The Films, Television Shows, and Podcasts that We Enjoyed the most

Even foreign-policy nerds like us (and most likely you, if you're reading this) occasionally need to take a break from the nonstop news churn and just tune out for a few minutes. This could mean listening to an engaging podcast, binge-watching a thrilling television series, video chat with friends, or curling up on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn to watch the most recent entry in the Star Wars universe. We asked FP columnists, contributors, and editors to share their favorite podcasts, movies, television shows, and even their go-to video chat platforms from this past year.

Never Have I Ever

I spent a lot of time reflecting on things over the past year, which was both enlightening and tiring. Consequently, whenever I had thirty minutes to myself, I felt the need to laugh. I'll Show Myself Out by Jessi Klein came through with flying colors. Reading her essays was like having a conversation with an old friend who isn't afraid to poke fun at the mayhem that comes with being a parent.

The Remedy for It all

Being funny when writing the script for a television series and being funny when making off-the-cuff comments while hosting a podcast are two entirely different things. Amy Aniobi and Grace Edwards, who worked together as writers on the hilarious HBO comedy Insecure, spent the past year bringing us this delightful audio attempt to find the joy in our increasingly dark world.

The Stroll of the Drunkard

The Drunkard's Walk takes us on a streamlined tour of 'randomness,' a concept that, like quantum mechanics and so many other topics at the edge of understanding, confounds conventional reason and has us scratching our heads. The Drunkard's Walk does this by comparing 'randomness' to other topics at the edge of understanding.

Heavyweight

The human-connections podcast hosted by Jonathan Goldstein, which is currently in its seventh season, is consistently excellent, and this year's series is no exception. Much like the recently released and justly acclaimed podcast "Normal Gossip," this podcast investigates surprising interpersonal stories with zeal and curiosity.

That Royal One

The Economist has recently established itself as a compelling player, making it appealing to listeners of news podcasts. The publication has been steadily expanding its impressively robust global audio-news operation for some time now. In the past year, it crowned its efforts with a limited series on Chinese President Xi Jinping, a man who is widely regarded as the most powerful figure on the international stage.

Roe v. Wade, a Smoldering Controversy

The podcast Slow Burn from Slate Media discusses cultural landmarks that have had an impact on the politics of today. The most recent season features a deep dive into the history of Roe v. Wade, with host Susan Mathews uncovering previously untold stories that led up to the decision. We hear about the first woman who was prosecuted for manslaughter because she had an abortion.