DeepSummary
The episode features an interview with Willa Paskin, a former TV critic who is now the host of the Slate podcast Decoder Ring. She discusses her journey into becoming a TV critic, driven by her early interest in anthropology and examining why people care about the things they do. Paskin talks about the evolution of television during her time as a critic, and how peak TV eventually became overwhelming with the volume of shows to watch and write about.
Paskin reflects on her motivations for starting Decoder Ring, which allows her to explore a wide range of cultural topics and ask insightful questions without being confined to just television. She describes the process of developing each episode, starting with an intriguing idea or mystery and then researching and shaping the narrative through reporting and writing.
The conversation delves into the craft of audio storytelling, with Paskin discussing the differences between writing for print versus a podcast. She appreciates the ability to convey ideas in a more conversational, three-dimensional way while still aiming to make meaningful conclusions. Paskin expresses her continued passion for Decoder Ring, as it allows her to explore her curiosities without feeling burned out on any single topic.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Willa Paskin's early interest in anthropology drove her towards becoming a TV critic, as she sought to examine why people are drawn to different cultural phenomena.
- The rise of 'peak TV' eventually overwhelmed Paskin with the volume of shows to watch and critique, contributing to her decision to shift away from being a full-time TV critic.
- Paskin started the Decoder Ring podcast as a way to explore a wide range of cultural topics and mysteries without being confined to television.
- Each Decoder Ring episode begins with an intriguing premise or question, which Paskin researches and shapes into a narrative through reporting and insightful writing.
- Podcasting allows Paskin to convey ideas in a more conversational, three-dimensional way while still aiming to offer meaningful analysis and conclusions.
- Paskin appreciates the iterative process of audio editing, which enables her to refine the writing and storytelling in a tangible way after the initial draft.
- Decoder Ring provides Paskin with creative freedom and renewed passion, as the constantly rotating topics prevent her from feeling burned out on any single subject.
- While uncertain about her long-term future, Paskin remains open-minded and finds fulfillment in the unique opportunities that her role as a cultural explorer and storyteller provides.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “The thing about being a critic is you're supposed to say something interesting about whatever, any subject. And then also you find out a lot of the time what you think and what's really interesting, and you refine it by writing.“ by Willa Paskin
- “And the thing that started to happen was I could tell I was getting bitter about it and snarky, and that's not the right place to be coming from, especially now. It's like people want you to be insightful and incisive, but I think they also. They actually, you know, people read reviews of things they, like, of things they're interested in, and to just, like, becoming from just a really negative place or, like, not even. I don't think it always bled into my writing at all, actually. But I just, like, think I could tell where I was. Like, I'm coming from the wrong place.“ by Willa Paskin
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Episode Information
Longform
Longform
2/22/23