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Critics at Large | The New Yorker

The New Yorker
Netflix
Social Media
Hollywood
Literature
The New Yorker
Harry and Meghan
Criticism
Romantasy
Sesame Street
Gambling
Technology
Colson Whitehead
True Crime
Academy Awards
David Lynch
Sports Betting
Jane Austen
American Culture
Hayao Miyazaki
Oscar Politics

Critics at Large is a weekly culture podcast from The New Yorker. Every Thursday, the staff writers Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz discuss current obsessions, classic texts they’re revisiting with fresh eyes, and trends that are emerging across books, television, film, and more. The show runs the gamut of the arts and pop culture, with lively, surprising conversations about e... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes149Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for Critics at Large

Latest Episodes

In 2010, Time magazine’s Person of the Year was not a world leader or entertainment icon but Mark Zuckerberg, the twenty-six-year-old creator of Facebook. That same year, Zuckerberg got the Hollywood treatment in the bio-pic “The Social Network,” dir... more

Tom Cruise is often said to be the last of a dwindling breed: the true movie star. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz consider the performances that have earned him that designation. The hosts ar... more

On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz discuss the perennial appeal of survival stories. They trace the theme of man versus nature from early novels like Daniel Defoe’s “Robinson Crusoe” to new relea... more

“The Journey,” a five-part audio investigation by Ava Kofman, unravels the mystery of how Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang, a wealthy Los Angeles couple, obtained dozens of children through nearly as many surrogates—and exposes a scandal that threatens t... more

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Recent Guests

Tyler Foggatt
Senior editor, The New Yorker; in-house Tom Cruise expert
The New Yorker
Episode: Tom Cruise-a-Palooza
Kayla Elliott
gestational surrogate featured in the episode
private surrogate case in California/Texas
Episode: Introducing: “The Journey,” from In the Dark
Kathryn Schultz
Staff writer at The New Yorker; wrote Dolly Parton's Postscript
The New Yorker
Episode: Remembering Dolly Parton
Amanda Petrusich
Music critic; expert on Dolly Parton's music
The New Yorker
Episode: Remembering Dolly Parton
Lauren Michele Jackson
Scholar on celebrity and image making; author
The New Yorker
Episode: Remembering Dolly Parton
Emily Nussbaum
TV critic and author
The New Yorker
Episode: Critics’ Cult Classics: Emily Nussbaum on “Slings & Arrows”
Hannah Goldfield
Food writer for The New Yorker, specializes in food culture and culinary journalism
The New Yorker
Episode: Critics’ Cult Classics: Hannah Goldfield on the Food World’s Secret Tastemakers
Hanif Abdurraqib
Poet and writer focusing on music, art, and culture
Independent/The New Yorker contributor
Episode: Critics’ Cult Classics: Hanif Abdurraqib on Camp Lo’s “Uptown Saturday Night”
Julian Lucas
New Yorker staff writer, profiling Colson Whitehead
The New Yorker
Episode: The Irony and the Ecstasy of Colson Whitehead

Hosts

Vinson Cunningham
Host of Critics at Large; staff writer for The New Yorker; co-host of the program.
Alexandra Schwartz
Co-host and staff writer on Critics at Large; contributor to The New Yorker.
Naomi Fry
Co-host of Critics at Large; staff writer for The New Yorker.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 2.1k ratings
  • Love

    Love these three !! Can’t stop listening, thank you for your work

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    bonniemcmx
    Francea month ago
  • Excellent podcast, but Naomi Fry's involvement holds it back

    Podcast Addict
    4
    LoisLane
    a month ago
  • Slings and Arrows

    Thank you! Finally a shout out to one of my all time favorite shows Slings and Arrows! Feels cult like Widow’s Bay is.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Diorinspired
    United States2 months ago
  • The Odyssey

    I love the podcast. Regarding “Who Owns the Odyssey” I felt that Nolan included too many and too long battle scenes, and he left out Odysseus’ reunion with Penelope, his reunion with his father, Laertes, and the final scene in the poem where Telemachus commits a manly act of war, only to have Athena end the war. Regarding Wilson’s excellent translation, it sings and excels when read aloud.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jbowers
    United States2 months ago
  • I dig this podcast but am unable to log in

    I am a regular listener and subscriber but now that you are behind a paywall, every time I try to log in I just get a message that reads “connecting” and then nothing happens. 10/10 on the podcast; 1/10 for the tech.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Miranda1811
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the thoughtful critiques and breadth across media.
Some criticisms cite tense interruptions or tonal preferences during discussions.
Shows deep, nuanced cultural analysis with lively host chemistry.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#117
United States/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#120
United Kingdom/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#155
Canada/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#140
Italy/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#192
Australia/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#151
Philippines/Top Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Tom Cruise-a-Palooza
Q: What is the organizing theory Tyler uses for Cruise's filmography?
Tyler describes four buckets—early heartthrob, prestige drama, action stardom, and a rare fourth category for unconventional or experimental films—organized chronologically to visualize Cruise's career arc.
What is Gen Z Afraid Of?
Q: What makes Gen Z horror distinct from earlier eras?
The filmmakers' reliance on hangout dynamics, allegory, self-awareness, and audience participation—alongside tech-savvy lower budgets and YouTube-to-theater pipelines—creates a sense of immediacy and relevance that resonates with younger audiences.
Remembering Dolly Parton
Q: Lauren, how does Dolly's image making intersect with broader celebrity culture and issues of representation?
Dolly's image cleverly blends Southern working-class aesthetics with global glamour, creating a multilayered persona that resonates across demographics and highlights complexities in fame, feminism, and class.
Remembering Dolly Parton
Q: Amanda, how do Dolly's songs articulate female experience in a way that feels radical for its time?
Dolly places women at the center of storytelling with nuanced emotional realism, often without labeling herself as a feminist, which broadens who can relate to the songs while still pushing for authentic female experience.
Remembering Dolly Parton
Q: Kathryn, what about Dolly's origin story helps explain the magnitude of her later success?
Dolly's upbringing in a large, hard-scrabble family in Sevier County shaped a sense of resilience, craft, and self-mythology that she translates into music, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy, making her both relatable and aspirational.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Critics at Large

What is Critics at Large about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A weekly culture conversation featuring three The New Yorker staff writers who dissect current obsessions, revisit classics with fresh lenses, and connect pop culture to larger social and political themes. Episodes span books, film, television, music, and visual culture, often weaving literary analysis with current events to illuminate how culture shapes and reflects our moment. Notable strengths include rigorous, context-rich discussions, behind-the-scenes reporting insights, and a knack for pairing deep dives with broad cultural contexts. A recurring edge is the blend of scholarly insight with accessible banter, making it useful for listeners who want thoughtful critique across mediums and a sense of how cultural institutions influence pu... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Critics at Large?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Critics at Large:

1. The New Yorker Radio Hour
2. The Book Review
3. The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice - New Fiction from The New Yorker
4. The Political Scene | The New Yorker
5. The New Yorker: Fiction

How many episodes of Critics at Large are there?

Critics at Large launched 3 years ago and published 149 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Critics at Large?

Recent guests on Critics at Large include:

1. Tyler Foggatt
2. Kayla Elliott
3. Kathryn Schultz
4. Amanda Petrusich
5. Lauren Michele Jackson
6. Emily Nussbaum
7. Hannah Goldfield
8. Hanif Abdurraqib

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