2. American Crime
Creator John Ridley and stars Felicity Huffman, Connor Jessup, and Joey Pollari told BuzzFeed News how socially responsible storytelling turned the ABC drama into the most daring TV show in years. (By Jarett Wieselman)
3. American Idol
Since 2002, American Idol has discovered unknown talented singers and offered them the chance to achieve superstar status. While not everyone has reached the heights of Kelly Clarkson or Jennifer Hudson, many have left indelible marks on the hearts and ears of the viewers who did “Dial Idol” for them. Before the series finale, BuzzFeed News asked past contestants to reflect upon how the show changed their lives. Within are their slightly edited responses. (By Jarett Wieselman)
5. Asian-Amerians on Broadway
Hamilton has been hailed as the start of a new, less white era on Broadway, but many remain underrepresented onstage. As Asian-American actors celebrate progress, they also reveal the stark realities that prove how far theater still has to go. (By Louis Peitzman)
6. Big Brother
It’s poetic justice that a woman emerged victorious on Big Brother 18, considering the fact that male contestants groped women this season, critiqued their bodies in lecherous and condemning ways, and spewed some truly heinous opinions about women in general — like when Paulie Calafiore was heard on the live feed calling women “dumpsters” for male bodily fluids. “It was hell and it felt like hell,” Da’Vonne Rogers told BuzzFeed News of living inside the Big Brother house for 99 days. (By Jarett Wieselman)
8. Dear Evan Hansen
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the songwriters behind the new hit musical Dear Evan Hansen and lyricists of La La Land, are bringing devastating honesty to audiences on the stage and screen. (By Louis Petizman)
10. The Edge of Seventeen
Hailee Steinfeld and The Edge of Seventeen writer-director Kelly Fremon Craig told BuzzFeed News how their film nails the teenage experience — in the best and worst ways. (By Krystie Lee Yandoli)
11. Falsettos
Falsettos’ radical depiction of gay relationships and chosen families was ahead of its time when it opened on Broadway in 1992. Nearly 25 years later, it’s been revived for a new generation that’s living in a world that once seemed like a far-off fantasy. (By Louis Peitzman)
12. Ghostbusters
After its difficult road to theaters, Ghostbusters director and co-writer Paul Feig and co-writer Katie Dippold talked to BuzzFeed News about why the movie became a cause célèbre among misogynists. (By Kate Aurthur)
18. How to Get Away With Murder
Pete Nowalk told BuzzFeed News what two years at the helm of How to Get Away With Murder has taught him about listening to his actors, perfectionism, and learning from his mistakes. (By Jarett Wieselman)
19. Jane the Virgin
Jennie Snyder Urman has turned The CW’s charming comedy into TV’s most topical show by creating an onscreen world that reflects — and comments on — our real world. (By Jarett Wieselman)
20. Joy
BuzzFeed News exclusively obtained a copy of Joy’s original script by Bridesmaids’ Annie Mumolo — here’s how it compares to David O. Russell’s WTF version that played in theaters. (By Kate Aurthur)
22. The Backlash Against Me Before You
Disability rights activists have rallied against the normalization of suicide for disabled people in Me Before You. Protesters told BuzzFeed News the scope of the protest is unprecedented. (By Ariane Lange)
24. A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge
After starring in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, Mark Patton left Hollywood behind. More than 30 years later, the film has become a homoerotic cult classic — and its leading man is coming to terms with what he calls the “ultimate betrayal.” (By Louis Peitzman)
25. Nina
More than 11 years in the making, Nina was accused of racist casting and wounded by behind-the-scenes fighting. The filmmakers tell BuzzFeed News how it all went so wrong. (By Kate Aurthur)
28. Sausage Party
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and the filmmaking team behind Sausage Party talk with BuzzFeed News about the10 years it took to make the first-ever R-rated CG animated movie about a lesbian taco, a Jewish bagel, and an evil literal douche. (By Adam B. Vary)
30. Sense8
It was an eventful first half of 2016 for Netflix’s impossible-to-categorize drama, with co-creator Lilly Wachowski taking leave and the exit of one of its series regulars. But the Sense8 cast told BuzzFeed News it’s all in service of creating the most inventive, emotional, and powerful episodes possible. (By Jarett Wieselman)
31. The Star Trek Fandom
Science fiction’s most venerable franchise marked its 50th anniversary with a new movie and its first new TV series in over a decade. But the chance to unify and mobilize its famously devoted — and demanding — fanbase may be the true final frontier. (By Adam B. Vary)
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