Terry Gross

The podcasts that spoke to me the most this year tended to be small and scrappy. The best was Dead Eyes, Connor Ratliff's quixotic quest to reconcile himself with the frustrations of life in show biz.

The comic, actor and writer opens up about his name, his family tree and his sexual orientation in an HBO special. "The more honest I am, the freer I am," he says. Originally broadcast April 18, 2022.

Sterlin Harjo says society has a tendency to be "very precious with Native people." His irreverent series follows four teens on a reservation. Originally broadcast Sept. 19, 2022.