Love in 60 Seconds

Endless Thread

WBUR

Reddit, Technology

4.2 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 14 February 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Wanda Brewer was grieving. After losing her brother, she found comfort in an unexpected place: a soap-opera-esque story on Instagram told in 60-second increments. The story? A mafia boss torn between power, family and love.

Wanda’s not alone. Millions are bingeing these bite-sized, ultra-dramatic vertical shorts, where sexy werewolves, ruthless billionaires, and love triangles unfold one minute at a time — hooking viewers with cliffhangers and high-stakes drama.

From China’s multi-billion-dollar booming industry to your TikTok feed, these soapy, over-the-top dramas are changing the way we watch — and pay for — entertainment. This Valentine’s Day, Endless Thread explores the rise and Americanization of vertical short dramas.

Show notes:

“Werewolf Billionaire CEO Husbands Are Taking Over Hollywood” (Rolling Stone)

“Minute-Long Soap Operas Are Here. Is America Ready?” (The New York Times)

“2024 Short Drama Overseas Marketing White Paper” (TikTok)

Credits: This episode was produced by Cici Yu. It was co-hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson. Mix and sound design by Emily Jankowski and Paul Vaitkus.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for Endless Thread comes from MathWorks, creator of MATLAB and Simulink software for technical computing and model-based design.
0:09.1	MathWorks, accelerating the pace of discovery in engineering and science. Learn more at mathworks.com.
0:16.4	Support for this podcast comes from All About Change, a podcast with firsthand stories from activists who are changing the world, like Coda actor Troy Kotzer, V. Aaron Brockovich, and disability activist Shane Burkaw. Listen to stories that give us all hope on All About Change, wherever you get your podcasts.
0:38.2	WBUR Podcasts, Boston.
0:45.3	Shmammary.
0:52.0	Schmend.
1:01.2	Happy Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day. man happy valentine's day happy valentine's day happy valentine's day i feel like we have always marked the occasion in some way on this show right yeah last year we spoke to the guy who went viral for
1:06.8	delivering a powerpoint presentation about the Tenet on a first date.
1:11.6	You know, I just printed the slides.
1:12.9	It's only like 29 slides.
1:14.3	And then before that was the Canadian girlfriend story.
1:17.6	I really did have a girlfriend who lived in Canada.
1:20.9	There was also the Sleeping Beauty proposal story.
1:23.9	Remember that?
1:25.0	Oh my God, I think someone's going to get engaged today.
1:27.5	I wonder who it is.
1:29.3	And who could forget?
1:30.9	Describe our relationship in one wrestling move.
1:34.3	The first thing that came to mind was Gator Roll.
1:36.8	Gator Roll!
1:42.0	This year, CCU, Endless Threads production fellow emeritus.
1:46.8	Yes, nice to see you guys again.
	...

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