PODCAST · tv
Ghouls Next Door
by Gabe and Kae
Award-winning media literacy podcast from a horror lens. Gabe & Kae discuss real-life influences on our cinematic fears every Wednesday.
Episodes
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They Live (1988) & They Continue to Thrive in 2026
They Live is a timeless science fiction, dystopian piece of media criticism. Director John Carpenter argues the film is a documentary, and he says what we’re all thinking, using alien overlords to reveal the real-world villains of Mass Media, Big Corporations, and the Surveillance state. All of...
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Dungeon Crawler Carl Affirmations: “You Will Not Break Me” and Other Inspirations
Dungeon Crawler Carl is a triumphant and heartbreaking tale of human resilience. Against the backdrop of the end of the world, Carl and his fellow crawlers fight for their lives against a system hell bent on minimizing them to tools of entertainment. Turns out aliens are real and they’ve got...
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Blink Twice (2024): the Violence of Forgetting
Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut, Blink Twice, cautions us against the horrors of forgiving, forgetting, and relinquishing control. A tale told before its time, watching it merely two years after its release, the film feels disturbingly prescient in a post Epstein Files ‘release’ world.
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Obsession (2026): The Subtle Violence of the Nice Guy
Obsession is an insidiously terrifying new horror film that follows Bear after he makes an ill-advised, harmful, and desperate wish for his crush, Nikki, to love him more than anything else in the world. Obsession is timely and unsettlingly so, confronting current-day horrors around the male...
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The Menu (2022): The Cult of Fine Dining
The Menu is a brilliant, vicious critique of celebrity chef culture. The dark comedy film confronts the absurdity around elite fine dining experiences that have taken the “love out of eating.”
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Opus (2025): The Monster of Cult Celebrity
Opus, the debut film of director and former music journalist, Mark Anthony Green intends to critique cultural criticism, celebrity obsession, and the hierarchy of fame. There’s a level of anticipation with Green at the helm, an expectation of truths revealed, insider knowledge shared and...
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They Will Kill You (2026) Review: Bloody, Brutal & Timely AF
They Will Kill You is a punchy, gory, and brilliant mess. It was delightfully unexpected, and while at times it certainly feels like “John Wick but with a Badass Black Woman,” that’s not a negative! It is a relentless assault of silly world-building and over-the-top body gore.
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Ready or Not 2 (2026) Review: Beat the Rich
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is a punchy, gore-filled and brutal sequel to a beloved horror classic. After surviving a night of torment at the hands of her brand-new wealthy in-laws, Grace is once again confronted by the sinister, evil antics of the elite as they hunt her down. Only this time…
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Stephen Graham Jones: Creature Features & Historical Horror
SGJ has a knack for transforming folkloric monsters we’ve grown accustomed to, twisting them into a new, sympathetic, and terrifying creature; something entirely of his own making. He did this in Mongrels, the sometimes funny, most often dark, familial story about werewolves and ancestry (and one...
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Tananarive Due: Life, Legacy, and all the Horrors Between
Tananarive Due seamlessly weaves vivid, realistic characters with powerful historical influences. True blue horror with high body counts, pulling no punches, and yet with immense care and consideration for her readers, Due is a brilliant storyteller. gabe reviews two of her books, their blend of...
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Kpop Demon Hunters (2025) Film Review: Healing Ourselves & the Generations Before Us
Kpop Demon Hunters is a magical, vibrant, and gut punching animated film with catchy, thought provoking songs, beloved pop stars, and a lot of character growth. The musical has become a cultural phenomena, taking the charts and our hearts by storm. Ghouls explore the hunters' battle to not only...
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Dandadan: Fan Service, Puberty Horrors, and Unlikely Heroes
As quirky and charming as Dandadan is on the surface, full of bright color, relatable young protagonists navigating first love and their growing bodies, wacky alien creatures and exciting fight sequences, Dandadan has a brilliant knack for knocking its viewers off their feet with unjarring and...
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Invincible: A Sup[er Heroic Reckoning
Robert Kirkman's brutal and challenging comic, now adapted into a animated series, is an emotional exploration of legacy and the power of love. Debuting a special episode of *Boos Next Door*, hosts Isaiah Luck and Mike Levitt are joined by regular ghoul, June Bethea to discuss this complex show.…
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Seoul Station: A Plague on a Vulnerable Population
Seoul Station, a prequel to the beloved South Korean zombie horror film Train to Busan, tells a harrowing story of a zombie outbreak affecting a particularly vulnerable population: the homeless who've taken refuge in Seoul Station. Ghouls dive into this animated film, which features a very overt...
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REC (2007): Demonic Zombies & Found Footage Fears
REC is a clever zombie film that follows people trapped in an apartment building. While trying to survive and get to the bottom of this quarantine, our protagonists fight to record the horrors around them. Joined by regular guest, Wi-Moto Nyoka (Dusky Projects), Ghouls discuss the unique villain,...
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Blood Quantum (2019): Red They Dead, White They Bite
Jeff Barnaby's Blood Quantum is a relentless, gory zombie film with an interesting twist. This film pulls no punches and through the anti-hero Lysol, we get to see that generational trauma, anger and resolve acted out in vengeance and graphic horror. Ghouls revisit one of their all time favorite...
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ZOM100: Optimism in the Apocalypse
ZOM100 is a quirky show set during the zombie apocalypse that encourages viewers to take advantage of the time we have left. When our jobs under the oppressive systems of capitalism have already turned us into zombies, flesh eating monsters can feel like a fresh start and a good excuse to start...
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All of Us Are Dead: No One is Coming to Save Us
All of Us Are Dead is a compelling and emotionally charged TV series about a zombie outbreak at a high school in South Korea. The zombies cause chaos, but the true horrors, as always, are the many ways society fails these kids. Ghouls discuss the parts they love of the show, what they hope to see...
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28 Years Later (2025): Growing Pains & Toxic Masculinty
28 Years Later is a wild, emotional ride exploring the complications of growing up in the midst of an apocalypse. Garland and Boyle return to the series, offering a vibrant and creative story where even amongst decades of death, the loss of a loved one still hits hard. Ghouls are joined by fellow...
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Until Dawn: Slasher Summer Fun
Until Dawn is a wild time-loop slasher film inspired by the game. Ghouls invite their good friend and fellow gamer, June Bethea to talk about the ways the film exceeded their expectations and where it needed work. Perhaps this film could've been called literally anything else? We discuss the...
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Clown in a Cornfield: Slasher Summer is Here
With delightfully absurd gore and entertaining banter, Clown in a Cornfield, is a fun summertime slasher. It offers a pleasant, somewhat unexpected twist, some truly bizarre characters and as always beloved in the slasher genre, teen angst.
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Could Black Mirror's Joan is Awful Happen to You?
Black Mirror’s Joan is Awful is a cautionary tale of our dangerous future in the shadow of hyper-surveillance, deep-fakes, and AI ownership. Joan is Awful explores the horrors of accepting shady terms and conditions. The Ghouls unpack the ways that AI and Data Mining are horrifying even now.
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Black Mirror’s Common People: Life Behind a Paywall
Common People is a particularly heartbreaking episode as it feels so much like our lives now. A sharp criticism of our healthcare system, subscription services, and capitalism, Common People pulls no punches despite being housed on the predatory subscription system, Netflix.
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Companion (2025): A Bloody Honest Take on New Age Romance
Companion is a seamlessly hilarious sci-fi romantic comedy that freshly examines power dynamics in artificial intelligence relationships. Ripe with refreshing and quick twists, the film leaves little room for questions and instead guides us through a bloody tale of deprogramming and toxic...
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Mickey 17 Predicts Our Dystopian Future Under Capitalism
Mickey 17 is an entertaining science fiction film that distills the fearful future of unchecked capitalism into a heartfelt, comedic romp. The Ghouls discuss what Mickey 17 gets right about Elon Musk’s Mars plan, our likely dystopian future after a second Trump Presidency, the reality of human...
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Defying More Than Gravity: Race, Politics & Power in Wicked
The Ghouls explore the revolutionary impact of Wicked in 2025. We dissect how Cynthia Erivo's Black Elphaba transforms the green-skinned witch's journey into a searing commentary on race, while simultaneously exposing the musical's chilling political prophecies. From "Defying Gravity" as a...
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Sinners: A Love Letter to Black Culture, Resiliency, and History
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners feels like two movies in one and both are phenomenal pieces of media. At once a beautiful, heartbreaking, and emotional depiction of Jim Crow era America and a charming, hilarious, and horrific exploration of faith, culture, and folklore. Ghouls unpack their takeaways from…
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Severance: Innies, Exploitation & Modern Company Towns
Severance has given us one of the most nuanced examinations of identity, consciousness, and labor rights in recent television. The Ghouls dissect Severance Season 2's brilliant dual commentary: the fight for innie personhood alongside corporate America's modern "Sunken Place" for Black...
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Horror with Heart: From Shows the Power of Community in Crisis
From brilliantly explores Rebecca Solnit's disaster utopia concept, showing how communities respond to catastrophes with solidarity rather than chaos. The Ghouls explore how the trapped townspeople build meaningful connections despite relentless threats. From creates a true disaster utopia…
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Ghouls Live 300th Celebration!
The Ghouls Next Door are going LIVE to celebrate 300 spine-tingling, thought-provoking, and downright ghoulish episodes of horror and media literacy! Join Gabe and Kat for a night of chills, thrills, and unforgettable moments as we look back on 300 episodes of turning fear into fierce...
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Interview with the Vampire: A Bold Reimagining of Queerness, Race & Abuse
Let’s break down the beauty, horror, and heartbreak of Interview with the Vampire. AMC’s Interview with the Vampire is a haunting, gothic masterpiece that redefines Anne Rice’s classic story through the lens of race, queerness, and power. This deep dive explores the tragic, abusive relationship...
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Nosferatu (2024) Feminist Horror: Power, Possession & Repression
Is Nosferatu a cautionary tale about repression, or an empowering story of feminine defiance? Let’s dive into this gothic nightmare and uncover the terrifying truths behind the fiction. Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024) is a chilling reflection of historical oppression, medical horror, and the fear...
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The Power of Your Monster (2024): Feminine Rage and Confronting Emotional Neglect
Ghouls break down the emotional depth and trauma explored in Your Monster (2024), highlighting themes of childhood neglect, feminine rage, and trauma responses like fawning. We dive into how Laura’s emotional repression—stemming from both physical and emotional neglect in childhood—shapes her…
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From Grief to Gore: 'Lisa Frankenstein' Brings the Dead to Life
Lisa Frankenstein is a darkly comedic, neon-soaked horror film set in the late 80s, penned by Diablo Cody and directed by Zelda Williams. It explores Lisa’s journey from grief-stricken teen to self-assured misfit as she accidentally resurrects her Victorian crush and navigates a chaotic world...
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The Shape of Water and America Today: Monsters, Empathy, and Division
Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water feels eerily relevant as we brace for a second Trump presidency. Set in a Cold War-era America steeped in paranoia, oppression, and cruelty, the film critiques the illusion of “greatness” that MAGA rhetoric glorifies. Through characters like Elisa, Giles,...
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Alien: Romulus – Corporate Greed, Bodily Autonomy, and the Fight for Freedom
In Alien: Romulus, the latest chapter of the iconic franchise, themes of corporate greed, bodily autonomy, and systemic oppression take center stage. From Rain’s desperate fight for freedom to Andy’s struggle for personhood, we explore how the film critiques unchecked capitalism and its...
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The Substance (2024): Beauty Is a Beast
Ghouls explore The Substance, a satirical body horror film that critiques society’s obsession with youth and beauty. Through the story of Elisabeth Sparkle, we examine the devastating impact of external validation on identity, the pressures of pretty privilege, and the pervasive stigma against...
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Faith, Folklore, and Agrochemicals: The Real-Life Horror in When Evil Lurks (2023)
When Evil Lurks is a brutal Argentinian horror film blending supernatural terror with real-life issues of faith, isolation, and environmental contamination. Follow along as Ghouls review how Demián Rugna’s tale of demonic possession taps into Argentina’s struggle with pesticide exposure…
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Beneath the Habit: Exploring Immaculate (2024) and the Catholic Church’s Dark Side
The Ghouls explore Immaculate, a psychological horror film that delves into themes of bodily autonomy and the dark side of faith through the story of a nun's involuntary pregnancy. We also tackle the systemic misogyny within the Catholic Church, examining how nuns are marginalized and how the...
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Late Night with the Devil (2024): Cults, Conspiracies, and Celebrity Secrets
Late Night with the Devil is a campy horror that cleverly intertwines reality with the supernatural. Join us as we unpack Jack Delroy’s desperate bid for ratings, culminating in a live séance that spirals into chaos. Gabe discusses the film’s bold commentary on media manipulation and our…
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Longlegs (2024): Satanic Panic, Government Hysteria, and Horror in Girlhood
Longlegs is a psychological thriller about a supernatural satanic panic killer, who murders without ever touching his victims. From twisted coming-of-age stories to the sinister use of dolls as instruments of control, we examine the cultural obsession with preserving and corrupting girlhood…
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Suspiria (2018): Witchcraft, Dance, and Post-WWII Germany
Suspiria (2018) is a haunting exploration of power, control, and the horrors of fascism, set against the backdrop of Cold War-era Berlin in 1977. Gabe discusses the differences in the two films, unpacks the themes of facism and guilt, as well as defines the three mothers and their role in…
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Maxxxine (2024): A Neon Drenched Video Nasty
Maxxxine is the final neon-soaked chapter of Ti West's trilogy, blending genres influenced by their respective decades. Gabe talks about how sexuality is explored in Ti West's trilogy and gives us a film history lesson on video nasties. Kat talks about the 1980s Satanic Panic craze.
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The Witch (2015): A Folklore of Fanaticism and Family
The Witch is a psychological, folktale horror film that offers us a slow descent into a puritanical satanic panic. A witchy crucible tale that subverts the traditional empowering women narratives we're used to. Gabe shares what they took from the film and why a second watch left them terribly...
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I Saw the TV Glow (2024): A Tale of Transition
I Saw the TV Glow is an experimental, horror film that has audiences facing and exploring their identities. A personal tale of gender dysphoria, the film is heartbreaking and bizarre. Gabe talks about Owen's struggles with their identity, zipping yourself back up to conform to society, and why…
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It Follows (2014): The Many Faces of the Monster
It Follows is a unique, dwelling horror film that delves into the abrupt loss of innocence after an assault. While it can be seen as a cautionary tale about STIs, its themes run much deeper. Gabe talks about MC Jay's loss of innocence, reflects on the lingering monster of trauma, and deconstructs...
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The Craft (1996): Teen Girl Justice, Sisterhood, and Witchcraft
The Craft is an unapologetically dark film where four teen girls live out a powerful fantasy of retribution and justice. Gabe fans over the power of witchcraft, found families, and outlets for societal rage. We call for justice for Nancy and try to tap into the four corners of the world. Kat…
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Heathers (1988): A Dark Comedy for Dark Times
Heathers is a dark comedy film that, through satire, challenges high school politics, social hierarchies, and the illusion of teenage depth. Gabe dives into this cult classic to unpack the weight of social hierarchies in school that mimic the big world outside. Kat gives us some background on why...
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Talk to Me (2023): Addicted to Possession
Talk to Me is a supernatural, psychological horror film is a gut-wrenching, emotional film that explores the horrors of a teenage life for Gen Z. Gabe talks about the film's brilliant approach to a delicate subject - addiction. Kat educates on the impact of loss and grief on the growing mind.…
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Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (2022): Gen Z Struggles for Connection
Bodies, Bodies, Bodies is a dark horror comedy that tests friendships and one’s flimsy perception of self. Gabe talks about the woes of Gen Z culture, connection, and community. Kat explores the way youth and wealth can negatively impact your capacity for love, honesty, and trust.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Ghouls Next Door have?
Ghouls Next Door currently has 330 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Ghouls Next Door about?
Award-winning media literacy podcast from a horror lens. Gabe & Kae discuss real-life influences on our cinematic fears every Wednesday.
How often does Ghouls Next Door release new episodes?
Ghouls Next Door publishes regularly with 330 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Ghouls Next Door?
You can listen to Ghouls Next Door on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Ghouls Next Door?
Ghouls Next Door is created and hosted by Gabe and Kae.
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