Actress Anna Gunn plays Skylar White - wife to Bryan Cranston's suburban meth kingpin - on AMC's "Breaking Bad." We asked her to list some other depictions of dysfunction...that worked.
The Start of Stop Lights
Vehicular history changed in a flash when, in 1914, the first electric traffic light switched on. We learn about its spotty track record and then raise a red-yellow-and-green glass to the invention.
Mona Lisa’s Smile, Now Smaller Than a Single Hair
Jesse Pearson, the founder, editor, and art director of literary quarterly Apology, paints us a picture of the "Mini Lisa" - a diminutive version of the masterpiece, produced with nanotech.
“Nixon in the Kitchen” – Penny Lane
Filmmaker Penny Lane brings our long, national kitchen nightmare to a close with this Nixonian joke. And she has some serious insight into the subject; she joins us later in the show to talk about her new documentary about the 37th President.
Playlist: Episode 212
All of the music from episode 212.
Choire Sicha Has Awl the Answers
Choire Sicha, co-founder and co-editor of culture and current events website The Awl, has just published his debut book, "Very Recent History: An Entirely Factual Account of a Year (Circa AD 2009) in a Large City." His book focuses on navigating a difficult and strange time - so we asked him to help our listeners navigate their own difficult and strange etiquette situations.
HAIM Comes Down to ‘The Wire’
Los Angeles-based sisters Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim have been performing together as HAIM since youngest sister Alana was just 15. The buzzy band has been trickling out singles in advance of their first full-length record, and is kicking off a major international tour. You'll want to kick off your summer parties with this song.
Wild Belle Spin Tracks, Span Globe
Elliot and Natalie Bergman are the core of the band Wild Belle. The siblings put together some songs with summery, global accents and a bit of romance - influences that can also be heard in the music they make.
Liev Schreiber on ‘Ray Donovan’ and Hybrid Dogs
For two decades, Liev Schreiber has been acting in a wide assortment of theater and film - but he never wanted to do a television show. That, however, was before finding himself in the starring role on Showtime's new series, "Ray Donovan."
Conflict Kitchen Wants to Change the World, a Meal at a Time
Pittsburgh restaurant Conflict Kitchen has a mission beyond just serving delicious meals: they seek to educate Americans about nations with which the US has conflicts, through the experience of food.