The end of 2015 is looming ever closer, so it's only appropriate that we look back and reflect on all of the incredibly important things that happened throughout the year: who took the best selfie, which nannies caused the most celebrity breakups, how LOL-worthy Kim and Kanye's silly baby names are. You know, the important stuff. But the end of the year is also a time to recognize which names in entertainment dominated the headlines because of their talent and successes and not just for unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions or salacious tweets that were quickly deleted.
That brings us to Amy Schumer. The comedienne, 34, enjoyed arguably the best 2015 of any entertainer as she stole not one, not two but three shows and finally broke into the mainstream in a big way. Let's review her big year.
"Inside Amy Schumer"
With "Chappelle's Show" far in the rear view mirror and "Key & Peele" leaving the airwaves, Comedy Central likely had big plans for Schumer's sketch comedy show, which premiered in 2013. As a stand-up, Schumer has always been able to subvert stereotypes with ease while offering sharp satirical talking points, yet "Inside Amy Schumer" failed to initially translate the performer's skill set to the small screen. Don't get us wrong, the first two seasons of the series were very enjoyable, but they didn't exactly pop like many expected.
That all changed in 2015. Season three upped the edginess while raising important questions to audiences (is Amy "hot enough to be on TV?"). There's more social commentary and self-deprecating humor from Schumer, which really brings a center to the series. The sketches "Last F---able Day" and "12 Angry Men Inside Amy Schumer" became the buzzy, trending viral videos of the year due to their obvious hilarity and on-point messages. It's no surprise that "Inside Amy Schumer's" third season boasts a 100 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and even took home a Peabody Award in 2015.
"Inside Amy Schumer" really came into its own this season and has taken an enormous leap forward in terms of content. It's a must-watch for anyone who likes to laugh.
"Trainwreck"
Amy Schumer is following the typical Hollywood path in a very atypical way. Though TV has become the "it" medium in recent years, stars still tend to transition from the small screen to the big. When it comes to actresses, the easiest, most available and least threatening opportunity to do this is through cookie-cutter romantic comedy roles (which says something about the sorry state of Hollywood). Katherine Heigl, Jennifer Aniston, Mila Kunis - you see it all the time.
But Schumer doesn't look like those women and she uses that to her advantage. Instead of playing some dainty ditz who overcomes some minor personal issue to finally find happiness in the form of a boyfriend, Schumer inverts all of our expectations with this past summer's "Trainwreck." Based on a script she wrote herself, Schumer plays a hard-partying mess of a woman who sleeps around and has serious problems with intimacy. It's a far cry from the boring rom-com lead you've become accustomed to.
But that's what makes "Trainwreck" work. These are real, flawed people we're seeing who also happen to be hilarious. It's a great mix of genuine emotion and comedy, and with nearly $140 million at the worldwide box office, Hollywood studios are going to want to work with Schumer again in the very near future.
"Amy Schumer Live At The Apollo"
Schumer may be blowing up with a successful television show and a summer hit at the box office, but stand-up comedy is still her first love. It is on stage where Schumer cut her teeth and developed her singular sense of humor. In October, she returned to the stage with her HBO special filmed at the famed Apollo Theater in New York.
The special turned out to be everything we've come to want from Schumer: irreverence, loud laughs, special insights and complete deconstructions of archaic institutions and societal norms (the differences between men and women have never been highlighted with this fresh of an outlook). One minute, she's a stand-up comic making you laugh with fart jokes. The next, she's a trailblazer with groundbreaking viewpoints that challenge the status quo. It's a careful balancing act that few other performers have managed to pull off so easily.
Take a bow, Amy Schumer. You are one of the best and brightest in entertainment, and you earned everything you got in 2015. Now, can you do it all again next year?
