Still Scared: Talking Children's Horror

Ren Wednesday, Adam Whybray
  • 4.4 (11)
  • TV & FILM

A podcast in which one film lecturer and one scaredy-cat discuss creepy, spooky and disturbing children's books, films and tv.

  1. JAN 21

    John Wyndham's Chocky

    Happy new year, spooky kids! In this episode your hosts Adam Whybray and Ren Wednesday return to John Wyndham with his last book, Chocky from 1968, and the TV adaptation from 1984. We talk about Chocky's unusual parental perspective, Wyndhiam masculinity and possession horror, and digressions include Sonic Spinball, the works of Donald Winnicot and Cat Stevens' prog rock album. Transcript in the show notes!

    1 hr
  2. Stone Cold and Hydra

    11/10/2025

    Stone Cold and Hydra

    Happy belated 8th (!) anniversary to Still Scared, spooky kids! In this episode, your hosts Ren Wednesday and Adam Whybray are returning to the British children's author Robert Swindells, and his novels Stone Cold from 1993 and Hydra from 1991. These two very different examples of children's horror give us plenty of scope to discuss the varied expressions of the genre, and this episode's digressions include the creation of the Honey Monster, the genius of George Elliot and the surprisingly specific prudishness of pre-teens. Enjoy! And just a warning, Stone Cold is on the grittier side. There’s a serial killer character and a bit more violent. Nothing too explicit, but it’s not as fun as some of our other topics. Hydra is pretty fun though, so you can skip to the end if you just want that one, at 52.00.

    1h 17m

  3. 08/10/2025

    Y Mabinogi (The Otherworld)

    Jump off the fishing boat into the mythology pool, spooky kids, because today we're going back to the twelfth century via 2003, with the animated film Y Mabinogi! For this whirlwind introduction to Welsh mythology, Ren Wednesday and Adam Whybray are joined by returning guest Mattie Dogrose to chat skeletal horses, mouse gallows and of course, carrying the giant severed -- but still living -- head of your leader home from Ireland. Many thanks to Mattie to introdcung us to this film and these stories! Content note: Several characters in these stories have a traumatic time surrounding childbirth and motherhood A transcript of this episode is available in the shownotes, here: https://stillscared.podigee.io/71-y-mabinogi

    1h 16m

  4. 06/08/2025

    Who Framed Roger Rabbit & Terrorvision

    Ren Wednesday and Adam Whybray are joined by returning guest Ava Foxfort (veteran of our Deptford Mice episodes) to talk about the beloved 80s masterpiece Terrorvision, and also some film called Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The Bob Hoskins Appreciation Society is fully represented, and the adjective grody finds its perfect application. Grab yourself a specific brand of lager beer, and get on into it! *Unlike the movie Terrorvision, this podcast is not sponsered by any American beer companies.

    1h 34m

  5. 04/13/2025

    Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

    We've got a sequel on our hands, spooky kids, and you'd better believe it's disquieting and unsatisfying! Ren Wednesday and Adam Whybray are back to discuss Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, Roald Dahl's hodge-podge of a sequel to his beloved classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Hotel employees are eaten alive by aliens! Willy Wonka reveals the chocolate factory contains a hell dimension! And there's some really tedious poems! You'd be forgiven for skipping this book, but have a listen to the episode. A transcript of the episode is available at: https://stillscared.podigee.io/69-great-glass-elevator

    54 min

  6. 02/28/2025

    The Promised Neverland

    It's been a while since we've talked about Japanese children's horror, but your co-hosts Adam Whybray and Ren Wednesday are back this month to chat about the anime of The Promised Neverland. Don't go past the fence or through the gate, because this story goes darker faster than you might expect. A transcript of this episode is available at: https://stillscared.podigee.io/68-promised-neverland

    1h 2m

  7. 01/08/2025

    The Honeys

    Buzz buzz spooky kids, this episode Adam Whybray and Ren Wednesday are discussing some apiary horror from 2022, with Ryan La Sala's The Honeys. Your cohosts chat substances, state senators, and everything sweet and sticky, with a Texture of the Week that is truly skin-crawling. Content warning: violence, body horror, brief mentions of sexual assualt and suicide. A transcript of this episode is available here: https://stillscared.podigee.io/67-the-honeys

    1h 4m

  8. 10/31/2024

    The Black Cauldron

    Happy Halloween, spooky kids! In this seventh anniversary episode, Ren Wednesday, Adam Whybray and special guest Mattie Dogrose chat about a 1980s Disney horror curio that lost the studio a hell of a lot of money: The Black Cauldron! We discuss moderate peril, oracular pigs and the films liberal approach to Welsh language and culture, and Adam and Ren once again alight on a unamious texture. Enjoy! The transcript is a bit delayed on this one, apologies! We will get it up as soon as possible, at: https://stillscared.podigee.io/66-black-cauldron

    1h 12m
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4.4
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11 Ratings

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A podcast in which one film lecturer and one scaredy-cat discuss creepy, spooky and disturbing children's books, films and tv.

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