The Slate Culture Gabfest is one of the best podcasts around; if you’re not already listening, you ought to. Or better, see it live tonight. The roundtable show covers a broad cultural spectrum, with critics Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf chatting about subjects from Conan O’Brien’s comeback to the continuing relevance of French children’s literature to the oversaturation of the whole zombie/fantasy thing. It’s often hilarious to listen to this trio—along with frequent guests from the Slate stable—argue while remaining impeccably civil. (My favorite part: each week’s seemingly random “endorsements,” based upon some media morsel that has tickled their fancy of late.) They provide a highbrow opinion on some decidedly middlebrow fare. You can’t help but feel a little smarter by the end of each episode, and each gives you a sudden to-do list of cultural catch-up items—whether at Netflix, Amazon, or the library. Registration required at slate.com/seattle. JOHN WOOD

Tue., Nov. 30, 6 p.m., 2010