2024 Year In Review
My most popular posts of 2024 vs my favourite posts of 2024. Plus a special discount offer.
Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of the most popular posts from each month of 2024, along with my personal favourite (these rarely overlap). Every single one of these posts in the list below is now out from behind the paywall (if you find one that isn’t, let me know). Enjoy!
(And, of course, if you ever want to become a paid subscriber, you can access my zillions of other posts, too. There’s a special limited-time ‘welcome to 2025 25% offer’ link below. Or, y’know, just wait until the same time next year, when I might release a couple dozen more of my favourite posts from behind the paywall. Your call.)
(Apologies to my non-cricket subscribers. A lot of these are cricket-related. But some of them aren’t, so you’re getting this email too. Just ignore the cricket ones.)
January, 2024
Most Popular
Remember January? When the big debate was who was going to take the place of David Warner at the top of the order for Australia? This piece was written when Cameron Green appeared to be the frontrunner.
A Statement to the Press from Legal Counsel Representing Messrs. Renshaw, Harris, and Bancroft
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, and fellow enthusiasts of the great sport of cricket.
My Favourite
Eventually, I made that debate very literal. And it was silly and fun.
The 2024 Great Debate for the Vacated Position of Opener of the Australian Men’s Cricket Team
Moderator: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome back to the 2024 Great Debate for the vacated position of opener of the Australian men’s cricket team. We’ve heard the five candidates’ opening opening statements. It’s now time to take questions from the floor. Our first question is for you, Cameron.
February, 2024
Most Popular
Madly, in February, I also started doing recaps on Australian Survivor three nights a week. Here’s the one that people liked best.
Australian Survivor Report Card - Titans v Rebels - Episode 5
Previously on Australian Survivor: Feras found a Lost hatch, wrenches failed to be thrown at contestants and Kelli flipped her vote
My Favourite
I covered the India-England Test series alongside those Australian Survivor report cards, but that’s all a blur. Right at the end of February, though, we got our teeth into the New Zealand-Australia series. So let’s say that one.
March, 2024
Most Popular
In March, I resumed my A to Z of Movie Sequels, Prequels, Franchises and Cinematic Universes with my B entry.
My Favourite
Let’s give some love to the India-England Test series. Here’s the final report card of the fifth Test.
April, 2024
Most Popular
April was quieter, but the most popular piece was definitely this list of new cricket terms. Work them into everyday cricket conversation, people!
My Favourite
I do secondary entries for my various A to Z movie franchise entries, covering off the honourable mentions. Obviously, the Jason Bourne films fell into that category.
B is also also for Bourne
The Bourne Identity (2002): A recently shot Italian fishing haul amnesiac attempts to uncover the secrets of his past while being pursued by assassins, which leads him to the astonishing discovery that he is, in fact, a resourceful and deadly Matt Damon.
May, 2024
Most Popular
Was it possible to talk about Jimmy Anderson without mentioning his age? It was not.
How Scientists Determine The Age of Jimmy Anderson
Famous elderly cricketer Jimmy Anderson has announced his imminent retirement from cricket. But how old, exactly, is Anderson? Prominent scientists offer their best estimates using the latest techniques.
My Favourite
A comic premise that, quite literally, came to me in a dream.
June, 2024
Most Popular
Ah, yes. The T20 World Cup. Remember when Josh Hazlewood mused about the merits of Australia losing their match to Scotland and knocking England out of the tournament. Yeah? That might explain why this one was the most popular.
My Favourite
Another dialogue-based comedy sketch, this time based around the Alfred Hitchcock film Shadow of a Doubt. (Fun fact: You don’t need to know anything about that movie to enjoy this piece.)
No Doubt At All
In an interview with Dick Cavett in 1972, Alfred Hitchcock was asked to name his personal favourite of the movies he directed. He answered Shadow of a Doubt. But now, for the first time, we can reveal the conversation that led to that slightly surprising revelation was edited for clarity. Here’s the transcript of the original, uncut conversation.
July, 2024
Most Popular
The retirement of Jimmy Anderson was covered in this popular report card.
My Favourite
I was very pleased with my coverage of the Jaws franchise.
August, 2024
Most Popular
This random day of an England-Sri Lanka Test got a lot of views. Why? Who knows.
My Favourite
Do you want a one-paragraph summary of every James Bond movie? Because I did that.
September, 2024
Most Popular
My rankings of the celebrations of some of Shane Warne’s greatest wickets. Very popular.
Ranking Healy/Gilchrist Celebrations of Warne Wickets
With Shane Warne’s birthday having recently passed, as it so annually does, a one-minute montage from Cricket Australia of some of his bowled dismissals began circulating on social media once more.
My Favourite
But easily my favourite - maybe even my favourite project of the year - was my Confabulannotated Sherlock Holmes series, a very weird project in which I’m providing fake footnotes for The Hound of the Baskervilles. Again, like the Shadow of a Doubt piece, there’s no need to know the underlying kick-off point for the jokes.
Honestly, if you haven’t tried it, please do.
The Confabulannotated Sherlock Holmes, Chapter 1.1
Have you ever wanted to read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mystery, The Hound of the Baskervilles, but were afraid you’d be lost? Fret not. For I’m here to guide you through the story, a quarter-chapter at a time, courtesy of my confabulannotations.
October, 2024
Most Popular
India scared the living daylights out of poor old Bangladesh in a Test I wasn’t otherwise covering. But so inspired was I by the slaughter, that I wrote this piece on it. India fans liked it, so it was comfortably my most read piece for the month.
Jump Scare Cricket
The recently concluded second Test between India and Bangladesh turned out to be a slasher flick.
My Favourite
Time for T in the A-Z of movie franchises. (You may have deduced by now that I’m not sticking strictly to the confines of so-called alphabetical order.)
November, 2024
Most Popular
At the end of the month, the Border-Gavaskar Series began between Australia and India. Jasprit Bumrah’s magnificent blitz on the first day of the Test got fans a-clickin’ through.
My Favourite
Stupidly, I didn’t cover the India-New Zealand series where New Zealand somehow pulled off a 3-0 win. I apologised for that dumb oversight here.
Errata
Okay, I made a mistake. I can’t watch and write about every series going on in the world (why not Dan, you coward?!), so I pick and choose, based on a variety of factors.
December, 2024
Most Popular
My annual award for the funniest moment/cricketer of the year is always popular. Thanks to the magnificence of Gulbadin Naib, this year was no exception.
Highly Commendable Dedication to the Art of Comedic Timing in and on the Field of Cricket (2024) - Gulbadin Naib
Quick behind the scenes insight here. Usually, I take my annual comedy cricket awards very seriously. I diligently gather all possible contenders together from throughout the year and award each of them weighted points based upon the myriad of factors that go into a great comedy cricket moment.
My Favourite
Probably this one. It’s all about the BGT at the moment.
Well, one thing’s for sure, I certainly did write a lot of nonsense here in 2024. If you want to join in all the fun in 2025, here’s your chance to do so. For a very limited time you can get 25% off an annual subscription. And keep that 25% discount forever. Amazing generosity from me. What a guy.
So, if that interests you, click on the button below and follow the prompts. What a way to start a new year. Good for you.
(You may also subscribe for free.)
here’s mine 😂
https://open.substack.com/pub/midnightmunchies/p/a-year-of-mildly-illegal-choices?r=22k3m0&utm_medium=ios