Chris and Liz are still buzzing from their recent trips -- Chris's to Mexico City and Oaxaca, Liz's to DC for her first sightseeing trip with kids. Then we get into a much more serious topic that's been on our minds lately: aging parents. We talk about why end-of-life plans are especially hard to discuss with our immigrant parents, the conversation…

Chris is ambivalent about celebrity conductor Gustavo Dudamel's surprise move from LA to New York, and Liz is still awed by the amazing food she ate during a trip to LA. Then, we talk about work: Once upon a time, it felt like our generation was all about finding a job we love so we'd never have to work a day in our lives, but judging from the conv…

Chris is existential about giving up his California residency, and Liz is as surprised as anyone that she’s become a member of the BTS ARMY. Then, inspired by our last top five, we have a candid conversation about whether or not we still identify as Christian - how our relationship with Christianity has evolved over time, why we grapple with this q…

Liz is obsessed with the podcast Normal Gossip, while Chris is considering a new angle on voting in his last California election. Then we get into a topic we haven't heard nearly enough about: couple friends. Why is it so much more complicated to make couple friends than individual ones? What are the signs of a good couple friend for us and our par…

After an unexpected two-month hiatus, we're back and we can't wait to chat! Chris declares his undying love for the Container Store, while Liz is blasting through the podcast 60 Songs That Explain the '90s. Then, we finally get to talk about Netflix's excellent new(ish) documentary on the Manti Te'o story, which happens to be Liz's favorite story o…

Chris is distressed about the Great Salt Lake drying up, while Liz is basking in the afterglow of a trip to New York City. Then, inspired by Liz’s recent entry into the world of travel credit cards, we get into the weeds of it all - the stresses of maximizing points and if the benefits are worth it; the inherently unethical credit card system and i…

Chris survived COVID, and Liz cannot believe the shitshow that is the Michigan Republican gubernatorial primary. Then we celebrate the rarest of occurrences: We both saw Everything Everywhere All At Once and Fire Island! We couldn't wait to talk about the beauty of a rom-com where the suitors are secondary to the story, rave about star performances…

We're reeling from the SCOTUS leak, so we needed a minute to unpack our reactions and both the political maneuvering and the toxic theology that got us to this point. Then, on a more hopeful note, we get into the shocking abundance of Asian American movies and TV shows we're experiencing right now - how quickly the tide changed, if we're still obli…

The Slap was top of mind for us and everyone else in the world, so by popular request, we talk how we experienced it as avid consumers of celebrity culture (Liz) and survivors of toxic masculinity (Chris). Then, continuing our conversation about managing our thirtysomething lives, we dig into the division of labor in our households -- the messages …

Note: This episode was recorded a few weeks ago, before Russia invaded Ukraine, and it feels like we live an entirely different world now. Sending love and care to all, especially those who are directly impacted by the atrocities happening in Ukraine. 🇺🇦 [CW: violence against Asian Americans] Liz and Chris reflect on the murder of Christina Yuna Le…

Chris is appalled that anti-CRT rhetoric is turning into actual book bans, and Liz wept through Speed Cubers, a sweet documentary on Netflix. Then, inspired by current events, we dig into the complicated process of making a wedding guest list, that once-in-a-lifetime referendum on all your friendships. How do you decide who gets an invite, especial…

Liz is loving the cast album of Six: The Musical, and Chris is unsettled by his New Year's Eve viewing of Don't Look Up. (Spoiler alert: Please skip 6:00 to 17:10 if you don't want to know how the movie ends.) Then we revisit a topic that we first discussed two and a half years ago, in our second episode: adulthood. We talk about Chris's major life…

Happy New Year, friends! Holiday stress was top of mind when we recorded this episode, which led us to some critical questions: Who do you buy holiday presents for? Now that we have all these new holiday gift obligations, we get into the weeds: What do you give the ten different teachers who care for your preschooler? If you're a New York City resi…

Chris finally gets a taste of pandemic parenting, while Liz has unexpectedly gotten sucked into Succession. Then we dig into the last two items in our pop culture grab bag: The viral New York Times piece "Who Is The Bad Art Friend?" (where we arrive at different conclusions) and our experiences of taking our dads to see the new Bond movie (where ou…

Surprise -- we're back and excited to chat! We're kicking off season three with thoughts about Ted Lasso (Liz) and the sudden ubiquity of Korean pop culture (Chris). Then we go through all the culture we've been dying to talk about for the last six months, from the Olympics to Harry and Meghan on Oprah to Chris's connection to a high-profile trial.…

Liz is confused about why queer-affirming people continue to speak at events that are not (content warning for discussion of queer-unaffirming theology; please skip 2:10 through 9:45 if you’d like to avoid it). Meanwhile, Chris celebrates the return of March Madness, and one of us has to pay up on a wager we made when our teams went head-to-head. T…

CW: anti-Asian violence, murder We would love to be talking about something else, but here we are. We check in and talk about the shooting through our lenses as Asian Americans and former evangelicals who were raised in purity culture, and in Liz’s case, as an Asian American woman and parent. We also dig into all of the other stuff the tragedy has …

In true pandemic fashion, Netflix is giving us life: Liz finally discovered Schitt’s Creek, and Chris loved The 40-Year-Old Version. Then we get into the ethical questions that have been weighing on us in the current COVID landscape: Is it okay to wait in line for a leftover vaccine before we’re eligible? Is it reasonable to ask a teacher to return…

Chris is astounded by the Smartmatic lawsuit, and Liz recalls a fifth chapter of sex ed that she forgot to mention in the last episode. Then we get into a topic that’s resurfaced again on Asian American social media: MRAzns, or Asian men who harass Asian women on the internet. We talk about our experiences with them, what we think motivates their b…

Chris atones for the transgression of calling Michelle Branch a one-hit wonder, and Liz still isn't over how amazing Michelle Obama looked at the inauguration. Then, inspired by our discussion of Big Mouth in the last episode, we talk about the fraught terrain of puberty — what the show gets right, our own awkward and traumatic experiences, and wha…

[Content warning: body image issues] Chris pays tribute to his late uncle; Liz is blasting through Big Mouth on Netflix. Then we dig into all the messages we got from our parents about our bodies -- what they told us about our weight (and height, and skin, and...), how those messages impacted us and what was really behind them, and how we navigate …

Liz is obsessed with Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa’s incredible new(ish) album, and Chris is digging into The Color of Law, Richard Rothstein’s landmark book about housing segregation. Then we talk about that age-old adult problem: how to navigate old friendships where you no longer see eye to eye. We talk about the place that our old friendships have…

On the eve of his move, Chris reflects on his time in DC, while Liz finally sees the light regarding Harry Styles. Then, as we love to do at the end of every year, we reflect on what this year of cataclysmic change meant for us personally, how it changed us, and what we’re looking forward to in 2021. Plus, our top five things we’ll never do again a…

We’re so excited not to be talking about existential threats anymore! Liz is mourning the loss of Tony Hsieh, and Chris is binge-watching The Queen’s Gambit and The Legend of Kora. Then we get into the real quandary of the day: gifts for our parents. What do you get for an immigrant parent who has no hobbies and can buy anything they need? Why have…

We've got reasons to celebrate: Liz, the power of the people in getting Detroit's election results certified; Chris, the selection of Kim Ng as the General Manager of the Miami Marlins. Then, in our final election discussion, we dig into exit poll data and try to make sense of some surprising findings: Why did support for Trump go *up* in every com…

IT’S NEW DAY IN AMERICA, Y’ALL. We’re elated to talk about Biden’s election win, our experiences of election week (including Liz’s day working at the polls… in Trump country), and the results we’re celebrating and grieving. Plus, our top five states and people we have messages for, in light of the election, since that’s all we’ve been able to think…

Liz is channeling her pandemic and election anxiety into home improvement, while Chris feels the effects of an executive order at work. Then, on this Election Day Eve, we reflect on the last four years: where we were during the last presidential election, how the last four years have changed us, and (dare we even hope) what we’d want to see immedia…

We‘re jazzed about the Michelle Obama podcast (and pitching in for the election)! Then, we talk about the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg - hearing the news, our favorite RBG achievements, and what progressives should do in the wake of Amy Coney Barrett's certain confirmation. And after weeks of dragging so many other people and things, we drag ours…

So much has happened in culture since our last season ended, so consider this our pop culture catch-up. We finally get to discuss The Last Dance (remember when that was what everyone was talking about? Can you even remember?) and Indian Matchmaking before tackling Nice White Parents, the new podcast from the producers of Serial. We talk about the t…

Happy Labor Day, everyone! Liz is still buzzing from the Democratic National Convention, while Chris is reeling from the newly released bodycam footage of Masai Ujiri, president of the Toronto Raptors, and his run-in with police in the aftermath of his team’s championship win. Which leads us into our topic of the day: how the racial landscape has c…

We’re back for our second season! And my oh my, how the world has changed. Liz is thinking about education and equity as a new school year starts in the COVID era, and Chris runs down everything that’s happened in the world since our last episode. Which leads us right into the news of the day (of recording): Joe Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris as h…

In these trying times, we’re finding hope in the political realm, of all places -- Chris from old Obama videos, Liz from a surprising victory in Wisconsin. Speaking of politics: Now that the Democratic primary is settled, we finally have the spoons to talk about it -- who we were rooting for, our feelings about its conclusion, and our hopes and fea…

Liz has Feelings about Andrew Yang’s op-ed in the Washington Post, and Chris is not feeling Tiger King. We’ve also got feelings about how some religious communities have responded to the coronavirus, which brings us to a conversation about religion and science -- how the evangelical communities of our youth separated the two, our journeys of breaki…

The world has completely changed since we last recorded, and we’re trying to make sense of it all. We break down what our lives look like in the era of social distancing and working from home -- with and without kids -- and, to lighten things up, the silver linings and winners of quarantine. Then we share our top five pop culture things giving us l…

Liz devoured the Catch and Kill podcast, and Chris is thinking about the immediate and long-term implications of coronavirus. Then we break down our ever-evolving relationships with the suburbs: our childhoods in peak suburbia, fleeing to cities as young adults, and — dare we say it — slowly warming to the ‘burbs again in our thirties. Plus, our to…

We can’t wait to talk about the Oscars! And we’re just as excited to talk about a recent Code Switch episode about race and friendship. We break down the kinds of friends we had growing up and now, how intentional those decisions are, and how we experience interracial friendships as adults. Then, a super-fun top five: Ways we’re turning into our pa…

The whole world has changed since our last episode. We discuss the death of Kobe Bryant and what he meant to our communities, and Liz gives a nod to her childhood friend Jason Polan, who died the day after Kobe. Then we move to a bright spot of the last few weeks: Chris got to see Hamilton (!!!), so we can finally talk about it -- whether it lived …

Chris is thinking about baseball’s sign-stealing scandal, while Liz is verklempt after getting a glimpse of her brother’s life in DC. Then, we talk about side hustles - the pros and cons of having projects to work on after work, piecing together a professional life with multiple jobs, and making room for rest in the midst of all of it. Plus, the to…

Chris is still reeling from a visit to a California cannabis dispensary, while Liz can’t get over Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio’s interview on the WTF Podcast. Speaking of Brad and Leo, the Golden Globes happened! We break down the moments we loved, the things about award shows that make no sense, and why we love celebrity culture (all the time f…

Impeachment catches Chris's attention, and Liz revels in the food trends that defined the 2010s. Then we reflect on what the decade meant for each of us -- where we were when it started and where we are now, the central conflicts we had to navigate -- and what we hope the next one will be about. And to celebrate all the delicious gifts of the 2010s…

Liz reflects on the end of Kamala Harris’s run for president, while Chris embarks on his first man-date. Then, in honor of the holiday season and all the big dinners that come with it, we talk about contentious family conversations: navigating them with our families and in-laws, how the addition of partners and children can change the dynamics, and…

It’s our first in-person episode! We talk about Chris’s weekend in Ann Arbor for the Michigan-Ohio State game and Liz’s last hurrah with football. Then, we get into a topic that isn’t discussed often enough: making friends in your thirties. Why is it so hard? What makes it so different from making friends in your twenties? How do we get over the hu…

Liz wonders if she’s reached the final straw with football, and Chris raves about Parasite and Boon Jong-ho. Then, a discussion about the end of journalism as we know it, most recently evidenced by the gutting of Sports Illustrated and Deadspin, morphs into a conversation about how to mitigate our complicity in a capitalist system. We close with th…

Both of us are thinking about recent episodes of Fresh Air - Chris, an interview with the writer with whom Prince collaborated on his memoir; Liz, a discussion about the cost of rebuilding coastal real estate in the face of climate change. Then we get into another topic we can’t reasonably cover in 20 minutes: our relationships with our parents, no…

Liz binges on Conan O’Brien’s podcast, while Chris reflects on the geopolitical rift between the US and China opened by… the general manager of a basketball team. Then we get to some real talk about couples and money: Does everyone merge their assets when they get married? Who should pay for the first date when culture and feminism give us differen…

It’s been a minute since we applied to college, but those memories come back QUICK. We talk about that formative time, inspired by our topic of the day: the decision in the Students for Fair Admissions vs. Harvard case. We break down why affirmative action and race-conscious admissions are important, the use of Asian Americans as political pawns, a…

The internet has been overflowing with good stories this week! We talk about the articles and podcast episodes that grabbed us the most. Then, we ask: If we’re all about Asian America, why aren’t we jazzed about Andrew Yang? We get into the model minority myth, the ideology undergirding Yang’s proposals, and our experiences with the YangGang. And t…

Chris watches Aziz Ansari’s first standup special after his #metoo accusations, while Liz can’t stop talking about the new season of the 30 for 30 podcast. Then we ask our burning questions about our very different thirtysomething lives: resuming adult life after a five-year break (that’s Chris) and parenting two kids while struggling to find time …

A typhus outbreak makes Liz realize the extent of the housing crisis in California, while Chris grapples with giving up his car. Then we break down The Farewell -- what the film nailed, the scenes that stayed with us, and (spoiler alert) a surprising difference of interpretation on the ending. Also, an extra-fun top five: power couples! It’s the da…

Chris catches three race-related movies on a flight to Tanzania. Liz binges on Adulting, which leads us to break down the most adult things we’ve done in the last year. We wrap with this week’s top five: problematic faves. Nothing and no one is safe. facebook.com/topfivepod Instagram: @topfivepod Twitter: @thetopfivepod Art by Colin Turnbull Music …