
Friends: The Truth About Rachel's Life, Money & Friendships Then vs Now
24.12.2025 | 11 Min.
On Friends, Rachel Green’s life was so aspirational in many ways – but would it be totally impossible to have now? From the giant apartment she splits with Monica, to her rocketing career trajectory, to the fashion and lifestyle she’s able to have in one of the most expensive cities in the country – it’s definitely interesting to imagine how things might be quite different for Rachel today (and how watching her story might have set us up with some unrealistic expectations…) So, let’s take a look at 4 key areas of Rachel’s life (her family wealth, career journey, $$$ lifestyle, & most important relationships) to see if she still would have been able to make things work now. You can watch the video version of this episode here: https://youtu.be/dvu7eMeSBVs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The *Real* Reasons AI Slop & The Blandness Epidemic Have Totally Taken Over Media, Explained
16.12.2025 | 12 Min.
Go to http://greenchef.com/thetakegraza and use code THETAKEGRAZA to get started with 50% off Green Chef + FREE Graza Olive Oil Set in your 2nd and 3rd boxes! Have we passed the point of no return with AI Slop and bland content? We’re going to dive into the four major aspects of this issue: businesses like Disney and Coca-Cola embracing AI (and possibly destroying their own brands), the financial reasons behind the blandness epidemic, how everyone seems to be losing the war for attention, the secret fear underpinning everything, and more to uncover the truth about the big problems and the ones hiding under the surface. Let’s take a closer look! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rich Girl Plot Armor Problem , Explained | Trope Analysis
06.12.2025 | 14 Min.
Go to http://uncommongoods.com/thetake for 15% off your next gift! Money can solve a lot of problems, but… what happens when nearly every character seems to be protected by a bubble of invisible wealth (even ones that are meant to be “just like us”?!) While “Rich Girls” have always had a certain amount of plot armor (on screen and in real life,) in movies and TV shows even average, supposedly down-to-earth characters can feel like they’re living in a total fantasy world. Which, on the one hand, makes sense since… they’re literally not real. But the truth is that these kinds of stories can have a psychological effect on us in real life, too. So, let’s take a closer look at all of the sides of this trope to figure out how it’s really shaped our perception of wealth and our own lives… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wicked For Good, Explained: Why Its So Polarizing, Why They Changed The Ending & More
04.12.2025 | 11 Min.
Wicked: For Good, the sequel to last year’s hit film starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, has smashed box office records – but even though it’s winning at the box office, for many viewers some of the magic seems to be missing in this installment. Bringing the stage musical’s second act to the screen was always going to be an uphill battle. The question now is: is the film really a miss, or is it just not what some people were expecting? To uncover the truth, let’s look at what worked, what didn’t, how they changed the ending and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stranger Things Season Five, Volume One, Explained
03.12.2025 | 11 Min.
Go to http://monarch.com/thetake and use code THETAKE for 50% off your first year! Stranger Things is finally back, so what have we learned from these first episodes of season five? We're taking a look at the story so far, the symbolism, and deeper meanings to begin to get an idea of what it all means and where things might be headed in the finale! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices



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