31 Days of Halloween: Spooky Podcasts

I love podcasts & for that I blame my brother. About 6 years ago, I had a terrible cold. My brother stopped by my house to bring me some orange juice & to visit for a while & he asked me if I ever listened to podcasts. I think I said something along the lines of, "NERD ALERT! NERD ALERT!", but with more wheezing.

Because, hello. Sick.

But he insisted I listen to about 15 minutes of the Judge John Hodgman podcast with him & when that 15 minutes was up, I was hooked. These days I listen to a variety of podcasts on a variety of topics while I work, drive & exercise. This time last year I shared a few of my spooky favs here. That list has grown quite a bit since then, some of which I can, again, thank my brother for. I hope you find something here to set the tone of your month.

1. Tanis-

Tanis is one of those fictional podcasts that you actually have to really thing about if it's real. Created by Pacific Northwest Stories & Minnow Beats Whale, Tanis takes place in our world. Facts & certain historical facts are true, but they are mixed with a heavy dose of sci-fi for good measure. Host Nic Silver leads the search to figure out the mystery of Tanis, an ancient force that Silver becomes obsessed with as the program progresses. If you love Lovecraft, you'll love Tanis! 

2. The Black Tapes-

Within the same world as Tanis & created by PNWS & Minnow Beats Whale, The Black Tapes is definately more horror than sci-fi. It has been much more popular than Tanis & has become a favorite among fans. The Black Tape follows reporter, Alex Reagan & Dr. Richard Strand as they investigate the existence of paranormal activity in our world. Expect ghosts, demons, gore & religion with just a hint of romance for good measure. And beware; once you've heard The Unsound, there's no turning back.

3. Boys & Ghouls-

Boys & Ghouls is one of my most recent podcast favorites. I pretty much devoured their back catalog of episodes in August & September. If you love horror movies, well-researched info & good conversation, this is the show for you! Kat & Marshall discuss a movie, a topic (like the History of Halloween) or a film franchise & break it down. They also share spooky gab at the beginning of every episode & always have something interesting to share, whether they've seen a new movie, been an extra in a film or visited a local haunted house. I could not recommend this podcast enough!

4. Alice Isn't Dead-

Created by the same team that brought you Welcome to Nightvale,  Alice Isn't Dead follows a truck driver who is looking for her missing wife who she thought was deceased. Along the way, she encounters monsters, loss of time & conspiracy that may be more than she can handle. This isn't exactly like Night Vale, so if that's what you're expecting you might be disappointed, but I thoroughly enjoyed season 1 of this program & I am anxiously awaiting season 2! 

5. The Girls in the Back Row-

Another horror movie review podcast, The Girls in the Back Row, is special in that there are not that many programs out there about horror movies hosted solely by woman. I recently listened to their episode on The Silence of the Lambs & was so pleased by how much ground they covered within one episode. Though not always as well edited as The Boys & Ghouls podcast, these gals have some serious chops when it comes to knowledge about the horror genre. They're also local, so I've got to support my spooky Colorado girls! 

Now, I do have to say that none of these programs are geared towards kids, so if you're looking for something to listen to with the family this October, might I recommend the grandaddy of all horror & sci-fi podcasts; Orson Welles The War of the Worlds. It was so ahead of it's time, it's not even funny. 

Happy listening, boys & ghouls!