Creepy Clowns: The Horror Behind the Laughter
When did clowns—the characters who filled our childhoods with juggling and balloons—become so creepy? For centuries, clowns have worn two faces: as irreverent entertainers, and tricksters who could break social norms. So when stories of scary clowns pop up all over popular culture, it's a sign that we're wondering who clowns really are behind the costume. Do they want to make us laugh? Or scream?
Episodes
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Creepy Clowns: The Horror Behind the Laughter
S5 E14 - 7m 54s
When did clowns—the characters who filled our childhoods with juggling and balloons—become so creepy? For centuries, clowns have worn two faces: as irreverent entertainers, and tricksters who could break social norms. So when stories of scary clowns pop up all over popular culture, it's a sign that we're wondering who clowns really are behind the costume. Do they want to make us laugh? Or scream?
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What Happened During Our Scary Slumber Party
S5 E13 - 12m 18s
Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board, Bloody Mary and Ouija are scary and entertaining rites of passage for kids and teens to participate in. But do these games actually work? And why do we love to scare each other so much at sleepovers?
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The Evolution of Creepy Dolls
S5 E12 - 13m 50s
Maybe it’s the unblinking eyes, staring at you, emotionless, day and night. Or, perhaps it’s their small size acting as a cloak of innocence. Or their human-like appearance that makes them seem just slightly too real. However, you want to spin it—there’s something creepy about dolls.
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The SCP Foundation: Declassified
S5 E11 - 12m 30s
Unlocking the Mysteries of SCP: From Secure, Contain, Protect to Unearth, Expose, Fascinate! Dive deep into the shadowy world of the SCP Foundation as we peel back the layers of secrecy surrounding these enigmatic entities. Discover the untold stories of containment, explore the unexplainable anomalies, and join us on a journey to unravel the secrets that have captivated the most curious minds.
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Uncovering the Enigma: Sasquatch Sightings
S5 E10 - 12m 8s
North America’s most famous cryptid, Sasquatch is a bipedal hairy humanoid with history pre-dating European colonization with numerous sightings even up to the present day. From cave paintings to video documentation, Sasquatch is a uniquely American monster. Why has the legend endured, and what does it say about humanity?
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Was Púca the Nightmare Bunny That Inspired Donnie Darko?
S5 E9 - 11m 49s
Existing somewhere between boogeyman, scapegoat, and temperamental fae, the known trickster called Púca is an animal-spirit that was once dreaded across Ireland, the Channel Islands, and England.
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The Hidden Origins of Nixie, the Scariest Little Mermaid
S5 E8 - 8m 32s
The half-human half-fish Nixie may look very familiar at first. But these shape-shifting monsters with their eerie songs that lure humans to the watery depths are much older, and much scarier, than the mermaids we know from pop-culture.
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Beyond the Supernatural Horror of the Nishi Daak Ghost
S5 E7 - 11m 52s
The lines between demon, spirit, and deity are often blurred in the cultures of the Indian subcontinent, where the clear “good vs. evil” dualism that is seen more commonly in the Western hemisphere don’t exist in quite the same way. The complex nature of a nocturnal entity called Nishi reflects this, although it does fall firmly into the malevolent end of the spectrum.
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The Untold Secrets of Pokémon’s Monster Mythology
S5 E6 - 13m 22s
Pokémon are inspired by flora and fauna, science, religion, yokai and other supernatural beings. But the series is teeming with not just Japanese folklore, but versions of monsters from across the globe made cute with softened features.
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Hero, Beast, or Both? The Complex Lore of the Centaur
S5 E5 - 13m 49s
Humans have domesticated animals as beasts of burden for thousands of years and the vital role horses play in the evolution of culture in particular has inspired countless equine folklore, but none are quite like the centaur.
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Are Cyborgs Really Monsters?
S5 E4 - 11m 2s
Advances in technology are always met with some degree of technophobia – and villainization. Anxieties about humans being replaced by machines immediately emerged alongside voices praising their life-enhancing benefits. What is it about the blending of man and machine that scares us – but also thrills us?
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Unicorns: Magical Icons or Violent Beasts?
S5 E3 - 12m 53s
Unicorns are all over the place in popular culture these days - movies, TV shows, toys, clothing and books for children and adults alike. But you might be interested to learn that the majestic, all-white horse with a spiralized horn on its forehead is just one version of the many varieties of unicorns that have appeared in folklore throughout history.
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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