In this discussion, Rebecca Onion, a pop culture expert, and Jenny Zhang, an influential writer, dive into the HBO series Industry and its growing viewership. They compare it to Succession, tackling the show's character dynamics and corporate themes. The conversation also shifts to the new Alien film, Alien: Romulus, dissecting its narrative and belonging to the xenomorph legacy. Additionally, the duo explores the impact of beauty culture on tweens, examining societal pressures and shifting beauty standards in the age of social media.

Candice Lim and Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion discuss the growing popularity of romance novels, exploring the genre's lack of diversity, changing trends, and the impact of the internet. They also touch on preferences for romance novels, the significance of sex scenes, and a scandal involving the scapegoating of a romance novel creator. The podcast sheds light on the positive aspects of expressing thirst for romance heroes and celebrities.

In this episode, Laura Miller and Rebecca Onion discuss Passages, a controversial film involving a love triangle. They also talk about the revival of the TV show Justified and the scandal surrounding Michael Oher's adoption. The exclusive Slate Plus segment explores nature writing. Finally, they endorse the detective series Deadlock and Anya Liftig's memoir, Holler Rat.