Still Processing

Still Processing began in 2016 as a New York Times culture podcast co-hosted by Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham, and it earned a loyal following for its thoughtful, often deeply personal approach to covering movies, music, television, and the broader cultural mood. The show went on hiatus in late 2022, but Wesley Morris has continued the project with new episodes dropping weekly on Thursdays, now featuring the Pulitzer Prize-winning critic in conversation with writers and artists about the cultural moment. The current format centers on Wesley's interviews and reflections, and his voice as a critic is what holds the show together. He has a rare ability to connect a pop album or a courtroom drama to something larger about how Americans live and think right now. A recent episode saw him covering the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial, bringing firsthand courtroom observations into a broader discussion about celebrity, power, and accountability. Another found him working through his complicated feelings about Bruno Mars with culture writer Niela Orr. Episodes run around 40 minutes and carry the production polish you'd expect from The New York Times. The tone is contemplative and unhurried, which makes it a different listening experience from the rapid-fire entertainment recap shows that dominate the charts. Still Processing isn't trying to tell you what to watch this weekend — it's trying to make sense of why the things we consume affect us the way they do. That makes it slower-paced than some competitors, but the payoff is a depth of cultural commentary that few entertainment podcasts attempt.