Podcast Playlist: 5 Horror Episodes of "You Are Good"

Welcome back to Scare Me! a weekly horror newsletter. Today, I’m on a trip in Utah for my job—so please enjoy five of my favorite episodes of You Are Good, a feelings podcast about movies.

Introducing an episode of You Are Good, podcaster Alex Steed was in the midst of explaining the show’s premise when he said something important: “We’re not critics.”

We’re. Not. Critics. Those three words changed everything for me. I don’t remember where I was, what I was doing, or when exactly this moment occurred, but I remember how I felt.

I’ve been writing about culture here and there for a decade now. For national outlets that slashed my drafts with arterial sprays of track changes. For small, independent outlets that sent generous contracts and encouraging notes. Right before the first lockdown, I was even in serious conversations with an outlet that would have sent me on tour, telling a reported, multimedia story in theaters across the US.

I’ve written primarily about various DIY subcultures and collectors, interviewing fascinating people about Pac-Man, Tamagotchi, and troll dolls. I’ve cooked fan-created recipes based on foods in Stardew Valley, admitted the extent of my obsession with Dorohedoro during the pandemic, traveled to a hippie town in the desert where I learned to make kaleidoscopes, my voice recorder running for six hours at a time.

But no matter how many bylines I landed, I never stopped feeling fraudulent. I believed that I did reporting because I couldn’t be a culture critic—wasn’t smart enough, wasn’t sure enough of my own opinions and taste. I’m easily persuaded and permissive. Who am I to say whether art is good or bad?

So when I heard Alex say that, actually, you could have a successful podcast about movies while actively rejecting the label of “critic,” my heart started to beat in a new rhythm. That was possible? That was an option? I couldn’t believe I’d needed permission for the thought to occur to me. That small moment was liberating, allowing me to lay down some fears and anxieties that had been burdening me for far too long.

And now, here I am: Showing up each week in your inbox to talk about the books and movies and art I love and how it makes me feel. I’m trying to do something different now—something celebratory and heartfelt, that feels good to read because it feels good to make. I hope you can feel that come through.

On You Are Good, Alex and co-host Sarah Marshall discuss movies with a rotating cast of recurring guests. They don’t exclusively talk about horror movies, but naturally those are the episodes I like best.

Below, I’ve chosen five of my favorites from the podcast’s run to date.

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The Changeling [with Sarah and Alex]

Could we have more Seattle-based horror, please? In The Changeling, a grieving composer accepts a job that brings him to the Pacific Northwest city following the violent accidental deaths of his wife and child. He moves into a rented historic mansion and quickly realizes that he’s not alone. Strange events begin to plague him, even invading the music he writes. Soon, he’s conducting seances and unraveling a decades-old mystery. A fun conversation about a deeply satisfying ghost story.

The Silence of the Lambs [with Harmony Colangelo]

The Wives Colangelo—Harmony and BJ—are true horror icons. Podcasters, authors, and contributors to lauded magazines like Fangoria, Harmony and BJ illuminate the horror genre with knowledge, warmth, and wit.

In this episode, Harmony joins to share her perspective on The Silence of the Lambs, including its complicated legacy among trans viewers. This is a really good listen if (like me) you’re someone who grew up loving The Silence of the Lambs but later grew to feel uneasy about it. There are no easy or straightforward answers about how you “should” feel, just a nuanced and thought-provoking conversation that may leave you with new angles to consider.

The Lost Boys [with Sarah and Alex]

This is a feel-good episode through and through. There’s a cozy intimacy to episodes that don’t feature a guest, and that goes double for episodes covering ‘80s teen classics.

First released in 1987, The Lost Boys follows two brothers who move to coastal California with their mother following their parents’ divorce. As they attempt to befriend locals and fit into this new life, they’re drawn into a dangerous rivalry with a gang of misfit vampires led by a young and gorgeous Kiefer Sutherland. There’s a special magic baked into The Lost Boys that’s more than the sum of its cast, soundtrack, story, and setting. A warm and nostalgic conversation.

Rosemary’s Baby [with Sarah Archer]

Sarah Archer is a many-times-published expert about the history of material culture, with a particular focus on domestic spaces. In this episode, she joins Alex and Sarah to delve in a conversation about midcentury housewives, motherhood, and the terror of domestic spaces.

Whether you already know (almost) everything about Rosemary’s Baby or you’re encountering it for the first time, I guarantee you’ll come away from this conversation with something new to consider. (Roman Polanski is a huge creep but I do still love this movie, unfortunately.)

Poltergeist [with Carmen Maria Machado]

I saw a few minutes of Poltergeist when I was a kid, and it scared the shit out of me. I hazily remember seeing kitchen chairs impossibly stacked on a table, and a clown doll with a threatening aura. While building up the courage to revisit this classic, I really enjoyed You Are Good’s episode about it, featuring the inimitable Carmen Maria Machado.

I’m actually about to go watch this as soon as I schedule the newsletter. Hopefully it isn’t still too scary for me!!

Cool Zine Alert

I recently subscribed to What Monster, a fun multimedia project by Steven Gregor. Last week’s issue brought terrifying tidings of a new zine:

The zine is just £3 + shipping, so it’s a nice little treat if you’re in the mood to collect some fun physical media. (I think it worked out to around $12 USD to ship out to the PNW.) I’m excited to read it!

Next Up: Wild Card!

Last week, I wrapped two very fun interviews that I’m excited to share. I’m hoping to get the first of those out next week, but to be completely honest, it will depend on how tired I am when I finally make it back to Washington. Wish me luck!!

If we don’t have an interview next week, I’ll confess some of my recent eBay sins as penance. Today (Sunday), I won an auction for a lot of vintage horror paperbacks! (I fear that eBay has unleashed a dark, evil energy in me.)

Hope you’re all having a good week!!

Scare Me! is a free weekly horror newsletter published every Thursday morning. It’s written by Michelle Delgado, featuring original illustrations by Sam Pugh. You can find the archive of past issues here. If you were sent this by a friend, subscribe to receive more spooky interviews, essays—and maybe even a ghost story or two.