49 Movies And TV Shows We Loved, Hated, And Couldn't Stop Writing About In 2014

From The Good Wife and Mad Men to Guardians of the Galaxy and Gone Girl, there were television shows and films that the staff of BuzzFeed Entertainment couldn't stop talking about this year. Let's get critical!

Netflix; Walt Disney Pictures; Paramount Pictures; Twentieth Century Fox; FX; Universal Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures; BBC; CBS Video; Lionsgate; HBO; Walt Disney Pictures / Jace Lacob for BuzzFeed

1. The Good Wife

CBS

“The Good Wife” Is The Best Show On Television Right Now by Jace Lacob

The CBS legal drama, now in its sixth season, continually shakes up its narrative foundations and proves itself fearless in the process. Spoilers ahead, if you’re not up to date on the show.

Was That “Good Wife” Twist Cheap Or Profound? by Jace Lacob and Louis Peitzman

No one saw that coming, not even BuzzFeed Entertainment Editorial Director Jace Lacob and Senior Editor Louis Peitzman, who discuss the shocking reveal on the legal drama. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD, if you haven’t watched.

2. Mad Men

AMC

The Midseason Finale Of “Mad Men” Is One Giant Leap Forward by Jace Lacob

Don’t be fooled: Matthew Weiner’s period drama has always been about the future. Warning: Contains spoilers for “Waterloo.”

3. The Interview

Sony Pictures

“The Interview” Is The Most Dangerous Dumb Comedy In The World by Alison Willmore

Here’s guessing Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and James Franco never thought their North Korea assassination comedy would come to this.

4. The Hunger Games

Lionsgate

How “The Hunger Games” Challenges Old Hollywood Expectations About Gender Roles by Alison Willmore

Peeta Mellark, damsel in distress.

5 Reasons Why “Mockingjay - Part 1” Is The Darkest “Hunger Games” Movie Yet by Alison Willmore

The whole fight-to-the-death aspect of the first two Hunger Games films wasn’t exactly light, but in the franchise’s latest installment, which is out in theaters Nov. 21, things gets even more grim.

5. Too Many Cooks

Adult Swim

What’s Behind Our Obsession With “Too Many Cooks” by Jace Lacob

Adult Swim’s surreal satire of sitcoms subverts our expectations of nostalgia. You might be able to go home, but it will never be the same.

6. Unbroken

Universal

Angelina Jolie’s “Unbroken” Leaves The Best Part Of Its Story Off Screen by Alison Willmore

The actor’s third film as a director tells the incredible true story of Louis Zamperini, but skips the half that makes it all resonant.

7. Looking

Touchstone Television / HBO / John Gara for BuzzFeed

Why Gay Men Still Love "The Golden Girls" by Louis Peitzman

The first season of HBO’s Looking closed with the theme song from The Golden Girls, a testament to the ’80s sitcom’s enduring effect on gay men. Here’s why queer people continue to flock to the series, nearly 30 years after its premiere.

8. Orange Is the New Black

Netflix

The Whole Of “Orange Is The New Black” Season 2 Is Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts by Jace Lacob

After a sterling first season, expectations were high for the sophomore season of Jenji Kohan’s female prison drama. Fortunately, Season 2 proved to be just as juicy, sweet, and tart as you’d want it to be. (MAJOR SPOILERS ahead.)

Breaking Down "Orange Is The New Black" Season 2 Episode By Episode by Jaimie Etkin and Ariane Lange

Two of BuzzFeed’s most obsessed Orange fans discuss each episode of the Netflix prison drama’s sophomore season. Now with all 13 episodes!

9. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me

CBS Video

“Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces” Makes You See “Fire Walk With Me” In A Different Way by Jace Lacob

David Lynch unveiled nearly 90 minutes of deleted and extended scenes from his 1992 film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me at a Los Angeles theater last night. It was intense and weird.

10. Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel Studios

“Guardians Of The Galaxy” Is The Most Winningly Weird Superhero Movie Of The Summer by Alison Willmore

Marvel’s oddball adaptation is one of its more obscure properties, but it turns out to be an incredibly good time.

11. Wild

Fox Searchlight

Reese Witherspoon Plays The Year’s Most Satisfying Female Character In “Wild” by Alison Willmore

This ain’t no Eat Pray Love.

12. The Babadook

IFC Films

The Year’s Most Inventive Horror Movie Will Awaken Your Childhood Nightmares by Alison Willmore

The Babadook combines an ominous picture book with a mother pushed to the breaking point, showing how creepy children’s literature can be.

13. Girls

HBO

A “Girls” Lover And Hater Debate The Season 3 Premiere by Jace Lacob and Jaimie Etkin

The always buzzed about HBO comedy returned tonight and BuzzFeed’s Entertainment Editorial Director Jace Lacob, who’s looked forward to watching every episode of the series, and Deputy Entertainment Editor Jaimie Etkin, who’s begrudgingly watched every episode of the series, discussed the back-to-back episodes. They agreed on one thing. Maybe two.

14. If I Stay

Warner Bros./MGM

7 Ways "If I Stay" Is Upsetting For All The Wrong Reasons by Alison Willmore

The new YA adaptation starring Chloë Grace Moretz may ruin you, but not in the way the filmmakers intended. Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD!

15. Veronica Mars

Warner Bros. Pictures

A Lover And A Hater Debate The "Veronica Mars" Movie by Jace Lacob and Kate Aurthur

BuzzFeed’s Entertainment Editorial Director Jace Lacob and Chief Los Angeles Correspondent Kate Aurthur sat down to discuss the sequel film. They agreed on one thing. Maybe two.

16. Exodus: Gods and Kings

Twentieth Century Fox

Ridley Scott’s “Exodus: Gods And Kings” Offers An Embarrassingly Outdated View Of Race by Alison Willmore

The new Christian Bale–led Biblical film updates Moses in every way except the most important one.

17. Downton Abbey

Nick Briggs/Carnival Films 2014 for MASTERPIECE

"Downton Abbey" Season 5 Begins With A Jolt by Jace Lacob

Julian Fellowes’ costume drama begins its fifth year with a slew of domestic intrigues in place, as well as some new tensions. WARNING: Minor spoilers ahead!

18. How to Get Away With Murder

ABC

"How To Get Away With Murder" Doesn’t Quite Get Away With Its Framing Device by Jace Lacob

The Shonda Rhimes-executive produced legal thriller might be pushing some boundaries, but its over-reliance on a wonky narrative device is leaving something to be desired. Warning: Contains spoilers if you are not up to date on the show.

Nothing Else Mattered After That Wig Came Off On “How To Get Away With Murder” by Kelley L. Carter

Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) dared to go bare on Thursday night’s How to Get Away With Murder. WARNING: Spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen the fourth episode!

19. Black-ish

ABC, Carsey-Werner Productions, Courtesy of Kelley Carter

How “Black-ish” Reflects My Own Experience As A Black Person In America by Kelley L. Carter

ABC’s new family sitcom — the No. 1 new comedy of the season — isn’t just challenging the largely lily-white comedy lineup of the networks, it’s doing something more: reminding me of my own childhood.

20. Snowpiercer

The Weinstein Company

"Snowpiercer" Should Have Been The Breakout Blockbuster Of The Summer by Anne Helen Petersen

Bong Joon-ho’s dystopian masterpiece ought to be the film that everyone’s talking about this summer, just like Spielberg’s Jaws in 1975. So what went wrong? Warning: Spoilers for Snowpiercer ahead.

21. Into the Woods

Walt Disney Studios

“Into The Woods” Has Always Been For Adults, Not Children by Louis Peitzman

The beloved Sondheim musical is being adapted for film by Disney, but not even the composer’s recent statement praising the film is calming the frayed nerves of the faithful. WARNING: Major spoilers for Into the Woods, both the musical and the film adaptation.

22. The Newsroom

HBO

“The Newsroom,” UVA, And Our “Moral Obligation” To Believe Alleged Rapists by Ariane Lange

The most recent episode of the HBO series perfectly captures rape culture in the wake of Rolling Stone’s apology for “misplacing trust” in an alleged rape victim at the University of Virginia. WARNING: Spoilers ahead for the Dec. 7 episode of The Newsroom.

23. Call the Midwife

BBC

7 Reasons "Call The Midwife" Is One Of The Best Shows On Television by Jace Lacob

Besides the number of times this period drama makes you sob like a baby.

24. You're The Worst

FX

7 Reasons You Should Be Watching “You’re The Worst” by Louis Peitzman

Two truths: FX’s anti-romantic comedy is one of the funniest sitcoms on TV. And, yes, Daniel Craig looks like an upset baby.

25. Scandal

ABC

T.G.I.T. Is Changing The Way We See Sex On Network TV by Jarett Wieselman and Jaimie Etkin

From rimming to Eiffel Towering, Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder are forever altering how sex is shown on network TV.

How The “Scandal” Effect Has Changed Television by Kate Aurthur

Starting this fall, TV will look more like life — with more actors of color leading casts than ever before.

26. The Affair

The Weinstein Company; Showtime; 20th Century Fox/Jenny Chang for BuzzFeed

"The Affair” Advances Hollywood’s Heated War-Between-The-Sexes Conversation by Jace Lacob

The new Showtime drama joins movies Gone Girl and The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby in its exploration of gender wars, a topic that’s currently heating up the pop culture landscape. Warning: Minor spoilers for both films and the series ahead.

27. Birdman

Fox Searchlight

“Birdman” Will Make You Fall Back In Love With Movies by Alison Willmore

Michael Keaton makes a thrilling comeback in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s movie about acting, fame, and the hilarious messiness of life. It’s one of the year’s best.

28. True Blood

HBO

6 Reasons We Keep Watching Shows After They’ve Jumped The Shark by Louis Peitzman

Why bad TV happens to good people. Warning: Spoilers for the True Blood series finale — if you still care.

29. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Paramount Pictures

5 Ways The New "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Makes The 1990 Movie Look Like A Masterpiece by Alison Willmore

Do you love being a turtle? You won’t after this new movie. WARNING: Possible spoilers ahead!

30. Teen Wolf

MTV

Why Allison Argent Matters Beyond "Teen Wolf" by Louis Peitzman

With the character of Allison (Crystal Reed), Teen Wolf changed the role of women in supernatural romance. WARNING: Major spoilers for “Insatiable.”

31. Gone Girl

Twentieth Century Fox

“Gone Girl” Is Now A Sleek But Hollow Movie by Alison Willmore

Director David Fincher and stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike have made a film adaptation that feels nastier and less balanced than Gillian Flynn’s novel. Warning: Minor spoilers ahead!

Debating The Complicated Gender Roles In "Gone Girl" by Adam B. Vary and Jaimie Etkin

With Gone Girl now in theaters, BuzzFeed’s Senior Film Reporter Adam B. Vary and Deputy Entertainment Editor Jaimie Etkin have very different feelings about the movie, and what it’s trying to say about men and women. They agreed on one thing. Maybe two. Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS ahead!

The Problem With "Gone Girl" Is That There’s No "Cool Girl" by Anne Helen Petersen

David Fincher’s film, based on Gillian Flynn’s novel, doesn’t so much bring the “Cool Girl” polemic to the masses as dilute its scathing argument. Warning: This post contains MAJOR SPOILERS if you have not read or seen Gone Girl.

32. The Leftovers

HBO

In Defense Of The “Most Desolate, Despairing” Show On Television by Jaimie Etkin and Alison Willmore

The most recent episode of The Leftovers has some critics quitting the show. But here’s why two BuzzFeed staffers are still riveted.

33. American Horror Story

FX

"American Horror Story" Is Fundamentally Flawed by Ariane Lange

The fourth installment of the FX anthology series, titled Freak Show, wants able-bodied people to feel good about themselves. Seriously, we shouldn’t. Warning: Spoilers ahead if you have not seen the season premiere.

34. Whiplash

Sony Pictures Classics

Miles Teller’s “Whiplash” Is An Inspirational Teacher Story Gone Disturbingly Wrong by Alison Willmore

The future member of the Fantastic Four stars alongside J.K. Simmons in an exhilarating new movie that makes drumming look as ferocious as boxing.

35. High Maintenance

Janky Clown Productions

The Most Poignant Pot Comedy On The Internet by Alison Willmore

The fantastic web series High Maintenance is more than worth your time — it’s even worth investing a few bucks.

36. Game of Thrones

HBO

Where Season 4 Of “Game Of Thrones” Went Wrong by Louis Peitzman

The latest season of HBO’s hit fantasy drama looked perfect from far away, but up close it was a big old mess. WARNING: Spoilers through the season finale.

37. The Knick

Cinemax

The Show That Will Change Everything You Think You Know About Period Dramas by Alison Willmore and Anne Helen Petersen

Steven Soderbergh’s new Cinemax series The Knick, starring Clive Owen, is a gorgeous medical drama about when surgery was more like butchery.

38. Nightcrawler

Open Road Films

The Most Explosive Film Of The Fall by Alison Willmore and Adam B. Vary

Why everyone’s going to be talking about Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance as a gleefully amoral cameraman in Nightcrawler.

39. Fargo

FX

“Fargo” Reinforced Patriarchy From The Beginning by Ariane Lange

Despite the show’s outstanding female lead, we should have seen this macho bullshit coming.

40. The Giver

Weinstein Company

4 Ways “The Giver” Turns A Beloved Novel Into Just Another Dystopian Teen Movie by Alison Willmore

Jonas is now 16, in love with Fiona, and a beefcake. WARNING: Spoilers for the book and the movie ahead!

41. Selma

Paramount Pictures

Ferguson And Eric Garner Have Made “Selma” Painfully Relevant by Alison Willmore

It is set five decades in the past, but Ava DuVernay’s film about Martin Luther King Jr. feels shockingly timely.

42. The Comeback

HBO

How Valerie Cherish And “The Comeback” Capture The Reality Of Being Fake by Louis Peitzman

As Lisa Kudrow’s fame-obsessed character prepares to return to HBO, the show illuminates the desperation of today’s real-life celebrity reality TV stars.

43. A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night

Kino Lorber

There’s Never Been A Vampire Movie Like This Before by Alison Willmore

The first-ever Iranian feminist vampire western, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, is so very cool.

44. Interstellar

Paramount Pictures

"Interstellar" Is The Ultimate Movie About An All-American Bro Saving Humanity by Alison Willmore

Christopher Nolan gets his biggest canvas yet, but still can’t figure out a way to balance his spectacularly realized action with human drama.

45. Magic in the Moonlight

Sony Pictures Classics

Why Woody Allen’s Lighthearted New Movie May Still Tie You In Knots by Kate Aurthur and Alison Willmore

Magic in the Moonlight is a paper-thin trifle — but somehow is still hard to watch. BuzzFeed Film Critic Alison Willmore and Chief Los Angeles Correspondent Kate Aurthur discuss the film’s pitfalls.

46. Big Hero 6

Walt Disney Pictures

6 Reasons To Fall In Love With Disney’s "Big Hero 6" by Alison Willmore

The latest Disney movie is more than just the animation giant’s first superhero feature.

47. The Killing

Netflix

“The Killing” Comes To A Close With A Colossal Mistake by Louis Peitzman

The six-episode final season, released exclusively on Netflix, ties up its loose ends a little too neatly. Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS ahead.

48. The Clouds of Sils Maria and Camp X-Ray

IFC Films

Kristen Stewart Walked Away From The Glamour To Become A Real Star by Alison Willmore and Emily Orley

So long, Bella; hello… Oscar? The Twilight actor is leaving behind mainstream fare to rebrand herself with a trio of ambitious dramas this year.

Kristen Stewart Says Good-Bye To "Twilight" With Sundance’s "Camp X-Ray" by Kate Aurthur

The actress formerly synonymous with Bella Swan plays a guard at Guantanamo Bay in this intense dramatic film.

49. Inherent Vice

Warner Bros.

"Inherent Vice" Is The Stoner Noir You Didn’t Know You Needed by Alison Willmore

Joaquin Phoenix does a ton of drugs while trying to unravel an incomprehensible mystery in the new movie from the director of There Will Be Blood. And it’s great.