The Losers' Club: A Stephen King Podcast

Randall, Jenn, and Justo dive deep into The Stacks to discuss what they’re reading and binging, but first they preview upcoming horror books about man-eating wasps, witches, death fugues, and underwater cults from Chuck Tingle, Christopher Golden, Megan Bontrager, and others. A heated sidebar about “Goosebumps for adults” segues into spoiler-free reviews of multiple 2026 releases, including Caro C...

Behold, The Definitive Stephen King Book Ranking! This year, the Losers are counting down Stephen King's published novels -- specifically, novels (no collections) -- from worst to best. To cap off June, the Losers crack into the 30s with some rough choices surrounding some of King's most fantastical works and a sequel that's as divisive as always with this group. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz c...

Did you know author Dennis Etchison was the first to take a crack at adapting The Mist for the silver screen? In our latest exclusive episode to The Barrens, the Losers explore this curious artifact and weigh in on the what-ifs. Hear a clip now and get the full thing at patreon.com/thebarrens. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collectio...

It's always a cruel summer, but 2026 is about to get crueler. The Losers hit the road to visit all the towns in King's Dominion. Derry, Castle Rock, Ludlow, Boulder, the list goes on. They've got miles to drive and so many sights to see. At the end of the day, though, they have to ask themselves: Which one's the best? So, join them in our first bracket ranking in quite some time. PayDays and Nozz-...

The Losers put on their cardigans and hit the college campus to take a closer look at Stephen King's college column, King's Garbage Truck. The series was published in The Maine Campus from February 20, 1969 to May 21, 1970 during King's junior and senior years at The University of Maine. There were a total of 47 installments published: 34 in 1969 and 13 in 1970. For this episode, however, the Lose...

Here's a preview of our discussion on "Dinah's Hat", the new short story by Stephen King that you can find now in the June 2026 issue of The Atlantic. Want to hear the full track? Become a member of The Barrens (Patreon) by visiting www.patreon.com/thebarrens. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adv...

Did you know we've been recapping Widow's Bay on Apple TV? Well, you do now. Yes, for the last month, Mike and Randall have been chatting about the very Kingian show that Guillermo del Toro recently called "the best streaming series in a long time." The rub? It's all been locked away in The Barrens. To whet your appetite, though, we're unlocking our first episode, which finds the Rhys Bros. talkin...

Behold, The Definitive Stephen King Book Ranking! This year, the Losers are counting down Stephen King's published novels -- specifically, novels (no collections) -- from worst to best. For May, the heat turns up as they round out the 40s with a handful of picks that race all around King's Dominion. One title dusts off one iconic debate within the Club. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. Se...

Here's a preview of our latest installment of the CrichtonCast, our Michael Crichton spinoff podcast exclusive to The Barrens. Want to hear the full track? Become a member of The Barrens (Patreon) by visiting www.patreon.com/thebarrens. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Losers' Club executive producer and co-host Michael Roffman finally unboxes this mysterious crate that's been at the bottom of his stairs. What he discovers is a stunning collection of Stephen King reissues from Vintage Books, specifically 1974's Carrie, 1975's 'Salem's Lot, 1977's The Shining, 1978's Night Shift, and 1978's The Stand. So, in this special episode, we hear from the maestros behind...

The Losers check into The Overlook for the umpteenth time. This time, however, they dedicate some time to Stephen King's oft-forgotten prologue "Before the Play", which was also the inspiration for Glen Mazzara's unproduced script The Overlook Hotel. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's time for another spell in The Stacks, this time with author (and friend of the pod) Laramie Dean joining Randall, Jenn, and Ashley. They talk through several upcoming horror releases, debate revisionist riffs on classic stories ("Sorry, Marion!"), and delve into what they've been reading, watching, and listening to. No spoilers, of course. Also, check out Laramie's new novel: Haunt Me, Then....

Behold, The Definitive Stephen King Book Ranking! In the following months, the Losers will countdown Stephen King's published novels -- specifically, novels (no collections) -- from worst to best. For April, they're finally cracking into the top 50. Harder decisions, harder revelations, and harder discussions. Don't forget to return next month when their journey continues. Hosted by Simplecast, an...

The Losers' Club producer and co-host Randall Colburn sits down with author Caroline Bicks to discuss her highly anticipated new book, Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King. Named the University of Maineʼs inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature, Bicks became the first scholar to be granted exclusive access to King's private archives -- a huge coup and one that certainl...

The Losers revisit their old hometown of Liberty, Missouri to celebrate 35 years of Sometimes They Come Back. Together, Mike, Jenn, and Caffrey discuss the changes from page to (small) screen, the stylish direction of Tommy McLoughlin, the era of TV movies, and whether or not Tim Matheson was knocked aside by Rockin' Rob Lowe. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com f...

The Losers untie another big ol' Bag of Bones and answer your questions. Questions like: "Which Stephen King story should Tim Robinson adapt?"; "Which King book did you read at a impactful time of your life?"; "If you found yourself in a Freaky Friday situation and had to switch bodies with any Stephen King character, who ya picking?"; and more. They also digress on their current reading habits, t...

The Losers return to the Stephen King Archives to dust off a couple more uncollected stories: "Squad D" and "The Reploids". Listen to the full episode now in The Barrens: patreon.com/thebarrens Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Behold, The Definitive Stephen King Book Ranking! In the following months, the Losers will countdown Stephen King's published novels -- specifically, novels (no collections) -- from worst to best. What started at the bottom of the barrel in February (#66-59) continues right as March comes to close with their picks for 58 to 53. Will they start to see the light? Find out and return next month as th...

Now that they're caught up on the beam, the Losers weigh in on Stephen King's best and worst endings. This is by no means definitive. Well, maybe it is. You be the judge and listen to the full episode now in The Barrens: patreon.com/thebarrens Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Losers Michael Roffman, Dan Caffrey, and Justin Gerber return to Hollywood King where they discuss the latest developments in King's Dominion, specifically Other Worlds Than These, Mike Flanagan's The Mist, John Mellencamp, Daylight Savings Time, and much, much more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data...

Randall, Mike, Sammie, and Ashley are back in the Stacks to preview March and April's new horror books — including Daniel Kraus' Partially Devoured — and share some non-spoilery takes on what they're currently reading, watching, and listening to. In between, they talk UFOs, sicko elites, and the most physical pain they've ever felt. Check out everything recommended in this episode below. Books: As...

In June 2023, The Losers' Club began discussing Stephen King's EW column The Pop of King on their Patreon. What was initially going to be one full-length episode has since become a subsection of The Stephen King Archives that sees the gang dedicating one episode to one full year's worth of columns from King. What started with 2003/2004 -- an episode we unlocked for you last year (look it up) -- ha...

In January 2026, nearly a decade after hitting record on their first book episode, The Losers' Club completed their Herculean task of covering Stephen King's bibliography. From 1974's Carrie to 2025's Never Flinch, the Losers covered each and every title in King's Dominion with long, expansive book episodes. Now, they're doing what anybody does when they complete a gargantuan catalogue in pop cult...

Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend is often called the first modern vampire novel. Preceding Salem’s Lot by 21 years, the story follows a would-be scientist named Robert Neville who also happens to be the last man on Earth. Tormented by the memory of his wife’s horrific transformation, not to mention the hordes of vampires trying to break through his heavily fortified home, Neville spends his days sys...