Decoder Ring
4.9/5
Critic Rating
Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters.
Critic Reviews
Score: 5
Reggie Ugwu • New York Times • Dec 4, 2023
"(Season 5)...so fun...In its fifth year, “Decoder Ring” was as unpredictable (does parking infrastructure count as “culture”? Maybe!) and rewarding as ever. "
Score: 5
Mark Gorman • Mark Gorman Blog • Dec 27, 2020
"And, with her tongue firmly embedded in her cheek Haskin treats each with reverence and respect. It’s that good. Honestly, it’s like a little dollop of nectar has been spat into your ear by a hummingbird each time a new episode drops. Go get gooey eared. And thank me."
Score: 4.5
Jenna Spinelle • Bello Collective • Dec 2, 2020
"There’s a lot to unpack here, but it never feels tedious. I learned a lot and felt like I was taking this journey right along with Willa."
Score: 5
Aaron Yost • PodcastReview.org • Nov 9, 2018
"It’s hard to imagine a world where someone isn’t trying to explain our convoluted culture back to us, and Decoder Ring makes it easy to envision new ways of carrying this out. The accessibility and low-level of commitment involved in listening to a podcast positions the show to hone in on angles that might not make the cut of a risk-averse editorial page. Breaking the mold of a round-table discussion and not seeking to inform the populace of anything particularly urgent by today’s news standards, Decoder Ring delivers criticism as story — and invites listeners to contemplate the ever relevant intersection of fiction and reality."
