Slate's Spoiler Specials

This is a free preview of Slate's Downton Abbey podcast, a TV Club series that’s just for Slate Plus members. If you are not yet a member and you'd like to listen along as we recap each episode of the show’s final season, learn more at slate.com/downton. In this edition of their members-only TV Club podcast, Outward Editor June Thomas and contributing writer Seth Stevenson discuss the third episode of Season 6 of Downton Abbey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Magazine’s Carl Swanson joins us to share behind-the-scenes insights on the making of Serial’s new season, gleaned from his recent interviews with Sarah Koenig and the production team. Plus: is Serial still appointment listening, or is this season’s narrative somehow less compelling, despite its broadened scope? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crack open some Veuve Clicquot and enjoy this free preview of Slate's Downton Abbey podcast, a TV club series that's just for Slate Plus members. If you are not yet a member and you'd like to listen along as we recap each episode of the show’s final season, learn more at Slate.com/Downton. In this edition of the podcast, Outward Editor June Thomas and contributing writer Seth Stevenson discuss the Season 6 premiere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gabe is joined by Slate’s Jacob Brogan and June Thomas to examine the deepening question of whether or not Bowe Bergdahl is a trustworthy narrator. After an episode that sees him struggle mightily to survive at the hands of the Taliban, it’s becoming harder to doubt him. Plus: listener reactions to episode 2. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate's Dana Stevens, Forrest Wickman, and Jamelle Bouie dive into the latest film in the Star Wars saga --- Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. WARNING: This podcast contains spoilers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gabe and Katy wrestle with their feelings of empathy for Bowe Bergdahl, despite the fact that he plainly endangered the lives of many of his fellow soldiers. The question, of course, is why? Author Brendan Koerner, who has written extensively on the phenomenon of military desertion, joins us to offer some theories. Plus: listener responses to last week’s show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate's Gabriel Roth and Katy Waldman are joined by writer and Afghanistan war veteran Adrian Bonenberger to discuss the first episode of Serial's new season. Sarah Koenig and her team opened their new season by deploying a series of familiar narrative tricks, but the show's effect has the potential to be much more wide-ranging this time around. And what are we supposed to make of this Mark Boal guy - can we trust him? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Spoiler Special, Slate's Willa Paskin, Laura Bennett, and Ben Mathis-Lilley discuss season two of HBO's True Detective. WARNING: This podcast contains spoilers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dana Stevens and BuzzFeed features writer Anne Helen-Petersen discuss the plot of Trainwreck, the new comedy starring Amy Schumer. Dana and Anne discuss their favorite moments, the distinctive touch of director Judd Apatow, and performances by Schumer, Bill Hader, John Cena, and LeBron James. Warning: This podcast contains spoilers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate film critic Dana Stevens and senior editor Dan Kois dive into Pixar's Inside Out, an animated film that goes inside the emotions of a young girl. It stars Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Bill Hader and Diane Lane. Dana and Dan discuss how a highly conceptual film about human emotions connects with kids as young as seven years old. Warning: This podcast contains spoilers.  Read Dana's review of Inside Out in Slate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special podcast mash-up, Dana Stevens of Slate's Spoiler Special sits down with the hosts of Panoply's new show About Race: Baratunde Thurston, Raquel Cepeda, and Tanner Colby. The discuss Dope, filmmaker Rick Famuyiwa's sly new comedy about a young black man's coming of age. Read Dana's review of the film on Slate.  Check out Baratunde, Raquel, and Tanner on the About Race podcast at ShowAboutRace.com or subscribe on iTunes or your favorite podcast app.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate film critic Dana Stevens and senior editor Forrest Wickman discuss Spy, the new comedy starring Melissa McCarthy. The discuss McCarthy's performance in a top-billed role, the abundance of gore and violence, and why Forrest thinks it should have been called Miss Moneypenny Leans In. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Spoiler Special, Slate film critic Dana Stevens and senior editor Forrest Wickman split on Tomorrowland, director and screenwriter Brad Bird's new Disney film about time travel, environmental disaster, and the power of utopian thinking to change the world. It stars George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie, Keegan-Michael Key, and Tim McGraw. Dana and Forrest discuss the performances, the ending, and the role of Walt Disney's idealistic vision for the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sponsor Content: In this official companion podcast to the HBO Documentary film “Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck,” host Hugo Lindgren talks with the documentary’s director Brett Morgen.     “Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck” premieres on Monday, May 4th at 9 pm eastern on HBO and HBO NOW. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Spoiler Special, Slate film critic Dana Stevens and ScreenCrush's Matt Singer talk about Avengers: Age of Ultron, writer/director Joss Whedon's last project with Marvel Studios, and debate where this latest superhero blockbuster fits into the huge and ever-expanding Marvel canon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sponsor Content: In this official companion podcast to the HBO Documentary film Tales of the Grim Sleeper, host Hugo Lindgren talks with the documentary’s director Nick Broomfield. Tales of the Grim Sleeper premieres Monday, April 27 at 9 pm eastern on HBO and HBO NOW. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Film critics Dana Stevens of Slate and Matt Prigge of Metro discuss the new Olivier Assayas film Clouds of Sils Maria, starring Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, and and Chloë Grace Moretz. WARNING: This podcast is meant to be heard AFTER you've seen the movie. Read Matt Prigge's interview with filmmaker Olivier Assayas in Metro.  Read Sharan Shetty's review of the film on Slate:  Read Will Di Novi's Slate piece on "The Binoche Effect." Love Slate podcasts? Get more with Slate Plus! Enjoy exclusive podcasts, extra segements, member-only content, and much more with your membership. Join today at slate.com/spoilerplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate's Dana Stevens and Forrest Wickman discuss White God. WARNING: This podcast is meant to be heard AFTER you've seen the movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sponsor Content: In this official companion to the HBO Documentary film It’s Me, Hilary, host Hugo Lindgren speaks with illustrator and author Hilary Knight, and the documentary’s director Matt Wolf. It’s Me, Hilary: The Man Who Drew Eloise debuts on HBO March 23 at 9 pm eastern. See HBO.com for more info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate's Dan Kois and Katy Waldman discuss Cinderella. WARNING: This podcast is meant to be heard AFTER you've seen the movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices