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Explore every episode of the podcast That's Pretty Dark: An '80s & '90s Nostalgia Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for That's Pretty Dark: An '80s & '90s Nostalgia Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Episode 128 | Movie Night — The Sandlot — Part II01 Sep 202602:50:40
Romantic friendships, flashlit faces, and perpetual comings-of-age… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they round all the bases on this beloved staple. Together, they’ll do s’more reflecting on the “mature themes” and childlike wonder that combined forces to make this film such a classic, take a closer look at the scenes that made multiple generations cheer, shudder, and smile, and get just a lil emotional about the finite nature of life (and baseball). If this Existential Summer is reminding us of one thing, it’s that life goes by way too fast – and we should take chances when they spit on our shoes. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 127 | Movie Night — The Sandlot — Part I07 Aug 202601:34:45
Achy Americana, baseball slang, and Benny the Disappearing Jet… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they wring out whatever magic is left in Existential Summer and step up to the plate at the Sandlot. Writer and director David Mickey Evans hit a home run in nostalgia, and this peek behind the scenes highlights his quest to reframe his own experiences as the new kid on the block. Come bask in 30-year cycles, prime schoolyard insults, and the timelessness of a pre-tech childhood with your Ghost Hosts! Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 126 | Movie Night — The Land Before Time — Part II24 Jul 202602:27:45
Ducky-isms, banana teeth, and emotional extinction events… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they take one for the millennial team and journey toward their own Pretty Dark Great Valley, full of dino-racism, prickly tears, and the death of Littlefoot’s mother. This film shaped a generation’s view of life, grief, and loss in ways that most of us are still unpacking… but luckily, we can do it together, armed with dino-facts and thoughts of Norman Bates (don’t ask). Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 125 | Movie Night — The Land Before Time — Part I05 Jul 202602:12:23
Dinosaur infodumps, paleontological accuracy, and Bambi's Late Jurassic ancestor… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they tackle the production story behind one of the most emotionally heavy-hitting films they can recall – and learn how it almost hit even heavier. From Spielberg’s original vision, to James Horner’s unmistakable musical imprint, to the late 19th century Bone Wars and their dinosaur naming conventions, there’s more than a century of Lore Before Time to excavate together. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 124 | WTF — "Worthless" (from The Brave Little Toaster)21 Jun 202601:49:04
Blue collar blues, nursing homes, and the crushing conveyer belt of existence… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they flash back to the Brave Little Toaster franchise to break down a song they couldn’t squeeze into their earlier coverage. One of the most existentially charged tracks from their childhoods, they’ve spent years carrying the confusion of the complex, adult references and haunting obsolescence. They’re ready to make it all make sense with and for their Darkling friends, one lyric at a time.  Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 123 | Rugrats — History & ‘What the Big People Do’07 Jun 202602:02:04
Fiery bosses, paper pushers, and infinite Reptar cereal… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they rewind to the dawn of the Nicktoon and learn how these toddlers were created – and how they managed to teach a generation about growing up. As one of Nickelodeon’s longest running programs, and one of the earliest to reach your Ghost Hosts, Rugrats had a unique opportunity to shape our collective psyche in ways we wouldn’t appreciate for decades. This first trip into the catalog showcases that developmental shift as the kids share a hellish fantasy about the perils of adulthood. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 122 | Movie Night — The Ring — Part II (w/ And That’s Why We Drink)23 May 202601:55:39
Psychic Photography, vengeful spirits, and Phoebe Bridgers… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these four ‘90s ParaPods kids (including Em Schulz and Christine Schiefer!) as they wade deeper into the curses and tragedies that made Samara spiral in the first place. Walk with them through the original Japanese cursed videos and novels, compare and contrast their American counterparts, and explore the misogynistic shadows of the Japanese spiritualist movement. Historical context makes The Ring’s trademark echo of hate, revenge, and destruction all the more haunting… and all we know is, society better do a quick 180, lest these patterns ripple and repeat. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 121 | Movie Night — The Ring (w/ And That’s Why We Drink)09 May 202601:53:47
Sleepwalking parents, Japanese folklore, and viral marketing campaigns… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids and two of their podcastin’ heroes as they turn up the horror dial with a millennial classic that shaped the genre as we now know it. Em Schulz brings the FASCINATING history of chain letters, Christine Schiefer shares childhood nightmares that prevent her from watching horror movies to this day, and your Ghost Hosts guide you through the film’s production history and cyclical Japanese ghost stories that inspired it. Though it wasn’t made for children, many of us caught The Ring early in life…. and if you want to heal that “TV trauma,” listen and forward this episode to 10 friends! Or else. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 120 | Hey Arnold! — Stoop Kid26 Apr 202601:11:09
Chanting townsfolk, quarantined premises, and The Little Engine That Could… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they head back to Hillwood for Arnold’s very first toe-dip into urban legend territory. These airwaves are consistently partial to the Boo-Radley-kind, and Stoop Kid is no exception. Highlighting the effects of neglect, societal pressure, and the power of one’s mindset, this Hey Arnold! fixture not only stuck in our minds but showed us that there’s life beyond one’s stoop… but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to leave. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 119 | March of Villainous Madness (w/ Ladies & Tangents)19 Apr 202603:03:36
Bracket busters, trolley problems, and exploding heads… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! These FOUR ‘90s kids take you through their first annual March “Dadness” bracket (underscored by Jeri’s foolproof Daddy/Babygirl scale), in which they rate, rank, compare, and debate the traits of 16 randomly selected Pretty Dark villains to determine The Darkest of Them All. The final matchup is one for the ages, and it’s possible your Ghost Hosts have never soapboxed this hard, so get your March Madness fix a month late with laughs, logic, and these tangenting ParaPods partners in crime.  Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 118 | AYAOTD S2E13 — The Tale of Old Man Corcoran15 Mar 202601:54:40
Super Soaker battles, gravedigging legends, and androgynous icons… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! These ‘90s kids are finishing up season 2 of Are You Afraid of the Dark? and going out with a bang… a game, really, of potentially disastrous consequences. Around here, we recognize that it’s important—maybe now more than ever—to play. To connect to our inner children and re-live carefree times gone by. In fact, kids have been hiding-and-seeking for nearly all of recorded history. But in the case of this Midnight Society tale, we find that play can sometimes become an eternal state of being. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 117 | Movie Night — The Last Unicorn — Part II09 Mar 202602:21:35
Unicornian origins, Greek mythology, and bodies that are dying around us… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! These ‘90s kids are rounding out their coverage of a film (and novel) that, though elusive to both of them in childhood, has plenty of nostalgic, achy yearning to go around. They’ll lead you through this Unicorn-hero’s journey centered on mortality, identity, and regret – built by not only the terrifyingly finite nature of time, but our inherent need for authenticity and community. Don’t worry, Darklings, your Unicorn might still be coming ‘round the mountain. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 116 | Movie Night — The Last Unicorn — Part I14 Feb 202601:53:43
Existentialism, unicornicopias, and speed dating EM SCHULZ… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! These ‘90s kids are beside themselves with anticipation to announce their new home—the ParaPods network, founded by Em Schulz and Christine Scheifer of And That’s Why We Drink podcast! First up, Em joins Kalyn for a Valentine’s extravaganza. Then, they get into your regularly scheduled programming with a trip through 1970s animation culture. The Last Unicorn, from earliest origins, is a tale for those who harbor a phantom, fading magic, and are up to the daunting task of finding their place in the world. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 115 | AYAOTD S2E12 — The Tale of the Hatching01 Feb 202601:54:33
Reptilian subjugation, Walkman contraband, and Spunge… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for another Midnight Society gathering where nothing is as it seems. From boarding school horrors to binaural beats, they’ll unpack the psychological reasoning behind one of Are You Afraid of the Dark?’s most conspiracy-laden tales. It might seem coldblooded, but as usual, there are more layers to crack into than one might eggspect. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 114 | AYAOTD S2E11 — The Tale of the Magician’s Assistant16 Jan 202601:43:46
Demonic forces, prestidigitation, and a braided ficus… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids around the Midnight Society campfire for a mysterious, magnificent trip through the history and art of stage magic. They’ll explore the enduring legacy of magic as performance, ponder portals and vortexes, and uncover references buried so deep you might miss them if you didn’t know where to look…. kinda like a magic trick.  Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026 New Year's Campfire Chat09 Jan 202601:11:23
Optimistic reflections, Ghost Host life, and introducing Editing Mason… Oh lawd, it’s about to get Pretty Dark as we ring in 2026! Join these ‘90s kids around the annual campfire to decompress, hear about editing triumphs and turmoils, and candidly discuss what made the Pretty Darkness most poignant in our collective and individual 2025 experiences. TPD is poised to grow in exciting ways this year, but one thing is for sure—we couldn’t be more grateful to be not-alone with our Darkling community. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 113 | Dark Origins of Santa Claus21 Dec 202501:28:44
Ancient gift-bringers, corporal punishment, and Santa’s manna… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for a long overdue folkloric account detailing the traditions that brought our most recognizable Christmas character into the mainstream. From spectral horsemen and old world saints to cautionary characters and medieval stage plays, this Pretty Dark version of Christmas cheer is sure to bring a chill to your spine and a Ruprecht to your door. Just trust us. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 112 | Movie Night — Return to Oz — Part II19 Dec 202502:03:55
Electroshock therapy, egg allergies, and sentient furniture… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Journey with these ‘90s kids through the most confusing, labyrinthian corners of either a far-off, fantastical world, or a traumatized young girl’s psyche. With haunting whispers of early 20th century quack psychiatry and multiple, varied dissections of self and identity, the idea that there’s “no place like home” takes on new meaning not only for Dorothy Gale, but any child willing to read between Baum’s sparkliest lines. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 111 | Movie Night — Return to Oz — Part I23 Nov 202501:13:43
Talkin' fowl, prosaic protection, and the importance of mannequins… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for a culturally-relevant trip through the life and times of 'The Wizard of Oz' originator L. Frank Baum, then peek behind the production curtain on what might be the darkest Oz adaptation to date. With ethereal grit only found in a kids’ film of the 1980s, it’s safe to say 'Return to Oz' confounded yet comforted your Ghost Hosts – and changed a generation of child audiences For Good. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 110 | Movie Night — Halloweentown30 Oct 202502:10:29
Pubescent parenting perils, ancient cycles, and the real trick to magic… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for a double-stuffed Halloween celebration as they unpack both the production details and plot behind of one of the finest DCOMs of the mortal world. They’ll revisit their own coming-of-age criticisms with new perspective, and by way of the witchy, underscore the importance of developmentally appropriate education. It’s a heavy helping of Halloween nostalgia and a timely reminder that when we honor our true selves (and the agency of those around us)…. it just might be enough to save the day. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 109 | Movie Night — The Addams Family — Part II28 Oct 202501:30:10
Annual seances, proverbial outcasts, and an undying sense of dark humor… Oh lawd, it’s about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids on a romp to remember as they reacquaint themselves with the 1991 Addams Family, whose gruesome yet affectionate nature has perplexed, delighted, and influenced audiences for a nearly a century, earning their macabre place in the annals of pretty dark history. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 108 | Movie Night — The Addams Family — Part I24 Oct 202501:12:42
Death iconography, spooky satire, and mid-century screa-ums… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for the history behind everyone’s favorite ooky, spooky family. Straight from the morbidly curious mind of Charles Addams, these characters and their macabre sensibilities sent shockwaves throughout the 20th century. They and their disquieting hospitality evolved (along with the public) all the way into our ‘90s living rooms, paving the way for alternative thinking, self-assurance, and those of us who have never fit into the boxes society would prefer. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 107 | Hey Arnold! — Arnold’s Halloween14 Oct 202501:37:46
Otherworldly invaders, radio Tricks, and Well(e)s of Treats… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they investigate one of America’s most notorious Halloween hijinks—the 1938 'War of the Worlds' radio broadcast—through the lens of everyone’s favorite Football Head on All Hallows Eve. With a harrowing recap of the myths and realities of this historical “alien invasion” entwined with a walkthrough of Hillwood's own recreation, they’ll raise all kinds of questions about what we collectively believe and the mechanics of how and why we decide to believe it. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 106 | Movie Night — Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie — Part II03 Oct 202502:01:51
Wicked purple ooze, violent programming, and enslaved parents ... Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids getting real about the silliest and most sinister(?) sides of the Power Rangers prism. Come tie together the loosest ends, bemoan missed opportunities, insert more euphemism than ever thought possible, and round it all out with the realization that maybe a dose of accessible empowerment and planetary preservation wasn’t the worst thing to feed your child-self. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 105 | Movie Night — Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie — Part I21 Sep 202501:12:13
Capitalistic considerations, Morphin mythos, and erotic planets… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they learn the layered history behind one of the biggest franchises (complete with infinite merchandise) their show has ever seen. Whether you were, yourself, a childhood Mighty Morpher or you’ve always wondered where all of its colorful chaos originated - the complex cultural overlap and monetary motivation are plentiful… and pretty dark.  Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 104 | Movie Night — Jumanji — Part II30 Aug 202502:30:04
The Law of the Jungle, ripples of consequence, and a childhood lost…or gained… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they STAMPEDE through a recap – and reevaluation – of Jumanji’s darkest truths, traipsing through the strange comfort and coping found in urban legend, the enduring-if-harmful performance of “masculinity,” and the unraveling of a town’s legacy…. Society’s games may have been established long ago, but if there’s anything this sentient tabletop teaches us, it’s that it’s our decision which ones to keep playing. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 103 | Movie Night — Jumanji — Part I08 Aug 202500:58:42
Imposter syndrome, improbable illustrations, and Robin’s legacy… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for a JUNGLE of a time as they dig up long buried lore around Jumanji’s original author and its picture-book beginning, hit harrowing production highlights, and pay homage to one of the greatest comedians and thinkers the world has ever known. Like most good fiction, it turns out Jumanji was born from a reserved mind with a chaotic craving… A sense of wonder, a curious “what if…?”… a persistent itch only imagination – and a few million in special effects – could scratch. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 102 | AYAOTD S2E10 — The Tale of the Shiny Red Bicycle25 Jul 202501:28:11
Bicycle independence, Blockbuster Fridays, and a revenant paradox… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these rusty ‘90s kids for a crash course through Christian’s favorite 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' tale, which thrusts us all into the golden, glowing nostalgia of a good ol’ fashioned bike ride, offers a snapshot of how the ‘90s handled PTSD, and chills with the poignant reminder that some friendships reach beyond the grave. Strap on your bike helmets, your fishing boots, and your most haunting “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve,” and meet us down at our bridge…. You know the one. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 101 | A Hangout with D.J. MacHale, Creator of AYAOTD — Part II27 Jun 202501:25:43
Tower of Terror stories, the great Disney vs. Nickelodeon debate, and a look at modern horror conventions… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they continue to pick the brain of DJ MacHale, Co-Creator of Are You Afraid of the Dark, and get his thoughts on everything from his film projects, to his TV show with Lizzie McGuire producer Stan Rogow, to his honest thoughts on Goosebumps! It’s a far-reaching, nostalgic-as-ever episode culminating in some of DJ’s own worst fears… if you’re brave enough to hear ‘em! Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 100 | A Hangout with D.J. MacHale, Creator of AYAOTD — Part I13 Jun 202501:28:48
Nostalgic Nickelodeon, the schematics of fear, and D.J.’s own haunted house… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for their 100-episode-extravaganza! Here, they celebrate a cornerstone of children’s horror, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, WITH the mastermind behind its success. Together, they’ll share insights from the show’s conception and excavate societal and psychological ingredients that make up the DNA of AYAOTD. Honored, amazed, and as spooked as ever, your Ghost Hosts and their proverbial patron saint FINALLY get the chance to geek out about TPD’s most timeless themes… and realize the question isn’t whether you’re afraid of the dark… but why. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 99 | AYAOTD S2E9 — The Tale of the Full Moon30 May 202501:27:57
Campy dialogue, stucco surreality, and the history of the Pet Detective… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for a dose of tongue-in-cheek noir as their season binge takes them back to suburban xenophobia and the fascinating intersections of vampire and werewolf lore. Somewhere between after-school-special and self-aware ‘60s horror, it serves as a unique metaphor within the AYAOTD catalog - not only an early LGBTQ+ pride flag, but a reminder that we shouldn’t judge books by their covers…. Though we’d do well to keep our pets indoors. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 98 | Movie Night — Drop Dead Fred — Part II16 May 202502:51:15
Fractured personalities, toilet humor, and reparenting your inner self… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they apply a heaping helping of psychology and personal reflection to the cringiest and most chaotic parts of adulthood. They get deep about the roles of mothers (and women) in society, pick at their own parental wounds, and thoroughly excavate this Jack-In-The-Box chocked full of everything you repressed... and everything you were socialized to believe….. or not to.  Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 97 | Movie Night — Drop Dead Fred — Part I19 Apr 202501:18:48
Snot faces, imaginary “friends”, and impending doom… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids to get into the history behind one of the deepest darkest…loudest and most obnoxious… corners of your childhood memory. If ever you (or your parents) wondered how the hell this film came to be, you’re in the right place. Clutch your pearls and hang on to your cobwebs as we find psychological through lines and open the doors for a deep dive into what it means to reparent oneself. We’ll be on our worst behavior, we promise! Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 96 | Movie Night — The Rescuers — Part II09 Apr 202502:09:55
Man-handed crocodiles, moonshinin’ muskrats, and the building blocks of feminism… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids down on the bayou to examine everything from The Rescuers’ infectious hope and faith (and some real-life messages-in-bottles), to the film’s feminist slant and the ways it managed… or failed… to manifest. So many of these charming (and violent) southern frames have stayed tucked away in children’s minds decades over. It’s high time we hold them up to our flashlights, together in this shimmering swamp of nostalgia, and maybe even try to see them from a new angle or two. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 95 | Movie Night — The Rescuers — Part I25 Mar 202501:23:23
Tearful tributes, scandalous snafus, and the birth of Medusa… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids, returning in all their Movie Night glory, to regale you with the history behind this… gem… of a Disney classic. Bridging the gap between the studio’s famed Nine Old Men and a whole new class of animators that would eventually herald the Disney Renaissance, this murky production story, and the PR nightmare that followed, are sure to turn some heads. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 94 | AYAOTD S2E8 — The Tale of the Frozen Ghost10 Mar 202501:49:49
Generational grudges, queer-coded aunties, and home-owning horrors… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for one of Are You Afraid of the Dark?’s most chilling hauntings as they unpack the lasting impression of a singular phrase, raid the corners of the internet for “real” frozen ghost stories, and reminisce on the magical career of Melissa Joan Hart. The day might’ve been saved, but there are still plenty of dark conclusions to draw surrounding the disappearance of this little boy turned ghostly ‘90s icon. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 93 | AYAOTD S2E7 — The Tale of the Whispering Walls22 Feb 202501:33:42
Possessed babysitters, Leap Day haunts, and a Black Parade… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for a year-late Midnight Society meeting as they indulge millennial references and roadside ghost nostalgia, get the history behind one of the most notorious figures in capitalistic Americana, and connect the dots between many of the horror genre’s most enduring tropes. This liminal episode begs the question… What happens when the house itself does the haunting? Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 92 | AYAOTD S2E6 — The Tale of the Dark Dragon11 Feb 202502:04:10
Hot nerds, killer dinner parties, and disturbing duality… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids, and the Midnight Society, as they explore the complexities of the human experience through yet another surprisingly literary SNICK lens. Examine with them their own ties to societal norms, ponder the effects of rigidity vs. fluidity, and, at long last, learn fascinating truths behind the oft referenced Jekyll and Hyde.  Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 91 | Hey Arnold! — Pigeon Man18 Jan 202501:24:15
Wrathful grapes, magnetoreception, and a crazy, psychopathic freak (affectionate)… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they get a crash course in the history of homing pigeons, reminisce on a time when the streetlights signaled THEM home, and let their jazzy, melancholy little hearts break for the misfits and outcasts. They’ll send a jolt of New Year inspiration to your hobbies and hyper-fixations, iterate the necessity of wonder, and remind Darkling-kind that we’re all a lot more alike than we are different – pizza toppings notwithstanding. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2025 New Year’s Campfire Chat05 Jan 202501:53:44
Major life updates, nostalgic debates, and UNEDITED un-seriousness… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark as the sun has set on 2024! Join your '90s kid Ghost Hosts around the proverbial campfire to unpack their personal lives over the past year, answer some thoughtful listener questions, discuss plans for 2025 (we’re creeping up on episode 100!), and through their ramblings, ravings, and unscripted nonsense, continue to remind you how not-alone you are. Cheers to the new year! Have a frightfully nostalgic memory to share or a pretty dark topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 90 | Movie Night — Gremlins — Part II24 Dec 202402:09:46
Foreign invaders, squirrelly stair lifts, and class consciousness… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they walk through the terrors, tropes, and stereotypes littering the Rockwellian landscape of Kingston Falls, appreciate unexpected parallels to current events, and have some… less-than-clean fun with this gutsy, gooey ‘80s horror. Its hyperbolic contrasts and reflections on societal ignorance truly hold up a mirror to moviegoers and ask what they might do when saddled with great responsibility, or perhaps more importantly, if they understand that the REAL enemies are entitlement, greed… and the ultra wealthy. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 89 | Movie Night — Gremlins — Part I07 Dec 202401:31:53
Historical hijinks, mischievous miniatures, and the birth of the PG-13 rating… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they learn how society’s need for a scapegoat evolved from imps and elves, took to the sky to vex the Royal Air Force in wartime, and eventually inspired a slapstick horror comedy… with some sticky parental guidance suggestions. Between Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus, its production story is a who’s who of ‘80s cinema blending behind the scenes serendipity and on-screen mayhem… To understand, one only has to listen. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 88 | Book Report — The Tailypo // The Big Toe24 Nov 202401:28:44
Undead appendages, backwoods suspense, and... Little Red Riding Hood?! Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they get back to their roots with this southern gothic folktale turned childhood bookshelf staple. Trace with them the daunting heritage of a vengeful fictional critter and the strangely familiar motifs that accompany it, including but not limited to expressions of guilt, grief, grave robbing, swamp witches, and cannibalism. Luckily, we learn that these stories CAN empower folks, inevitable as the endings may be, and provide an avenue both to cope with our fears and mercilessly jump scare one another. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 87 | AYAOTD S2E5 — The Tale of the Dream Machine09 Nov 202401:37:17
Glowing typewriters, bathroom snacks, and gaping wide graves… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they gather ‘round the SNICK campfire to honor words, the most basic of elements bringing metaphors, musings, and stories to life. It’s no secret that these magical shapes and sounds have immense power. Power to bring us that much closer to ourselves, and one another, or power to split us apart. Whether dreaming of your crush or envisioning something more nightmarish… take a moment to ask yourself, if your words could project your ideas into the minds of others… or even reality… what kind of reality would you be creating? Oh, wait… they CAN!  Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 86 | Movie Night — The Halloween Tree — Part II26 Oct 202401:54:49
Soul bargains, Samhain sensationalism, and the language of the gargoyles… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they explore even more cultural celebrations and institutions found in Ray Bradbury’s expressive pages including witchy wonders, creepy cathedrals, and deep, dark Mexican catacombs. Some of the show’s darkest revelations yet, like, y’know, children making deals with Death to maintain their friend’s very existence, accompany this spooky swirl of historic proportions. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 85 | Movie Night — The Halloween Tree — Part I19 Oct 202401:25:36
Poetic peril, classic costumes, and the crisp air of autumn… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for their journey into the Undiscovered Country and parse out the wistful nostalgia found among the twirly, twisty branches of Halloween’s history. Buckle in as Ray Bradbury’s aching, heavy-handed prose guides us all on a dream-like quest to capture the essence of humanity’s biggest questions… and the customs that help us answer them. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 84 | Spooky Special — Monster Mash14 Oct 202401:09:26
Horrific house parties, sensual feasting, and Boris Karloff… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for a bloodcurdling bash as they recount the fascinating and frightful origins of everyone’s favorite Halloween novelty track, spooking its way into society amidst an upswing of mid-century dance fads and crazes. Get down as your Ghost Hosts get scientific with memetic theory and follow these crypt-kicking tunes (including new imaginings and parodies) all the way through a life cycle that may have overstayed its welcome… Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 83 | Movie Night — Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory — Part II08 Oct 202402:25:59
Grizzly reapers, manic moral commentary, and sneaky snozzberries… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids for their THREE YEAR anniversary extravaganza as they theorize and fantasize their way through the darkest corners of Wonka’s (okay, mostly Roald Dahl’s) potentially not-so-pure imagination - complete with haunting real world racial implications. Oompa Loompa doompity DO come with us and you’ll be in a world of simultaneous whimsical escape, satirical, societal criticism, and as always, some good old fashioned existentialism to taste. At least we still have one another… Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 82 | Movie Night — Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory — Part I22 Sep 202401:53:01
Everlasting literary quips, Bavarian asteroids, and Pure Imagination… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they take you on your very own Golden Ticket tour behind the scenes of one of the pillars of the “Pretty Dark” genre and learn a little more about two of its founding fathers: Roald Dahl and Gene Wilder. Get a taste of everything you’ve ever wondered about the film’s storied history, fantastical sets, and legendary performances, plus unwrap the details on the brand deals and production rumors that left generations of mouths watering. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 81 | AYAOTD S2E4 — The Tale of the Thirteenth Floor08 Sep 202401:31:58
Recurring cosmic phenomena, terrible toy testing, and triskaidekaphobia… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they settle into Are You Afraid of the Dark?’s second season by discussing society’s denial of the proverbial and literal “thirteenth floor,” the potential for intergalactic adoptive trauma, and the coming-of-age drama behind morphing into your “final form.” If you’ve ever thought your sibling might be from another planet… or maybe felt more like a faceless misfit, yourself… this episode proves once and for all, that even still, you’re never really alone. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
© My Podcast Data · Independent project · Data from Apple & Spotify