Third Channel Podcast

Never sleep again. Where did you learn that rhyme? Join PJ and Derek as they discuss the twisted dreamscape of Chuck Russell’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987). In this episode the guys unpack how this film weaves trauma, guilt, and dream logic into a surreal tapestry of horror, while redefining Freddy from a shadowy boogeyman to the charismatic, one-liner-slinging icon we love t...

What's wrong? Hey, you okay? It's them damn enchiladas! Join PJ and Derek as they discuss, the fifth and most divisive entry in the franchise, Danny Steinmann’s Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985). In this episode the guys unpack the chaotic legacy of a film that split fans and critics alike, from its gritty exploitation-film roots to its infamous twist ending. Was this a bold experi...

Fred Krueger! He’s inside me, and he wants to take me again! This week PJ and Derek present a message by special guest Charlie Suor before discussing Jack Sholder’s polarizing sequel that traded dream logic for psychological horror in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985). In this episode the guys unpack the film’s infamous legacy, its haunting portrayal of identity and repression,...

Jason’s body has disappeared from the morgue… He’s alive. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss a bloody high point in the franchise in Joseph Zito’s Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984). In this episode the guys unpack Crispin Glover’s iconic dance moves, Corey Feldman’s transformation as Tommy Jarvis, and Tom Savini’s gory return to bring an “end” to Jason Voorhees. 📺 Check out what our new fr...

Shelly this had better not be another one of your jokes. Join PJ and Derek as they slip on some 3D glasses to discuss the Steve Miner film that gave Jason his iconic hockey mask in Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982). In this episode the guys find themselves in a barn to unpack the 3D gimmicks, campy thrills, strange tonal shifts, and some of the most bizarre character choices in the series. 📺 Join us...

I told the others, they didn’t believe me. You’re all doomed. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Steve Miner’s first stab at the franchise that established Jason Voorhees as the masked killer in Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981). In this episode the guys sit around the campfire to unpack the brutal simplicity of Jason’s first killing spree, from its controversial opening to its polarizing final jump sc...

Whatever you do... don't fall asleep. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Wes Craven’s nightmarish vision that redefined the slasher film in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). In this episode the guys slip into a waking dream to explore the surreal atmosphere and blood-soaked sheets that blurred the line between reality and nightmare, and the disturbing origins of the razor-gloved icon Freddy Kr...

You see, Jason was my son, and today is his birthday... Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Sean S. Cunningham’s low-budget slasher that sparked a franchise that refuses to die in Friday the 13th (1980). In this episode the guys journey to the shores of Crystal Lake to unpack how this Halloween ripoff perfected the genre with its brutal kills, bloody special effects by Tom Savini, and an ending you...

Susie, do you know anything about… witches? Join PJ and Derek as they peel back the blood-soaked curtains to reveal the kaleidoscopic madness of Dario Argento’s cult-classic Suspiria (1977). In this episode the guys descend into the film’s dreamlike narrative of the occult with a jarring color palette and Goblin’s nerve-shredding score that redefined horror and turned nightmares into high art. 📺...

Michael Myers is not a sound bite, a spin-off, a tie-in, some celebrity scandal. Michael Myers is a killer shark. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss director Rick Rosenthal’s reviled return to the franchise with Halloween: Resurrection (2002). In this episode the guys unpack the film’s infamous opening sequence, chaotic production, and the divisive narrative turns that took The Shape into the digit...

It just occurred to me today that I’ve never celebrated Halloween before. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Steve Miner’s restoration of the franchise’s roots with the return of Laurie Strode in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998). In this episode the guys unpack how the film reimagines the final girl tropes through trauma and survival, reinvigorates this slasher saga in the post- Scream era, and...

For 15 years I’ve been obsessed to find out what was going on inside of him. It’s been my life’s work, and my ultimate failure. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Joe Chappelle’s controversial introduction of the Cult of Thorn into the slasher storyline of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995). In this episode the guys unpack the development hell of production, explore the differences betwee...

I prayed that he would burn in Hell, but in my heart I knew that Hell would not have him. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Dominique Othenin-Girard’s effort to humanize the Boogeyman in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989). In this episode the guys unpack the rushed production that gave us the telepathic bond between Michael and his niece Jamie, the continued unraveling of Dr. Loomis’...

You’re talking about him as if he were a human being. That part of him died years ago. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Dwight H. Little’s attempt to resurrect The Shape after a six-year absence in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988). In this episode, the guys unpack this film retreading of its slasher roots, how Loomis could have possibly survived that explosion, and the tragic intro...

If it goes on, it means the death of millions of people, everyone watching, don’t you understand that? This week PJ and Derek are joined by special guest Dylan as they discuss Tommy Lee Wallace’s ambitious attempt to pivot the Halloween series into an anthology with Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982). In this episode, the guys peel back the latex and circuitry from the black sheep of the fr...

Is this a joke? I’ve been trick-or-treated to death tonight. You don’t know what death is! Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Rick Rosenthal’s chilling continuation of the slasher classic, in Halloween II (1981). In this episode the guys pick up right where they left off, unpacking how this sequel trades suspense for blood and the quiet neighborhood for a dim hospital, with John Carpenter’s attempt...

It’s Halloween. Everyone’s entitled to one good scare. This week PJ and Derek are joined by special guest Bug as they discuss John Carpenter’s seminal slasher classic that introduced The Shape, in Halloween (1978). In this episode, they break down the film’s lasting influence on horror, its eerie use of suburban dread, and why Michael Myers remains one of cinema’s most terrifying enigmas. 📺 Check...

Don't worry, Cady. I won't let anything harm you. Ever again. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss how Gerard Johnstone redefined the boundaries of artificial intelligence and terror in M3GAN (2022). In this episode, the guys unpack the dangers of over-reliance on technology, the human need for connection, and the horrifying consequences of creating something that can think for itself. 📺 J...

Sometimes it's nice just hanging out on a Friday night... with your best friend. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss the latest film installment of the Child’s Play franchise in Don Mancini’s Cult of Chucky (2017). In this episode, the guys unpack the psychological twists, eerie atmosphere, and the legacy of Chucky as both a slasher icon and a cultural phenomenon. 📺 Join us on Third Channel Pa...

25 years… The Barclays, the Kincaids, the Tillys. But Nica, your family was always my favorite. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Don Mancini’s attempt to bring the franchise back to its horror roots in Curse of Chucky (2013). In this episode, the guys unpack this suspenseful slasher where family drama meets family trauma to add new layers to the Chucky mythos. 📺 Join us on Third Channel Patreon...

If this is what it takes to be human, I’d rather take my chances as a supernaturally possessed doll. It’s less complicated. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Don Mancini’s directorial debut that introduced the offspring of the infamous killer dolls in Seed of Chucky (2004). In this episode, the guys unpack how the film pushes the boundaries of terror, identity, and family values through its dark h...

My mother always told me love would set me free. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Ronny Yu’s reinvention of the iconic killer doll by introducing his equally homicidal partner in Bride of Chucky (1998). In this episode, the guys unpack the film’s genre-defying approach to the slasher film, filled with campy performances, standout practical effects, and self-aware humor. 📺 Join us on Third Channe...

You know what they say. “You just can’t keep a Good Guy down.” Join PJ and Derek as they discuss Jack Bender’s installment which took the murderous doll from the factory floor to a military academy in Child’s Play 3 (1991). In this episode, the guys unpack the rushed production of this flawed sequel that sees a teenage Andy battling PTSD as he tries to save a child from suffering the same fate, wh...

I told you. We were gonna be friends till the end. And now, it’s time to play. Join PJ and Derek as they discuss John Lafia’s slasher sequel that brought Chucky back with a vengeance in Child’s Play 2 (1990). In this episode, the guys unpack the evolution of Chucky’s character through the nightmares of corporate greed, factory accidents, and childhood trauma. 📺 Join us on Third Channel Patreon to...

Hi, I’m Chucky, and I’m your friend till the end. Hidey-ho! This week PJ and Derek are joined by special guest Alistair Graves as they discuss Tom Holland’s slasher flick that introduced the world to the notorious killer doll in Child’s Play (1988). In this episode they break down the rocky writing process, spectacular animatronic puppet effects, and the blend of horror and comedy that made Chucky...