Traditional popular media (the Hays Code era, early network television) operated on a clear moral axis: good triumphed, crime was punished, and ambiguity resolved. The late 1990s and early 2000s saw the rise of the “prestige antihero” (Tony Soprano, Walter White, Don Draper). These characters were wicked not because they cackled, but because they justified the unjustifiable. Audiences began rooting for poisoners, serial killers, and fraudsters—not despite their wickedness, but because it felt authentic.
Discussing a wicked show (e.g., “Can you believe what Tom did in the finale?”) creates in-group intimacy. We bond by agreeing on what is deliciously wrong.
In 2024, the landscape has shifted. We no longer have a "24/10" culture; we have a "Content Culture." The difference is subtle but vital. wicked 24 10 11 kenzie taylor a good fit xxx 48
In the 24/10 era, media was an Event. You waited for the Wicked cast album to drop. You bought the physical CD. You listened to "Defying Gravity" in your car.
Today, media is Content. The upcoming Wicked movie, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, is not just a film; it is raw material for the content mill. Before the movie has even premiered, the marketing cycle has already generated thousands of pieces of derivative content: reaction videos to the trailer, TikTok challenges based on snippets of "Popular," and deep-dive analysis threads on X (formerly Twitter) about costume design. Traditional popular media (the Hays Code era, early
The movie is no longer the final product; it is the catalyst for a conversation. The "24/10" cycle used to be about consuming the product. The modern cycle is about participating in the discourse surrounding the product.
To understand where we are, we have to look back at the "24/10" era. This was the time of High School Musical, Hannah Montana, and the omnipresence of pop stars like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. It was an era defined by excess. Entertainment wasn't just a passive activity; it was a lifestyle. The "10" in "24/10" referred to the intensity—the bright colors, the catchy hooks, and the pervasive marketing that made sure you knew exactly when a new episode or album was dropping. In 2024, the landscape has shifted
Wicked the musical was born in this era (2003), but it matured alongside it. It became the definitive "theater kid" touchstone of the 2000s and 2010s. It thrived on the 24/10 energy of live performance: the belting vocals, the elaborate sets, and the communal experience of seeing a show live.
Streaming platforms will soon tailor not just recommendations but edits of shows—a more wicked version for one user (emphasizing betrayal), a less wicked for another (emphasizing redemption). The same content, two moral universes.