Explore every episode of the podcast It Was an Animal Attack
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPIN-OFF: Animorphs, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Riverdale | 23 Oct 2026 | 00:33:01 | |
Spin-off! Your hosts talk the "Animorphs" and "Gone" books from the minds of Applegate and Grant, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and copaganda through the years, and "Riverdale" and the meta-narrative dissonance of the teen drama series. Also: villains manipulating protagonists' new allies, the silly fun of masked characters, and the many neverending medical dramas. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of coercion, grooming, homophobia, mental manipulation, pedophilia, racism, religious trauma, sexism, and sexual abuse and assault. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod - (00:00:05) - The "Animorphs" book series (00:05:38) - The "Gone" book series (00:09:44) - Brooklyn Nine-Nine and copaganda (00:11:51) - Riverdale and the dissonance of adults playing teens (00:13:51) - Villains manipulating the allies of the protagonist (00:20:35) - The silliness of various masked characters (00:26:26) - The Pitt and various neverending medical dramas (00:29:17) - Modern Family and the art of the comedic misunderstanding (00:30:138) - Two South Africans opine on US politics | |||
| S2E06 - Isaac Lahey | 09 Oct 2026 | 01:18:58 | |
Fear, face, fight! Fadzai and Sandile go from pillar to post with the bereft beta of the Hale pack, Isaac Lahey. A Beacon Hills student introduced in the second season of Teen Wolf, Isaac lives under the abusive hand of his single father - that is, until new alpha Derek Hale turns him into a werewolf, and his father is killed in a bizarre attack. Isaac is one of several recruits for Derek's new pack, and enjoys the power and confidence that lycanthropy bring him, but time and trials prove that the life is more trouble than he expected, and that Derek is not the best candidate for a new caretaker. This leads to his progressive adoption by Scott and the McCall pack as an ally, and a more central role for him in the third season of the show. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of abuse, child endangerment, mass murder, racism, ritual sacrifice, serial killing, sexism, suicide, and torture. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S2E05 - Ethan and Aiden Steiner | 25 Sep 2026 | 01:29:12 | |
Alphas, Omegas, twins! Sandile and Fadzai double the trouble with Teen Wolf's twin werewolves, Ethan and Aiden Steiner. Part of the "Alpha Pack", collectively one of the antagonists in Season 3A, the twins are two of five Alpha werewolves who slaughtered their entire packs to gain greater power, and now have designs on Derek Hale (and secretly, Scott McCall) as new recruits. Given the abuse they faced at the hands of their pack, as well as their closeness in age to the show's main characters, Ethan and Aiden are placed in a more sympathetic position - and poised for a turn from their motley pack when they each find love and companionship in Beacon Hills. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of abuse, child endangerment, mass murder, racism, ritual sacrifice, serial killing, sexism, and torture. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S2E04 - Melissa McCall | 11 Sep 2026 | 01:46:21 | |
Healer, philosopher, mother! Fadzai and Sandile clock in an emergency shift with the night nurse of Teen Wolf, Melissa McCall. Single parent of the show's lead, Scott McCall, Melissa balances her parenting duties with her demanding job as an emergency room nurse at Beacon Hills General. While unaware of the supernatural, she is a guiding force for Scott in matters of life, romance, and coming of age, as well a fracture point of safety when it comes to his enemies. When she's finally drawn into the masquerade, despite an initial negative reaction, she quickly becomes an aid to Scott and his pack, and a surrogate mother figure for a number of wayward teens living the werewolf life. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of alcoholism, child endangerment, mass murder, racism, and sexism. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| Bestiary Page #1 - Werewolves | 21 Aug 2026 | 00:42:30 | |
Introducing the Bestiary Pages! A series of episodes that chronicles the supernatural (and mundane) lore of the Teen Wolf world, much like the archaic tome of the Argent family themselves. In the first entry of the series, your hosts bring you all there is to know about the titular supernatural creatures: Werewolves. Existing somewhere between shapeshifters and literal wizards, Sandile and Fadzai will hash out the convoluted details so you don't have to! Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| SPIN-OFF: Obsession, Get Out, X-Men: First Class | 31 Jul 2026 | 00:27:47 | |
Spin-off! Your hosts talk Obsession (2026) and Teen Wolf's Michael Johnston, Get Out (2017)'s narrative "twist", and X-Men:First Class (2011) and the strangeness of adaptation. Also: Kilgrave of Jessica Jones infamy, Harry Potter and Religious Objection, and Legally Blonde: The Musical. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of coercion, homophobia, mental manipulation, pedophilia, racism, religious trauma, sexism, and sexual abuse and assault (and potentially some slur usage? Still 50/50 on that). Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod - (00:00:05) - Obsession (2026), Jessica Jones's Kilgrave, and Michael Johnston from Teen Wolf (00:11:31) - MTV, and the Jackass movies (00:12:31) - Harry Potter and religious objection (00:15:07) - Get Out (2017)'s narrative "twist" (00:16:53) - X-Men: First Class and the strangeness of adaptation (00:18:32) - Legally Blonde: The Musical (00:20:00) - The exploits of one illustrious Gage Golightly (00:21:19) - America, heterosexuality, and pedophilia (00:25:14) - Actor Gideon Emery's ties to South Africa | |||
| S2E03 - Jackson Whittemore | 17 Jul 2026 | 01:59:34 | |
Blue blood, blue eyes, can't miss! Sandile and Fadzai make the rest of the world the problem with the prince of Beacon Hills, Jackson Whittemore. High school rival to Scott McCall in the early seasons of Teen Wolf, Jackson enjoys a level of popularity due to his role as an athlete, and becomes antagonistic when Scott starts to pull that spotlight away from him. His suspicion over Scott's strange new behaviour leads him into the world of werewolves and the supernatural, one he is desperate to access as a way to return to his glory status, though he gets far more than he bargained for. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of child abuse, classism, emotional abuse, ephebophilia, fatphobia, grooming, homophobia, mental illness and related stigma, pedophilia, racism, and religious bigotry. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S2E02 - Derek Hale | 03 Jul 2026 | 02:25:28 | |
Alpha, Beta, Omega! Fadzai and Sandile run a mile with the born wolf and prodigal son, Derek Hale. A tritagonist of the early seasons of Teen Wolf, Derek appears in the show as the first other werewolf encountered by Scott McCall. Initially thought to be the one that turned him, Derek becomes a reluctant mentor to Scott after revealing the actual culprit is an Alpha that killed his sister, whom he needs Scott's help tracking down. Derek moves through various stages over his time in the show, at times an antagonist, but ultimately evolving into a reliable support figure in the supernatural goings-on of the main cast. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of arson, child abuse, emotional abuse, ephebophilia, fatphobia, grooming, mental illness and related stigma, pedophilia, racism, and religious bigotry. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S2E01 - Allison Argent | 19 Jun 2026 | 01:39:13 | |
Draw, aim, fire! Sandile and Fadzai begin the Teen Wolf season by discussing the huntress herself, the Allison Argent. The deuteragonist of the series (at least during her time on the show), Allison arrives in Beacon Hills to begin her junior year, and quickly becomes a love interest for the lead, Scott McCall. Over time, though, she learns the truth about werewolves and the supernatural goings-on in town, as well as secrets about her family - the Argents - and their position as hunters of the supernatural. Her physical prowess, common sense intelligence, and her capacity for empathy, make her a key and memorable part of the show, even beyond her untimely death. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of arson, emotional abuse, grooming, mental illness and related stigma, racism, and religious bigotry. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S2 - Teen Wolf (Intro) | 12 Jun 2026 | 00:14:23 | |
Sandile and Fadzai prepare to return to Beacon Hills as they discuss the subject of the second season of the podcast - Teen Wolf. A bit of a chaotic entry for supernatural drama of its era, the show ran on MTV from 2011-2017, and developed a niche but strong following that remains well after its conclusion. Join your hosts for this brief introduction before jumping into the first official episode, and the first of many characters that made the show so iconic. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| SPIN-OFF: Mid Season Edition | 29 May 2026 | 00:38:27 | |
Spin-off! Your hosts unsurprisingly went on a lot of tangents during the Mid Season, and they have been compiled here for your listening pleasure. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of antisemitism, homophobia, incest, and racism. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod - (00:00:05) - Fanon, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones (00:01:53) - Moon Knight, adaptation, and ethnic erasure (00:06:05) - Everyone and their mother is in Oppenheimer (00:07:27) - Bring it On to teen drama pipeline (00:11:50) - Literary fraud in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody (00:13:29) - Cassandra Clare vs Stephanie Meyer (00:20:16) - One Tree Hill drama (00:21:20) - Heathers: The Musical, Riverdale, Recess (00:25:00) - Charmed, Angel, and the Powers that Be (00:26:00) - Crystal skulls, Indiana Jones, and cultural malignment (00:27:32) - Winx Club and underwhelming spellcraft (00:28:38) - Mulan 2 and Disney sequels (00:29:42) - Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter (00:30:59) - Ashley Tisdale mum group drama (00:32:54) - Sandile's dentist troubles (00:34:51) - Sandile's traffic fine troubles (00:35:52) - Fadzai's password trauma (00:36:52) - POPI Act for who? | |||
| The Secret Circle E21-22: "Prom" & "Family" | 15 May 2026 | 01:28:28 | |
Your hosts welcome the end for The Secret Circle! This week, Fadzai and Sandile cover: Episode 21, "Prom": Blackwell asks Cassie to use her dark magic to find a crystal hidden at the school; Faye asks Jake to prom even though he stood her up two years ago; Dawn tries to stop Blackwell. Episode 22, "Family": Jake, Melissa and Adam try to save Faye from the witch hunters; Blackwell tells Cassie and Diana that they must use their dark magic to unleash the crystal skull; Dawn and Charles discover a new way to get their power back. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of ephebophilia, familial abandonment, grief and loss, incest, mass murder, mental illness and related stigma, pedophilia, racism, and religious bigotry. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| The Secret Circle E19-20: "Crystal" & "Traitor" | 24 Apr 2026 | 01:35:10 | |
Your hosts boot and rally for The Secret Circle! This week, Sandile and Fadzai cover: Episode 19, "Crystal": Everyone in the circle start looking for the remaining crystals. Meanwhile, Jane and Charles form an alliance against a common enemy and Cassie discovers another secret about her father. Episode 20, "Traitor": When a crystal is magically stolen from the abandoned house, the Circle decides it was the traitor witch working with Eben, and call for a meeting with Isaac to see if they can get him to change sides. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of ephebophilia, familial abandonment, grief and loss, mass murder, mental illness and related stigma, racism, and religious bigotry. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| The Secret Circle E17-18: "Curse" & "Sacrifice" | 17 Apr 2026 | 01:37:25 | |
Your hosts band together for The Secret Circle! This week, Sandile and Fadzai cover: Episode 17, "Curse": After what happened between Cassie and Adam, Blackwell says a curse has arisen. They go to visit Jane. Faye goes to go visit Lee and is suspicious of Eva. Episode 18, "Sacrifice": An old acquaintance of Jake's shows up with a message for Blackwell; Cassie learns what Eben is planning; Diana worries that her secret is putting a wall between her and Grant; Faye and Melissa make a deal with Adam. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of ephebophilia, familial abandonment, mass murder, mental manipulation, racism, and religious bigotry. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| The Secret Circle E15-16: "Return" & "Lucky" | 10 Apr 2026 | 01:24:44 | |
Your hosts dive deeper into The Secret Circle! This week, Fadzai and Sandile cover: Episode 15, "Return": Cassie's father returns, but she and Adam fear his reason for it. Callum, to his delight, discovers Melissa is a witch and confronts Lee about his unclean reasons for associating with Faye. Episode 16, "Lucky": While the school conducts a casino night fundraiser, John's search for sway raises suspicions, and a love triangle turns deadly. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, childhood trauma, drug abuse, ephebophilia, familial abandonment, mass murder, racism, and religious bigotry. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| The Secret Circle E13-14: "Medallion" & "Valentine" | 03 Apr 2026 | 01:32:57 | |
Your hosts dive further into The Secret Circle! This week, Fadzai and Sandile cover: Episode 13, "Medallion": The desperate woman Cassie encountered in Jake's memories shows up at Cassie's door, to warn of approaching witch hunters. Episode 14, "Valentine": Cassie finds herself stalked by witch ghosts as two parties vie for Blackwell's medallion. Melissa takes Devil's Spirit too far at an anti-Valentine's Day slumber party. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, childhood trauma, drug abuse, ephebophilia, mass murder, racism, religious bigotry, and ritual sacrifice. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| The Secret Circle E11-12: "Fire/Ice" & "Witness" | 27 Mar 2026 | 01:14:39 | |
Your hosts brace themselves during The Secret Circle! This week, Sandile and Fadzai cover: Episode 11, "Fire/Ice": With Lee's help, Faye finally regains her solo magic but at a terrible price. Finding out where Cassie's father used to live stuns the circle. Episode 12, "Witness": Jake returns for a trip down memory lane with Cassie - his memories - to see what events took place during a famously tragic town fire. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of childhood trauma, drug abuse, ephebophilia, mass murder, racism, religious bigotry, ritual sacrifice. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| The Secret Circle E09-10: "Balcoin" & "Darkness" | 20 Mar 2026 | 01:18:07 | |
Your hosts hit a turning point with The Secret Circle! This week, Sandile and Fadzai cover: Episode 9, "Balcoin": As Jake continues to gather intel on the Circle, Isaac fears it's time to remove him from the group before an attachment to Cassie forms. Meanwhile, Charles' spell addles Jane's brain. Episode 10, "Darkness": As Dawn chafes at having Charles in charge, and Faye turns to voodoo to regain individual power, Diana's visiting grandmother takes a keen and potentially lethal interest in Cassie. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of dementia, kidnapping, live burial, racism, and religious bigotry. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| The Secret Circle E07-08: "Masked" & "Beneath" | 13 Mar 2026 | 01:36:50 | |
Your hosts delve deeper into The Secret Circle! This week, Fadzai and Sandile cover: Episode 7, "Masked": With Jane's permission while she's away, Cassie throws a Halloween party, unaware of encroaching witch hunters targeting her circle for elimination. Episode 8, "Beneath": Looking for Old Henry and Jane, the kids wind up overnighting at Henry's cabin, trapped by a storm, raging hormones, and uneasy questions. Faye experiences unwelcome visions. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of drowning, ephebophilia, and religious bigotry. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| The Secret Circle E05-06: "Slither" & "Wake" | 06 Mar 2026 | 01:36:44 | |
Your hosts return to The Secret Circle! This week, Fadzai and Sandile cover: Episode 5, "Slither": It's a fight to the finish when the demon Abaddon possesses one of the witch kids to free more of its kind into the world. Episode 6, "Wake": In the wake of Nick's death, leading up to his wake, Cassie wakes to the fact he'd a brother named Jake - a tall, handsome dude with a troublesome past, whom many but she pray his presence won't last. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of child murder, demonic possession, drowning, and grief and loss. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| The Secret Circle E03-04: "Loner" & "Heather" | 27 Feb 2026 | 00:57:33 | |
Your hosts continue with The Secret Circle! This week, Sandile and Fadzai cover: Episode 3, "Loner": Just as the kids find themselves individually powerless, along comes a lone man, knowledgeable, upset and aiming to end their witchcraft by killing one of them, and he doesn't care who. Episode 4, "Heather": Finding her late mother's best friend magically locked in a catatonic state, Cassie enlists help from another witch to break it, only to find there was a good reason for it. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of murder and racism. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| The Secret Circle E01-02: "Pilot" & "Bound" | 20 Feb 2026 | 00:43:54 | |
Your hosts kick off their rewatch of The Secret Circle! This week, Sandile and Fadzai cover: Episode 1, "Pilot": The death of Cassie's mom (no accident) forces teenage Cass to move in with her grandmother, where young witches await her to complete their coven and unlock their full power. Episode 2, "Bound": There's peer and other pressure aplenty to get Cassie to bind the Circle, all except from Faye who doesn't favor the idea of her reckless whims being controlled. Grandpa Henry pays a call to investigate a complaint of misused magic. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of arson, murder, and racism. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com All our online stuff! Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Bluesky: @animalattackpod.bsky.social Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| Mid Season - The Secret Circle (intro) | 13 Feb 2026 | 00:12:00 | |
It's the first MID SEASON, where Sandile and Fadzai do an episodic rewatch of a cancelled one-season show in the genre of supernatural drama series! Take a detour to Chance Harbour as they revisit "The Secret Circle", a CW hopeful from the creators of "The Vampire Diaries" that didn't quite stick the landing. Join your hosts for this brief introduction before jumping into the first official episode! Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S1 Special: The Va(mp)riety Hour | 30 Jan 2026 | 01:59:41 | |
In this S1 special of It Was an Animal Attack, Sandile and Fadzai present the Vampriety Hour! An hour (or two) of fun, games, laughter, and unserious musings themed around The Vampire Diaries and the end of the podcast's first season. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:16 - Segment #1: The Progressively Harder Vampire Diaries Quiz 00:24:43 - Segment #2: Game of Quotes 00:38:30 - Segment #3: Vampire Diaries Trivia Bunker Quiz 00:46:45 - Segment #4: The Vampire Diaries Cast as D&D Characters 01:18:40 - Segment #5: Tier Ranking Almost Every Important TVD Character 01:58:00 - Outro Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S1 Special: TVD x Buffy the Vampire Slayer | 16 Jan 2026 | 01:34:29 | |
In this S1 special of It Was an Animal Attack, Fadzai and Sandile put two generational giants of the genre in the ring - The Vampire Diaries and Buffy the Vampire Slayer! Character archetypes, genre tropes, story inspiration and influences (and sometimes, direct rip-offs), along with the usual episode nonsense. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of gratuitous violence, homophobia, murder, racism, religious fanaticism, sexual assault, and slavery. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S1 Special: The Animal Attack Awards | 02 Jan 2026 | 02:04:52 | |
In this S1 special of It Was an Animal Attack, Sandile and Fadzai present the inaugural Animal Attack Awards! A celebration of the conclusion of the podcast's first season, and a joyous farewell to The Vampire Diaries, marking its many memorable characters and moments. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of conversion therapy, familial abandonment, gratuitous violence, homophobia, murder, racism, religious fanaticism, sexual assault, and slavery. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| SPIN-OFF: X-Men Evolution, The Little Mermaid, Vampire Disney Movies | 05 Dec 2025 | 00:24:33 | |
Spin-off! Your hosts talk Storm in X-Men: Evolution and various other adaptations of the X-Men comics, The Little Mermaid and its surprising metaphors, and some early to mid-2000s vampire-related Disney movies. Also: a Tyra Banks throwback, more X-Men comics (the Krakoa era!), and the silliness of "gingercide". Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of fetishisation, internalised bigotry, misogynoir, and racism. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod - (00:00:05) - Ororo Munroe / Storm in X-Men: Evolution (00:11:34) - The Little Mermaid: Fairytale, Movie, Metaphor (00:14:14) - Disney vampire movies and shows (00:16:28) - Iris West, DC female reporter girlfriends, and so-called "gingercide" (00:18:06) - An iconic panel from the X-Men comic, Bishop: War College (00:20:10) - Once Upon a Time and the currency of hope (00:21:10) - An America's Next Top Model throwback moment (00:22:10) - Characters dying mid-sentence / mid-thought (00:23:21) - Dark romance book tiktok memes | |||
| S1E22 - Bonnie Bennett (Part 4) | 05 Dec 2025 | 03:47:14 | |
Hell-raiser! Fadzai and Sandile close out the season finale with a fiery bang alongside Bonnie Bennett! One of the main characters of The Vampire Diaries, Bonnie is the best friend of lead character, Elena Gilbert, and a budding witch with ties leading back to Salem and the founding of Mystic Falls. As she discovers more about her powers, and the existence of vampires and the greater supernatural lurking in her town and out in the world, Bonnie is at first hesitant to get involved, given the historical fate of witches in and beyond her family. By the end of the first season, though, she reaches a point of certainty that she wishes to be the town's protector from vampires and the harm they cause to its innocent people. Beyond this point, however, Bonnie finds herself constantly having to compromise her principles given her friends' association with vampires - and some of her friends becoming vampires. From a narrative standpoint, this is largely a result of Bonnie's relegation as a character in the story, with focus placed on her usefulness as a witch in solving supernatural problems for the group. With several deaths, depowerings, and damn-near farcical tragedies under her belt, Bonnie's time in the show is mired by trauma and neglect - especially as the one black main character - and she is in retrospect someone in the show, and in the genre, who deserved so much better. (This episode focuses on Bonnie in seasons 7 and 8.) Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, defeated mental state, familial abandonment, familial neglect, grooming, gratuitous violence, mental coercion and manipulation, physical abuse, racism, sexual abuse, assault and related victim blaming, slavery, and suicide and suicidal ideation. Audio Note: This episode was updated with 14 minutes of audio that were initially missing on release (currently 00:44:56 to 00:59:03). Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S1E22 - Bonnie Bennett (Part 3) | 21 Nov 2025 | 03:53:19 | |
Living dead! Fadzai and Sandile planeswalk the line between life, death, and several realities with Bonnie Bennett. One of the main characters of The Vampire Diaries, Bonnie is the best friend of lead character, Elena Gilbert, and a budding witch with ties leading back to Salem and the founding of Mystic Falls. As she discovers more about her powers, and the existence of vampires and the greater supernatural lurking in her town and out in the world, Bonnie is at first hesitant to get involved, given the historical fate of witches in and beyond her family. By the end of the first season, though, she reaches a point of certainty that she wishes to be the town's protector from vampires and the harm they cause to its innocent people. Beyond this point, however, Bonnie finds herself constantly having to compromise her principles given her friends' association with vampires - and some of her friends becoming vampires. From a narrative standpoint, this is largely a result of Bonnie's relegation as a character in the story, with focus placed on her usefulness as a witch in solving supernatural problems for the group. With several deaths, depowerings, and damn-near farcical tragedies under her belt, Bonnie's time in the show is mired by trauma and neglect - especially as the one black main character - and she is in retrospect someone in the show, and in the genre, who deserved so much better. (This episode focuses on Bonnie in seasons 5 and 6.) Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, defeated mental state, familial abandonment, familial neglect, grooming, gratuitous violence, mental coercion and manipulation, physical abuse, racism, sexual abuse, assault and related victim blaming, slavery, and suicide and suicidal ideation. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| SPIN-OFF: Buffy, Once More With Feeling, Musical Episodes | 14 Nov 2025 | 00:18:31 | |
Spin-off! Your hosts talk the acclaimed musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: S6E07 - "Once More, with Feeling". Also: General thoughts on Buffy Season 6 (which Sandile is still watching!), and comparing various musical episodes of TV over the ages. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| SPIN-OFF: God of War, Addams Family, Castlevania | 31 Oct 2025 | 00:20:28 | |
Spin-off! Your hosts talk the live-action God of War casting, the most recent incarnations of the Addams Family, and some chatter on Castlevania and Nocturne. Also: Talk to Me (2023) and skibidi teens, the career of Bianca Lawson, and the retelling of a truly insane episode of Touched by an Angel. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of racism. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod - (00:00:05) - Ethnicity and the live-action God of War casting (00:01:50) - The 2020's Addams Family movies (00:03:15) - Castlevania / Nocturne chatter (00:05:55) - Twitches (2005) and apologies in the wrong direction (00:06:55) - Talk to Me (2023) and kids messing with stuff they shouldn't (00:09:06) - The Vampire Diaries vs Twilight (00:11:45) - A truly insane storyline from Touched by an Angel (00:16:00) - Bianca Lawson's illustrious career (00:17:10) - Language, kinship, and ostracism (00:18:44) - The truth of the "rainbow nation" | |||
| S1E22 - Bonnie Bennett (Part 2) | 31 Oct 2025 | 04:30:28 | |
Happy Halloween! Fadzai and Sandile darken their hearts as they turn to the dark arts with Bonnie Bennett. One of the main characters of The Vampire Diaries, Bonnie is the best friend of lead character, Elena Gilbert, and a budding witch with ties leading back to Salem and the founding of Mystic Falls. As she discovers more about her powers, and the existence of vampires and the greater supernatural lurking in her town and out in the world, Bonnie is at first hesitant to get involved, given the historical fate of witches in and beyond her family. By the end of the first season, though, she reaches a point of certainty that she wishes to be the town's protector from vampires and the harm they cause to its innocent people. Beyond this point, however, Bonnie finds herself constantly having to compromise her principles given her friends' association with vampires - and some of her friends becoming vampires. From a narrative standpoint, this is largely a result of Bonnie's relegation as a character in the story, with focus placed on her usefulness as a witch in solving supernatural problems for the group. With several deaths, depowerings, and damn-near farcical tragedies under her belt, Bonnie's time in the show is mired by trauma and neglect - especially as the one black main character - and she is in retrospect someone in the show, and in the genre, who deserved so much better. (This episode focuses on Bonnie in seasons 3 and 4.) Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, defeated mental state, familial abandonment, familial neglect, grooming, gratuitous violence, mental coercion and manipulation, racism, sexual abuse, assault and related victim blaming, slavery, and suicide and suicidal ideation. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S1E22 - Bonnie Bennett (Part 1) | 17 Oct 2025 | 04:24:33 | |
Fadzai and Sandile make magic and mayhem with the wonderful witch of the southeast, Bonnie Bennett. One of the main characters of The Vampire Diaries, Bonnie is the best friend of lead character, Elena Gilbert, and a budding witch with ties leading back to Salem and the founding of Mystic Falls. As she discovers more about her powers, and the existence of vampires and the greater supernatural lurking in her town and out in the world, Bonnie is at first hesitant to get involved, given the historical fate of witches in and beyond her family. By the end of the first season, though, she reaches a point of certainty that she wishes to be the town's protector from vampires and the harm they cause to its innocent people. Beyond this point, however, Bonnie finds herself constantly having to compromise her principles given her friends' association with vampires - and some of her friends becoming vampires. From a narrative standpoint, this is largely a result of Bonnie's relegation as a character in the story, with focus placed on her usefulness as a witch in solving supernatural problems for the group. With several deaths, depowerings, and damn-near farcical tragedies under her belt, Bonnie's time in the show is mired by trauma and neglect - especially as the one black main character - and she is in retrospect someone in the show, and in the genre, who deserved so much better. (This episode focuses on Bonnie in seasons 1 and 2.) Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of familial abandonment, familial neglect, gratuitous violence, mental coercion and manipulation, racism, sexual abuse, assault and related victim blaming, slavery, and suicide and suicidal ideation. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| SPIN-OFF: Harry Potter, War of the Worlds (2025), 13 Reasons Why | 26 Sep 2025 | 00:26:15 | |
Spin-off! Your hosts talk the Harry Potter TV reboot money-grab, the cursed 2025 version of War of the Worlds, and the longest, gayest chat anyone's ever had about 13 Reasons Why. Also: The Umbrella Academy's Allison Hargreeves, the Winx reboot, and the least cursed lore from The Mortal Instruments books. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of attempted suicide, gratuitous violence, internalised homophobia, sexual abuse and assault, and regrettably, J.K. Rowling. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod - (00:00:05) - HBO's upcoming Harry Potter reboot (00:04:06) - War of the Worlds (2025) and other, better screenlife films (00:06:56) - 13 Reasons Why, queer characters, and queer dynamics (00:17:49) - Introducing the "B-Team" in later seasons of a show (00:19:52) - Allison Hargreeves of The Umbrella Academy (00:21:06) - The many surnames of Jace from The Mortal Instruments (00:23:15) - Feminine shaving products, I guess? Also the Winx reboot (00:24:16) - Speculative fiction and future technology | |||
| S1E21 - Matt Donovan (Part 2) | 26 Sep 2025 | 03:57:09 | |
Sandile and Fadzai cobble together a hero's journey for the final human, Matt Donovan. One of the main characters of The Vampire Diaries, Matt is the best friend and ex-boyfriend of lead character, Elena Gilbert, and often paired with Tyler Lockwood or Jeremy Gilbert in the context of the Mystic Falls gang. Being the one who spends the longest unaware of the supernatural, his primary focus is typically his relationships, schooling and sports, and his work at the Mystic Grill to take care of his household - given the Donovan's lesser standing, and his absentee parents. Once he joins the fray, though, he becomes instrumental in supporting his supernatural friends, both physically and emotionally, and in being the one remaining human of the group by the end of the series. (This episode focuses on Matt in seasons 5-8.) Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, emotional abuse, emotional or covert incest, mental coercion and manipulation, familial abandonment, familial neglect, poverty (relative), racism, sexual abuse, assault and related victim blaming, slavery, and suicide and suicidal ideation. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S1E21 - Matt Donovan (Part 1) | 12 Sep 2025 | 03:12:11 | |
Sandile and Fadzai keep it chill and regular with emotional support human, Matt Donovan. One of the main characters of The Vampire Diaries, Matt is the best friend and ex-boyfriend of lead character, Elena Gilbert, and often paired with Tyler Lockwood or Jeremy Gilbert in the context of the Mystic Falls gang. Being the one who spends the longest unaware of the supernatural, his primary focus is typically his relationships, schooling and sports, and his work at the Mystic Grill to take care of his household - given the Donovan's lesser standing, and his absentee parents. Once he joins the fray, though, he becomes instrumental in supporting his supernatural friends, both physically and emotionally, and in being the one remaining human of the group by the end of the series. (This episode focuses on Matt in seasons 1-4.) Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, emotional abuse, emotional or covert incest, mental coercion and manipulation, familial abandonment, familial neglect, poverty (relative), racism, sexual abuse, assault and related victim blaming, and suicide and suicidal ideation. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S1 Special: John Gilbert Test Episode | 29 Aug 2025 | 01:25:47 | |
In this S1 special of It Was an Animal Attack, Sandile and Fadzai (from 2023) discuss John Gilbert, recurring character from the first two seasons of The Vampire Diaries, as a test episode for the podcast! Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of familial abandonment, gratuitous violence, murder, racism, and religious fanaticism. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S1 Special: The Originals Backdoor Pilot | 15 Aug 2025 | 01:28:19 | |
In this S1 special of It Was an Animal Attack, Fadzai and Sandile discuss and review S4E20 of The Vampire Diaries - the backdoor pilot to its spin-off series, The Originals! Discussion proper begins at (00:09:20). Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of child abuse, oppression, racism, and slavery. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| SPIN-OFF: Mutant Telepaths, Disney Love Songs, Stranger Things | 01 Aug 2025 | 00:22:20 | |
Spin-off! Your hosts talk mutant telepaths and the "Omega level", various Disney love songs, and Stranger Things writing choices. Also: The plight of Sarah Connor, the genius of Graham Norton, the many roles of Jamie Campbell Bower, and that anti-abortion comic from months ago. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of abortion and anti-abortion sentiment, incest, insects, mental illness and related stigma. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod - (00:00:05) - X-Men, mutant telepaths, and the "Omega" level (00:02:12) - Disney love songs (00:03:40) - Stranger Things and the Stancy problem (00:05:13) - Jamie Campbell Bower and his many roles (00:06:26) - The plight of Terminator's Sarah Connor (00:08:14) - Sam and Cat, the bizarre spin-off of Victorious (00:09:50) - That anti-abortion comic from months ago (00:11:27) - The genius of The Graham Norton Show (00:13:43) - Freddie Stroma, Peacemaker, Vigilante, Prometheus (Arrow), Josh Segarra (00:16:48) - A musical diversion on "Build Me Up, Buttercup" (00:18:33) - A linguistic diversion on Southern African languages (00:19:38) - A Tale of Two Tales of Two Flies | |||
| Killer Bite #5 - Luke & Liv Parker | 18 Jul 2025 | 01:08:56 | |
In the fifth instalment of Killer Bites, Sandile and Fadzai commit to the bit with the Gemini twins, Lucas and Olivia Parker. Sliding in during the back half of The Vampire Diaries' fifth season, Luke and Liv are witches who infiltrate Mystic Falls with the intent on stopping the Travelers, and briefly become central in the sixth season when the Gemini coven comes into focus. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of child abuse, familicide, mass murder, mental coercion, and torture. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| Killer Bite #4 - Nora & Mary Louise | 04 Jul 2025 | 01:01:26 | |
In the fourth instalment of Killer Bites, Fadzai and Sandile make mayhem with the wicked lesbian Heretics, Nora Hildegard and Mary Louise. Introduced at the beginning of The Vampire Diaries' seventh season, the pair are two of the six vampire/witch hybrids that form part of Lily Salvatore's found family, and serve as antagonists for the Mystic Falls Gang. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of child abuse, eugenics, lesbophobia, mass murder, mental coercion, and torture. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| SPIN-OFF: Sinners (2025) | 20 Jun 2025 | 01:07:36 | |
Spin-off! We talk Sinners (2025), and discuss vampire & the desire for community, Africa, the diaspora, spirituality, music as cultural storytelling, and forbidding the white boy from catching a vibe. Also: Black religious trauma, race in South Africa, and a lament for The Vampire Diaries' Bonnie Bennett. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of anti-indigenous sentiment, colonialism and colonial violence, white supremacy, mass murder, racism, religious trauma, and slavery. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod - (00:00:05) - Introduction (00:02:00) - Sinners 2025: preamble and viewing experience (00:07:55) - Smoke and Stack (00:10:30) - Annie, who is everything (00:11:30) - Bonnie Bennett (TVD) + African-American magic (00:14:48) - Back to Annie (00:17:42) - Abrahamic religion vs African & African-American spirituality (00:22:54) - Mary + passing + racial dynamics (00:30:25) - Preacher boy Sammy + the lure of the easy promise (00:33:13) - Experiences of black religious trauma (00:34:56) - Back to Sammy (00:35:56) - Pearline our queen (00:37:45) - Bo, Grace, and Lisa (00:40:36) - Choctaw vampire hunters outselling (00:42:01) - Remmick predating, but still exploiting, race (00:48:22) - Irish marginalisation, whiteness, and assimilation (00:50:33) - Indentured servitude vs slavery in the US and SA (00:52:56) - Remmick culture-shifting to suit his needs (00:54:56) - Vampire and the desire for community (00:55:56) - Music as a cultural tool of storytelling (00:58:05) - Music (or religion, or vampirism) as consolation or escape (01:01:22) - The nature of the vampire hive mind (01:02:22) - Stack and Mary's mid-credit scene (01:04:00) - Spiraling tangent about vampire varieties (01:06:49) - Check out @XofWords here: https://linktr.ee/xofwords!!! | |||
| SPIN-OFF: Nosferatu (2024) | 20 Jun 2025 | 00:52:30 | |
Spin-off! We talk Nosferatu (2024), and discuss comparisons with Nosferatu (1922) and Dracula, gothic horror, repression, and taboo, vampire variety through the eras, and mental illness and the supernatural. Also: As many tangents as you'd expect, incl misunderstanding Lily-Rose Depp's name. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of antiziganism, mental illness and related stigma, necrophilia, patriarchal violence against women, and sexual assault. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod - (00:05) - Introduction (02:00) - Nosferatu (2024) preamble and viewing experience (06:00) - It's all about atmosphere (07:35) - Nosferatu (2024) vs Nosferatu (1922) vs Bram Stoker's Dracula (12:45) - Nosferatu and The VVitch (2015): repression and social taboo (15:50) - Ellen + Lily-Rose Depp + Cassandra of myth (19:45) - Thomas + Nic Hoult in papa's orchard (21:03) - HERR KNOCK DIVERSION + the Renfield figure (25:56) - Count Orlok, transformation, and the cost of immortality (32:28) - Friedrich, politeness, and the consistency of rich white men (34:47) - Anna and perfect womanhood (37:46) - Prof von Franz: the impetus of understanding (42:53) - The Romani community hunting vampires and radiating aura (46:22) - Parallels between the ending and Midnight Mass (2021) (50:56) - Final thoughts | |||
| S1E20 - Stefan Salvatore (Part 4) | 06 Jun 2025 | 04:16:54 | |
Doomed by the narrative! Fadzai and Sandile make the ultimate sacrifice with hero and martyr, Stefan Salvatore. One of the lead characters of The Vampire Diaries, Stefan returns to Mystic Falls at the beginning of the first season and encounters Elena Gilbert, with whom he begins a passionate romance despite his secret vampire nature. As they fall for each other, though - and the town is plagued by the antics of his villainous brother, Damon - Elena discovers his true nature, and learns to accept him in his entirety. Now allied with her, and along with some friends and family, they band together against the threat of the supernatural. Over the course of the series, Stefan endeavours to protect his town and loved ones, maintain his relationship with his brother in spite of his antics, and battle against his troubles with human blood. Though he goes through a few periods of being off the rails, and loses a few people from his life along the way, he always returns to trying to be better, and finding humanity in those around him. As such, Stefan ends off as one of the better vampires by the show's conclusion. (This episode focuses on Stefan in seasons 7 and 8.) Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, emotional abuse, mass murder, mental coercion and manipulation, physical abuse, racism, serial killing, sexual abuse, assault and related victim blaming, and suicide and suicidal ideation. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S1E20 - Stefan Salvatore (Part 3) | 23 May 2025 | 04:06:57 | |
It's the climb! Fadzai and Sandile push through a grueling ascent with boy who deserves a break, Stefan Salvatore. One of the lead characters of The Vampire Diaries, Stefan returns to Mystic Falls at the beginning of the first season and encounters Elena Gilbert, with whom he begins a passionate romance despite his secret vampire nature. As they fall for each other, though - and the town is plagued by the antics of his villainous brother, Damon - Elena discovers his true nature, and learns to accept him in his entirety. Now allied with her, and along with some friends and family, they band together against the threat of the supernatural. Over the course of the series, Stefan endeavours to protect his town and loved ones, maintain his relationship with his brother in spite of his antics, and battle against his troubles with human blood. Though he goes through a few periods of being off the rails, and loses a few people from his life along the way, he always returns to trying to be better, and finding humanity in those around him. As such, Stefan ends off as one of the better vampires by the show's conclusion. (This episode focuses on Stefan in seasons 5 and 6.) Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, emotional abuse, feticide, mass murder, mental coercion and manipulation, physical abuse, racism, serial killing, sexual abuse, assault and related victim blaming, and suicide and suicidal ideation. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S1E20 - Stefan Salvatore (Part 2) | 09 May 2025 | 04:17:50 | |
High highs and low lows! Fadzai and Sandile claw through the dark era of The Vampire Diaries' fallen angel, Stefan Salvatore. One of the lead characters of The Vampire Diaries, Stefan returns to Mystic Falls at the beginning of the first season and encounters Elena Gilbert, with whom he begins a passionate romance despite his secret vampire nature. As they fall for each other, though - and the town is plagued by the antics of his villainous brother, Damon - Elena discovers his true nature, and learns to accept him in his entirety. Now allied with her, and along with some friends and family, they band together against the threat of the supernatural. Over the course of the series, Stefan endeavours to protect his town and loved ones, maintain his relationship with his brother in spite of his antics, and battle against his troubles with human blood. Though he goes through a few periods of being off the rails, and loses a few people from his life along the way, he always returns to trying to be better, and finding humanity in those around him. As such, Stefan ends off as one of the better vampires by the show's conclusion. (This episode focuses on Stefan in seasons 3 and 4.) Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, emotional abuse, euthanasia, gore, mass murder, mental coercion and manipulation, physical abuse, racism, serial killing, sexual abuse, assault and related victim blaming, and suicide and suicidal ideation. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod | |||
| S1E20 - Stefan Salvatore (Part 1) | 25 Apr 2025 | 04:07:01 | |
Fadzai and Sandile put on their shining armour with the knight of The Vampire Diaries, Stefan Salvatore. One of the lead characters of The Vampire Diaries, Stefan returns to Mystic Falls at the beginning of the first season and encounters Elena Gilbert, with whom he begins a passionate romance despite his secret vampire nature. As they fall for each other, though - and the town is plagued by the antics of his villainous brother, Damon - Elena discovers his true nature, and learns to accept him in his entirety. Now allied with her, and along with some friends and family, they band together against the threat of the supernatural. Over the course of the series, Stefan endeavours to protect his town and loved ones, maintain his relationship with his brother in spite of his antics, and battle against his troubles with human blood. Though he goes through a few periods of being off the rails, and loses a few people from his life along the way, he always returns to trying to be better, and finding humanity in those around him. As such, Stefan ends off as one of the better vampires by the show's conclusion. (This episode focuses on Stefan in seasons 1 and 2.) Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of addiction, emotional abuse, mental coercion and manipulation, physical abuse, racism, sexual abuse, assault and related victim blaming, and suicide and suicidal ideation.. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod Check out "Call to the Dark", Sandile's supernatural horror fiction podcast, wherever you listen! Podcast: Call to the Dark Twitter: @calldarkpod Instagram: @calldarkpod | |||
| SPIN-OFF: Arrowverse, Vampire Romance, TV Text Speech | 25 Apr 2025 | 00:17:42 | |
Spin-off! Your hosts talk about the struggles of CW's Arrow in its later seasons, the very many supernatural love triangles of the 2000s and 2010s, and how TV/movie writers just cannot capture how young people text. Also: the origins of Buffy's Angel, and a tangent about English linguistics. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of ephebophilia (and pedophilia), and toxic relationships. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod Chapters: (00:05) - Ricardo Diaz aka Richard Dragon, of Arrow S6 (01:30) - Arrow's tone vs the greater Arrowverse (03:10) - The untimely death of Laurel Lance (04:45) - Vampire love triangles (but mostly Twilight) (06:00) - Edward Cullen is a terrible partner, actually (07:30) - Jacob Black: a character assassination? (08:50) - Angel's origins in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (11:11) - Teen text speech in TV and movies (12:17) - Gambling, I guess? Are we that hard up on tangents? (14:10) - Why do Americans speak the way they do? | |||
| S1E19 - Valerie Tulle | 11 Apr 2025 | 02:59:15 | |
Sandile and Fadzai are blasting in from the past with the first of the Heretics, Valerie Tulle. Introduced as one of the antagonists in the seventh season of The Vampire Diaries (though first appearing towards the end of the sixth), Valerie was a witch from the Gemini coven in the mid-1800s - a siphon, born without magic of her own, only able to take it from other sources. She and five other siphons were taken in by Lily Salvatore after being exiled by their coven, and through differing circumstances they were all turned into witch/vampire hybrids known as Heretics. After drawing too much attention to themselves with their feeding habits, though, they were imprisoned along with Lily in a prison world in 1903 by the Gemini coven. Once back in the real world in present day, Valerie is loathe to adjust to the modern world, and along with her family becomes at odds with the Mystic Falls Gang as they begin causing trouble in town. Amidst the conflict is also her lingering care for Stefan Salvatore from their past relationship in the 1860s, cut short when she was kept from returning to him by Lily's manipulative partner, Julian. Despite her many complex dramas, though, Valerie handles herself with a cool and calculated energy that makes her one of the more fun parts of the season. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of domestic violence, familial abandonment, feticide (intentional causing of a miscarriage), mental coercion and manipulation, physical and mental abuse, racism, sexual abuse, assault and related victim blaming, and suicide. Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod Check out "Call to the Dark", Sandile's supernatural horror fiction podcast, wherever you listen! Podcast: Call to the Dark Twitter: @calldarkpod Instagram: @calldarkpod | |||
| S1E18 - The Originals (Part 3) | 28 Mar 2025 | 03:19:44 | |
Out the back door! Fadzai and Sandile close out with final appearances of The Mikaelson siblings, aka The Originals. Introduced over seasons 2 and 3 of The Vampire Diaries, the Originals are the children of Esther (a witch from 10th-century Norway) and Mikael (her Viking husband), who brought them to far-back America in hopes of a better life. After their youngest sibling dies in an accidental werewolf attack, their parents make the fateful decision to turn them into the first ever vampires, from which all others would thereafter be descended. In present day, the Originals become antagonists to the Mystic Falls Gang - primarily through Klaus Mikaelson, and his pursuit of Elena Gilbert as a magical doppelganger - and are further embroiled as more powerful figures come along. On the back of their immense popularity as characters, they exit the show by the end of its fourth season to star in their own eponymous spin-off series. (This episode focuses on Elijah, Rebekah, Klaus, and Kol in season 4.) Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of emotional abuse, ethnic erasure, homophobia, mental coercion and manipulation, misogyny, misogynoir, physical abuse, racism, sexual abuse and assault, stalking, suicide and suicidal ideation, supremacy, and torture. Audio Note: Slightly lower quality to Fadzai's audio, with occasional drops that have been artificially amplified, but still audible for most of the episode. For a partial transcript of the key moments that may be difficult to hear, scroll to the episode 18 section of our Refs and Links page: IWAA S1 Questions, queries, or just to say hi! E-mail: animalattackpod@gmail.com Refs and Links: IWAA S1 All our online stuff! Podcast: It Was an Animal Attack Twitter: @animattackpod Instagram: @animalattackpod Tiktok: @animalattackpod YouTube: @animalattackpod Check out "Call to the Dark", Sandile's supernatural horror fiction podcast, premiering 6th April @ 6PM SAST wherever you listen! Podcast: Call to the Dark Twitter: @calldarkpod Instagram: @calldarkpod | |||