On this week’s show, Steve is joined by June Thomas, author of A Place of Our Own , and Michael Schulman, author of Her Again and Oscar Wars , for some rollicking Gabfest discourse. First up, they get all shook up by EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert , the concert documentary directed by Baz Luhrmann from archival Elvis performance footage. Does the master of cinematic spectacle bring the King back to life? Next, they turn to The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins , the new sitcom from 30 Rock co-crea...
Mar 04, 2026•1 hr 3 min
On this week’s show, Steve is joined by June Thomas, author of A Place of Our Own , and Michael Schulman, author of Her Again and Oscar Wars , for some rollicking Gabfest discourse. First up, they get all shook up by EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert , the concert documentary directed by Baz Luhrmann from archival Elvis performance footage. Does the master of cinematic spectacle bring the King back to life? Next, they turn to The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins , the new sitcom from 30 Rock co-crea...
Mar 04, 2026•1 hr 3 min
The original trio Steve, Dana, and Julia convene for a right cracker of a Gabfest as they discuss How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, the new comedic mystery from Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee. In the Netflix series, three longtime Belfast friends must revisit their childhood trauma to unravel the mystery of a fourth friend’s disappearance— raucous Northern Irish hijinks ensue. Next, they step into the unhinged dystopian Los Angeles of Gore Verbinski’s new film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die . I...
Feb 25, 2026•1 hr 1 min
The original trio Steve, Dana, and Julia convene for a right cracker of a Gabfest as they discuss How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, the new comedic mystery from Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee. In the Netflix series, three longtime Belfast friends must revisit their childhood trauma to unravel the mystery of a fourth friend’s disappearance— raucous Northern Irish hijinks ensue. Next, they step into the unhinged dystopian Los Angeles of Gore Verbinski’s new film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die . I...
Feb 25, 2026•1 hr 1 min
This week, Dana is joined by Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times film critic and host of the podcast Unspooled , as well as Jamelle Bouie, New York Times columnist and host of the podcast Unclear and Present Danger . They discuss love affairs, lustful, glamorous, and interspecies. First up, it’s the lustful as they take up Emerald Fennell’s bodice-ripping adaptation of “ Wuthering Heights.” Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as the doomed duo Cathy and Heathcliff, the adaptation promises an ov...
Feb 18, 2026•52 min
This week, Dana is joined by Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times film critic and host of the podcast Unspooled , as well as Jamelle Bouie, New York Times columnist and host of the podcast Unclear and Present Danger . They discuss love affairs, lustful, glamorous, and interspecies. First up, it’s the lustful as they take up Emerald Fennell’s bodice-ripping adaptation of “ Wuthering Heights.” Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as the doomed duo Cathy and Heathcliff, the adaptation promises an ov...
Feb 18, 2026•52 min
The sugarcane fields! La casita! Piraguas! Lady Gaga! Ricky Martin! An actual wedding! Bad Bunny’s immense and boisterous Super Bowl Halftime show brought a whole Puerto Rican universe to Levi’s Stadium and into American viewers’ homes. Julia and guest hosts Nadira Goffe and Rebecca Onion revel in the joyful spectacle and are joined by Slate writer Joshua Rivera to decode the inclusive politics of this party . Next, the panel examines the bracing, anxiety-inducing film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You...
Feb 11, 2026•1 hr 4 min
The sugarcane fields! La casita! Piraguas! Lady Gaga! Ricky Martin! An actual wedding! Bad Bunny’s immense and boisterous Super Bowl Halftime show brought a whole Puerto Rican universe to Levi’s Stadium and into American viewers’ homes. Julia and guest hosts Nadira Goffe and Rebecca Onion revel in the joyful spectacle and are joined by Slate writer Joshua Rivera to decode the inclusive politics of this party . Next, the panel examines the bracing, anxiety-inducing film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You...
Feb 11, 2026•1 hr 4 min
This week, Steve, Dana and guest host Sam Adams talk anti-authoritarian art in its many forms. First, they take up It Was Just an Accident , the Cannes Palme d’Or-winning film by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi. Inspired in part by Panahi’s own experience being imprisoned for critiquing the Iranian government, his new film—made in secret from the regime— holds back little in its sharp political critique, rage, and… a surprising amount of comedy. Not surprising in its amount of comedy— but maybe i...
Feb 04, 2026•59 min
This week, Steve, Dana and guest host Sam Adams talk anti-authoritarian art in its many forms. First, they take up It Was Just an Accident , the Cannes Palme d’Or-winning film by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi. Inspired in part by Panahi’s own experience being imprisoned for critiquing the Iranian government, his new film—made in secret from the regime— holds back little in its sharp political critique, rage, and… a surprising amount of comedy. Not surprising in its amount of comedy— but maybe i...
Feb 04, 2026•59 min
Shuffling under the mortal coil this week (aka hosting the Gabfest), it’s our OG players Steve, Dana, and Julia. Like a morose Danish prince contemplating a human skull, they gaze upon the Oscar nominated Hamnet , based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell inspired by William Shakespeare’s life. Directed by Chloé Zhao and starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, Hamnet has brought some critics to tears and left others cold. Our hosts share where they landed. Next, they boot up the Netflix content ma...
Jan 28, 2026•1 hr 28 min
Shuffling under the mortal coil this week (aka hosting the Gabfest), it’s our OG players Steve, Dana, and Julia. Like a morose Danish prince contemplating a human skull, they gaze upon the Oscar nominated Hamnet , based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell inspired by William Shakespeare’s life. Directed by Chloé Zhao and starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, Hamnet has brought some critics to tears and left others cold. Our hosts share where they landed. Next, they boot up the Netflix content ma...
Jan 28, 2026•1 hr 28 min
This week, our Gabfest panel includes Steve and guest hosts Nadira Goffe and Laura Miller with a typically eclectic collection of topics. First up, Dana hops on the call to decode the unspoken truths and dream imagery of Kleber Mendonça Filho’s film The Secret Agent . Set in 1970s Recife, Brazil and starring a very charming Wagner Moura, the film is a heterodox brew of political thriller, magical realism, and attentive character study about the everyday surreality of life under dictatorship. Nex...
Jan 21, 2026•1 hr 5 min
This week, our Gabfest panel includes Steve and guest hosts Nadira Goffe and Laura Miller with a typically eclectic collection of topics. First up, Dana hops on the call to decode the unspoken truths and dream imagery of Kleber Mendonça Filho’s film The Secret Agent . Set in 1970s Recife, Brazil and starring a very charming Wagner Moura, the film is a heterodox brew of political thriller, magical realism, and attentive character study about the everyday surreality of life under dictatorship. Nex...
Jan 21, 2026•1 hr 5 min
Podcasting is a privilege as Steve is joined by Dan Kois and Rebecca Onion to unpack and cackle at the domestic thriller schlockfest The Housemaid. Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried star in the Paul Fieg-directed tale of two women facing off to rule the McMansion roost. Next, Seyfried proves she’s got the range as the panel joins the chorus appraising her performance in The Testament of Ann Lee , the epic tone poem and musical biopic about the founder of the Shakers directed by Mona Fastvold. F...
Jan 14, 2026•1 hr 3 min
Podcasting is a privilege as Steve is joined by Dan Kois and Rebecca Onion to unpack and cackle at the domestic thriller schlockfest The Housemaid. Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried star in the Paul Fieg-directed tale of two women facing off to rule the McMansion roost. Next, Seyfried proves she’s got the range as the panel joins the chorus appraising her performance in The Testament of Ann Lee , the epic tone poem and musical biopic about the founder of the Shakers directed by Mona Fastvold. F...
Jan 14, 2026•1 hr 3 min
This week, Julia and Steve welcome guest host Sam Adams to deconstruct the aggravating, yet strangely charming, table tennis phenom on the make that is Marty Supreme . Played with “BDE off-the-charts” (Steve’s words) by Timothée Chalamet, the unceasingly shameless hustler may just be an avatar for our age. Speaking of avatars, we can’t avoid discussing Avatar: Fire and Ash, the latest installment of James Cameron’s immersive mega-franchise. Once again, the big blue folks peopling Pandora drew bo...
Jan 07, 2026•1 hr 4 min
In the waning moments of 2025, Julia, Dana, and Steve say goodbye to the year that was with a beloved annual end-of-year tradition… our listener call-in show! And you delivered some great queries, dear listeners. The hosts tackle questions about everything ranging from under-dramatized historical eras to Wuthering Heights to wedding registry etiquette. They also zoom out to grapple with a fundamental philosophical question underlying this whole show’s existence and take a cue from Las Culturista...
Dec 31, 2025•1 hr 10 min
After thinking it was lost to the sands of internet time, our team uncovered a 2013 gem from the archives. In the “The Abstract Noun Edition,” your favorite Gabfesters talk about how we talk. Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the elements of language: vocabulary, conversation, and voice. In paroxysms of polysyllables, they invoke their favorite writers—and their least favorite linguistic tics—to probe the best and worst of the English language. Why should you eschew the word “eschew”? What does “sh...
Dec 24, 2025•49 min
On this week’s show, Dana and Steve are joined by guest host Rebecca Onion for a Gabfest first: a segment about something from the sprawling Taylor Sheridan television universe. They strap on their cowboy boots and hop in the pickup for a conversation on season 2 of Landman which stars a rangy and world-weary Billy Bob Thornton as an oil industry fixer . Next, they turn north of the border for some good, old fashioned, Canadian gay hockey romance. They discuss HBO’s surprise—and surprisingly gra...
Dec 17, 2025•1 hr 3 min
On this week’s episode, Gabfest old friends Steve, Julia, and June Thomas convene on two showbiz works of midlife retrospection and regret: the new film Jay Kelly and Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along . The former, directed by Noah Baumbach, stars George Clooney as the titular movie star looking back on his life while on a European train picaresque. The latter was a legendary flop for Sondheim, had a triumphant Broadway revival starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez...
Dec 10, 2025•1 hr 5 min
On this week’s show, Julia and Steve are joined by guest host Jamelle Bouie to crack mysteries corporeal and divine in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery . The latest entrant in Rian Johnson’s whodunnit franchise sees Daniel Craig return as detective Benoit Blanc to team up with an earnest—and earnestly handsome—priest played by Josh O’Connor. Next, they take on the hefty new Ken Burns documentary series The American Revolution , a sprawling, complicated, fife music-scored examination of thi...
Dec 03, 2025•1 hr 4 min
Something Wicked this way comes as Dana, Steve, and guest host Dan Kois gather round their proverbial cauldrons for an all-movie edition of the Gabfest. First up, of course, is Wicked: For Good the green/pink-hued conclusion to the alternative history of Oz. This sequel, which reunites Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as witch besties/mortal enemies, goes to surprisingly dark places. Next, they discuss Train Dreams , the contemplative and grandeur-filled adaptation of Denis Johnson’s novella dire...
Nov 26, 2025•56 min
If you’ve got a cultural question or topic you’d like our hosts to tackle, now is your chance because we’re preparing for our annual call-in show! Call and leave us a message with your cultural query at: 347-201-2397 On this week’s show, Julia, Dana, Steve are off to the dystopian races with Edgar Wright’s adaptation of The Running Man. Based on a novel by Stephen King and starring movie-star-to-be Glenn Powell, the film is chockfull of adrenaline and stylish wit but does it overcome its own aut...
Nov 24, 2025•1 hr
Hark, the holiday season is upon us—and with it the most solemn of festive traditions: a gift guide! In this video and podcast special, Slate hosts Dana Stevens, Chris Molanphy, and Willa Paskin beam-in from their collective hearths to deliver unto the internet their favorite gifts for culture lovers this holiday. In addition to sharing gifts, they also discuss the cultural artifact that is the “holiday gift guide,” and its history going back to the early 20th century, up to the modern day. See ...
Nov 14, 2025•48 min
On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia merge their consciousnesses—so to speak—to reflect on Pluribus , the latest television saga from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. In this unlikely body snatchers/sci-fi mashup, Rhea Seehorn plays a woman intent on saving the world from… eternal happiness? What exactly it needs saving from—or if it needs saving at all—is fodder for much discourse. Next, they turn to the ruminative and funny family drama Sentimental Value , directed by Norwegian aute...
Nov 12, 2025•59 min
On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia pull up proverbially barstools at Sardi’s to discuss Richard Linklater’s latest film Blue Moon , which is about one night in the life of Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart. As played by a transformed Ethan Hawke, Hart is witty, needy, and totally captivating. Next, they travel Down Cemetery Road by way of a conversation about the new conspiracy series starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson based on a novel by Mick Heron of Slow Horses fame. Finally, they tu...
Nov 05, 2025•54 min
On this week’s show, Dana is joined by fellow movie critics Amy Nicholson of The Los Angeles Times and Slate’s Sam Adams for an all-film edition of the Gabfest. First up, they enter A House of Dynamite , Kathryn Bigelow’s tense procedural about a nuclear catastrophe. Whether or not this grim thriller has any spark is up for debate. Next, they step into the raucous party of Hedda Gabler in Nia DaCosta’s Henrik Ibsen adaptation Hedda, starring Tessa Thompson as the scheming hostess. Finally, they ...
Oct 29, 2025•59 min
This is a special preview of this week's Slate Plus episode. To get the full episode, another one like it every single week, and unlimited reading on Slate.com, subscribe to slate plus at Slate.com/cultureplus and help us keep the lights on. When you have Jad Abumrad in the studio, you don’t let him leave without squeezing as much quality audio from him as possible. So, inspired by Jad’s own natural curiosity, we dedicated our bonus episode this week to responding to one of the foremost practiti...
Oct 22, 2025•6 min
On this week’s show, Dana, Steve, and Julia step into the gothic, visually rich world of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. It’s been years in the making, gorgeously rendered, and stars the always compelling Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi, but it’s up for debate if something like a soul emerges from del Toro’s mad machinations. Next, author and journalist Stefan Fatsis joins the logophilic panel to talk about the uncertain fate of dictionaries as chronicled in his new book Unabridged: The Thrill o...
Oct 22, 2025•1 hr 7 min
