logo

16 February 2026

logo

Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post) and Scott Meslow (The Week)

On Critic Proof, Alyssa and Scott dissect the shocking Breaking Bad episode “Ozymandias” (contains spoilers). Why are some viewers still rooting for Walter White? They compare Skyler with Carmella Soprano, and Breaking Bad and The Sopranos more generally. What will the show’s ending say about Breaking Bad‘s moral universe? Moving on to the new TV season, Alyssa and Scott eviscerate Dads but are optimistic about Brooklyn Nine-Nine. They discuss whether Masters of Sex represents an evolution of the prestige drama, and close by offering some recommendations for other new shows to watch.

Play entire video
Recorded:Sep 18    Posted:Sep 19, 2013
Download:
mp3
Critic Proof | Sep 19, 2013 | Alyssa Rosenberg & Scott Meslow

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Agency, AI, and the MAGA Impulse

playvideo screenshot

Nikita Petrov argues MAGA and similar movements are collective responses to a felt lack of agency. Robert Wright warns AI is about to make that feeling universal. Plus: Spanish rituals as a survival model, the “Claude Code hangover,” and Bob’s case for slowing AI development down.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Is the Singularity Near?

playvideo screenshot

Robert Wright and Timothy B. Lee, author of the Understanding AI newsletter, discuss recent AI developments (more autonomous agents, more automated coding in the labs, Moltbook, etc.) that have fostered a sense that things are speeding up.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

The Meaning of Moltbook

playvideo screenshot

Psychologist and Small Potatoes EIC Paul Bloom joins Robert Wright to discuss the Moltbook phenomenon, the latest Epstein Files release, and more.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

The Grand Unified Theory of MAGA

playvideo screenshot

Robert Wright and Nikita Petrov discuss whether MAGA can be seen as a coherent global phenomenon. Plus: The paradox of international nationalism; Burkean conservatism vs. Silicon Valley libertarianism; and the crumbling rules-based order.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

The Case Against AI

playvideo screenshot

Alex Hanna and Emily Bender, co-authors of the book The AI Con, join Robert Wright to discuss and debate AI—including whether LLMs are more than “stochastic parrots” (a term Emily coined), AI’s present and future impact on society, and more.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

New World Disorder

playvideo screenshot

Derek Davison and Daniel Bessner of the American Prestige podcast join NonZero’s Robert Wright to discuss Trump’s latest foreign policy eruptions.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

AI After Us

playvideo screenshot

Robert Wright and Daniel Faggella, host of the podcast The Trajectory, discuss the fate of humankind in a world of increasingly powerful AI—including the “succession” scenario.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

The Past and Future of Digital Media

playvideo screenshot

Robert Wright talks with Mike Pesca, host of the long-running daily podcast The Gist, about new technological challenges to independent journalists and the perils of opining on Israel.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

The Minneapolis Shooting Rorschach Test

playvideo screenshot

Robert Wright and Paul Bloom discuss the killing of Renee Good—and what it says about the state of the nation. Plus: Trump & Hitler compared (carefully); Elon & a madman compared (less so); Should professors fear AI?

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

AI Consciousness: The Hard Problem

playvideo screenshot

Robert Wright and AI researcher Cameron Berg discuss whether AIs are (or may someday be) sentient–including why it matters, why it’s such a hard question to answer, and what Cameron’s innovative LLM experiments tell us about it.