KEY POINTS:
Year of the Lady
Between Ladyhawke, Ladytron, Lady Gaga and Ladi6 it was easy to confuse these music mavens. Fortunately, though their names all sounded the same, their music didn't.
Year of the 90s Reunion
Supergroove kicked off 2008 with their summer reunion tour, paving the way for a host of followers. Weta and The Headless Chickens both
recently performed reunion shows, while Head Like a Hole ave announced a
reunion next year.
Year of the Game Show
After a 12-year hiatus, Wheel of Fortune returned to our screens, hosted by Jason Gunn and Sonia Gray, along with New Zealand's own versions of
Stars in their Eyes and Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
Year of Politicking Celebrities
Gone are the days of keeping your politics to yourself. This year's biggest trend was wearing your political colours with pride - particularly if you happened to be a pro-Obama celebrity. Everyone
from Oprah to Paris Hilton boarded the Obama bandwagon. Here in New
Zealand, legendary musician Stevie Wonder cancelled two shows to
return to America to perform at an Obama rally.
Year of the Revival
We could vaguely understand, Phil Collins' 1981 hit In the Air Tonight undergoing a resurgence thanks to a man in a gorilla suit on the
Cadbury ad. We could understand how the Patea Maori Club got back in the
charts with the classic Poi E. But we can't for the life of us work out how Aussie himbo Peter Andre worked his way back into the top 10 with Mysterious Girl.
Year of Teen Television
Every few years, a teen series is released that defines a generation -
Beverly Hills 90210, Dawson's Creek, The O.C ... But 2008 saw several series compete for the honour, with the release of Gossip Girl, Friday Night Lights and the next generation of 90210.
Year of the Long Awaited Arrival
Proof that good things come to those who wait, Kylie Minogue finally made her New Zealand debut, a mere 21 years after she first hit our
charts. Guns N' Roses fans' patience also paid off after 17 years, with the arrival of the band's long-awaited sixth studio album Chinese
Democracy. And speculation turned to fact when the long-rumoured
fourth installment of Indiana Jones finally hit the big screen - 19 years after the supposed last crusade.
Year of Sequins and Ice Capades
It started with Priscilla - in all its camp, sequinned glory - and ended
with the original fantastically feathered musical, Phantom of the
Opera. In between, we were also treated to the beguiling charms of Russia's Imperial Ice Stars - who harbour a perverse penchant for
holographic sequins - as they danced up a small snowstorm in Cinderella on Ice.
Year of TV on the Big Screen
Sarah Jessica Parker and co reunited for Sex and the City: The Movie in May, before another blast from the past was given a modern makeover, when Steve Carrell brought Maxwell Smart to the big screen in Get Smart. Finally, made-for-TV franchise High School Musical made its theatrical debut with High School Musical 3: Senior Year.
Year of Sexy Robots
We can't believe we're saying this, but really, Summer Glau, aka lethal killing machine Cameron Phillips on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, is hot. So was Eve, the sleek white robot with luminous blue
eyes from Wall-E. R2D2 eat your heart out.