SPOOK!

You are cordially invited to a Masked Twin Peaks Ball! Where are the masks, you ask? Nowhere to be seen in this episode, but that doesn’t seem to matter much. The Twin Peaks train inches closer to the station as Nicole and Joe discuss Nadine’s super-strength, James’s moodiness, and the surprisingly positive portrayal of Denise. Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions domestic abuse, drug...

What’s your favorite urban legend? If that question doesn’t have the same ring to it as a certain other creepy query, there’s likely a reason for that. Joe and Nicole take a deep dive into this 1998 cult classic that’s often accused of being a Scream knock-off, and discuss the similarities between the two, as well as its portrayal of mental illness, the logistics of swinging an axe in a car, and g...

As Doctor Strange once said, “We’re in the endgame now.” Gary and Frank finish their ambitious AYAOTD crossover with a story of pirates, ghosts, and intricate mazes. Can Rush Keegan save his brother from the ghosts’ grasp? Listen on to find out, as Nicole and Joe discuss Dr. Vink’s many side hustles, the lost potential of a spinoff, and Nickelodeon game shows from the 90s. Warning:  Episode contai...

Two brothers. At a wake. For one whole minute of screen time. Yes, despite the episode being named after them, the titular brothers are a mere footnote in this first episode after the murder of Laura Palmer being solved. What ensues is a series of setups for the rest of the series’s remaining episodes. Nicole and Joe discuss Lucy’s ladder safety, mysterious moustache men, and what the owls really...

What do the protagonist from The Polar Express and Fox Mulder have in common? They both want to believe, of course! This episode of The X-Files digs into Mulder’s traumatic history with alien abduction, and of course, Scully is the only one who seems to sympathize with him.  Nicole and Joe discuss how rude everyone else is to Mulder, spring cleaning, and Joe’s web browser journey. Warning:  Episod...

The big reveal is here! Yes, most of Twin Peaks has been leading up to this very episode, and boy oh boy is it a doozy. Joe and Nicole discuss all the big reveals and twists, which storylines stand out the most (or least) to them, and question the nature of what BOB is.  Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions murder, suicide, child abuse, and sexual assault.  Follow us on Instagram @spoo...

Jon Bon Jovi once asked, “Who says you can’t go home?” Well, Rod Serling looked into the future from his writer’s room in 1959 and preemptively answered, “I do.” Such is the message of this episode of The Twilight Zone , and Nicole and Joe discuss what a soda jerk is, question the comfort that protagonist Martin Sloan has with talking to strange children, and marvel at a pre-fame Ron Howard. Warni...

Arrrgh! This episode concerns pirates! In an unprecedented move, there are two storytellers for this Tale of Cutter’s Treasure, and it’s filled with a surprising amount of murder, cameos, and pubescent hormones. Joe and Nicole discuss Gary and Frank’s rivalry over Sam, the Silent Hill 2 remake, and an adorable mindfulness app. Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions child endangerment and...

We’re inching ever closer to the end of the original Twin Peaks , and this time Nicole and Joe note Leland’s love of musicals and his similarities to Ted Bundy. Elsewhere, Harry seemingly gets tired of Cooper’s dream logic investigative techniques, which is surprising because they’ve already gotten them this far. Will the murder of Laura Palmer ever be solved? That’s a spoiler for the whole show,...

Are you afraid of the dark? No, we’re not name-dropping the show, we’re asking about a fear (which is different from a phobia). Frank is afraid of the dark on Are You Afraid of the Dark? , and he uses that fear to tell a culinary horror story co-starring Neve Campbell from before she did Scream . Nicole and Joe discuss the return of Dr. Vink and question the details of the business that he seems t...

On the winter night of December 3rd, 1957, in Sycamore, Illinois, seven-year-old Maria Ridulph went outside to play a game of “duck the cars” with her friend, Kathy. The girls were approached by a man who called himself “Johnny.” He offered piggyback rides and asked if the girls liked to play with dolls. Kathy left to retrieve her doll from home to show “Johnny,” but when she returned, Maria Ridul...

Portrait of a woman. Her name: Barbara Jean Trenton. Her occupation: sadly watching old film reels of herself from when she was famous. But since this is The Twilight Zone , Barbara Jean Trenton is about to go on an existential journey via the supernatural. Or something like that. Nicole and Joe discuss the contemporary comparisons to this episode and discuss whether its ending is hopeful or depre...

As the giant would say, it is happening again. Joe and Nicole sit down to talk about a very busy episode of Twin Peaks , and discuss its portrayals of guilt and death. There’s some heavy imagery in “Lonely Souls”, so prepare for that going in. They also discuss whether the big reveal at the end was effective for them, or whether there was too much slo-mo screaming. Warning:  Episode contains spoil...

Top o’ the mornin’ to you! On this St. Paddy’s Day, Nicole and Joe celebrate the patron saint of the Emerald Isle by watching a movie that is no doubt beloved there as it is in the US, 1993’s Leprechaun . With its cult status, there’s no way it could totally suck, right? Right? Listen on to find out, as Joe and Nicole lament its treatment of Ozzie and how the movie feels like it’s at war with itse...

We hope you’ve brushed up on your stages of child development, because this episode digs deep into the psyche of perhaps the most annoying little brother a show ever brothered, and the only thing that can stop him is the mortal enemy of any child: a clown. Nicole and Joe discuss whether they can diagnose said little brother with psychopathy, and observe the budding romance between Gary and Sam. Wa...

Yee-haw! This Twilight Zone episode takes us back to the Old West! Or at least 1950’s Hollywood’s version of the Old West, where a common pastime was shooting each other just to see who’s better at shooting. Joe and Nicole discuss the accuracy of this type of Western depiction, as well as question the value of duels themselves, and Nicole gives an in-depth account of the one in Bridgerton . Warnin...

Hold on tight, because this is a wild episode! When Scully brings Mulder along on an investigation into a series of killings in Baltimore, Mulder puts forth a strange theory, and sadly gets laughed at for most of the episode. Joe and Nicole discuss how they feel for our favorite conspiracy theorizing FBI agent, how Stephen King’s It may have served as an inspiration for this episode, and whether t...

Things are starting to get very strange in the town of Twin Peaks, and they’re just as busy. Nicole and Joe discuss how the various side-plots affect their enjoyment of the show, and whether it meets their expectations they had going in. They also discuss when various musicals came out, and ponder why Mr. Tojamura is even a thing. Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions murder, kidnapping...

We’re finishing out February with a return to The Twilight Zone ! Do you remember pitchmen? No? That’s ok, because Rod explains what they did. And this particular episode about Mr. Death coming for one such pitchman proves to be poignant and reflective. So finish screaming from Ghostface and relax to this chill episode from a normally unsettling TV show. Joe and Nicole look back on what it has to...

Scream month lets out a final gasp, and this time it’s a sequel to a requel. Do you like monologues about horror rules? Or serial killer motivations? Are you getting tired of those? Joe and Nicole question where the series goes from here and how much life it has left, and provide some ideas for Scream 7 so it could actually be good. Also includes some references to some edits that we unfortunately...

We’re almost done with Scream Month! And this requel (or legasequel) shows that there’s still some fresh blood left in the long-running horror franchise. Joe and Nicole discuss the similarities between this movie and Scream 4, whether its meta-ness works, and go on a lengthy rant on toxic internet fans. Spicy takes about The Last Jedi included! Warning: Episode contains spoilers and mentions murde...

Scream Month resumes! This entry in the series is perhaps the most meta yet and is a marked improvement from Scream 3. Nicole and Joe discuss what makes this movie distinct from its early 2010s peers and praise Emma Roberts’ performance and Hayden Panettiere’s haircut. They also question why the hospitals in Woodsboro are always devoid of staff and patients.  Warning: Episode contains spoilers and...

It’s our 100th episode! We can’t believe we’ve made it this far, and to celebrate this momentous occasion, Joe and Nicole cover the movie that inspired one of the greatest comedy shows of the 21st century: What We Do in the Shadows ! This vampire mockumentary franchise takes the heightened spookiness of vampires and brings it down to Earth with mundanity, and the movie is so entertaining as a resu...

What’s your third favorite scary movie? Are you tired of that bit yet? Well, we wouldn’t blame you, as Scream 3 offers diminishing returns and an uninspired twist on Ghostface. But that doesn’t stop Nicole and Joe from talking about its familial plot twist, as well as spoiling Grey’s Anatomy and learning about the reasons this movie might be so underwhelming. Warning: Episode contains spoilers and...

What’s your second favorite scary movie? Scream 2 isn’t as good as the first one, so that’s what it’ll have to settle for, although there’s still plenty of fun to be had in this very meta sequel. Joe goes on a rant about Randy, and he and Nicole discuss knife physics and how to tastefully make a movie about a real crime. Warning: Episode contains spoilers and mentions murder, gore, and gun violenc...