The Return of the Final Girls: Embracing Nostalgia & Celebrating Women in Horror

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, the Horror Nerds dive into the cozy, creepy world of horror nostalgia — from the magic of VHS tapes to the rise of iconic female characters shaping the genre today. Samantha shares her growing obsession with collecting vintage horror tapes, the joy of finding rare editions, and why VHS still hits differently in a streaming world.They also explore the creative process of performing and producing horror comedy, the similarities between being a stand-up comedian and a voice actor, and discuss the evolving role of women in the horror industry. From Final Girls to modern favorites like M3GAN, this conversation celebrates how women continue to redefine, elevate, and energize the horror landscape.With humor, personal stories, and true horror-nerd passion, this episode is a love letter to the films that shaped us and the women who keep pushing the genre forward.If you love nostalgia, female-driven horror, the Shining Twins, and horror-nerd deep dives, this episode is for you.Featuring a clip from Samantha Hale "Horror Nerd" Rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video at https://amzn.to/4r72GMSDirected by Tom Dolby, Distributed by Comedy DynamicsCredits: Hosted by Samantha Hale and Bonnie Marie WilliamsBased on Horror Nerd Comedy created by Samantha HaleSocial Media Manager: Joe White Editor: Sarah MannersPost-Production: Sarah Manners and Bonnie Marie WilliamsCreative Producer: Adam MolloyProducers: Samantha Hale and Joe WhiteExecutive Producer: Bonnie Marie Williams Horror Nerds Podcast music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio Podcast Intro by Joe WhiteMagic Oil Box Commercial VO by Adam Molloy and Bonnie Marie Williams Beamly.com Commercial Voiceover by Bonnie Marie WilliamsSponsorships:Ever feel like your podcast workflow’s straight out of a horror movie? Plug-ins breaking, logins multiplying, hidden fees creeping up behind you? Time to scream — for joy — because Beamly has arrived. Build your site, host your podcast, add memberships, courses, and digital products — all in one place. No hidden monsters. No jump-scare fees. Just 0% platform costs and pure creative freedom. Bring your podcast back to life at Beamly.com — if you dare. The Magic Oil Box, LLC Small-batch, cruelty-free scents inspired by horror and pop culture, and handcrafted with love and magic by a proudly LGBTQ+ and Latino-owned business. Horror Nerds listeners can take 15% off with code SLAYNERDS15, thanks to our sponsor who keeps us slayin’.Affiliates:Take 10% off Shaped Ice Molds, featuring the most iconic slashers in cinema, with code HorrorNerdsPodcast10The Horror Nerds Comedy Podcast uses Riverside.fm to record our podcast and share to social media.