The Take

Teens on screens big and small are having some wild times. But is the risque teen trope an accurate depiction of what teenage life is like (now or ever)? Or is it an adult’s imagination of what kids today are up to? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are we finally moving into a new age where the single lady is aspirational? While she may still have her challenges, the single lady has come a long way from being shunned, to being celebrated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Millie Bobby Brown is breaking free of the child star curse with poise and confidence – and exposing a lot of what’s pretty shocking in today’s culture along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the messages the Fifty Shades trilogy leaves us with – and are any of them actually useful in real romances, or should we pretty much view this story as a cautionary tale? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The workplace sitcom has given way to widespread workplace dystopia and how it reflects our angst that the nature of work today is not just soul-crushingly meaningless but actively wrong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who is the real Barbie, and who is she for? Here’s our take on how Barbie has managed to remain relevant and iconic for so long, and the essence of this character that’s persisted across her series of changing models. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daria made it cool to be a wry and cynical loner and was the picture-perfect example of ‘90s alienation. Years later, Daria still resonates with anyone who’s ever questioned whether the problem is you or the system you’re living in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The term is often thrown around as an insult, but the diva is a figure of self-created power many of us can take inspiration from. Here’s our Take on why the diva has become an icon to so many people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

True to its name, Everything Everywhere All At Once has a lot going on. What’s the deeper symbolism? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennifer Aniston was the archetypal girl next door of the 90s – but has that label limited her career, and did it ever actually represent who she really was? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bookish, quiet, intelligent… and brown haired? The brainy brunette is embedded in our culture, but why do we correlate female smarts with hair color? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riverdale's Jughead Jones is part of a longer tradition of obnoxious, indie guys in movies and TV who serve to make the rest of the cast look good by comparison, and give us someone we love to hate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you a Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, or Miranda? For years, Sex and the City viewers have used this question as a kind of sorting hat or personality quiz. Each woman feels so real, distinct, and clearly defined – so we can easily see ourselves in them. So, which one are you – and what can we learn from each of the ladies? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The "closeted homophobe" trope dominates pop culture today, from Power of the Dog to Sex Education. So why is this tired cliche still so easy to spot? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abbott Elementary has become an unlikely hit and critical darling. So what makes it so fresh, and popular? The characters are endearing and place in a setting that’s, above all, realistic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bridgerton will be back for a third round of perfect couples, pastel frocks and lots of flirting – here’s what we know, what we don’t, and our Take on what might be in store for our favorite Georgian beaus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The court case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is messy, complicated, and full of mixed evidence for and against each person – so why has so much of the online response rushed to assume his innocence and her guilt? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like an ancient Greek tragic hero, Dune's Paul Atreides has options to avoid his inevitable downfall, but instead leans into his fatal flaws – his desires for power and revenge, thus becoming all of the things he's afraid of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dating red flags persistently get romanticized in modern media – but they should probably send you running for the hills IRL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tech villains on screen are nearly as old as film itself, but the trope is surging today – reflecting the non-stop stories of tech companies behaving badly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Modern Family’s Claire Dunphy refuses to remain boxed in by prescriptive and restrictive roles, making her the model for the husband-wife. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Age gap relationships make us uncomfortable, but where exactly is the line – and can they ever be a good thing? Right now, these relationships are being explored a lot in culture, for good and for bad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Belle is the ultimate bookworm hero princess. Her skills like empathy, insight, and knowledge aren’t as flashy as princess-type characters with superpowers or fierce warrior skills. But Belle’s model of heroine is an important one that we probably need more than ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Smith has been a pillar in Hollywood for decades – until his decision to slap Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars seemingly toppled his carefully-built reputation overnight. So what happened inside Will Smith’s mind in that moment? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quarter-life stories onscreen make us see that recognizing this crisis can be an impetus to go out and get what you want from your life at exactly the right time. Because in your twenties you have so much more of life left to live. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices