On this week’s dispatch, Dana is joined by comrades in arms Sam Adams and Isaac Butler to take on Paul Thomas Anderson’s thrilling and incendiary new film One Battle After Another. Starring Leonard DiCaprio, the action epic depicts an America one notch away from our own fractured republic. Does the target of its revolutionary fantasia hit too close? They discuss. Next, they kvell about Long Story Short, the new, time-jumping family comedy from the creators of BoJack Horseman. Finally, they turn to the Great White Way to assess the dire state of the business of Broadway musicals as written about in a recent piece by Michael Paulson in the New York Times. There was so much to say about One Battle After Another, the gang kept gabbing for an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode. Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Endorsements Sam: If possible, seeing One Battle After Another in its native format VistaVision. Isaac: The Criterion Channel’s Robert Altman collection and for a great date night movie Splitsville. Dana: The writing of the late Kaleb Horton, particularly his essay "walking through los angeles when the crows are screaming and going through your garbage." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode, Julia and Dana are joined by Slate writer (and Philadelphia native) Nadira Goffe for a conversation rooted in Delaware County about Task, HBO’s new gritty crime drama from the creators of Mare of Easttown.  Next, the hosts give longtime listeners what they’ve been chirping for: a discussion of birding. Specifically, it’s a discussion about the dirtbag, gonzo, totally self-produced and independently released documentary Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching. Finally, they get into the Jimmy Kimmel situation. Why was his show cancelled, then uncancelled, then blacked out from several media markets? What does it mean for the state of free speech and democracy itself? In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel is joined by Dan Kois to delight in Slate’s package on The 25 Best Picture Books of the Past 25 Years. Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Endorsements Nadira: In addition to the Explore.org's Fat Bear Week, the work of singer-songwriter KeiyaA who recently released the tracks "stupid prizes" and "take it" from her forthcoming album hooke’s law. Dana: Seeing Stanley Kubrick’s epic Barry Lyndon in its 4K re-release on the best screen you possibly can. Julia: Meghan O'Rourke's New York Times essay "I Teach Creative Writing. This Is What A.I. Is Doing to Students." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Steve and Dana are joined by guest host Dan Kois to turn the volume up to… well, how hard Spinal Tap II: The End Continues rocks is the question of the day. They debate the mockumentary sequel which reunites the original Tap gang for a surprisingly tender portrait of aged rock stars. Next, they turn their icy gaze at the POV-shifting, soapy series The Girlfriend, starring Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke as the warring mother and girlfriend of a wealthy young man. Finally, they appreciate the life and work of Hollywood’s foremost golden boy/rebel outsider Robert Redford. In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, they savor the recipes of chef Samin Nosrat, who Dan profiled in the New Yorker on the launch of her new cookbook Good Things. Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Endorsements: Dana: The Louis Malle classic two-hander featuring Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn, My Dinner with Andre. Dan: The newsletter Looking at Picture Books by author Mac Barnett and author/illustrator Jon Klassen. Steve: Donna Leon’s Guido Brunetti mystery novels. (And while we’re talking about Italian detectives, the Inspector Montalbano mysteries by Andrea Camilleri.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia crack open the latest edition of The Paper, a new mockumentary set in the The Office universe. They debate whether the tried and true sitcom formula still delivers and assess its portrayal of local journalism. Next, they share their feelings about two couples who are terrible at sharing theirs in Splitsville, the marriage farce created and starring Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino with Dakota Johnson and ​​Adria Arjona. Finally, the heterofatalist discourse continues in their conversation with Slate music critic Carl Wilson about Man’s Best Friend, the latest release from the spritely, cheeky, and controversy-stirring Sabrina Carpenter.  In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel takes up the business of cultural criticism in a discussion inspired by the recent New York Magazine piece “Do Media Organizations Even Want Cultural Criticism.” Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Endorsements: Julia: The very Julia Turner-coded board games Hues and Cues. Carl: The documentary Sunday Best about Ed Sullivan by the late music journalist Sacha Jenkins and CMAT’s new album Euro-Country and the video playlist that goes with it. Steve: The book Computer Power and Human Reason by Joseph Weizenbaum. Dana: Astor Piazolla's "Otoño Porteño," played by the Neave Trio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Steve, Julia and guest host Isaac Butler visit a pre-gentrified 1990s New York to discuss the gritty crime romp Caught Stealing directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Austin Butler (no relation). Next, it’s off to Cooper’s Chase, an English manor turned retirement community, to take up the case of The Thursday Murder Club, Netflix’s new film adaptation of the beloved cozy mystery series. Finally, they assess what the film studio A24’s rise—and potential fall—means for the movie business in their conversation about “Empire of Auteurs,” a recent New Yorker piece by Alex Barasch. In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, they look at the rise and actual, well-documented fall of the longform narrative podcast. Endorsements: Isaac: The Off-Broadway show Ginger Twinsies, a hilarious, R-rated parody of the Parent Trap. Also, Emily Adrian’s new novel Seduction Theory. Julia: The New Yorker essay “Inside the World of Great ‘British Bake Off’” by former contestant Ruby Tandoh. Steve: The new The Beths album Straight Line Was a Lie and the essay “On Resistance” by Adam Phillips in the London Review of Books. Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Dana, Julia, and Steve are joined by special fourth guest host: Wesley Morris of the New York Times. The foursome wield their sharpest critical tools for a discussion of the horror hit Weapons. Whether the twisty thrill ride hits its intended target— and what exactly is said target— is up for debate. Next, they take up the latest Spike Lee joint Highest 2 Lowest which reunites the legendary director with Denzel Washington and riffs on an Akira Kurosawa classic. Finally, they examine the “Performative Male” trend popping up in TikTok, style sections, and costume contests around the globe. Is it an embodiment of real gendered anxiety or internet nonsense? In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel gets into all the shocks and surprises of Weapons’s finale in a spoiler-filled conversation. Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Endorsements Steve: Music by the jazz pianist Bobo Stenson, specifically his album Serenity. Julia: Wesley Morris’s stellar new culture podcast Cannonball, specifically the episode with Taffy Brodesser-Akner about And Just Like That. Wesley: Watching the great New York sporting event the US Open. If you can’t make it to Flushing Meadows, you can watch on ESPN or stream on Fubo, and shop the enviable merch at the US Open Store. Dana: Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s episode journeys to dystopian corporate hellscapes present and future as Julia, Dana, and Steve dissect the horror and philosophical underpinnings of Alien: Earth, Noah Hawley’s new series adapting the Ridley Scott sci-fi masterpiece. Next, they set their course to Arlen, Texas where they’ll assess the return of Hank, Peggy, and Bobby in Mike Judge’s rebooted King of the Hill. Finally, they venture to Hollywood and greet its “new face” and the medical specialists who reconstructed it in their discussion of the Hollywood Reporter’s special issue on cosmetic surgery.  In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, it’s time for lunch as they chat about Lauren Collins’s recent New Yorker piece “The Case for Lunch.” Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Endorsements: Dana: A request seeking a good book about the cultural impact of Napoleon. Steve: The poem “Empathy and New Year” by James Schuyler.Julia: Crate diving into your own ancestry and visiting places significant to your family's history—Ancestry proves to be a useful tool to track down public records. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Julia Turner is joined by guest hosts Nadira Goffe and Dan Kois to answer the urgent question: is The Naked Gun starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson the vital satire we need for our time? (Answer: No, but does that matter? The joke-dense spoof reboot directed by Akiva Schaffer is a hoot.) Next, they turn to tropical shores and talk about Chief of War, the epic series about Hawaiian history starring and produced by Jason Momoa. Finally, the panel examines the legacy of the musical Hamilton on its ten-year anniversary. Is it a naive Obama-era cringefest or an enduring piece of theater that still has much to say about American democracy? In an exclusive Slate Plus Bonus episode, Julia and Nadira grill Dan about the creation of Slate’s newest game Pears and discuss the state of the internet game ecosystem.     Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Endorsements: Nadira: The new album BLACKSTAR by Ghanaian and American singer and songwriter Amaarae. Julia: Jurassic Park at the Hollywood Bowl accompanied by the LA Philharmonic. If not that, stream on a screen near you. Dan: Quitting your job. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the most feelin’ yourself time of the year; a time for uptempo jams to make the sidewalk your runway; a time for the annual Summer Strut playlist! As per tradition, Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by music critic and chartologist Chris Molanphy to sift through the hundreds of listener submissions to pick their favorite songs to strut to this season. They’ll also kick off the show with a discussion of the song of the summer.  You can find the panel’s collective favorites here, at the Summer Strut ‘25 Shortlist. In addition, Dana, Julia, Steven, and Chris, have also published their personal best-of lists. Intrepid listeners are welcome to explore the gigantic original playlist here. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel does two rapid fire rounds to discuss eight more songs for all your strutting needs.  Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Dana, Steve and guest host Nitish Pahwa summon their critical superpowers to assess Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps. Can the charms of Pedro Pascal and company mixed with a Jetsons-style retrofuturism energize this long-troubled comic book IP? They discuss. Next, they’re joined by Euny Hong, author of The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture, to unpack why KPop Demon Hunters is such a record-breaking hit. Finally, they revisit a little town called South Park to talk about the long-running animated series’ latest episode which brutally satirizes President Trump. In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel takes a look at the confusing messaging in advertisements for A.I. products. Endorsements: Nitish - The music of the late, great musical satirist and mathematician Tom Lehrer, who recently passed. His archive is available for free at tomlehrersongs.com. Steve - The great spy thriller The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John le Carré.  Dana -  Tim Maia's irresistible "Do Leme Ao Pontal." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Disinfect your groceries and mind the 5G, on this week’s show Steve, Dana, and guest host Sam Adams dive into the dread-inducing world of Ari Aster’s Eddington. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, the neo-Western explores the conspiracy-brained, mentally unstable summer of 2020 when COVID brews unrest in a small town. Like said town, the panel is divided. Next, they talk about why one of the biggest selling musical acts of all time has been both a national treasure and a forever punchline in their discussion of the documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes. Finally, they take on what CBS’s decision to cancel the Late Show with Stephen Colbert means for both late night TV and democracy itself with New York Times TV critic James Poniewozik. In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel shares their feelings about phone location sharing. Email us at culturefest@slate.com.  Endorsements: Dana: The best use of a Billy Joel song in a soundtrack: "Carded and Discarded," episode 7 of Freaks and Geeks: Sam:  The anti-establishment, anarchist British Post-punk band the Mekons’ 1989 album The Mekons Rock n’ Roll. Steve: Stephen Colbert talking with Dua Lipa about faith and comedy and Esbjörn Svensson Trio’s “Somewhere Else Before” from the album Live in Gothenberg. Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Dana and Steve are joined by guest host Isaac Butler to talk truth, justice, and the American way via James Gunn’s Superman. They discuss the latest incarnation of the man of steel and the cultural discourse he’s generating that has become as volatile as kryptonite itself. Next, they hop to another cultural lightning rod: Lena Dunham. They get into her new series Too Much which she created with her husband Luis Felber. Finally, they report back from Viola’s Room, an immersive theater experience by the creators of Sleep No More. In a bonus Slate Plus episode, they respond to the news that Scott Rudin—famous Broadway megaproducer and infamous alleged abuser—is mounting a comeback. Endorsements: Isaac: The Criterion Channel special Brian Cox: The Craft of Acting, hosted by yours truly Isaac Butler. Also, Ari Aster’s newest film Eddington before the discourse begins! Steve: Finishing 2666 by Roberto Bolaño and Agnes Varda's breakout Cléo from 5 to 7. Dana: Critic Walter Chaw's essay on the new Superman. Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Julia and Dana are joined by June Thomas for a decidedly feminist discussion. They start with Sorry, Baby, the debut feature from writer, director, and actor Eva Victor, about a young academic’s life after a terrible trauma. The panel debates whether the film— which was a Sundance hit for A24 — is a tart, surprising traumedy or a frustratingly evasive experiment. Next, they get into Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print, the HBO documentary about the pioneering feminist magazine. Finally, they take up a recent New York Times piece to determine whether the straight white male novelist is a thing of the past—and if we should care. Steve hops on the call to offer his token male perspective, naturally. In an exclusive plus bonus episode, the feminist discourse continues with a conversation about  the oft overlooked fashion designer Claire McCardell, who is the subject of a recent biography Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free by Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson and book review by our very own Julia Turner. Endorsements: Dana: The essay “It’s Only An Island If You Look At It From The Water” by Elizabeth Cantwell in Bright Wall Dark Room about the film Jaws on its 50th anniversary. June : The action film Heads of State starring John Cena and Idris Elba, or “Mamma Mia! with explosions.” Julia -  The new book Empire of the Elite by Michael Grynbaum about the magisterial publishing reign of Condé Nast. (Recently excerpted in the New York Times.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Steve, Julia, and guest host Sam Adams are off to races with F1:The Movie, the new Brad Pitt racing vehicle featuring lots of racing vehicles. Is the thrill ride more than the sum of its sports movie cliches, high-octane action sequences, and perpetually handsome movie-star? Does the answer even matter? Next, they’re joined by Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario to decode the particularly British charms of Taskmaster, the UK panel/game-show now in its 19th season. Finally, what’s more fun to pick apart than a best of list? Dana Stevens hops in to dissect the New York Times’s 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century interactive feature. In an exclusive Plus bonus episode, the topic is: sex! Specifically, the hosts discuss the status—and seeming decline—of sex in Hollywood movies.  Endorsements: Sam: Drinking the anise-flavored aperitif pastis, the French brand Henri Bardouin is a good one to try. Julia: The delicious Los Angeles restaurant Tomat in the most unlikely of locales: a strip mall by LAX International Airport. Steve: The album Cunningham Bird by Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham and the song Sara by Fleetwood Mac. Dana: The production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It available to stream on National Theatre at Home. Our Panelist’s Top Ten(ish) Movies of the 21st Century: Dana: 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days The Act of Killing Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) Bright Star Children of Men Grizzly Man Parasite Portrait of a Lady on Fire Moonlight There Will Be Blood Julia: I’m Still Here Mean Girls Get Out Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Zombieland Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood Erin Brockovich The Act of Killing Portrait of a Lady on Fire Sam: In the Mood for Love The Act of Killing The Grand Budapest Hotel The Gleaners and I Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind A Serious Man It’s Such a Beautiful Day The New World Hedwig and the Angry Inch The Death of Stalin Stephen: Anora Spotlight Toni Erdmann The Lives of Others Paddington 2 Meyerowitz Stories Spirited Away Get Out There Will Be Blood Mulholland Drive Parasite A Separation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Julia, Dana, and Steve return to the Rage Virus-infected world first created by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland two decades ago. They talk about 28 Years Later and what the zombie movie sequel has to say about now. A lot it turns out: COVID, Brexit, human mortality, and more. Next, they grapple with the media phenomenon that is Alex Cooper—the spunky and sexually frank host of the blockbuster podcast Call Her Daddy— by discussing the recent documentary about her rise, Call Her Alex. Finally, they analyze the loping, charming, sister-rock appeal of Haim’s new album I quit. In an exclusive Slate Plus segment, the hosts spoil the ending of 28 Years Laters and get into all the film’s twists that make it such a surprising, interesting ride. Endorsements: Dana: More Haim, specifically their 2020 Tiny Desk concert performed on Zoom. Steve: The underappreciated band The Cry. And if you like that, more music from their Manchester-based record label Factory Records. Julia:  The charming hang of The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Steve and Dana are joined by guest host Dan Kois to weigh the suitability of Materialists as a rom-com for our transactional age. In choosing between suitors played by Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans, matchmaker Dakota Johnson must choose between love and money— but is there a soul beneath all this romantic calculation? They debate. Next, they return to the depths of a billionaire-backed fiasco in the new documentary Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster about the jaw-dropping 2023 submarine implosion. Finally, they remember and appreciate the life and ineffable, enduring work of pop music auteur, and Beach Boys, frontman Brian Wilson.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Steve, Dana, and Dan discuss Lauren Michelle Jackson’s New Yorker essay about “P.O.V.” videos and what they say about how we see the world. Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen. Endorsements: Dana - The intimate and revealing 2021 documentary about Brian Wilson, Long Promised Road.   Carl - Seeing the singular and surreal British musician Robyn Hitchcock live. And if he’s not coming to city near you, catching his performance in the Jonathan Demme-directed documentary Storefront Hitchcock.   Dan -  For deeper exploration of his body of work, Brian Wilson’s 1988 self-titled solo album. For an innovative portrayal of another eccentric musical genius the film Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould.  Steve -  Roberto Bolaño's posthumous masterwork 2066, Netflix’s new mystery thriller Dept Q, and sticking with works of art beyond their initial chapters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, the secret word is: Pee-wee. Dana, Steve, and Julia discuss the new documentary Pee-wee as Himself. The fascinating two-part film, directed by Matt Wolf, attempts to reveal the complex man Paul Reubens behind the beloved, surprisingly subversive, goofball that was Pee-wee Herman.  Next, they tee off to talk about Stick, the new comedy series starring Owen Wilson set in the world of professional golf. In the third segment, they’re joined by Atlantic staff writer Caity Weaver to chat about her recently published, rollicking travel piece An Innocent Abroad in Mark Twain’s Paris. In an exclusive Slate Plus segment, inspired by a listener question, the hosts each share their  dream city they’d love to live in but have only ever visited. Endorsements: Steve: Sly Lives! the Questlove-directed documentary about the hugely influential pop star Sly Stone who recently passed away. Julia: Season 2 of Poker Face and its smorgasbord of incredible guest appearances by beloved character actors. Dana: The delightfully designed single-purpose website Oracle of Bacon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, longtime hosts Julia, Stephen, and Dana are all together in-person to talk about Mountainhead, the new HBO Max movie from Jesse Armstrong, creator of Succession. Then, they dig into the new Amazon Prime series Overcompensating. Finally, they talk about the new PR junket, full of spicy food and odd quizzes, inspired by this Vulture article by Nicholas Quah.  Endorsements: Dana: The Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt.  Julia: Restauranteur Keith McNally’s memoir, I Regret Almost Everything.  Stephen: Sarah Beckwith’s piece in The New Yorker, “Returning to the Scene of My Brutal Rape.” and the novel 2666 by Roberto Bolaño. Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show an all-star team of super agents join Julia to gab including guest host Amy Nicholson, film critic for the Los Angeles Times. Their first mission: Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, the supposed final installment of the Tom Cruise action juggernaut. Like Cruise on to a vintage biplane, Dana jumps on the call to discuss all the film’s death-defying stunts, clunky exposition, and lasting cultural impact. Next, they’re joined by Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion to dish on Sirens, Netflix’s pastel-hued dramedy starring Meghan Fahey, Milly Alcock, and Julianne Moore. Finally, Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson arrives to grapple with the hugely successful, but critically polarizing, new Morgan Wallen album I’m the Problem. In an exclusive Plus segment, Amy, fresh from the Riviera, shares with Julia and Dana her favorite films and moments from the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Endorsements: Amy: The 19th season of the British game show Taskmaster, wherein a group of comedians are made to do impossible tasks by host Greg Davies. Carl: The Mock Trial-centric live episode of the musical improv podcast Off Book, and the podcast itself while you’re at it.  Julia: The quintessentially American, summertime experience of eating a hotdog on a ferry as well as the 2011 film Money Ball. You can also hear more from Amy on her podcast Unspooled and from Carl on his substack Crritic!.  Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s show, Dana and Julia are joined by guest host Isaac Butler to go through the A24, bromance looking glass to discuss Friendship, the surreal cringe comedy starring I Think You Should Leave’s Tim Robinson and the always friend-crushable Paul Rudd. Next, they share their thoughts on Final Thoughts: Jerry Springer, the new podcast by Prologue Projects and Leon Neyfakh about the improbable and complex story of the infamous talk-show host and one-time progressive politician. Finally, they circle the drain of cultural apocalypse vis-a-vis a conversation on a recent Atlantic piece by Spencer Kornhaber about the possible decline of nothing less than Western culture itself. In an exclusive Slate Plus Bonus Episode about a recent essay by Issac in Slate, Dana and Julia find out how he went from thinking the actor Tom Hardy was a grunting, incomprehensible B-list Brando to a delightful, albeit weird, screen star. Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices