One Plus One premieres on February 19.
1961 Liverpool is filled with young bands obsessed with a new style of music called rock ’n’ roll. But only one has two talented lead singers who also want to write their own songs: John Lennon and Paul McCartney. And they are determined to be the best. In the first episode of our six part series on the creative partnership between Lennon and McCartney, we look at the beginning of a collaboration that was fueled by equal parts love and competition. Whether onstage or hunched over notebooks full of lyrics, each constantly tries to impress — and outshine — the other. Though still in their teens, John and Paul have already begun writing some of the greatest songs in pop history.
Long before they meet, John Lennon and Paul McCartney become obsessed with the same music: Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Little Richard. And soon after Paul joins John’s first band, the Quarry Men, they bond over something more tragic: the sudden loss of a parent. That shared experience brings them closer together as bandmates and songwriters, and lays the foundation for what will become the Beatles.
From 1962 to 1964, the Beatles go from unknown Liverpool upstarts to the most successful band in the world. And they do it on the strength of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s songwriting partnership. Writing together on tour buses and in hotel rooms, they churn out an unprecedented string of hits: “From Me to You,” “She Loves You,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” But while Paul is energized by the Beatles’ whirlwind success, John seems exhausted by it. Can their partnership survive the pressures of Beatlemania?
At the height of their popularity, the Beatles discover a new source of inspiration: LSD. As John Lennon becomes increasingly engrossed in his acid trips, Paul McCartney steps up and begins to take greater control of the band — which John, when he comes back down to earth, isn’t too happy about. But no matter where their heads are at, the two longtime partners come together to push their band’s sound in ever more experimental directions, leading to their twin masterpieces: Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
John Lennon is sick of being a Beatle. He’s more interested in pursuing his romance and creative partnership with his new girlfriend, Yoko Ono. But somehow, his old partner Paul McCartney always manages to lure John back for one more album. For Paul, being a Beatle is his entire identity. What will he do when John finally announces that he’s quitting once and for all?
It’s 1970 and the Beatles have broken up for good. But the battle over their legacy is just beginning, especially between longtime songwriting partners John Lennon and Paul McCartney. They argue, sometimes bitterly, over who really wrote their chart-topping songs. It’s a debate that becomes even more complicated when John is gunned down outside his home in 1980 — making him a rock ’n’ roll martyr, and leaving behind a void Paul will struggle for decades to fill.
The solo genius is a myth. Rico talks to Joshua Wolf Shenk about why our society fails to recognize the power of collaborations, the different forms partnerships can take, and how rivalry can spark creativity. Plus, Shenk explores the legends and lessons of the Lennon and McCartney split. To learn more about creative partnerships, we recommend Powers of Two: How Relationships Drive Creativity by Joshua Wolf Shenk.
Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant could not be more different when it comes to style, both on and off the court. Shaq is a playful giant with a side hustle as a rapper. Kobe is a kid from Philly with once-in-a-lifetime talent—and an ego to match. But Shaq and Kobe's fates have been intertwined since both players joined the Lakers amid a lot of fanfare. Clashes between two talented players on a sports team isn't new, but the Shaq-Kobe drama managed to stand out. And it also led to multiple basketball championships. Our six-episode series on the feud and partnership between Shaq and Kobe begins in the mid-1990s, when the Lakers are looking for players with the skill and showmanship to fill a giant Magic Johnson-sized hole in this once-glorious franchise. Lakers' management knows that Shaq and Kobe have the potential to lead their team to victory — but which one will be the real leader? And how will they can get these two superstars to work together to win?
In their early years, Kobe and Shaq each endure snubs from their heroes that give them a ferocious desire to prove themselves on the court. But that’s pretty much where their similarities end. Kobe is the adored only son of an NBA player. Shaq is raised by his stepfather, a former Marine sergeant who rides him hard and is never pleased. Shaq comes to the NBA wanting to dominate and be loved. Kobe doesn’t worry about being loved. He’s got the kind of charm and charisma that leaves people hoping he’ll love them. Shaq is one of the guys. And Kobe, well...he’s kind of a mama’s boy. But they do share one thing. Both men want to be the Lakers’ leader and high scorer—which is gearing up to be a massive challenge for the coach tasked with containing their feud.
Shaq and Kobe have been playing together for three seasons now, but they still haven’t managed to win a championship for the Lakers. The issue is clear to everyone: these NBA superstars have a super-sized beef, and it’s having a negative effect on the whole team. At this rate, it’ll take a miracle to settle their feud before the start of next season. Luckily, a miracle worker has just come out of retirement. The Lakers hire 53-year old Phil Jackson, the legendary coach who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships, to do the impossible: build a championship team out of these battling ballers.
Shaq and Kobe have finally led the Lakers to their first NBA Championship since 1988. Coach Phil Jackson warns the team: once you win your first championship, it gets even harder to muster the fire needed to win the second. That may be true, but not for Kobe. He’s never been hungrier — and he’s determined to make himself the team’s dominant player. Before long he’s supplanted Shaq as the team’s top scorer, but his showboating is pissing off his teammates. Shaq is filled with rage so fierce he can’t perform on the court. As Jackson puts it, the Lakers lack “wellness,” and it makes them easy pickings for teams eager to take down the champions. To salvage the season, the Lakers have to rein in Kobe and help Shaq find his groove again. And a surprise injury could help turn things around…
Kobe’s life seems perfect. At 24 years old, he’s already a three-time NBA champion, as well as a husband and father. Then, one night in Colorado, he opens the door to his hotel room and lets a young woman in. The next day she files charges of sexual assault. Shaq has a very different sort of problem. He’s 30 years old, no longer the dominant player he once was, and his contract is set to expire. When the 2003-2004 season begins, neither of them are focused on the game. Shaq is on edge because he doesn’t have a new contract. Kobe’s on edge because he’s facing a potential life sentence. Once again, they take it out on each other, and the fragile balance of opposites that brought home three Lakers championships is under threat. Something’s gotta give.
It’s official: The Shaq-Kobe Lakeshow has finally come to an end. Shaq’s been traded to the Miami Heat, one of the weakest teams in the league. For the veteran center, the trade feels like a personal slight—one he’ll make them regret. He promises to “bring a championship to Miami.” And true to his word, the very next season, Shaq leads the Heat to a NBA championship. Now he has one more ring than Kobe. But Kobe isn’t daunted. Shaq’s ring is Kobe’s rocket fuel. Three years later, Kobe leads the Lakers to yet another championship. But drawing even with Shaq isn’t enough for Kobe. He won’t be satisfied until he’s outdone the big man. Will their feud never end?
The solo genius is a myth. Rico talks to Joshua Wolf Shenk about why our society fails to recognize the power of collaborations, the different forms partnerships can take, and how rivalry can spark creativity.To learn more about creative partnerships, we recommend Powers of Two: How Relationships Drive Creativity by Joshua Wolf Shenk.
One day, the world will hail Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera as Mexico’s greatest artists. But when they first meet in 1922, Frida is still a rebellious schoolgirl, while Diego – who’s twenty years older – is already famous for his huge, colorful murals celebrating the common man. Frida catches Diego’s eye on more than one occasion, but when she shows him her paintings, he becomes positively transfixed. Night and day, Diego thinks about the young artist -- even while he lies in bed with his wife. Diego’s encouragement fuels Frida’s creativity -- as well as her passions -- and soon they become engaged. Frida and Diego are so emotionally entwined that, for Frida at least, it’s hard to tell where she ends and Diego begins. But navigating the space between them will become the central challenge of their partnership. You can see the works of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera mentioned in this episode on our website: https://wondery.com/shows/one-plus-one/
Both Frida and Diego discover early on the forces that will shape their life’s work, but the legacies of their different upbringings will challenge their creative and romantic union. As a child Frida is struck with polio, which cripples her leg and leaves her bedridden. Then as a young woman, a terrible accident nearly takes her life. The pain and loneliness of these experiences haunt her artwork as an adult. Diego, on the other hand, finds joy in more tangible muses. As a toddler, he’s already creating murals, covering the walls of his home with chalk drawings of trains with cabin cars and cabooses. And by age six, he discovers the grand passion of his life, the one that will become his most enduring source of inspiration — and marital strife. Women.
Newly married, Frida does everything to make Diego happy. She learns to cook his favorite dishes and sits quietly by his side while he creates his murals — all to the detriment of her own work. Frida has always been a non-conformist, but when it comes to Diego, she seems content to play the adoring wife of a genius. Still, life with Diego is too often life without Diego. And when Diego takes up with a beautiful American tennis player, Frida finds herself alone in a foreign country, without the object of her obsessive affection. She channels her feelings into art, painting the piece that will become the first of her works to be publicly exhibited.
Diego is invited to present a one-man show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The young museum has hosted just one other solo show, for the French modernist, Henri Matisse. For Diego, the invitation is the greatest honor of his career. The exhibition draws critical acclaim and the largest crowds the museum has ever had. On opening night, Diego is flooded with adoring American fans, while Frida stands silently at his side. In 1932, no one could imagine that Frida’s paintings will one day hang beside Diego’s in this museum — and command a higher price. But first, she has to paint. Just a few months later, another near death experience will send her back to her canvas. And this time, Diego will temporarily put aside his own ambitions to clear the path for Frida to work.
Back in Mexico, Diego feels creatively stifled. He complains about exhaustion, and claims he’s not well enough to paint. And for Diego, painting is oxygen. Frida’s alarmed. She has no idea how to help her husband. So she turns to her sister Christina for help. Christina and Frida are each other’s best and most trusted friends. To jumpstart Diego’s creativity, Frida suggests, perhaps he should try painting Christina. Sure enough, painting Christina revitalizes Diego. Soon she becomes his favorite model—and then, his lover. As an artistic duo, Frida and Diego are neither competitors nor collaborators. They’ve always been each other’s biggest champions. Their conflict, when it’s come, has never been professional, it’s always been personal. And this particular betrayal is so personal. It wrenches Frida and Diego apart. And though Frida can’t fathom it in this agonizing moment, that space will finally provide the artistic liberation she craves.
In 1940, Frida and Diego are married once again. Finally they’ve solved the major challenge in their relationship — finding the right amount of distance and closeness — creating the happy and peaceful home that always eluded them. But now, Frida is facing a new challenge, one she won’t be able to negotiate her way out of: Frida’s health is failing. She knows her time is running out. Frida has always cared for Diego like a child, but as the end approaches, he will become the caretaker she needs. After all that’s happened between them, their bond has never been stronger. He supplies her with love, comfort and paint. But when it comes to other women, Diego cannot change. Frida will paint to release the emotions she’s tried unsuccessfully to tame. The resulting works will be some of the greatest of her career.
Screenwriting duo Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi (Destroyer, Crazy/Beautiful, Ride Along) stop by to discuss how they got their start, how their creative relationship has changed over time, and the biggest hurdles they’ve faced as a team.
How does a divorcée with a high school education, no alimony, and four kids to support mastermind the rise of one of America’s most ubiquitous and polarizing families — one that now includes the world’s youngest self-made billionaire? Before she becomes the world’s most famous “momager,” Kris Jenner blows up her marriage to O.J. Simpson lawyer Robert Kardashian. But she leaves with something invaluable: a first-class education in the art of image management. When she meets Bruce Jenner (now known as Caitlyn Jenner), a former Olympian with a sputtering career, he becomes her blueprint for turning a well-known person into a brand. In the first episode of our six part series about the Kardashian-Jenner clan, we look at how Kris’ humble beginnings and failed marriage fuel her drive for wealth and fame — and create the template she and her daughters will use to build a business empire.
Kim Kardashian's life is turned upside down when a sex tape she made years earlier suddenly surfaces. But Kris Jenner realizes she might be able to leverage fame from the tape into endorsements, just like she did for her husband Bruce. As Kris steers Kim through a very public crisis, Kris and Kim go from mother and daughter to manager and client. Meanwhile Kris brokers a deal to get the family on air in their very own reality show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians. But as Kim emerges as the star — and Mom's favorite — can the family weather their changing relationships?
The Kardashian ladies are cashing in on their reality TV fame with a string of unglamorous endorsements. But Kim’s star is rising faster than that of her sisters. She’s quickly emerging as one of social media’s biggest icons, and as she turns 30, Kim seeks a more equal partnership with her mom, Kris Jenner. Then she dives into a whirlwind engagement with basketball player Kris Humphries. Both Kim and Kris know the wedding can pull Kim from B-list celebrity onto the A-list, and they plan to profit from it. But this very public relationship will cost Kim her credibility — and could damage her career forever.
Kim Kardashian’s new relationship with rapper Kanye West is transforming her. Through Kanye, Kim realizes she can legitimize her fame and public presence by wearing the most elite designers and appearing in the classiest magazines. She begins to convert her social media following into dollars as she becomes one of the biggest internet influencers ever. Together, Kim and Kanye will become the most influential couple on the globe, and catapult Kim from B-celebrity status to the A-list. Then Kim launches a viral mobile game, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, and suddenly, she’s making millions. Kim thinks she is wringing the maximum possible revenue out of her fame. But in the wings, her younger half-sister Kylie is waiting to show her how it’s done.
With the launch of her lip kits — and the aid of Kris Jenner's business acumen — Kylie Jenner emerges as the biggest earner in the family. Kylie Cosmetics sells millions of dollars worth of makeup, and puts her on track to become the youngest self-made billionaire ever. But the family is facing setbacks. When Caitlyn Jenner (formerly Bruce) comes out as a transgender woman, the partnership that launched the Kardashian-Jenner dynasty ends, as Caitlyn and Kris go their separate ways. And the Kardashians come under increasing fire for their record of cultural appropriation, which reaches fever pitch when Kendall Jenner stars in an ill-conceived Pepsi commercial.
Kim’s still a hard-nosed businesswoman, but she’s grown bored of material things. She’s looking for something more, and finds it in an unexpected quest for criminal justice reform. She becomes an advocate — and even convinces President Trump to commute an incarcerated grandmother. Kylie’s cosmetics company keeps growing, and she is officially crowned a billionaire. But the Kardashians must navigate America’s changing attitude to capitalist excess. Fortunately for Kim and Kylie, they have Kris Jenner to guide them.
Broadway composers Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe (Legally Blonde: The Musical, Mean Girls, Heathers: The Musical) stop by to discuss how they got their start, how their creative relationship has changed over time, and the biggest hurdles they’ve faced as a team.
By 1902, the Romanov dynasty has been ruling Russia with an iron fist for centuries, and the Russian Revolution is still more than a decade off. In the countryside, millions of peasants live and work in squalor. Life in the cities is little better. And the two men who together will engineer the country’s radical transformation into a Marxist state still live a continent apart. Leon Trotsky is a young political dissident recently exiled to Siberia when someone hands him a newly published pamphlet. It’s by a 32-year-old Russian revolutionary living in Switzerland, and it’s called “What Is to Be Done?” The pamphlet calls for the creation of a Russian Marxist political party to lead the country’s workers in a violent socialist revolution. The author is Vladimir Lenin. Trotsky doesn’t yet know Lenin, but he’ll abandon his family and cross a continent to find him.
It’s 1903, and the Russian Marxist movement is ready to answer Vladimir Lenin’s call to unite into a single party. Lenin is looking to become the de facto leader of the new party, but he’s not the only one in the running. Many of his comrades favor his emerging rival Julius Martov, so Lenin is relying on his new silver-tongued acolyte Leon Trotsky to help him bend the party to his will. But Trotsky isn’t willing to be anyone’s pawn. And when a fissure rips through the new party, Lenin and Trotsky find themselves on opposite sides of the divide – just as public opposition to the Russian tsar sparks bloodshed on the streets of St. Petersburg.
It’s early 1917. Europe is a warzone, and Marxist rivals Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky haven’t spoken in years. Their would-be revolution has stalled. Lenin is confined to neutral Switzerland, where the Bolsheviks are struggling to stay afloat. Trotsky is across the Atlantic, holed up in New York and far removed from the revolutionary fight. But back in Russia, the long war with Germany and her allies is taking its toll. The tsar is losing his grip on power. That’s about to give Lenin and Trotsky a new opportunity to stoke revolution — but if the two men are going to seize their chance, they need to get back to Russia and find a way to reunite.
The time for revolution has come. It’s August 1917 and Russia’s provisional government is facing a military coup. Russian troops are closing in on Petrograd and the army’s supreme commander is ignoring the government’s orders to halt the advance. With its grip on power looking shaky, the government knows there’s only one force it can turn to: Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky’s Bolsheviks. But by freeing and rearming the Bolsheviks, the provisional government is about to sign its own death certificate. Because once Lenin and Trotsky have helped prevent the military coup, they’re going to turn their guns on the provisional government and seize power at last.
It’s 1918 and Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky’s new socialist government is under threat. Generals loyal to the tsar are plotting, forming armies to overthrow the Bolsheviks. The shadow of famine is falling across the nation as food shortages grow. Rival socialist groups are still active and opposed to Lenin and Trotsky’s regime. And to the west the Russian army manning the World War I battlefront is disintegrating fast. The world’s first Marxist regime is fragile, and it’s up to Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky to see off the threats to its existence. But now that they’ve taken power, Lenin and Trotsky’s old differences are starting to resurface just when they need to be more united than ever.
It’s 1920 and in Russia, public opposition to Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky’s communist government is spreading. Oppression, censorship and – above all – famine is stirring up discontent. Even those who once stood ready to fight to bring the communists to power now want them gone. But even as the duo face down the latest threats to their rule, their alliance is starting to fray. Lenin and the rest of the party are growing frustrated with Trotsky’s unwillingness to tow the party line. And that’s going to give Joseph Stalin the chance he needs to prise the two men apart and clear the path for his own rise to power.
Hosts Faith Salie and Rico Galiano discuss what it’s been like to work on the show together as One Plus One prepares to go on hiatus. Liz Dolan, the co-host of Wondery’s Safe for Work, joins the show to talk with Faith and Rico about what they’ve learned from the personal and professional collaborations in their lives. Plus, the duo will dish out some advice about creating a great creative collaboration.