SPOOK!

Feeling an unexplained sense of existential dread lately? Don’t worry! Spook! is here to replace that gnawing feeling with a much more placeable one: fear of drowning! Yes, it’s a particularly heavy episode of AYAOTD, and a bittersweet one, too, as it’s the last we will see of Kristen and David. Luckily, they go out on a high note, with this Stephen King-esque Tale of the Shiny Red Bicycle deliver...

It’s the beginning of Novemboo here on Spook!! And for our first classic Universal monster movie, Nicole and Joe watch the iconic Creature from the Black Lagoon , perhaps best known for being a movie poster in other movies. Joe and Nicole discuss prehistoric periods, the mandatory romance arc, and bringing back the woolly mammoth.  Warning: Episode contains spoilers and mentions violence and death...

Happy Halloween, friends! It’s finally the spookiest of days, and Spook! is celebrating by watching an all-time Halloween classic, Halloweentown ! Telling the beloved story of Marnie Piper discovering her witchy roots, Joe and Nicole discuss what makes this movie so special to them and many other people. Along the way, they dive deep into the lore of the movie, and leave no stone unturned! Warning...

Happy Almost Halloween! It’s a favorite holiday for Spook!, so naturally, it’s time to dig into the origins of everyone’s favorite spooky day! From an ancient Celtic feast to a modern commercial day of candy and tricks, Joe and Nicole do their best to go over where this special day originated. Along the way they discuss favorite costumes, Stingy Jack, and some antiquated matchmaking practices. War...

It’s a tale as old as time: A group of kids drive by a haunted mansion only to have their car break down and be stalked by ghosts. Such is the case for “The Tale of the Whispering Walls”, an episode that bears a striking resemblance to another AYAOTD episode. Joe and Nicole discuss 90’s fashion, full moon on a leap year, and My Chemical Romance. Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions dea...

It’s an eventful episode of Twin Peaks , and Spook! is here to help you with it! From the heroic exploits of Deputy Andy to the dastardly deeds of Jacques Renault, this classic show ends its first season with a (literal) bang and a series of cliffhangers. Joe and Nicole discuss their growing list of suspects, Bobby’s need for therapy, and how many creeps seem to reside in this small Washington tow...

It’s Sweeps Week on Spook! , as Joe and Nicole guide you through five of the most bone-chilling tales that 1990’s sitcoms had to offer! These spook-tacular episodes offer surprises in droves, such as the unexpected edginess of Boy Meets World , or how Joe got literally every fact about Ingmar Bergman wrong (sorry). The scariest month of the year means some great tv specials, so strap in and enjoy...

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! This episode of Spook! goes into the lore and history of one of the most enigmatic and terrifying figures from Indigenous folklore: the Wendigo. Is it a shapeshifter? A curse bringer? A cannibal? Does it have antlers? All these questions and more are explored. Warning:  Episode mentions cannibalism, suicide, and murder.  Follow us on Instagram @spook_podcast Email us...

The full moon is out again, and that means it’s time for a very furry episode of Spook! ! Jed is a junior pet detective who comes across some troubles of the werewolf variety while searching for a missing cat. Joe and Nicole dive into this surprisingly goofy episode and discuss the mechanics of werewolves, ponder the mysteries of Jed’s offbeat mom, and get into the lore of MTV’s Teen Wolf . Warnin...

October is Italian American Heritage Month and we’re celebrating by talking about some Italian folklore and legends. Italian American Heritage Month honors the accomplishments and achievements of Italian immigrants and their descendants living in the United States. Don’t worry, we are definitely not celebrating Christopher Columbus this month.  No trigger warnings. We’ll be talking about supernatu...

Is that a harmonica in the distance? Probably not now, but according to a questionable child, it may signal the ghost of an unkempt gravekeeper. When Jack and Kenny move into the suburbs, their desire to make new friends gets them in the ghost’s way. Joe and Nicole dive into this episode, and bid a sort-of farewell to Kristen and David. Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions child endang...

It’s Realization Time in Twin Peaks, even though not much actually gets realized in this particular episode. Joe and Nicole discuss disguises, Audrey’s ambitions, and Cooper’s words of wisdom. Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions domestic abuse, gun violence, animal death, and murder.  Follow us on Instagram @spook_podcast Email your spooky stories to spoook.podcast@gmail.com If you wa...

Prepare for the spookening of a lifetime, as Joe and Nicole discuss the dubious An American Haunting , featuring two actors who probably would rather forget this was in their filmography (RIP Donald Sutherland). Joe and Nicole discuss problematic portrayals, swooping ghost cameras, the real historical haunting, and bemoan the movie’s awful twist ending. Trigger Warning:  Episode contains spoilers...

We invite you to a gothic episode of Spook!, as Joe and Nicole watch Werner Herzog’s iconic remake of Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror ! It’s a classic and rather straightforward vampire story, mostly because it’s an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula , but that doesn’t stop Joe and Nicole from getting into the nitty-gritty of bats, Dracula’s sea route, and how the Count is by and large a massive...

The third season of Are You Afraid of the Dark? begins! At least, according to Paramount +, it does. Joe and Nicole discuss the adventures of Todd Marker, a young boy who is surprisingly responsible for his age, and learn the three (or four) rules of magic. Shandu can do! Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions death and child endangerment.  Follow us on Instagram @spook_podcast Email you...

The Twin Peaks Train keeps chugging along as we near the end of the first season! Joe and Nicole discuss malls, the sad state of Leland, and potentially (definitely not officially) diagnose Laura Palmer. Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions domestic abuse, gun violence, mental illness, suicide, and murder.  Follow us on Instagram @spook_podcast Email your spooky stories to spoook.podca...

It’s time to wake up and smell the Spook!, because it’s our second episode of spooky season! In this episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark? , a magic typewriter causes mischief and mayhem for Sean and his friends. Joe and Nicole discuss whether his notebook is obsessive, the questionable framing of their English teacher, and Joe makes way too many Alan Wake references. Warning:  Episode contains s...

For our first episode of Spooky Season, Nicole and Joe explore the origin theories of everyone’s favorite bathroom entity, Bloody Mary. They talk about spiritualism, historical figures that could have inspired the legend, and possible symbolic connections to puberty.  Warning:  Episode mentions occult practices, murder, gore, torture, and human sacrifice.  Follow us on Instagram @spook_podcast Ema...

Welcome to the midnight show of madness in this episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark?! Pete Matt (Yes, that is indeed his name) is passionate about the theater he works at, and a familiar nutcase might just help him save it. Joe and Nicole pore into the penultimate episode of season 2 (according to Paramount+) and get thoroughly spooked along the way! Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and menti...

Bird is the word for this episode of Spook!, as Nicole and Joe fly through the last episode of Cabinet of Curiosities. Essie Davis and Andrew Lincoln play a pair of ornithologists dealing with tragedy who stay in a spooky house for work. If that premise isn’t enticing, the fact that the director of The Babadook helmed this should be. So gather your recording equipment and enjoy this episode of Spo...

Strap in for a bumpy ride, as Nicole and Joe talk about this visually interesting but mostly uneventful episode of Cabinet of Curiosities. When four strangers (including Eric Andre) are summoned by RoboCop (Peter Weller), they sit around a table and discuss their backstories whilst on drugs. That’s pretty much it, but enjoy the episode! Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions violence, dr...

The Twin Peaks Express is chugging along as we enter episode five: The One-Armed Man. Joe and Nicole discuss benevolent prejudice, birds, and Joe finally remembers the llama at the end. Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions drug abuse, murder, and domestic violence.  Follow us on Instagram @spook_podcast Email your spooky stories to spoook.podcast@gmail.com If you want a shoutout in a f...

It’s our 50th episode, and today we’re celebrating by sharing (mostly) dark theories about some of our favorite TV shows! From Arthur to Futurama, from the Golden Girls to Breaking Bad, there sure are a lot of morbid ways people have speculated about these (again, mostly) lighthearted affairs. We’ve come so far with this podcast and from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for listening. Here’s...

Lovecraft strikes again with another dark and twisted tale for Guillermo to share from his Cabinet. Rupert Grint stars in this tale of messing with the powers that be, and Joe and Nicole chastise him as well as discussing indigenous lands, Lovecraftian tropes, and Spider-Man. Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions child death, gore, murder, and occult practices.  Follow us on Instagram @...

Get ready for a strange coming of age tale with this installment of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, as a pair of siblings explore the spookiest floor of an apartment building. Joe and Nicole dive in and discuss healthy sibling relationships, genetic traits, and what Willy Wonka wears. Warning:  Episode contains spoilers and mentions child endangerment. Follow us on Instagram @spook_podcast Email your...