In the late summer of 2019, those who had been searching for the ideal combination of horror and comedy were presented with a true gift in the form of Scary Stories to Tell on the Pod. Hosted by Anna Drezen, comedian and head writer for Saturday Night Live, and Andrew Farmer, comedian and TV writer, the podcast pays tribute to Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell's classic series of books, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. As chatty as it is spooky, the podcast offers a perfect and rare remote hangout, drawing in a delightfully niche audience of friendly malcontents who can count laughing AND screaming amongst their core interests.
Related: 14 Horror Books for Fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
New episodes of the podcast go up every Monday and Wednesday, with hosts Drezen and Farmer alternating between hilariously impassioned re-tellings of classic tales from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and "Urban Legisode" episodes, which tackle horrifying and ponderous things like questionable ghost children on movie sets, and angry ghouls looking to cuss at you and scratch your eyes out at the same time.
If you're new to Scary Stories to Tell on the Pod, there's really no wrong way to dive in and begin what will surely be a long-term relationship with the podcast, but we'd also like to make sure you pay special attention to the following thirteen episodes, which we consider to be the best of the best.
Urban Legisode: Bloody Mary
For the podcast's inaugural "Urban Legisode," Drezen and Farmer explore the story of Bloody Mary, revealing that the vengeful spirit behind the urban legend is not unsimilar to your mom's weird friend who gets nasty after downing one too many glasses of wine.
Urban Legisode: The Contagious Nightmare
Think you're brave enough to walk yourself into a scenario where you listen to a cursed story that could, in turn, attach itself to your own individual life and become true? Host Anna Drezen sure wasn't.
"Me Tie Doughty Walker"
Drezen and Farmer start off this episode by exchanging nostalgic memories of scary VHS covers, and then launch into a retelling of the classic Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark tale, "Me Tie Doughty Walker." Hilariously delivered by Drezen, voices and all, you'll feel as though a fun and flirty curse is being laid upon you just listening to it.
Urban Legisode: La Llorona
After watching the 2019 horror film The Curse of La Llorona during a long flight, co-host Anna Drezen tells of the tragic mythology behind the story which centers on a woman who drowns her own children. Doesn't sound funny? Well, somehow, it is!
Related: 9 Famous Female Ghosts Who Will Scare You Senseless
"Such Things Happen"
After coining the phrase "smooky," Drezen and Farmer workshop their way through the fundamental themes of this grim Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark classic that centers on an old witch who gets revenge upon a man for his accidental killing of her cat.
Urban Legisode: Bad Ghost Tour Reviews
Co-host Anna Drezen rounds up a hilarious variety of one-star reviews of ghost tours written by people with varying degrees of wellness who weigh the pros and cons of their spooky experiences.
"Yor Are In Danger"
In this episode Farmer and Drezen reveal the name of their advice segment, "Scary Advice For Things That Did Happen." If, while reading this, you find yourself consumed with inquiries you'd like to present, please write in to the show at Scarystorypod@gmail.com and make sure to address both the hosts in their preferred formality which is "ma'am?"
Urban Legisode: Haunted Ebay Objects (The Sequel)
Cursed wooden cannons, cemetery dirt of the freshest caliber, and haunted witch rings that help with weight loss. Drezen and Farmer comb through Ebay for the possessed artifacts you didn't know you needed.
"No Thanks"
While Farmer and Drezen admittedly do not have PhDs in "bump in the night," they do doctorate level work in the retelling of this chilling tale from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark about a run-in with a mysterious creeper.
"The Big Toe"
Co-host Farmer reads the very first story from the very first Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark book, which warns against bringing home toes that you find in the dirt. Listeners will surely walk away from this episode with a renewed vow to leave wayward appendages where they lay.
"The Green Ribbon"
For this special Halloween episode, Drezen and Farmer work together to serve up the ultimate classic Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark/Pod experience. "The Green Ribbon," likely the best known tale from the classic series, will tempt you to leave the house with a ribbon around your neck in hopes of the implied suggestion that your head just might fall off if it's pulled.
Urban Legisode: Dead Grandma Zoom Bomb
Explaining what Zoom is to your dead Grandma would be about as easy as explaining what you do for your weird internet job. In this episode, Drezen and Farmer read a listener submitted story about a Zoom meeting that got a very unexpected familial drop-in from beyond.
"The Voice"
In their first episode of 2021, Drezen and Farmer tell the story of an ominous voice that is like "I'm here" to a girl who's like "and?"
