Critics at Large | The New Yorker cover art
Podcast · 59 episodes

Critics at Large | The New Yorker, page 2

by The New Yorker · English

Critics at Large is a weekly culture podcast from The New Yorker. Every Thursday, the staff writers Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz discuss current obsessions, classic texts they’re revisiting with fresh eyes, and trends that are emerging across books, television, film, and more. The show runs the gamut of the arts and pop culture, with lively, surprising conversations about everything from Salman Rushdie to “The Real Housewives.” Through rigorous analysis and behind-the-scenes insights into The New Yorker’s reporting, the magazine’s critics help listeners make sense of our moment—and how we got here.

All episodes, page 2

“DTF St. Louis” and the New Story of the SuburbsThe HBO miniseries DTF St. Louis and what suburban life means in American culture, from postwar “American dream” to today’s cracked veneer, isolation, property disputes, and gendered responsibility.2 Apr 2026 · 52 min · 18 chapters
The Soft Power of BTSCritics at Large episode “The Soft Power of BTS” explains how BTS/K-pop became ubiquitous in global pop culture (“Korean wave”/Hallyu) and analyzes BTS’s comeback album Arirang, its Netflix…26 Mar 2026 · 50 min · 17 chapters
“Love Story” and Why We Cling to the Kennedy MythCritics at Large discusses FX’s anthology series Love Story (about John F. Kennedy Jr.12 Mar 2026 · 56 min · 25 chapters
The Hall of Fame—and of Shame—of Oscars HostsThe episode of Critics at Large focuses on the Oscars host: what makes the job hard, and which hosts have been hits or misses (“Hall of Fame—and of Shame”).5 Mar 2026 · 54 min · 24 chapters
Critics at Large Live: “Wuthering Heights” and Its AfterlivesA live Critics at Large discussion of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and its “afterlives,” focusing on Emerald Fennell’s 2026 film adaptation (Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw and Jacob Elordi…26 Feb 2026 · 53 min · 20 chapters
The Truth of Toni MorrisonA Critics at Large episode devoted to Toni Morrison, arguing that the “monument” to her legacy (icon, persona, viral clips, awards) can both help and distort how readers encounter her actual novels.19 Feb 2026 · 56 min · 19 chapters
Charli XCX Misses the MomentCritics at Large discusses Charlie XCX’s mockumentary “The Moment” (and the broader “concert/music documentary” genre) as a parody of pop-star self-branding and the illusion of intimacy/authenticity.12 Feb 2026 · 51 min · 23 chapters
“Heated Rivalry,” “Pillion,” and the New Drama of the ClosetCritics at Large discusses the Canadian gay hockey romance Heated Rivalry (Crave), why it became a social-media “supernova,” and how it fits into a long artistic lineage about the closet, private…29 Jan 2026 · 58 min · 23 chapters
I Need a Critic: One-Hundredth-Episode EditionCritics at Large’s 100th-episode “I Need a Critic” special: hosts answer listener dilemmas about music/reading/taste, attention and phone use, baby naming, alienation from popular culture, reading in…22 Jan 2026 · 47 min · 14 chapters
Why Football MattersThe episode argues that football matters to American culture because it’s a uniquely powerful TV spectacle and a “mirror” for national values—while also exposing contradictions like injury risk,…15 Jan 2026 · 51 min · 18 chapters
Do We Need Saints?A weekly culture podcast from *The New Yorker* where staff writers discuss current cultural obsessions, classic texts, and emerging trends across various media, including books, film, and television.8 Jan 2026 · 50 min · 22 chapters
Our Romance with Jane AustenCritics at Large is a weekly culture podcast from *The New Yorker*, hosted by Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz.25 Dec 2025 · 46 min
The Year of the Broken MirrorA weekly culture podcast from *The New Yorker* where staff writers Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz discuss current cultural obsessions, classic texts, and emerging trends across…18 Dec 2025 · 50 min
“Wake Up Dead Man” and the Whodunnit RenaissanceA weekly culture podcast from *The New Yorker*, where staff writers discuss current cultural obsessions, classic texts, and emerging trends across various media.11 Dec 2025 · 47 min
Does “Hamlet” Need a Backstory?A weekly culture podcast from The New Yorker featuring discussions on current cultural obsessions, classic texts, and emerging trends in books, television, film, and more.4 Dec 2025 · 47 min
After “Wicked,” What Do We Want from the Musical?A weekly culture podcast where staff writers discuss current obsessions, classic texts, and trends in arts and pop culture.27 Nov 2025 · 37 min
In “Pluribus,” Utopia Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up to BeIn this episode, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz explore Vince Gilligan’s new show "Pluribus," which presents an unconventional apocalyptic scenario featuring a benevolent alien…20 Nov 2025 · 50 min
Critics at Large Live: Padma Lakshmi’s Expansive TasteA culture podcast from *The New Yorker* where staff writers discuss current obsessions, classic texts, and emerging trends across books, television, film, and more.6 Nov 2025 · 36 min
Why Horror Still Haunts UsThis episode of *Critics at Large* discusses the resurgence of horror films, examining their financial success and cultural significance.30 Oct 2025 · 52 min
In the Dark: Blood Relatives, Episode 1The episode explores the infamous shooting at Whitehouse Farm, where five family members were murdered.28 Oct 2025 · 46 min
Art in the Age of Artificial IntelligenceIn this episode, hosts Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz discuss the impact of generative AI on the arts.23 Oct 2025 · 51 min
I Need a Critic: October, 2025, Editionis a culture podcast from *The New Yorker*, featuring staff writers Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz.16 Oct 2025 · 48 min
How the Trad Wife Took Overis a weekly culture podcast from *The New Yorker*. Hosted by Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz, the podcast discusses current cultural trends, classic works, and the intersection…9 Oct 2025 · 41 min
One Paul Thomas Anderson Film After AnotherCritics at Large discusses Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film One Battle After Another, a big-budget, loosely Pynchon-based action drama about leftist radicals, white supremacists, and family bonds.2 Oct 2025 · 49 min · 15 chapters