Has The Bear Jumped the Shark?

On this week’s show, June Thomas (co-host of Slate’s Working podcast and the author of A Place of Our Own) sits in for Julia Turner. The panel first explores The Bear, now in its third season, and questions whether Christopher Storer’s beast has become too self-aware. Then, they discuss Fancy Dance, a profoundly moving film by Native writer-director Erica Tremblay starring Lily Gladstone that’s equal parts road movie, crime procedural, and family drama. Finally, the trio dives deep into their personal relationships with app culture, inspired by Mark Hill’s essay for Slate, “I’m Tired of Using An App For Everything.” In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a listener question from James: “As you get older, how do you keep yourself open to new interests, experiences, and ideas? To put it negatively, how do you avoid becoming an old crank?” Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: June: A particularly moving video that's making the rounds on social media, in which a large crowd of supporters gather at Carmarthen Railway in Wales to send off Plaid's Anne Davies and sing her the Welsh national anthem.  Steve: "I Know It's Over" by The Smiths.  Dana: Patti Smith reading Fernando Pessoa (or to be more precise, Álvaro de Campos) at the Casa Fernando Pessoa museum in Lisbon.  Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.  Hosts Dana Stephens, June Thomas, Stephen Metcalf