Food might consume our lives here at Food52, but we’re also always down to discuss the latest podcast / book / movie / music that has us smitten. My latest obsession: gobbling up both Ugly Delicious and Chef’s Table: Pastry (that gelato!) in a flash. Here, we share all the riveting bits of pop culture that captured our attention this month. (Okay, so technically they're not all shows, but we love 'em all the same.) Be sure to share your own addictive treasures with us below!
KATIE MACDONALD, ASSISTANT EDITOR
Westworld! It’s so engrossing and thought-provoking. Every time you think you have it figured out, there’s another twist. It’s making me look at robots a little differently now.
Valerio Farris, Staff Writer
Okay, I’ve been stuck on two shows: The first is Wild, Wild Country, which has got me all wrapped up in a yarn that I still can’t quite believe ever happened. Second, I’m jumping headfirst into The Handmaid’s Tale. Praise be that it’s back…. blessed be the fruit, y’all!
Grace Montgomery, Brand Strategy Director
(+1 for The Handmaid’s Tale!) I stayed up way too late last night watching the premiere of The Handmaid’s Tale—I’m so curious to see where it goes now that it’s evolving beyond the book! The storyline feels no less wrenching, but I do love the beautiful cinematography and styling. To counterbalance, I’ve also been catching up on Grace & Frankie, which I find so cute and charming!
Sarah Yaffa, Data Analyst
(Yet another fan of The Handmaid’s Tale) My “why” is going to seem really odd, but with people speaking more openly about infertility (even though I obviously do not think this world would ever happen), it’s making it easier to imagine a world like this (keyword: imagine).
Kristen Miglore, Creative Director
I just listened to the rerun of the episode of How I Built This with the founder of Chuck E. Cheese AND Atari and... Mind. Blown.
BRINDA AYER, BOOKS & SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR
A show I’ve been regularly listening to since it came out is Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People. The format of the show is as follows: Chris Gethard, the host (and a comedian/actor/writer) takes a call from an anonymous person and just chats with them about all sorts of things for an hour. It’s deeply personal, sometimes really poignant, often funny and awkward, and so human that it’s super refreshing. Also, I love hearing people's stories, especially when they’re about subjects and worlds I’m not immediately familiar with.
EMMA LAPERRUQUE, FOOD WRITER & RECIPE DEVELOPER
I also gobbled up Ugly Delicious and Chef’s Table: Pastry (well, I’m still gobbling).
Joyce Kim, Digital Ad Ops Manager
Gamebreaker. It’s a “sports” podcast that ANYONE can enjoy since it’s more like a documentary. Think of an audio version of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series. One of my favorite episodes is the first one, where former NHL enforcer (a defenseman whose role is to fight) John Scott gets voted into the 2016 all-star team by fans, despite having scored only one point all year. It was basically a joke started by fans that went viral. The NHL responded by asking Scott to remove himself from the team. Tons of controversy ensues, but—spoiler alert—it has a great ending.
Victoria Maynard, Director of Finance
Throwing Shade is two comedians, a woman and a gay man, discussing women’s and LGBT issues. It’s a nice way to keep up with the news but also stay positive. They are hilarious; even their ad breaks have me crying laughing.
Jamie Chen, Sample Assistant
The Taiwanese film The Assassin. It’s a masterpiece of a psychological drama period piece with only about 15 minutes of dialogue. The story is told through both movement and stillness. While it’s commonly billed as a wuxia film, it’s actually more of a story of rediscovering identity and agency. The director, Hou Hsiao-hsien, recommends multiple viewings in order to grasp the film. It took me three viewings to understand all the nuances of the protagonist’s emotional journey. If you love quiet films, dramatic shots, or are just interested in foreign films, try this one out. Your patience will pay off.
Danielle Curtis-Williams, Marketing Coordinator
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard is really good! I’m currently listening to the episode where he interviews his wife, Kristen Bell (a.k.a. Veronica Mars).
MEGAN GÜNTAS, DIGITAL DESIGNER
The Netflix series Abstract. I’ve already watched all the episodes, but sometimes rewatch them (especially the Christoph Niemann, Paula Scher, and Platon episodes!) because I can never get enough design inspiration from all the different design realms.
Connor Bower, Social Media Manager
I’ve been watching Killing Eve and I looooove it. So good.
Nikkitha Bakshani, Associate Editor
After reading about Jane the Virgin’s smart telenovela-style ingenuity in The New Yorker, I have been practically inhaling episodes. The show is so smart and hilarious, and the characters infinitely lovable. There’s a grilled cheese that keeps being referenced in the show, her abuela’s recipe: “1/3 white cheddar, 1/3 yellow cheddar, 1/3 grated American cheese” It’s kind of cheeky because I don’t know where you could find grated American cheese! (Editor’s note: At the deli counter!) Nevertheless, I want it.
Luz Ramirez, Marketing Manager
Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness! LOVE him. Also +1 to Jane the Virgin, Nikkitha.
What shows are you obsessing over lately? Please do share!
Written by: Hana Asbrink
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