Dissecting the mainstream.

If you'd like to sort this department listing by headline, author or date, please use the Slate search.

• Wreaths The demure symbol of Christmas.
  Bryan Curtis Dec. 19, 2005
  
• Frank Rich The Butcher of the Beltway.
  Bryan Curtis Dec. 12, 2005
  
• Larry the Cable Guy America's favorite redneck.
  Bryan Curtis Nov. 2, 2005
  
• Masterpiece Theatre Thirty-five years of unflinching refinement.
  Bryan Curtis Oct. 20, 2005
  
• Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce's second act.
  Bryan Curtis Oct. 13, 2005
  
• Bill Simmons Bard of the Red Sox.
  Bryan Curtis Oct. 5, 2005
  
• Michael Flatley Hoofer with a heart of gold.
  Bryan Curtis Sept. 29, 2005
  
• Tom Joyner The voice of Hurricane Katrina.
  Bryan Curtis Sept. 21, 2005
  
• Seinfeld Master of Madison Avenue's domain.
  Bryan Curtis Sept. 9, 2005
  
• Ray Bradbury The pulp god lives.
  Bryan Curtis Sept. 1, 2005
  
• Big-Screen Televisions A moral dilemma.
  Bryan Curtis Aug. 24, 2005
  
• Target Discount retail goes to The New Yorker.
  Bryan Curtis Aug. 17, 2005
  
• TV Guide Literature for couch potatoes.
  Bryan Curtis Aug. 10, 2005
  
• Terry McMillan Waiting to excel.
  Bryan Curtis Aug. 4, 2005
  
• Salmon Swimming downstream.
  Bryan Curtis July 27, 2005
  
• Cirque du Soleil Canada's insane clown posse.
  Bryan Curtis July 20, 2005
  
• Shakespeare in the Park It's no picnic.
  Bryan Curtis June 29, 2005
  
• Chuck Palahniuk The macho novelist makes a leap of faith.
  Bryan Curtis June 22, 2005
  
• Tim Green The calm, reassuring voice of A Current Affair.
  Bryan Curtis May 11, 2005
  
• Sydney Pollack The professional.
  Bryan Curtis April 21, 2005
  
• Trivial Pursuit What classic board game, created in 1979, is on the decline?
  Bryan Curtis April 14, 2005
  
• Jane Fonda What does she want from us?
  Bryan Curtis April 6, 2005
  
• Cheerleaders What to do about them.
  Bryan Curtis April 1, 2005
  
• Demi Moore The mother of all actresses.
  Bryan Curtis March 23, 2005
  
• The Ice Capades Requiem for the ice carnival.
  Bryan Curtis March 17, 2005
  
• Ty Pennington TV's home-improvement messiah.
  Bryan Curtis March 9, 2005
  
• Dunkin' Donuts A more perfect pastry.
  Bryan Curtis March 3, 2005
  
• NYPD Blue The eroticism of the cop show.
  Bryan Curtis Feb. 23, 2005
  
• The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue An intellectual history.
  Bryan Curtis Feb. 17, 2005
  
• The Gillette Man A close shave for a great American.
  Bryan Curtis Feb. 10, 2005
  
• James Cameron Will the Titanic director ever resurface?
  Bryan Curtis Feb. 2, 2005
  
• Amber Frey The mistress America loves.
  Bryan Curtis Jan. 26, 2005
  
• The Sundance Film Festival Is this Utah? No, it's Hollywood.
  Bryan Curtis Jan. 20, 2005
  
• Dave Barry Elegy for the humorist.
  Bryan Curtis Jan. 12, 2005