Drawn to Darkness

Carolanne
  • 5.0 (12)
  • TRUE CRIME

Do your friends think you're weird because you rattle off facts about serials killers and watch horror movies to relax? We're here for you! Drawn to Darkness is a biweekly podcast where two best friends take turns discussing our favorite horror and true crime.  Our cover art is by Nancy Azano. You can find her work on instagram @nancyazano. Our intro and outro music is by Harry Kidd. Check him out on instagram @HarryJKidd.

  1. 5D AGO

    26 - Trainwreck: Poop Cruise

    Send a text In this episode, we dive into Trainwreck: Poop Cruise, Netflix’s lowbrow, sensational documentary about the 2013 Carnival Triumph disaster, when an engine room fire left more than 4,200 passengers and crew stranded in the Gulf of Mexico with no power, no air conditioning, no refrigeration, and, most importantly, no functioning toilets. We begin with discussion about losing power during floods, blizzards, hurricanes, and honeymoons gone wrong, but end up discussing human behaviour under extreme stress. As we discuss the "characters", we unpack how quickly civility can erode when basic systems fail, why some people balk at the the red biohazard bags, and how entitlement, privilege, and desperation collide in confined spaces. We also discuss the heroism and exploitation of cruise ship staff, the cruise industry’s fine print and lack of accountability, the shift from news to spectacle in media coverage, and how this situation never quite tips into Lord of the Flies, but comes disturbingly close. Along the way, we link Poop Cruise to other maritime disasters, cruise ship disappearances, and the deeper horrors lurking beneath the glossy promise of “all-inclusive” leisure. Content & Spoiler Warning: Bodily waste, unsanitary conditions, vomiting, public urination, extreme hangovers, fire at sea, societal breakdown, hoarding, cruise ship disasters, corporate negligence, environmental harm, assault risks, disappearances, and capitalism behaving exactly as expected. We also spoil Trainwreck: Poop Cruise and briefly discuss Amy Bradley Is Missing.  Palate Cleanser: TikTok trends including a man attempting (and failing) to learn how to DougieMuseums pairing classical art with modern film and TV audioPeople doing owl impressions in regional accents (including Moira Rose as an owl)Recommendations: Wine & Crime – “Cruise Ship Disappearances” (Episode 7) for an unsettling overview of nightmares at seaOther episodes of Netflix’s Trainwreck, especially Astroworld, Balloon Boy, and Mayor of MayhemAmy Bradley Is Missing (Netflix) – watch with a critical eye Titanic and the Titanic: Ship of Dreams podcast for deep dives into hubris at seaThe Devil in the White City by Erik LarsonYellowjackets, FantasticLand, The Platform, Under the Dome, The Mist, and The Shining for enclosed-space psychological breakdownsBetter Call Saul for class-action lawsuits and legal cynicismSudden Storm, about the Galveston hurricaneThe 30 Rock episode “Double-Edged Sword” for plane-based claustrophobic comedyAnd, always, AndorHomework: Next episode, we pivot back into true crime cursed family, with Captive Audience: The Abduction of Steven Stayner, examining his kidnapping and the devastating ripple effects on his family. Coming up soon: Start reading Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Special thanks to Nancy Azano for the podcast cover art (Instagram: @nancyazano) and Harry Kidd for the opening and closing score (Instagram: @harryjkidd, Spotify).

    1h 5m

  2. JAN 27

    25 - Hereditary by Ari Aster

    Send a text In this episode, we tackle Hereditary, Ari Aster’s devastating 2018 debut and one of the films most often credited with launching a new era of “elevated horror.” After the death of her estranged mother, miniature artist Annie Graham struggles to process her complicated grief. When her daughter Charlie dies in a shocking accident, the family fractures under the weight of blame, guilt, and unbearable loss. What begins as a family drama about grief, resentment, and inheritance curdles into something far darker as supernatural events occur and Annie Graham and her family discover that their suffering may have been orchestrated long before the story even begins. We unpack the film as both a supernatural horror and a deeply human tragedy about motherhood, blame, intergenerational trauma, and the corrosive effects of grief. We discuss Annie’s ambivalence toward motherhood, Peter’s unbearable guilt and trauma, Charlie’s unsettling presence, and the way Ari Aster traps his characters inside a dollhouse world where something is playing with them. Along the way, we explore fate versus agency, cult manipulation, spiritualism and grief exploitation, and why this film hurts as much (or more?) than it scares. Content & Spoiler Warning:  This episode includes discussion of child death, grief, suicide and suicidal ideation, self-harm, decapitation, anaphylaxis, possession, cults, toxic parent–child relationships, intergenerational trauma, mental illness, body horror, animal death (a dog, shown after the fact), disturbing sound design (including tongue clicking and wet mouth noises), and graphic emotional distress. Also, as usual, we fully spoil Hereditary. Close your eyes around 33 and half minutes. Listener and viewer discretion is advised. Here’s a link if you want to know more: https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3535054/hereditary-hidden-clues/ Palate Cleanser: Heated Rivalry (HBO) - Caroline is obsessed! Watching TikToks of people reacting to shows they loveRecommendations: If Hereditary got under your skin, you might want to explore: Other Ari Aster films, especially Midsommar (grief, cults)The Sixth Sense (and our Episode 12) for another Toni Collette performance as a mom dealing with the supernatural.Rosemary’s Baby which is clearly an inspirationThe Babadook — motherhood, grief, and a difficult childPet Sematary (book) — Stephen King’s bleakest exploration of parental griefThe Shining for slow-burn dreadThe Haunting of Hill House for more family trauma wrapped in horrorUnobscured (Season 2) by Aaron Mahnke, for historical context on spiritualism Sleepwalk With Me by Mike Birbiglia, for a funnier take on sleepwalkingUnited States of Tara, for more Toni Collette navigating fractured identityThe Yellow Wallpaper (see our earlier episode), for women, madness, and being trapped inside domestic spacesHomework for Next Episode: Watch: Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story We pivot back to true crime with the story of the Stayner family, another exploration of family trauma, captivity, and the long-term consequences of violence. But before that watch: Trainwreck: Poop Cruise (yes, really), followed by reading Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Special thanks to Nancy Azano for the podcast cover art (Instagram: @nancyazano) and Harry Kidd for the opening and closing score (Instagram: @harryjkidd, Spotify).

    1h 15m

  3. JAN 13

    24 - Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers by Emily Turner

    Send us a text In this episode, we discuss Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, Emily Turner’s documentary about Aileen Wuornos, a rare, hands-on female serial killer whose life is steeped in trauma, exploitation, and state violence. We discuss our views on the death penalty and then unpack whether Aileen’s childhood abandonment, sexual abuse, homelessness, and years of sex work made her into a "monster”. We discuss  nature vs nurture, the deeper horror of the targeting of sex workers; misogynistic and homophobic rhetoric, and the way prosecutors, cops, lawyers, and her “adoptive” mother profited from Aileen's story. Content & Spoiler Warning: This episode includes discussion of capital punishment, sexual assault, sex work, misogyny, child abuse and neglect, mental illness, suicide, corruption, homophobia, and of course murder and serial killers in general. We also spoil this documentary.  Palate cleanser: The films of Rob Reiner, whose work, such as The Princess Bride, Stand by Me, This is Spinal Tap, and When Harry Met Sally has shaped our cinematic lives almost as much as Star Wars. Other recommendations: Other media covering Aileen Wuornos includes Nick Broomfield’s documentary Selling of a Serial Killer, the Oscar-winning film Monster starring Charlize Theron, the podcast the Last Podcast on the Left (Aileen Wuornos two-parter), the podcast Women and Crime (criminology professors discuss female offenders), and My Favorite Murder (episode 96). Dateline & 13 Alibis – for exploration of wrongful prosecutions  The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog – ongoing recommendation if you want to learn more about the impact of childhood trauma. S-Town (podcast) – a portrait of a damaged, brilliant man  Shiny Happy People and The Righteous Gemstones – to explore evangelical excess and hypocrisy. The Crucible – for witch-hunt logic, moral absolutism, and judges who sound a lot like Aileen’s. Betrayal (podcast, not the documentary) – a woman uncovering that her teacher husband was abusing students. Our past episodes on Spotlight and Catch and Kill  for the horrific impact of sexual abuse. Dexter - a unique take on a Florida serial killer Sons of Anarchy for biker bars similar to the Last Resort, where Aileen was arrested. Making a Murderer for troubling confessions. My Favorite Murder episode 145 on the McMartin pre-school The Green Mile - both the book and the movie for a riveting story of death row inmates Super Troopers for highway cops with prominent moustaches.  Homework for next episode: Watch: Hereditary (2018) Next up, we pivot from true crime back to horror cinema with Ari Aster’s Hereditary. What's the connection? Shocking violence on a highway. You might want to close your eyes around 33 and a half minutes. And coming up on a future episode, start reading Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia.  Special thanks to Nancy Azano for the podcast cover art (Instagram: @nancyazano) and Harry Kidd for the opening and closing score (Instagram: @harryjkidd, Spotify).

    1h 6m

  4. 12/30/2025

    23 - Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein

    Send us a text In this episode, we discuss Guillermo del Toro’s gorgeous and gothic adaptation of Frankenstein, an epic, operatic exploration of creation, obsession, abandonment, and the horror of living after being rejected by the world. We discuss our own life goals and the hollowness that can follow achieving your greatest ambition, before diving into this reimagining of Mary Shelley’s  ground-breaking novel. We unpack the cinematic devices, symbolism, use of light and colour, as well as each character and what motivates them. We explore themes of immortality as a curse, intergenerational trauma, scientific overreach, colonialism, class violence, and what happens when society decides someone is a monster. Content & Spoiler Warning: We spoil Frankenstein (the novel and film), and the film and our dicussion has body horror, animal death (wolves), child abuse, death during childbirth, toxic father–son relationships, and corpse desecration. Palate cleanser: Star Wars (Original Trilogy) – Caroline is revisiting the entire Star Wars universe in timeline order, and despite some CGI should never have happened, these movies hold up. Recommendations: Little Shop of Horrors – mad science, creation, and unintended consequencesMy Cousin Vinny – for unexpected tonal callbacksMarvel films (Frankenstein connects to Captain America, Ultron, and Hulk lore)Inglourious Basterds, Indiana Jones, The Sound of Music – confronting Nazi violence and persecutionDeath Becomes Her and Vampire lore– immortality is its own horrorAlice in Wonderland and Beetlejuice – embracing the strange and unusualLittle Women (2019) – the dance scenes are similar.Dr. Death (podcast) – psychotic doctors and medical hubrisBook Cheat (podcast) – a comic shortcut to classic literatureEpistolary horror: Dracula, Carrie“The Monkey’s Paw” – the danger of subverting deathJurassic Park, Terminator, M3GAN, Oppenheimer, Edward Scissorhands – losing control of creationGuillermo del Toro’s other works: Pan’s Labyrinth, Crimson Peak, The Shape of Water, Pinocchio, Hellboy, Blade II Homework: Watch Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers (Netflix) A documentary that continues exploring how society punishes those it deems monstrous.  Special thanks to Nancy Azano for the podcast cover art (Instagram: @nancyazano) and Harry Kidd for the opening and closing score (Instagram: @harryjkidd, Spotify).

    1h 24m

  5. 12/16/2025

    22 - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

    Send us a text In this Christmas special of Drawn To Darkness, we swap favourite festive films (from Die Hard and It’s a Wonderful Life to The Muppet Christmas Carol and Scrooged) before diving into Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. We’ll discuss the plot and characters (Scrooge, Marley, the three spirits, Fezziwig, Tiny Tim, Fred), unpack life in Victorian London with its filth, disease, child labour, workhouses, debtor’s prisons and ghost-obsessed spiritualism, and trace how Dickens wrote this “ghostly little book” as a sledgehammer blow against capitalism, greed and cruelty. Along the way we’ll call out Dickens’ own contradictions (social critic, but a terrible husband), compare Bob Cratchit’s wages to modern minimum wage debates, talk through the horror of dying unmourned and unnoticed, and discuss whether Ignorance is more dangerous than Want.   Content & Spoiler Warning: This episode includes spoilers for A Christmas Carol (book and major adaptations), and discussion of child death, Victorian poverty and disease, eternal damnation, bad bosses and workplace exploitation, and references to body parts/sexual topics.  Palate Cleanser: The Office – “Dinner Party” (US) and Thor: Ragnarok Recommendations: Muppet Christmas Carol, Scrooged – Bill Murray’s ‘80s TV-exec Scrooge, Mickey’s Christmas Carol (Marley's door-knocker and Scrooge’s hellfire grave are seared into our brains) Other Christmas movies like It’s a Wonderful Life  and Elf because like Scrooge, Walter Hobbes needs some Christmas spirit.  Newsies – A musical that reflects Dickens’ views on child labor.  Parasite – For a contemporary look at the horrors of the class divide. The Castle – Australian working class family cult favourite that’s giving Bob Cratchit.  Home for the Holidays – Caroline’s favourite holiday movie with a cast including Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., Dylan McDermott, and Claire Danes  Christmas specials! Look up your favourite 80s or 90s TV show and find their Christmas special (Caroline recommends Roseanne & 90210) The Haunting of Bly Manor – For “ghost stories at Christmas” vibes  Time Bandits (TV) – jokes about how  gross and diseased Victorian London was Hugh Grant’s narration of A Christmas Carol (though his soothing voice might put you to sleep)  which dovetails with Dickens’ descriptions of cholera-era filth.  The Signalman –A lesser-known Dickens ghost story  The Phantom Tollbooth – Audiobook family favourite for Caroline Charlie and the Chocolate Factory  by Roald Dahl – Structurally similar morality lessons The podcast Scared To Death –annual Christmas readings of classic ghost stories,  Dark Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal -if you want to know more about Dickens’ fascination with spiritualism and the paranormal.  Black Mirror "White Christmas” – another Christmas special featuring eternal torment  Homework: Watch: Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro) on Netflix. Special thanks to Nancy Azano for our cover art (Instagram: @nancyazano) and to Harry Kidd for our opening score (Instagram: @harryjkidd)

    1h 15m

  6. 12/09/2025

    21 - The Tuskegee Syphilis Study (via You’re Wrong About)

    Send us a text In this episode we unpack the history and ethics of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study (1932–1972), guided by Michael Hobbes and Sarah Marshall’s reporting in You’re Wrong About. We recount how U.S. Public Health Service researchers recruited 600 Black men in Macon County, Alabama under the promise of treatment for “bad blood,” then withheld effective care, even after penicillin became a simple cure, so they could watch the disease progress. We explore why the study was “bad science” as well as immoral; the racist assumptions baked into its design (e.g., claims that syphilis affects Black bodies differently); and why it kept running long after penicillin was a viable option because the participants as “more valuable” as cadavers).  Content & Spoiler Warning: This episode includes spoilers for the You’re Wrong About two-parter on the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and discussion of: medical racism, eugenics, unethical human experimentation, government misconduct, venereal disease symptoms and treatment (e.g., spinal taps, mercury “rubs”), lynchings, sterilisation without consent, infection of prisoners, intergenerational trauma, and mental-health impacts. Palate Cleanser Max Rebo Productions (TikTok): Classic Star Wars toys lip-sync famous ‘90s movie scenes (Karate Kid, Home Alone, My Cousin Vinny). Pure delight between heavy topics. Recommendations: Podcasts & Episodes You’re Wrong About — Tuskegee two-parter; plus episodes on Anita Hill, eugenics, Reagan/Trump, DARE, Satanic Panic/D&D.Distrust & Disparities — Two-parter on Tuskegee and broader medical inequities.Black History for White People — Discussion including hospital perspectives.1619 — “How the Bad Blood Started.”The Breakdown (Sean King) — Context for vaccine hesitancy vs. Tuskegee.This Podcast Will Kill You — Syphilis overview and history.The Dollop — Syphilis episode (history).American Scandal (Wondery) — Tuskegee season (Ep. 1 free).Sounds Like a Cult — Humanitarian/aid-adjacent critique.Seeing White - Episodes 1 & 2Books & Articles: Medical Apartheid — On systemic medical exploitation and its legacy.The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.Works by Dale Huey and Ta Nehisi CoatesFilms & TV: The Fall of the House of Usher (Mike Flanagan) — Sackler-like family and “bad drugs.”Westworld — How people treat “less-than-human” beings.Stranger Things — Dr. Brenner as “greater good” rationaliser.The Pitt — Representation matters in diagnosis (sickle cell storyline).Sinners (set in Mississippi sharecropping milieu) and Weapons.  Both flagged for future episodes for sure!Contacts: Makeda Pennycooke, Life Coach & Chance Strategist for anti-racism coaching makeda@makedapennycooke.comHomework: Watch: Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro) on Netflix to explore the ethics of creation. and it includes a syphilis line: “A night with Venus, a lifetime with mercury.” But before that, it’s our Christmas special! So read, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Special thanks to Nancy Azano for our cover art (Instagram: @nancyazano) and to Harry Kidd for our opening score (Instagram: @harryjkidd)

    1h 3m

  7. 11/25/2025

    20 - Grey Gardens by the Maysles brothers

    Send us a text Welcome back to Drawn to Darkness, the podcast where we deep dive into our favourite horror and true crime. In this episode, we head deep into the peeling wallpaper, raccoon-infested attic, rotting walls and shingles, and extraordinary psychology of Grey Gardens, the 1975 direct-cinema documentary that follows Big Edie and Little Edie Beale, two formerly glamorous socialites now living in overwhelming decay and filth in their once-grand Hamptons estate. We  unpack the house as gothic horror, Little Edie’s charm, yearning, and self-loathing (as well as her fabulous head scarves), Big Edie’s pride in her aristocratic past, the mother daughter dynamic, and then men who didn’t help (at least Jackie Kennedy Onassis stepped in). We discuss the film’s reputation as a masterpiece, the tension between fascination and voyeurism and its connection to contemporary reality TV such as Hoarders. Content & Spoiler Warning In addition to spoilers, this episode contains discussion of animal neglect and unsanitary living conditions, including cat faeces, raccoons, fleas, and hoarding, Toxic mother–daughter relationships, psychological distress, Isolation, mental health concerns, and hints of past trauma Palate Cleanser TikTok trend of people strolling through HomeGoods and dramatically “discovering” absurdly specific décor items (like a “bird on a golden twig” or a “portrait of an elephant in a bathtub, but just the butt”). Just for fun. All the Star Wars, including Rebels The Whimsical Muse on Threads, an account full of cozy, bookish, soft-rain-in-Edinburgh energy to restore your faith in the world. Recommendations: Films & TV: Grey Gardens (2009) — The Drew Barrymore/Jessica Lange dramatizationDocumentary Now! — “Sandy Passage” — Bill Hader and Fred Armisen’s hilarious Grey Gardens parodyGimme Shelter — Another documentary by the Maysles BrothersAmerican Horror Story: Season 1— For claustrophobic house-based dreadFeud: Capote v. the Swans — For more on high-society mythology (creative non-fiction)Arrested Development and Schitt’s Creek— Wealthy family, disastrous decline, narcissistic mother: say no moreThe Haunting of Hill House — For more gothic “dancing alone in an empty house” Books & Literary Connections The Marble Fawn of Grey Gardens by Jerry Torre and the novel by Nathanial HawthorneThe Fall of the House of Usher (Edgar Allan Poe)The Little Stranger by Sarah WatersThe Silent Patient by Alex MichaelidesA Raisin in the Sun & Langston Hughes’ “Harlem” (what happens to a dream deferred?)The Great Gatsby for Gilded Age illusionsOther Fascinating Rabbit Holes The Winchester Mystery House — Another sprawling home built on grief, ghosts, and possible madnessHomework Assignment:  Caroline is taking us into the horrors of scientific research gone wrong. Listen to the two-part “Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment” series from the podcast You’re Wrong About. We’ll explore the real-life horror of government-sanctioned cruelty, medical racism, and scientific exploitation. Special thanks to Nancy Azano for our cover art (Instagram: @nancyazano) and to Harry Kidd for our opening score (Instagram: @harryjkidd)

    1h 2m

  8. 11/18/2025

    19 - Stranger Things: Season 4

    Send us a text In this extra-long deep dive, we unpack  the entire “epic” and “metal” Stranger Things Season 4. This season is a tonal shift from goosebumps to true horror. We’ll explore Vecna/Henry Creel/001, Max’s near-death escape thanks to Kate Bush, as well as the way the show blends horror, sci-fi, action, and 80s nostalgia. We discuss each character’s best moments and arc, as well as our favourite scenes, the Russian prison plotline, Eddie’s heroism, our hopes and dreams for Season 5, and the show’s major themes: grief, depression, friendship, shame and sacrifice. Spoiler + Content Warning: Torture, Body horror, including eye mutilation, broken bones, Violence against teenagers, Psychological distress, including depression, suicidal ideation, and severe bullying. A tortured bunny, Child abuse, cult hysteria, and vigilante violence. *Always check Does the Dog Die? before viewing if you have specific triggers or phobias. Palette Cleanser Nobody Wants This (Netflix) – Caroline’s romcom pick featuring Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) and Kristen Bell.Go touch grass and go campingOther Recommendations Thunderbirds because David Harbour is in it.Fantastic Four and A Quiet Place day One to see Eddie! Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves for a fun fantasy adventure Men in Black, evoked by the “Weekly Watcher” newspaper reference.Dick – Watergate references.One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Girl, Interrupted for depictions of institutionalisation paralleling Eleven’s confinement.The Exorcist – possession and floating Weeds becauseof  Matthew Modine (Papa) Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler – dystopian, psychological, and thematically similar.The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub because Lucas is reading it to Max in the final scene.Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and Piranesi for parallel-realm narratives.Halloween because Vecna’s disappearance echoes Michael MyersThe Ring – Max’s countdown mirrors the “seven days” curse.NeverEnding Story, Silence of the Lambs, Nightmare on Elm Street, Jurassic Park, Carrie, It, and any classic Spielberg – all noted as season influences or direct references.Guide to the Unknown – a podcast about real-world Stranger Things-style lore.Ghosts in the Burbs – especially early episodes exploring suburban darkness.10 Cloverfield Lane – evoked by bunker/silo scenes.The Crucible, Frankenstein, and I Am Legend (novel) – literary parallels to hysteria, monstrosity, and alternate worlds.You’re Wrong About – Dungeons & Dragons episode – for understanding Satanic Panic context.Strange Indeed podcast – episode-by-episode Stranger Things breakdown.Mean Girls – because Angela is the meanest girl.Parks and Recreation – for the town hall scene reference.Homework: Grey Gardens (1975) – the documentary about Jackie Kennedy Onassis’s eccentric aunts living in a decaying manor, chosen because of the “crumbling Vecna manor vibes.”Thanks for listening and to the Duffer brothers, don't you dare lay a hand on Steve or Dustin! Special thanks to Nancy Azano for our cover art (Instagram: @nancyazano) and to Harry Kidd for our opening score (Instagram: @harryjkidd)

    1h 47m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Do your friends think you're weird because you rattle off facts about serials killers and watch horror movies to relax? We're here for you! Drawn to Darkness is a biweekly podcast where two best friends take turns discussing our favorite horror and true crime.  Our cover art is by Nancy Azano. You can find her work on instagram @nancyazano. Our intro and outro music is by Harry Kidd. Check him out on instagram @HarryJKidd.

Information

  • Creator
    Carolanne
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Drawn to Darkness
  • Show Website
    Drawn to Darkness