Host Ira Glass talks to Jay Van Bavel, who recently found himself trapped in an elevator (in a very 2020 predicament).

Writer Danielle Evans has been almost completely alone all quarantine — and she’s had time to think about grief, and loneliness and what might come after this pandemic is over. (17 minutes)A version of this essay first appeared in the Corona Correspondences series at The Sewanee Review.

Law professor Rebecca Allensworth has been studying another realm of civic-minded individuals charged with helping society function: medical licensing boards. They’re mostly doctors deciding whether other doctors should be allowed to keep practicing medicine.

Couples therapist Esther Perel talks to Ira about the very particular ways she’s seeing lockdown impact couples around the world.  Listen to season three of her podcast, “Where Should We Begin: Couples Under Lockdown.” (13 minutes)

Political documentaries aren’t for everyone. Especially when they’re over five hours long.

Host Ira Glass talks to people as they prepare for the coronavirus but don’t know exactly what to expect yet.

Producer Emanuele Berry gets a text message from the other side of the crisis.

Host Ira Glass calls Jennifer to talk about the new security law. (12 minutes)

Host Ira Glass talks to an Oregon ICU doctor about his desire to help fight COVID in the country’s biggest hot spots, and his frustration over the surprising reason why he can’t.

The discovery of new information casts a new light on a high school competition. Producer Sean Cole talks to some of the people involved, more than a decade later.

Host Ira talks with a teacher in South Carolina who is just trying to figure out what the first day of school will look like.

Ira Glass talks to Bim Adewunmi about her understanding of delight through American pop culture and the summer she spent in the US as a 19-year-old.

Stephanie Foo talks with two Army officers with very different political views about the week’s results.