Decoder Ring
Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters.
51
The Curious Case of Columbo's Message to Romani...
Why does no one remember the T.V. detective’s Cold War missive?
36 min
52
The Curious Case of Columbo's Message to Romani...
Was the cigar-chomping detective also a Cold War diplomat?
39 min
53
Spring 2023 Teaser
Decoder Ring's upcoming season.
1 min
54
Slate Plus Exclusive: The Making of This Season
1 min
55
The Mailbag Episode
From kids menus to succulents to the chicken that crossed the road, we answer your questions.
34 min
56
Encore: ‘You’ve Got Mail’ Got It Wrong
Who's afraid of... Barnes & Noble? The now quaint conflict that inspired the 1998 romantic comedy.
36 min
57
Cellino & Barnes, Injury Attorneys, 800-888-8888
Cellino and Barnes became the literal poster-men for personal injury advertising.
35 min
58
How Preppy Became Streetwear
Ralph Lauren’s modern Ivy style was remixed by ’Lo-Heads.
32 min
59
The New Age Hit Machine
How a PBS pledge drive turned Yanni and John Tesh into rock stars.
24 min
60
The Butt and the Bustle
It may be old-fashioned, but the bustle still has a lot to tell us about race, sex and power.
41 min
61
The Truth About #TheDress
An unassuming photo of a party dress showed how seeing is believing.
32 min
62
Fall 2022 Teaser
Decoder Ring's upcoming season.
1 min
63
McGruff Takes a Bite Out of Crime Pt. 2
Did a trench-coat wearing dog’s catchy anti-drug anthems actually work?
42 min
64
McGruff Takes a Bite Out of Crime Pt. 1
The unlikely origins of the trench-coat wearing bloodhound who tackled personal safety, guns and drugs.
32 min
65
Slate Plus Exclusive: The Making of This Season
1 min
66
The “Sex” Scandal That Made Mae West
Before she hit the big-screen, the sultry actress starred in a 1927 tabloid trial.
41 min
67
The First Alien Abductees
The alien abduction narrative started right here on Earth.
36 min
68
The Most Famous Poet No One Remembers
Searching for Rod McKuen.
43 min
69
The Mall is Dead (Long Live the Mall)
For a supposedly dying place, the mall keeps hanging around.
40 min
70
Summer 2022 Teaser
Decoder Ring's upcoming season.
1 min
71
The Storytelling Craze
How storytelling became a product.
35 min
72
“We Got Ourselves a Convoy”
How a fake country star gave voice to frustrated truckers across America.
29 min
73
The Sideways Effect
How one movie changed Americans’ wine drinking habits.
33 min
74
The Madness Behind ‘The Method’
Isaac Butler on how method acting became so widely misunderstood.
42 min
75
“F--k Everything, We're Doing Five Blades”
The story of how razors came to have so many blades.
36 min