Culture Gabfest12 Nov 2025

The Creator of Breaking Bad is Back—with Polite Zombies Edition

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 auteur Joachim Trier and starring Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve. Finally, they take a look at a recent piece in The Ankler by Richard Rushfield crunching the numbers to reveal that, since #MeToo, troublingly few major films have been directed by women.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, it’s time to party! Or rather, it’s time for a reflective discussion about parties as pieces of personal culture.

Endorsements

Dana: Reading up on the historical figure Jean Ross, the writer and activist who inspired both the song “These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)” and the character Sally Bowles of Goodbye to Berlin/Cabaret notoriety.

Julia: Kate McKinnon talking with Amy Poehler on Good Hang and Jennifer Lawrence talking with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang on Las Culturistas— celebrities interviewing celebrities isn’t all bad!

Steve: By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño and the Dutch indie rock band Bettie Serveert— especially this playlist.

…

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

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