According to a recent study, American men are in a "friend recession." In this episode we explore ideals of male-male friendship back in Shakespeare's day. Why did they falter, and when did they blossom? We'll look at some compelling examples of true male bonding from Shakespeare's plays, and also consider some epic friendship fails (hint: if your name is Antonio, you might think twice about lending your younger, hotter 'bestie' all your money).