Episodes
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The Unspoken Rules of Slasher Movies
S6 E11 - 32m 44s
The 1974 movies Black Christmas and Texas Chain Saw Massacre gave rise to what would become one of cinema’s most enduring genres: the slasher film. In this special episode, we’ll talk about the origins, evolution and cultural impact of these gory popcorn films and take a close look at the key tropes—masked killers, final girls, and gore—that continue to make make slashers iconic.
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Why Manticore Is a Dungeons & Dragons Legend
S6 E10 - 12m 47s
Featured in tabletop RPGs, card games, books, animated movies and shows, the manticore is a legend. And there’s a lot of speculation about the origins of the manticore. Is it a man-eating monster from Persian myth or simply a misidentified tiger?
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The Ancient Terror of the Chinese Hopping Corpse, Jiangshi
S6 E9 - 12m 13s
Draped in Qing dynasty robes and sporting fanged teeth, long nails and grasping, outstretched arms, the Chinese hopping corpse, jiangshi, is a variation on the vampire that you won’t soon forget!
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The Mother of Vengeance: Grendel's Mom
S6 E8 - 8m 44s
The big baddie in Beowulf isn't actually the monster Grendel, but Grendel's Mother. Who maybe isn't a monster at all? Often depicted as a hideous beast or an alluring seductress, her true nature is debated. Despite appearances, she’s described in warrior terms, challenging traditional gender roles. Translation and interpretation have shape her lore as a fearsome yet misunderstood figure.
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La Lechuza: The Shape-Shifting Witch-Owl
S6 E7 - 10m 29s
You're walking home, a little tipsy, guided only by the moonlight. Suddenly, you sense something watching you: an unnervingly large owl with a human face! This is La Lechuza, a malevolent witch-owl from Tejano and Mexican folklore.
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King Kong pt. 2
S6 E6 - 10m 9s
Since his 1933 movie debut, King Kong’s impact on our culture has been persistent. For nearly a century, Kong’s story has changed to reflect, and sometimes comment on, our society’s issues with racism, sexism, and fear of the unknown. Let’s talk about how well this iconic monster’s evolution keeps up with our changing times.
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Lost in the Backrooms: Exploring the Internet's Creepiest Liminal Space
S6 E5 - 11m 16s
Welcome to The Backrooms, a digital folklore phenomenon that blurs the lines between reality and fiction, exploring the eerie and uncanny through playful, yet terrifying, community-driven digital storytelling.
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Is This North American Sea Serpent Real or a Hoax?
S6 E4 - 11m 15s
Many say that the waters of America’s Northern coasts are home to an elusive sea serpent of legend. Named Caddy! Or Cadborosaurus, for long. Sightings and testimonials go back generations. Who is Caddy? And why are serpentine water creatures among humanity’s most prevalent monsters?
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A Giant Monster With a Giant Problem
S6 E3 - 9m 6s
In this episode, we explore the legacy of the monumental 1933 film, King Kong, its groundbreaking special effects, and the complex racial and colonial undertones that continue to shape our understanding of this timeless classic.
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How a Children’s Book Introduced Us To Our Inner Demons
S6 E2 - 9m 12s
As a kid, the monsters in Where the Wild Things Are were downright frightening. But thinking about the book as an adult, it’s clear there’s something deeper to this fantastically monstrous story. Notable for taking on the darker and more complicated emotions a child experiences, the book tackles the idea of inner demons in a way that kids and adults alike can understand.
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Who Is This Japanese Yōkai That Is Obsessed With Your Butt?
S6 E1 - 11m 25s
What looks like a reptile-amphibian hybrid, has a dish shaped skull, smells like fish, is child-like and out to steal your crops and drown your livestock? The Japanese water yokai, Kappa.
Extras + Features
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Exhumed: A History of Zombies Preview
30s
In this new one-hour Halloween PBS special, Dr. Emily Zarka will deconstruct some of the most significant moments in zombie popular culture over the last two centuries to reveal what these creatures say about us.
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Welcome to Monstrum!
48s
The world is full of monsters, myths, and legends and Monstrum isn’t afraid to take a closer look. The show, hosted by Emily Zarka, Ph.D., takes us on a journey to discover a new monster in each new episode. Monstrum looks at humans unique drive to create and shape monster mythology through oral storytelling, literature, and film and digs deep into the history of those mythologies.
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