Entertainment 2015: Year in review

Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner speaks on stage at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards where she receives an award, in the Manhattan borough of New York November 9, 2015. Carlo Allegri/Reuters

There were goodbyes (Jon Stewart, David Letterman, "Mad Men") and hellos (Adele!). "Star Wars" reawakened, and a ballerina and an unheralded Founding Father both hit the zeitgeist. But the pop-culture moment that fascinated us most? That had to be the emergence of Caitlyn Jenner.

Click through to see our very selective trip down pop culture memory lane.

January

Tina Fey, Margaret Cho and Amy Poehler speak onstage during the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in California, Jan. 11, 2015. Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Remember we began the year talking about North Korea? At the Golden Globes, Tina Fey welcomes the TV audience to honor "all the movies that North Korea was O.K. with" -- a reference to the Sony hacking story striking fear across the land (or at least La La Land.) But by next month, we're talking about ...

February

Many questions have been asked about the lack of diversity among Oscar nominees. All of this year's Best Actor and Best Actress nominees were white. Senior film and media reporter at “Variety” Brent Lang joins CBSN to shed light on the subject. 05:05

...#OscarsSoWhite. The Twitter hashtag protests the fact that all the Oscar acting nominees are white; "Selma" director Ava DuVernay is snubbed along with star David Oyelowo.

At the ceremony, prominent honorees speak out for voting rights, gender equality in Hollywood, and privacy from government snooping. Meanwhile on TV, the swift downfall of "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams begins when he's suspended for making misleading statements about his role in news stories.

David Carr of the New York Times talks about Brian Williams' suspension 04:13

March

We take a look at the background on comedian Trevor Noah, who will replace Jon Stewart as host of the Daily Show. Director David Paul Meyer shares some of his personal and professional experiences with the new anchor. 02:48

We'll still have our nightly Jon Stewart fix 'til August, but we learn that a little-known, 31-year-old South African comic, Trevor Noah,will succeed him.

In Hollywood news, Harrison Ford, 73, crashes his vintage plane into a golf course. Luckily for him -- and for "Star Wars" fans -- dashing Han Solo will make a full recovery.

Meet the cast of "Star Wars: Episode VII" 36 photos

April

The Olympian and reality TV star formerly known as "Bruce" debuted on the cover of Vanity Fair as "Caitlyn Jenner". Entertainment Tonight correspondent Nischelle Turner has the latest reaction from her family and fans. 10:27

"I'm a woman." With those three words to Diane Sawyer, former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner, then still called Bruce, begins a public transition that will captivate the country. Stay tuned for more.

Caitlyn Jenner's transformation 49 photos

May

CBS' longtime "Late Show" host retired Wednesday night in a finale that focused more on laughter than nostalgia. A long list of big names including Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Carey, Tina Fey and Bill Murray showed up to help Letterman say goodbye. Vladimir Duthiers reports. 04:38

After seven seasons, "Mad Men" ends, with suave ad man Don Draper (Jon Hamm) having an epiphany at a yoga retreat.

David Letterman says goodbye after 33 years on late-night TV ("Our long national nightmare is over," proclaim a succession of presidents in a joke montage.)

Met Costume Institute Gala 2015 73 photos

Across the pond, baby Charlotte arrives.

Tom Cruise hangs off a plane (really!) in the new "Mission Impossible" flick.

Rihanna, wearing a ginormous fur cape, and Beyonce, wearing hardly anything, compete to steal the show at the Met Gala.

June

The Olympian and reality TV star formerly known as "Bruce" debuted on the cover of Vanity Fair as "Caitlyn Jenner". Entertainment Tonight correspondent Nischelle Turner has the latest reaction from her family and fans. 10:27

Her name is Caitlyn: Jenner makes a smashing entrance -- with a corset, a brand new name and a fascinating story to tell - on the cover of Vanity Fair.

Ballerina Misty Copeland launches a banner year when she stars in "Swan Lake," then is named the first black female principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre's 75 year history.

July

Fans of writer Harper Lee were excited to hear that she is planning to release an unpublished sequel to the American classic "To Kill A Mockingbird," but now friends of the author are protesting. They say she would never agree to release the book and that she is possibly being taken advantage of. CBS News legal analyst Rikki Klieman joins "CBS This Morning: Saturday" to discuss the case. 03:42

Seems like we're always talking about Taylor Swift. This month she brings her own "squad" -- the U.S. women's soccer team- - onstage, days after their stirring World Cup win over Japan.

In literary news, many fans of Harper Lee's iconic "To Kill a Mockingbird" are stunned when that novel's hero, Atticus Finch, is given a makeover as a racist in the author's "Go Set a Watchman," seen as essentially an early -- and very different -- version of "Mockingbird."

And on one striking cover of New York Magazine, 35 of Bill Cosby's accusers appear, all describing alleged assaults by the once-revered comedian.

Thirty-five of Bill Cosby's accusers sat for a cover photo for New York Magazine. New York Magazine

August

Jon Stewart takes final bows from "The Daily Show" Comedian Jon Stewart sat in the host's chair of his satirical news show for the last time this past week. He talked about his nearly two-decade run, and some of his most memorable interviews, with former colleague Mo Rocca. 09:34

Jon Stewart ends 16 years at the "Daily Show" with a reminder to his fans to be vigilant against falsehoods -- er, dishonesty -- er misinformation (we're still not using his word of choice.)

And on Broadway, in a transformation as unlikely as it is refreshing, onetime Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton -- the guy on the $10 bill- - becomes a pop culture star, thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda's smash musical "Hamilton." Miranda also finds time between shows to compose music for the Cantina scene in the new "Star Wars" film, a nice pop-culture mashup moment.

Hamilton 14:59

September

"The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert tells "Face the Nation" what he thinks of the outspoken businessman who has dominated the 2016 Republican presidential primary. 01:30

It's a major year for comedian Amy Schumer. She signs a memoir deal in the high seven figures, a reflection of her rapidly escalating fame.

On CBS, Stephen Colbert launches his "Late Show" with the declaration that "I will be covering all the presidential candidates ... who are Donald Trump." He then promptly falls into an Oreo-cookie coma as he consumes one cookie per Trump joke. By year's end, with Trump dominating headlines, Colbert might want to consider a bulk order.

Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton mimics Trump on Jimmy Fallon's "Tonight Show," but a few months later, she'll tell Seth Meyers: "I no longer think he's funny."

October

Beyond a box office hit, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," the franchise's seventh installment, has become part of a cinematic tradition being shared by generations. Michelle Miller reports on the cultural phenomenon bringing people together. 03:22

"Star Wars" fans are going nuts: The trailer's out for "The Force Awakens." It is parsed for clues: Why are Han Solo and Leia hugging?

A new James Bond film is out, but "Spectre" gets middling reviews.

And hey, it's "Back to the Future" day! It's 2015, the year in which the second installment was based. Cars don't fly yet, but they did get the flat-screen TVs right - and our own kids are zipping around on hoverboards.

November

Grammy-winning singer Adele says her highly anticipated album "25" will not be available on streaming music sites like Spotify, following in the footsteps of pop star Taylor Swift. Billboard senior editor Alex Gale spoke to CBSN about the impact. 04:33

Hello indeed, Adele! The soulful Brit debuts her long-awaited album, "25," and it gives a huge year-end boost to the music industry; it'll sell a whopping 5 million copies in just three weeks. In fact, we're going to give Adele November's entry all to herself.

December

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" took the spotlight this week, as people around the world prepared to watch the premiere. CBS News' Jennifer Zabasajja has this week's entertainment headlines from this galaxy and beyond. 01:35

And it's here. ("Star Wars," silly.) Fans are camping out at the multiplex.

While they await, they may wish to comb through some celebrity mags, where they'll see news of the latest high-profile baby, Saint West, son of Kimye and step-grandson to Caitlyn Jenner. Maybe Saint can have a playdate with Charlotte. Maybe they can all go see "Star Wars" -- the reviews are great. Relief echoes across the galaxies.