruit, and sea salt.

Bottom Line:

This is a fun bottle to snag as a gift, given the uniqueness and the “nerd out” aspects. But it’s more than a gimmick — it’s a very easy-drinking whisky that works well as a sipper or mixer.

6. Johnnie Walker Green Label Blended Malt

ABV: 43%
Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

This much-beloved expression from Johnnie Walker is a “pure malt” blend. That means instead of being blended with single malt and grain whiskies — a la blended scotch whisky — it’s only a blend of malts from different distilleries in the Diageo stable.

In this case, that’s primarily Talisker, Caol Ila, Cragganmore, and Linkwood — all of which are at least 15 years old when they’re married.

Tasting Notes:

The sip has a softness to it that lends itself to cedar boxes, wineberries, sharp black pepper, vanilla beans, and a note of freshly-cut green grass. The palate holds onto the softness of the cedar and adds in a tropical fruit edge with a wisp of dried roses. The end is very measured and just long enough to savor, with the cedar, fruit, and warming spice leading towards a final note of distant smoke filtered through an atmosphere of sea brine.

Bottom Line:

Okay, this isn’t a “new” 2020 release, but it’s still one of our favorite drams of the year by a pretty big margin. This is also our favorite bottle from Johnnie Walker. It’s very drinkable, works in a cocktail, and really shines in a highball with fizzy water and ice.

5. Cardhu Aged 11 Years — Rare By Nature Collection

ABV: 56%
Average Price: $106

The Whiskey:

This whisky has a huge following… in Spain.

Well, the Spanish whisky drinkers onto something. The juice is a blend of single malts from Cardhu that spend eleven years aging in new American oak, refill American oak, and ex-bourbon casks before it’s blended and bottled at cask proof with no fuss.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a subtle butterscotch whiff on the nose with a clear spicy baked apple essence next to a hint of cedar. The Christmas spices kick up as worn leather, bright fruit, creamy vanilla, and a buttery toffee deliver on the palate. The end is shortish, with a creamy buttery nature balanced with fruit, spice, leather, and wood.

Bottom Line:

This release from Diageo’s 2020 Rare By Nature Collection was a revelation. This really is just a damn fine dram of whisky that really blooms in the glass with a little water or a rock. If you’re going to try something new, try this.

4. Aberlour Double Cask 18 Years Old

ABV: 43%
Average Price: $143

The Whiskey:

Aberlour is one of those distilleries that quietly puts out wonderful whisky after wonderful whisky, year after year. Their current release of the “Double Cask” 18-year-old is a shining example of the craftsmanship at play up in Speyside. The juice is aged in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for 18 years before they’re blended and brought down to proof.

Tasting Notes:

Ripe stone fruits mingle with butter toffee, butterscotch candies, and a note of orange oils on the nose. The taste really delivers on the peach and adds in cream drizzled with honey that leads towards a jammy body, spiked with mildly spicy oak. The finish spends its time rolling through your senses, as the creaminess leans into vanilla with plenty of fruit, spice, and oak.

Bottom Line:

This is where it gets hard. There’s no real reason this or any of the following scotches aren’t “number one” besides personal preference. This is such a wonderfully satisfying sip of whisky with a splash of water or a rock. It’s a dram you’ll automatically slow down with.

3. The Balvenie DoubleWood Aged 17 Years

ABV: 52.4%
Average Price: $160

The Whiskey:

The Balvenie is iconic in two ways. One, the distillery is one of the only ones in the world where everything from growing the grain to making the barrels are all done in house. Two, The Balvenie’s Malt Master, David C. Stewart, is credited with creating the “finishing” barrel process in whisky. With this expression that means the juice is aged in American oak for 17 years before spending six to 12 months finishing in ex-sherry casks.

Tasting Notes:

Green apples next to bourbon vanilla shine alongside a sense of nutty sherry oak and mild honey sweetness. The taste meanders towards a Christmas cake full of spice, dried fruits, candied fruits, and toasted nuts with an oaky depth and vanilla creaminess. Rich toffee, oak, spice, and fruit lead towards a slow-paced finish.

Bottom Line:

This is some refined freaking whisky. It’s such an easy sipper that you might find you’ve downed most of the bottle without noticing. Make sure to add some water or an ice cube to really let it bloom in the glass.

2. Aberfeldy 18 Year Exceptional Cask

ABV: 43%
Average Price: $170

The Whiskey:

Dewar’s Master Blender and Master of Malt, Stephanie MacLoed, hand-selects casks that are truly exceptional. In this case, this expression spends 17 years in refill American oak before going into first-fill Pauillac wine casks from Bordeaux.

Tasting Notes:

That classic Aberfelfy honeyed nature is lurking beneath a real sense of soft cedarwood with hints of berries, worn leather, tobacco, vanilla, and red grapes. The taste holds onto the cedar and spicy pipe tobacco as the honey and berries balance out those notes with a hint of essential oils. The end is long, deliberate, and full of that wood, tobacco, fruit, and honey.

Bottom Line:

This was a contender for our favorite single malt release this year, overall. It’s just so damn drinkable with a little water to open it up. There are no rough edges at all, just soft whisky goodness all around.

1. Talisker Aged 8 Years — Rare By Nature Collection

ABV: 57.9%
Average Price: $120

The Whiskey:

This special release in Diageo’s Rare By Nature Collection is a rare and great whisky. The juice is classic Talisker that’s finished pot still Caribbean rum casks. The result is a marriage of the smoky and briny signatures of Talisker, amped up by the deeply sweet notes of a nice Caribbean rum.

Tasting Notes:

You’re greeted with sea brine, campfire smoke, pears, and a hint of molasses. The taste then marries all of those notes into a sense of standing next to a brisket or whole hog smoker late at night (with the sea not far off) as hints of fatty smoke, caramelizing brown sugars, and plenty of salt combine to make a whole. It sounds heavy, but the end is light in every way, making it very easy to drink as the sip quickly fades with all that smoke, brine, fat, and brown sugar in play.

Bottom Line:

This might be our favorite whisky this year. It transports you straight to the Scottish Islands by way of Charleston or the Hill Country of Texas BBQ joints with serious history. Don’t forget to add a little water to open it up.

Duke head men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski criticized the NCAA on Tuesday night for “just plowing ahead” with a college basketball season in spite of players’ mental and physical health.

Rather than directly calling for a cancelation or pause of the season while the coronavirus pandemic worsens around the country, Coach K instead called on the association to come together and find a solution. Throughout the opening weeks of the college basketball season in both the men’s and women’s game, the sport has been plagued by positive cases, spontaneous outbreaks, and ethical questions.

“I would just like for the safety, the mental and physical health of players and staff to assess where we’re at,” the Duke coach said.

At the same time, Coach K made a point of noting he’s “not sure who leads college basketball” and said any sport run by a complicated committee with various priorities is inherently “not agile,” which made Krzyzewski, whose voice carries powerful weight in the sport, strike a pessimistic tone about anything improving.

Coach K acknowledged the virus is already a scary and dangerous challenge to the sport, even because of something as simple as players being prevented from returning home to visit their families during the holidays. With vaccines looming and expected to cut down transmission and hospital problems across the nation, Coach K alluded to the idea that even waiting until further into the winter could make college basketball a significantly less risky endeavor. He is not the only coach to bring up this point, as Iona’s Rick Pitino shares this sentiment.

Prior to the start of the season, Coach K had partially endorsed a Bubble for the NCAA Tournament (though he questioned the logistics of such a big event), and while it seems the association is forging ahead with plans for some sort of single-site March Madness, there may be increasing pressure for individual conferences to put together Bubbles for conference play, as Villanova coach Jay Wright has called for.

There’s also the fact that Krzyzewski is 73 years old, and after college football coaches like Nick Saban have become infected, it’s become increasingly concerning to see people whom doctors consider health risks during the pandemic coaching games inside while teams find positive cases left and right.

It’s hard to say what may be the impetus behind Coach K coming out vocally against the current situation. Maybe he was just frustrated after playing a home game in front of an eery, empty Cameron Indoor Fieldhouse. Either way, Coach K is clearly correct in his assessment and this could signal momentum behind changes to how this college basketball season operates.

Thanks to her bizarre, slurring testimony during an election hearing in Michigan last week, Rudy Giuliani’s “star witness” Mellissa Carone has become an internet sensation, but for all of the wrong reasons. While Carone’s over-the-top testimony has been a comedy gold mine for Saturday Night Live and Amy Schumer, it’s also shone a light on her personal life, which is starting to answer a whole lot of questions about how she ended up working with Giuliani. According to a new report, Carone used to work as a dancer at the Bada Bing strip club in Lincoln Park, Michigan, and yes, it got its name from The Sopranos. While there’s nothing wrong with being a stripper, like all things Carone, the story quickly takes a turn. Via Daily Mail:

Mellissa Carone, 33, used to dance at the venue in 2010, which has the same name as the infamous strip club featured in HBO’s hit show The Sopranos. The seedy joint even takes after the mobster strip club, having its own history of violence. It finally shuttered following a string of incidents, including an attack in 2010 where four men, including the manager, were arrested and charged with torturing a man in the basement, drilling through his hand with an electric drill.

The Mail reports that people from Carone’s hometown are enjoying her recent fame because her dancing days were the “worst kept secret in our little town.” They’re also enjoying the schadenfreude of Carone’s testimony dredging up her sordid legal history of repeatedly sending sex tapes to her husband’s ex-wife. “She was never easy to get along with, always stuck up and thought she was the hottest thing around,” a source said.

(Via Daily Mail)

If you are or have been a sneakerhead at any time in the past five years, you’ve undoubtedly had your heart broken by a hot shoe’s release date. Thanks to bots and increased hype, it’s darn near impossible for a regular working stiff to get their hands on the latest Nike collabs. However, the latest was even harder to get ahold of, as J Balvin’s Air Jordan 1 sneakers reportedly sold out in under a minute worldwide, according to the man himself.

Celebrating the success of his collab with the footwear giant, Balvin posted to his Instagram, reporting they were “Sold Out Global” and thanking fans for scooping up the outrageous tie-dyed colorway of the first Michael Jordan signature. “Se fueron en un minuto de lo que yo conté jejej,” he wrote. “Los Amo GRACIAS GRACIAS GRACIAS.” (Translation: “They were gone in a minute, by my count. I love them. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”)

Meanwhile, Billboard reports that although Nike does not share sales information, Balvin did make history by becoming the first Latino artist to collaborate with the Jordan brand. Balvin designed the sneakers with inspiration from his albums Colores and Vibras, ensuring they live up to those titles with a vibrant burst of rainbow colors, pink soles, and interchangeable patches based on his personal branding — smiley faces and lightning bolts.

Although they’ve sold out online, you may be able to grab them in person at select retailers. They’re going for $190. Good luck.

Stefflon Don’s outspoken nature isn’t the only reason why she’s transformed into a global rap star — it’s also her daring sense of style. The Birmingham, UK-born, Netherlands-raised artist has been on the rise since 2017’s breakout “Hurtin’ Me” single and her seductive looks have grown along with her. After collaborating with artists like Mariah Carey, Halsey, and Jeremih (as well as securing her first songwriting credit on Ty Dolla Sign’s new album Featuring Ty Dolla Sign), Stefflon is returning with a new project and called on stylist Toni Blaze to help redefine her style.

Blaze grew up with a grandmother who had her own tailoring company in Nigeria and a mother who “was very creative in terms of the ways she would dress me.” Inspired by fashion greats like the late Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, Blaze attended London College Of Fashion and Central Saint Martins. She then landed a position at London-based style publication Wonderland magazine. “I assisted a stylist called Matthew Josephs when he used to work there for about two years or so,” Blaze tells Uproxx. “When he left, I stayed on and progressed my way up. I went from assistant to the fashion director, then my next title was fashion editor.” Now she’s the editor-in-chief who helped bring covers of Migos, Nicki Minaj, and Emilia Clarke to life over the past two years.

After Stefflon’s manager reached out to Blaze, the pair connected this summer to frame the artist’s new aesthetic. “Move” and “Can’t Let You Go” are Stefflon’s first new music of the year, and the looks that go along with them reflect two sides of her: Bad Jamaican Gyal and Girly Romanticism. Uproxx caught up with Blaze and Stefflon about their collaborations, designer taste, and what’s next for this dynamic duo.

When did you first begin working with Stefflon Don?

Blaze: So we did [the “Move” video] back in July. Anytime you work with someone who loves fashion, it just makes your job so much easier. She’s not afraid to take risks. I can bring her a pair of shoes that she might think is a bit wild, but she’ll go for it. The main aim for her is to look very editorially stylized. Obviously, we all love a big-name brand, but I could put a designer on the mood board that might’ve just graduated or just coming up in London and she’s very open to trying.

Are there any go-to designers that you use with her?

Blaze: The main one is Melissa Simon-Hartman who did a lot of stuff for Beyoncé’s Black Is King. She worked on the “Can’t Let You Go” gold cowrie shell look — it’s just enough to signify that African influence. Steff is of Jamaican origin, and I’m of Nigerian origin. So we wanted to celebrate that, but not in a cliche way. In the scene where she’s got this green leotard, that’s from Lisa Folawiyo. She’s a Nigerian designer who does these amazing prints. We used a lot of people of color and I thought that was quite important, especially during this time.

Many people have finally opened their eyes to inequality this year.

Blaze: When I was at St. Martins, I was the only person of color in my 20-person class. So it’s nice to have this full-circle moment where my work has been recognized and I can now have conversations with the British Fashion Council’s diversity committee. My long-term goal is to do brand partnerships where I can bring people from disadvantaged families who want to get into fashion but don’t have that middle-class background where they can intern for free.

Getting back to “Can’t Let You Go,” the pink dress was such a romantic touch that complemented the song’s subtlety.

Don: My boyfriend is Nigerian and sings in Yoruba, so I guess being around his family for the last two years has inspired me. The Yoruba language is very spiritual. I don’t get the same feeling when I sing English. But even though I’m doing something different by mixing that with the Jamaican dialect throughout the song, the root is still Stefflon Don.

Blaze: That dress was from this designer called Selam Fessahaye. But even if you look at her glam, it was very stripped back for her. You’re drawn to her and it just felt very angelic. It was nice to see her in that way.

On the flip side, the “Move” video reminds me of ‘90s Lil Kim as well as Steff’s dancehall sound.

Don: I’m definitely inspired by a lot of the Jamaican dancehall scene, especially women like Lady Saw and Patra. I’ve never seen that look before with the metallic hat and the matching waistband. I think that was dope.

Blaze: That was super fun, too. For the mood board, I was looking at all these really old Beenie Man videos. So I thought about how to bring that to Steff, but in an elevated way. That dancehall scene was just so amazing — even down to the hairstyles. With the metallic look, she was supposed to [represent] this running joke with Caribbean restaurants where you have the woman who’s the boss. I really just wanted it to feel like when I was going to bashments in London growing up. You’ll see these girls dressed to the T with their fishnets and bling, and they’re there until 6 a.m. It’s ghetto fabulous in a great way.

The two-piece blue mesh outfit also represents that bashment style.

Blaze: That was from Auné. She designs these really weird, great prints. I don’t think I even met Stefflon then but I already had it on my mood board. That bandana felt very “Island Gyal” but very expensive at the same time. With the way the camera cuts on that look — because the trousers are so see-through — it gives the illusion of being hyper-sexual.

Even the way that I accessorize the chains, I used Mr. T as a reference. There was a point where she was like “You’re choking me!” when I was adding more chains. [laughs] When it comes to videos, you want to be in that fantasy. It’s about feeling that level of escapism when you see that person’s look.

Are there any other places that you draw inspiration from?

Blaze: My favorite designer is John Galliano. I have this really big book at home, so when I’m stuck on a project, I just go through all the old Dior shows he designed. Whether it’s the way a corset has been layered or a leopard print that clashes with a billowing dress. It shouldn’t work, but then it does. Also, one of my favorite photographers is David LaChapelle.

So I always draw from those references. I think it is because of my university background. We always lived in archives — you can find every single magazine in their library. I like the idea of hyper-realism and things that you wouldn’t expect from certain artists — like a Marie Antoinette-style dress on a rap girl.

Steff, what is the vision you’re taking with your next project?

Don: It’s totally different from what I’ve done before. I’ve learned how to take people more on a journey and have records that cement my sound. I came with a lot of island vibes this time. I feel like as we get older, we change and have different outlooks on life. This project will show my growth and I’m super proud of it.

Seeing you elevate from “Hurtin Me” and being the first British rapper to cover XXL to where you are now, you’re not part of the rap conversation as much. Do you feel the same way?

Don: I agree. When I came up, it was just me and my manager — we had a little bit of label help but there wasn’t really a solid team. To make something globally successful and remain there, you have to have all these different avenues with people really riding for you. If I had the team doing the right things back then, then I guess I would be in the places that you think I should have been in. But it’s not too late. We’ve switched up the team now, learned from the mistakes and we’re going to come harder than ever.

Great performances come in all shapes and sizes, big and loud or small and understated or anything in between. It’s more of a feel thing. A great performance just jumps off the screen. It’s hard to put into words but you can tell when it’s happening because it leaves you transfixed, eyes glued to the action, watching each little movement and hanging on every word that gets delivered. It’s fun when it happens, when all the stars align between performer and role and writing. You should try to recognize it whenever you can.

So, that’s what we’re doing. We’re recognizing some of the best performances on television in 2020. We’ve got huge lead roles and smaller supporting roles and even a cartoon voice role. Again, a great performance can pop up anywhere. Here are some of the ones that excited us throughout this year

Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul

It’s not exactly a secret at this point but it’s still worth saying, out loud, with gusto, for the benefit of the people in the back row and the Emmy voters: Rhea Seehorn is putting in work on Better Call Saul. Every episode, too, surrounded by heavy-hitter Breaking Bad veterans like Jonathan Banks and Bob Odenkirk. She’s the heart and soul of the show at this point, to the degree that the biggest question of the show has evolved from “When does Jimmy become Saul?” into “WHAT HAPPENS TO KIM WEXLER?” Some of that is the writing, yes, sure, Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan are pretty good at this, too. But the weight of the character is on her shoulders and she’s been hauling it around pretty good for a few seasons now, finger guns and all. — Brian Grubb

Jurnee Smollett Bell, Lovecraft Country

Jurnee Smollet Bell had a hell of a year, and while her Birds of Prey performance – particularly that hair-tie moment in the film’s climactic fight scene – will always hold a special place in our hearts, it’s about damn time we talk about her other starring turn, this time on the small screen. Sure, Jonathan Majors was the obvious protagonist of HBO’s genre-bending Lovecraft Country. His Tic is heir to a magical inheritance that puts him on a collision course with monsters and witchcraft and time-travel devices and racist poltergeists. But it’s Bell’s Lettie, a young woman chafing at the prejudice and limitations put on her by society – even by those she loves most – that feels like the true hero of the show’s first season and that’s due, in large part, to the performance of the person playing her. Bell captures Lettie’s anger and frustration, but she never lets it command the whole of what the character is, bringing a compassionate, courageous side to Lettie that proves to be the lynchpin of the show’s bittersweet ending. And that Beyonce-channeling car-bashing scene? That will be living in our minds rent-free for years to come. — Jessica Toomer

Ethan Hawke, The Good Lord Bird

Do yourself a serious favor and indulge in this fire-spewing performance, and be amazed when you remember that Ethan Hawke specialized in playing slackers back in the 1990s before moving onto romantic leads and so much more. He does it all too well, as evidenced by four Oscar nominations, but he damn well deserves an Emmy nod for his portrayal of loose-cannon abolitionist John Brown. It’s an unusually brash turn from Hawke, who I’m still convinced prepared for this by playing horror protagonists who lose their sh*t. He’s also adept at taking his audience along with him, that they, too, lose their sh*t. It’s a blast to watch people lose their sh*t and share in the communal sh*t-losing experience, right? Well, you can’t go to the movies now, but you can enjoy Hawke burning so brightly that he’s incandescent. It’s clear that he had a blast playing a controversial figure of U.S. history, and his showy and forceful turn cannot be downplayed. What’s super telling about the John Brown role is that it was envisioned for Jeff Bridges, but after watching the series, it’s impossible to imagine another actor as such a ridiculously behaved but good-hearted character, who set some wheels in motion to ignite the Civil War. It’s a hell of a portrayal, and Hawke should scoop up all the awards for this his embodiment of an imposing, intense, and invaluable figure like John freaking Brown. — Kimberly Ricci

Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You

As creator, writer, and star of one of our Best Shows of 2020, Michaela Coel told a story that landed from a perspective — a rape survivor who’s not singularly defined by her trauma — that we seldom see in any entertainment medium. We definitely haven’t seen a triple threat like Michaela also step into leading actress shoes to work out her own closure with alternate endings that allowed her to fully process that trauma and let it go. As Arabella, Michaela managed to throw off both relatable and aspirational vibes while unapologetically dancing through an exploration of sexual consent that should have felt uncomfortable to watch, but Michaela kept things so candid that viewers got sucked into the narrative without a second thought. As an actress, too, her performance was absolutely sublime, including that frenetic finale where Arabella took back her power. I truly can’t wait to see what the Chewing Gum star will do next. — Kimberly Ricci

Donald Sutherland, The Undoing

I haven’t decided if this is a note in praise of Donald Sutherland’s performance in The Undoing or his eyebrows’ performance in that show. I guess they are technically one and the same. Certainly, the eyebrows, chaotic and overlong, had a hand in our view of Sutherland’s character. They might be 75% responsible for our belief that he was some kind of secret villain. (The rest being attributed to Donald Sutherland’s many, many villainous turns across his career). But overall, I guess the untamed forehead caterpillars (and our preconceived notions based on Sutherland’s past works) stand out as items in the toolbox of a master character actor who shined in the periphery of a show about murder, infamy, and fine winter jackets. So protective was he of his daughter that we imagined the possibilities. So devious his grin that we wondered if he had a connection to the victim. So surgical in its intimidation was his breakdown of the word “cocksucker” that we believed those eyebrows might reach out and grab that private school dean and hold him up by the lapels, shaking him until he caved. An awards-worthy performance. The eyebrows, all of it. — Jason Tabrys

Salvatore Esposito, Fargo

I will concede that Salvatore Esposito’s performance in Fargo was not for everyone. As Gaetano Fadda, the large ornery rhinoceros son of the local mob boss, he was all exaggerated movements and bulging eyes. It was something to see. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone go that big every single second he was on screen. It was borderline theatrical, almost like a silent film actor had been plopped into the action and given lines. I could not have loved it more. Look at that GIF up there. Look at his entire face. It was transfixing, a performance that filled the whole screen, from corner to corner. It wouldn’t work on every show, but it worked in this one, for me, which is the important thing. — Brian Grubb

The entire cast of The Baby-Sitters Club

All I knew about The Baby-Sitters Club before watching the Netflix adaptation is that it was about babysitters, and they have a club. The beloved book series was not part of my rotation as a kid (I was too busy reading Goosebumps for the 12th time, or whatever), but the reviews for the series were surprisingly strong, so I gave it a shot. I recommend you do the same because The Baby-Sitters Club is one of the more low-key progressive and entertaining shows this year. And much of its charm is due to the show’s young cast: Sophie Grace as bossy Kristy Thomas; Momona Tamada as artistic Claudia Kishi; Shay Rudolph as exquisitely-dressed Stacey McGill; Malia Baker as shy Mary Anne Spier; and Xochitl Gomez as zenful Dawn Schafer. They are a delight, as is the show. — Josh Kurp

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, High Fidelity

I am really mad, still, months later, that Hulu canceled its take on High Fidelity after one season. Part of that is because it was good, surprisingly so, in a fun and charming way that twisted the original about 40 degrees to the left and updated it for the present day. A bigger part of it is because season two was allegedly going to focus more on Cherise, the character played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and I really wanted to see that. She was so good in the role, a brash and loud exterior serving as armor for a vulnerable soul, strutting through the record store as “Come On Eileen” blasted over the speakers, the whole thing. It’s tough to land that kind of performance, to make it resonate without becoming a caricature. She pulled it off, though, well, throughout the entire season. And now I’m mad because I won’t get to see where it goes next. Happy I got to see it at all, sure, but still a little mad for the appropriate reasons. — Brian Grubb

Jessie Buckley, Fargo

This was, I am sad to admit, not my favorite season of Fargo. Still good! But not the best… unless Jessie Buckley was on screen. She was the spark that lit season 4. Buckley played Oraetta Mayflower, an articulate nurse who ignores the first two words in the “do no harm” oath, with a devilish slyness — she’d charm you with her Minnesota niceness, while shushing you for making too much noise while you’re choking on the floor from her poisoned macaroons. The good nurse (in that she’s good at sadism) is simultaneously funny and chilling, like the best Fargo characters. Oraetta Mayflower and Lorne Malvo would make quite the pair. The last two years have been big ones for Buckley: she broke out in 2019 with performances in HBO’s Chernobyl and Wild Rose, and she kept the momentum going in 2020 with Netflix’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things (one of our favorite movies of the year) and Fargo. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Buckley on this list next year, too, dontcha know? — Josh Kurp

Anya Taylor Joy, The Queen’s Gambit

I’m not entirely sure Anya-Taylor Joy is human. Not after watching her performance in Netflix’s surprise hit miniseries, The Queen’s Gambit. There’s an otherness to her and her siren-like stare as she shakes down grown men from across a checkered battlefield that feels uncanny, a bit other-worldly. Whatever spell she’s casting, it works for Beth Harmon, the orphaned chess-prodigy she brings to life in Scott Frank’s latest outing. Not only does she confidently mop the floor with egotistical men who underestimate her playing prowess because of her age and gender, she’s able to convey the inner-turmoil of a woman battling addiction and remnants of parental neglect, often just with a penetrating gaze or carefully-timed glance. She’s quiet, stealthy in her command of the screen, drawing everyone into her orbit by leaning into Beth’s strangeness, her anti-social attitude and untouchable genius. The show just doesn’t work if Joy can’t tap into that, while also making an ancient board game seem exciting and fresh. Thankfully, she’s more than up to the challenge. — Jessica Toomer

Josh O’Connor, The Crown

We know Prince Charles, or we think we do thanks to decades of tabloid reporting. But Josh O’Connor made him come to life, drawing compassion from us at the start for his life in a plush cage. As a teenager last season, Charles had grand ideas about who he was and how he’d bend the world to accommodate that. I wanted that for him despite knowing the inevitable turn would come. And this season we saw it as The Crown mined the details and speculation of Charles and Princess Diana’s burnt fairytale with O’Connor rising to the occasion as Charles grew up and into the role of royal brat and bastard. A remarkable journey that I would have loved to see continue if not for the addition of god damn Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) to takeover the role next season. — Jason Tabrys

Maya Rudolph, Big Mouth

It feels like cheating to put Maya Rudolph on here for her voice work on Big Mouth. It’s so straightforward, so obvious, like, yeah, no duh, Maya Rudolph is good as Hormone Monstress Connie, with all of her pronunciations and inflections and big brassy line readings. Everyone knows that. We could just put her on this list every time a new season of the show comes out. And guess what: We might just do that! Sometimes things are obvious because they’re just undeniably true, facts, like “the ocean is very large and wet.” But that doesn’t mean they’re not worth saying sometimes. Let’s go ahead and say it. Maya Rudolph is terrific in Big Mouth, all the time. There. That felt good, right? — Brian Grubb

Robert Sheehan, The Umbrella Academy

This guy’s such a delightful weirdo that one might assume that playing a delightful weirdo like Klaus Hargreeves would come naturally. Well, if so, then Robert Sheehan’s even more talented than I’ll give him credit for, which is a lot. He pulls off the most tortured superhero sibling who’s not only tormented by the dead, but one of them is his brother, Ben, who no one else can see. So when Klaus and Ben end up fighting in the street, and we see a tremendous instance of physical comedy by Sheehan, who’s tasked with essentially fighting himself to all who pass by and witness. He then seamlessly transitions into a few other incarnations over the course of the season. One of them is heartbreaking: Klaus suffering a homophobic attack and finding refuge in a liquor store, so bye-bye sobriety. The other is wonderfully comical: Klaus transforms into a doomsday cult leader who soars through time. Overall, it’s a nuanced performance that’s gallantly portrayed by a gregarious Irishman who clearly adores his character, all in the service of halting another apocalypse. — Kimberly Ricci

The National Enquirer, a tabloid newspaper best known for outrageous all-caps headlines like “EXCLUSIVE: HILLARY CLINTON LESBIAN LOVERS NAMED IN SECRET EMAILS,” was set to publish an article about January Jones’ friends being “worried” about her “attention-grabbing bikini pictures” on social media. Which is to say, the National Enquirer just discovered her very good Instagram. The publication reached out to the Mad Men actress hoping for a comment — instead, they got trolled.

In a big “I… worked on this story for a year… and… he just… he tweeted it out” move, Jones published the email on her Instagram. “To Whom It May Concern: The National Enquirer is preparing to publish a story which reports January Jones has worried friends with her series of attention-grabbing bikini pictures and social media posts,” it read. “Sources claim her content smacks of a ‘desperate cry for attention’ and note how her acting work appears to have dried up before then pandemic took hold.” The Enquirer gave Jones until 5 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 9, to “comment” on the bullsh*t allegations. In response, she wrote, “Sh*t. They’ve discovered my secret. Consider this my public apology to my ‘friends.’” She also took a new “attention-grabbing” bikini photo.

“Had to do it,” she wrote, adding the hashtag #DESPERATE. In actual news: January Jones rules.

(Via Insider)

Caroline Polachek dropped her first post-Chairlift solo album, Pang, over a year ago now, but there’s still some life left in the album, because she’s not done with it yet. Today, she has dropped a group of remixes from the album and recruited an interesting collection of collaborators to help out.

She dropped four remixes as individual singles (that also feature the original versions of the songs), and the most attention-grabbing of them is the new spin on “Hit Me Where It Hurts. It was remixed by Toro y Moi and features new vocals from Deftones’ Chino Moreno, and it takes on a darker and more electronic tone than the original.

Aside from that track, Polachek also shared “Ocean Of Tears (Umra Remix),” “Hey Big Eyes (George Clanton Remix),” and “Door (Oklou Remix).” The remixes are a preview of Standing At The Gate: Remix Collection, which is set for release on April 16, 2021 and will also feature the previously released A.G. Cook remix of “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” a handful of other remixes, and a cover of The Corrs’ classic single “Breathless,” which she has regularly performed live.

Listen to the Moreno-featuring Toro y Moi remix of “Hit Me Where It Hurts” above and check out the other remixes below.

Standing At The Gate: Remix Collection is out 4/16 via Perpetual Novice.

A lot of people were giddy when when the Supreme Court unanimously threw Trump under the bus (and that included no dissent from Amy Coney Barrett) with a refusal to even hear the GOP’s bid to overturn the election. The celebratory group, though, does not include Parler users, and they’re dragging a dead dictator into it. Yep, Fidel Castro died in 2016 at age 90, but that hasn’t stopped members of the online MAGA utopia from apparently blaming Castro for bribing the highest court in the land?

Parler’s a real strange place, and it’s a place that has apparently also sent frustrated conservative users back to Facebook, where they’re complaining about Parler after trashing both Facebook and Twitter for “censorship” against hate speech and harmful conspiracy theories. So, there’s not a lot of logic going on there, and that also applies to this SCOTUS stuff. As a result, Fidel Castro is now a Twitter trending topic because of Parler-based temper tantrums and conspiracy theories, which include accusing Trump Elite Strike Team members Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis of faking their Covid-19 positive statuses, so they can give up the (fruitless) fight.

Parler appears to have truly lost it, so The Walking Dumb jokes are happening. Not only are users coming for Rudy and Jenna, but they also appear to truly believe that the three Trump-appointed justices — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett — accepted a bribe from the late Cuban revolutionary dictator to swing the election for Biden (who truly won the election, fair and square, by way of the electoral college).

This stuff is so wild that you truly can’t make it up, unless, of course, it’s possible that people are embellishing additional details to make Parler users seem even nuttier? Like, it’s genuinely impossible to know whether they’d believe what the below tweet has to offer about Barrett “OnStage wearing a Strap-On at a Marilyn Manson Concert!” (Marilyn Manson did not ask to be dragged into this mess, and that much is true).

Between this and Parler’s porn problem, the snake is truly eating its own tail.

Cardi B has always been honest about her body image, regularly showing fans her bare face and admitting to undergoing surgery to look curvier. As it turns out, the “WAP” rapper always had aspirations to look how she does now but growing up, she didn’t have access to the funds and opportunities she has as an international rap sensation. On Twitter, she reminisced how she would get around that shortcoming in high school to convince her classmates she had more body (-ody-ody-ody) than she really did.

Her trick for adding curves was a simple one but it turned out to be one her fans could relate to. “It’s the fact that I used to put 2 thick ass tights under my jeans in Highschool to make my ass look fatter,” she revealed to her followers. “And nobody ever clock the tea.” Fans quickly began replying with their own hacks for playing up their attributes, including using shoulder pads from their moms’ blouses or socks to push up their tops. Pants with butt pads were also a go-to.

Cardi’s arsenal of relatable stories is just one of the many reasons she reached her current level of stardom and it doesn’t look like she plans to change any time soon. But on a more serious note, maybe we can promote a little more body positivity in pop culture — wearing two pairs of tights under jeans doesn’t sound very comfortable at all.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.