The Losers' Club: A Stephen King Podcast

Losers Randall Colburn, Michael Roffman, and Justin Gerber head to Hollywood King again to discuss the latest developments in King's Dominion, specifically a potential third Talisman novel; the latest updates surrounding Welcome to Derry, The Monkey, The Institute, and The Running Man; the forthcoming book King Noir; and much, much more.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Eight years, nine seasons! The Losers look ahead at 2025. Together, they share their own highlights of Season 8 and go over the Club's reading and viewing lists for the year. Consider this a big old teaser trailer. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Stephen King and Entertainment Weekly go back a long ways. The pair's relationship began with a handful of grouchy letters to the editor in which King excoriated the magazine's film critics. Kin's barbed words, however, only motivated the outlet to recruit the author — after he reviewed a Harry Potter book for them, the editors asked him if he'd want to like his own monthly column. In July of 2003, the Pop of King, a full page of King's pop cultural musings, debuted.In June 2023, The Losers' Club was initially going to discuss the column in one fell swoop in their Patreon-exclusive Archives series. However, after reading through the first year and change, they discovered there's too much brilliance, too many bad takes, and too much pure bile to not spread this out a bit. In this episode, Randall Colburn, Jenn Adams, and Dan Caffrey travel back to 2003 and 2004, using King's comically acerbic reviews, recommendations, and takedowns to discuss how that era of culture resonates two decades on. Topics include horror (obviously), poptimism, The Passion of the Christ, baby boomers, gradeflation, movie quotes, death, pet peeves, and Mystic River (the man would not stop with Mystic fuckin' River). And this is just the beginning.Want more? Become a member of The Barrens -- patreon.com/thebarrens -- for more installments of The Pop of King, in addition to a fourth episode dropping later this month. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Losers gather at the Dixie Boy Truck Stop to finally review Stephen King's lone directorial effort Maximum Overdrive. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Randall, Jenn, Pfleegor, and Justo rock around the Kingmas tree in a holiday-themed episode that doubles as a gift guide for Constant Readers. They discuss King swag both real and imagined, as well as the best King books to buy for the King lover (or skeptic) in your life. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Losers head to the Aladdin Theater to celebrate 30 years of Frank Darabont's The Shawshank Redemption. Losers include Justin Gerber, Michael Roffman, and Jenn Adams. Together, they discuss why it's such a ubiquitous favorite, where it ranks in the pantheon of prison movies, which of them would survive it all, and, naturally, how the film connects to 90210. This was originally recorded in January of 2023. Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Losers spend their Thanksgiving weekend in Dooling to discuss Stephen and Owen King's Sleeping Beauties. Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Holiday dinners can be minefields. Your pretentious cousin won’t stop talking about her year abroad, your mom keeps asking when you plan to have kids, and your drunk uncle just spilled red wine all over the green bean casserole. Sometimes the tricks don’t end with Halloween and even the best sweet potato casserole can’t make up for the stress of listening to your dad go on yet another political rant. But Constant Readers may rest assured that no matter what horrors may lie under your granny’s covered casserole dish, they won’t be as bad as the terrible families lurking in King’s Dominion. From the Cunninghams to the Hartsfields, the master of horror seems to delight in showing us the dark secrets that lie within every hearth and home. This episode features a sour 16 of sinister clans each duking it out to be named the family you’d least like to visit for the holidays. It’s stiff competition, but thankfully your hosts Jenn Adams, Dan Caffrey, Rachel Reeves, and Julia Marchese are on hand to wade through the overturned tables and broken dishes. With a March Madness-style bracket, they’ll pit each family against each other till only one remains to claim the title of King’s Worst Family.Note: This episode was recorded in November 2023 and is being unlocked ahead of Thanksgiving 2024.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Losers Randall Colburn, Ashley Casseday, Michael Roffman, and Jenn Adams head to Hollywood King again to discuss the latest developments in King's Dominion, specifically Stephen King's next novel Never Flinch, Mike Flanagan's totally necessary remake of Carrie, a potential third Talisman novel, King's animated short Lily, and more.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All the King's Men -- Michael Roffman, Dan Caffrey, Justin Gerber, and Dan Pfleegor -- assemble on Election Night to untie another big ol' Bag of Bones and answer your questions. Questions like "Who would you rather have run the country: Big Jim Rennie from UtD, Greg Stillson from The Dead Zone, or Buster Keeton from Needful Things?"; "Which King character would you want to share a slice of pound cake with the most?"; "What is the best moment or piece of writing that lives in a “bad” King book?"; "Design a Stephen King cocktail"; and more. Want to ask them a question on the next Bag of Bones episode? Become a patron at www.patreon.com/thebarrens.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bonus episode! The great Dee Wallace joins the Losers for a discussion on the making of Cujo. Note: This was recorded live at this past September's Creep I.E. Con and part of the beginning has been lost to the ether. Still, the majority of it remains intact!Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today is All Saint's Day, so we thought: Why not celebrate the greatest saint of all? The St. Bernard! So, join the Losers as they remain in Castle Rock to discuss Lewis Teague's 1983 Stephen King adaptation, Cujo. Starring Dee Wallace, the film is world renown for being the de facto killer dog movie. But, it's much more than that as the Losers argue to reclaim the film as one of the great King adaptations. Listen on and stay tuned for our interview with Dee Wallace!Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Losers turn the clock back half a century and return to Castle Rock for Stephen King and Richard Chizmar's 2017 collaboration Gwendy's Button Box. Together, they discuss the timeline of the book, the implications of the titular box, and the ways it may or may not dovetail with what we know of Mid-World. It'll take longer for you to finish this episode than to finish this book. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Losers Michael Roffman, Randall Colburn, and Jenn Adams head to Hollywood King again to discuss the latest developments in King's Dominion, specifically the new trailer for The Monkey, JT Mollner's comments on The Long Walk, and new updates for The Institute, The Running Man, The Life of Chuck, and, yes, Fairy Tale. They also sort through some tweets, which ranges from Netflix recommends to Mark Hamill online friendships to Taylor Swift.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oops! All Tangents is a free-flowin' conversation exclusive to The Barrens that is based on a topic either topical or submitted by our patrons. Today, because we're nearly halfway through October, we're unlocking our recent Halloween edition. So, join Rockin' Randall, who keeps things creepy at the pumpkin patch with fellow Losers Jenn Adams, Julia Marchese, and Dan Caffrey as they talk all things Halloween. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Half a decade after it was first announced, the Losers finally review Daub's Lot. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All good things come to an end... even our coverage of Audience Network's Mr. Mercedes. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Stephen King is no stranger to murderous cars. From Christine and From a Buick 8 to the malevolent Goblin truck haunting the roads of Maximum Overdrive, the master of horror knows his way around gory gear shifts, sinister steering wheels, and dangerous drivers. In 2014, he released Mr. Mercedes, a crime novel pitting Bill Hodges, a retired detective, against Brady Hartsfield, a criminal mastermind disguised as the ice cream man. Both survive the novel’s explosive conclusion, though Brady is left in a vegetative state. After a brief detour into the world of rare publications with the 2015 sequel Finders Keepers, King catches up with the disabled criminal and his newfound psychic powers. End of Watch sees Hodges once again match wits with his old nemesis aided by partners Holly and Jerome. Hosts Randall Colburn, Jenn Adams, Rachel Reeves, and Ashley Casseday hop back into the blood-soaked Mercedes to conclude their coverage of this confounding trilogy. They’ll discuss King’s swerve into supernatural territory while puzzling over the story’s bizarre tech. Does this 2016 novel elevate the trilogy as a whole? How does King handle the story’s suicide themes? Does Jerome have any flaws and what’s up with all the Zs? The Losers reach the end of the road as they say goodbye to one of King’s most autobiographical charactersIn case you missed it, they recently covered Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers within the last few months. Be sure to stream those episodes before you dive into this one. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here's a spooky Friday the 13th treat: Randall and Mel’s Halloween Hell, the Losers’ Club's Patreon-exclusive annual series in which Randall and Mel watch a horror movie every day in October and talk about it. They'll be back with a fourth iteration this year, but to whet your appetite, they're unlocking last year's third entry which saw the two Losers joined by fellow co-hosts Dan Caffrey and Justin Gerber. Across a marathon four hours, the gang lose their marbles while discussing more than 100 movies. That includes 20 new releases, such as Saw X, When Evil Lurks, The Exorcist: Believer, VHS 85, Totally Killer, and many more. (Don't worry, we don't spoil anything released this year.) They also chat about pre-Hays Code nastiness, the benefits of casting real sickos in your movies, Caff's bizarre hatred of Ernest, and literally all things Ghoulies. (Seriously, we spend an ungodly amount of time talking about Ghoulies.)Enjoy this ride and join The Barrens -- patreon.com/thebarrens -- for earlier installments and this year's coming fourth go-around. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It took a few years, but we finally got a first trailer for Gary Dauberman's 'Salem's Lot. Naturally, the Losers have thoughts. Behold, a mini episode. Bite-size, if you will. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There are 20 stories in Stephen King's The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. In the second of two episodes dedicated to the 2015 collection, Losers Dan Caffrey, Jenn Adams, Michael Roffman, and Dan Pfleegor rank their 10 favorites. Don't miss the first part of our series from last week in which they rank the bottom 10. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There are 20 stories in Stephen King's The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. In the first of two episodes dedicated to the 2015 collection, Losers Dan Caffrey, Jenn Adams, Michael Roffman, and Dan Pfleegor rank all 20 tales, starting at the bottom. These aren't necessarily their least favorite. They're just ranked as such. Stay tuned next week for the concluding coverage with the top 10. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Constant Listeners, yes, we originally planned to drop our Bazaar of Bad Dreams coverage this week. However, given Sai King’s renewed interest in Hearts in Suspension, we opted to unlock our coverage of the collection from The Stephen King Archives. For those not in the know, The Stephen King Archives is our Patreon exclusive imprint in which your Losers search the vault of Stephen King material – dusting off unpublished short stories, long-forgotten interviews, coffee-stained manuscripts, and alternate versions of your favorite tales. This particular entry was recorded in December 2021 - in conjunction with our Hearts in Atlantis coverage - - and sees us discussing Hearts in Suspension in full. Published in 2016 and edited by King's longtime mentor Jim Bishop, the book features an original essay by King entitled "Five to One, One in Five", four installments of "King's Garbage Truck", a reprint of King's novella "Hearts in Atlantis", 12 essays by fellow students and friends from King's college days, and a gallery of period-specific photographs and documents. We time travel back to UMO and talk about it all. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we're unlocking our very first episode of CrichtonCast, our Michael Crichton spinoff podcast exclusive to The Barrens. In this installment, host Randall Colburn is joined by Losers Dan Caffrey and Justin Gerber to discuss The Andromeda Strain, the crunchy, science-forward supernatural virus story that propelled Crichton, then a Harvard Medical graduate in his mid-20s, into literary stardom. Together they weigh in on Crichton's early life, the book's origins, its clever use of verisimilitude, intellectual distrust, the charms of Robert Wise's ultra-faithful 1971 adaptation, and the ways in which it dovetails with King's own pandemic tale, The Stand. Want more? Get episodes on Sphere and Jurassic Park in The Barrens: patreon.com/thebarrens. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this deep dive into the second season of Audience Network's Mr. Mercedes, Randall Colburn, Justin Gerber, and Dan Pfleegor gather to discuss why the series jumped ahead to End of Watch over Finders Keepers. They also wrestle with its efforts to find drama in holding patterns and touch on the season’s shocking ending, a wild deviation from the source material. Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Losers Michael Roffman, Dan Caffrey, Justin Gerber, and Dan Pfleegor head to Hollywood King again to discuss the latest developments in King's Dominion, specifically on The Long Walk, The Monkey, The Institute, and forthcoming projects by King such as Always Holly. They also sort through some tweets, which ranges from greatest film scores to King's 1999 accident to more.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here's a clip from our latest Patreon-exclusive episode that sees your Losers gushing about their favorite, all-time Stephen King crushes. Want to hear the full track? Become a member of The Barrens (Patreon) by visiting www.patreon.com/thebarrens. You'll unlock hundreds hours of exclusive content that includes even more episodes of The Stephen King Archives, our Dark Tower Detour series, dozens of Ka-mmentary tracks for your favorite King flicks, all of our Lobstrosities episodes clawing through those silly King sequels, in addition to spinoffs like The Soul's Midnight, Talkin' Hawkins, and CrichtonCast. Not to mention, dozens upon dozens of locked episodes and one-offs, including a 24-7 Discord community featuring Constant Listeners just like you!Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After taking a quick (and bleak) detour with the macabre Revival, Stephen King returned to the characters he introduced in 2014’s Mr. Mercedes with 2015’s Finders Keepers. The second in a trilogy of novels about aging detective Bill Hodges, Finders Keepers follows a young boy whose discovery of a trunk filled with cash (and moleskin notebooks) puts him in the crosshairs of a psychopathic bookworm. In this episode of The Losers’ Club, hosts Randall Colburn, Jenn Adams, Rachel Reeves, and Ashley Casseday slip on their pocket protectors and duct-taped specs to discuss King’s return to the obsessed fan archetype. Along the way, they touch on parasocial fandom, rare book dealers, butts, and whether the story even needs Hodges and co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, we’re unlocking our debut episode of the Dark Tower Detour, our Patreon-exclusive series that studies the minutiae of Roland Deschain’s epic quest. Hosted by Dan Pfleegor and Dan Caffrey, this exclusive series covers a range of topics that interest those who remember the face of their father. No character is too small. No detail too obscure. This kickoff episode -- recorded in September 2021 -- sees the Dans joined by Kingslingers co-hosts Scott Daly and Matt Freeman. Together, this blessed ka-tet bring its expertise to the ill-fated Battle of Jericho Hill, a tragic bloodbath mentioned in passing across several installments of the series.If you recall, the event was finally explored in full during a five-issue Marvel comic book run that ran from December 2009 to April 2010. Using that as a stepping stone, your heroes will examine the minds behind these comics, break down the belligerents on either side of the battle, and discuss the canonical significance of the Horn of Eld in this world and others.If you like this episode, you can find more installments of the Dark Tower Detour, including our latest episode that studies the similarities between The Dark Tower and The Lord of the Rings, by joining The Barrens: patreon.com/thebarrens, In addition to the Detour, we have close to a thousand hours of content waiting to be unpacked. Not to mention a whole Discord community of Constant Readers just like you. Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 2014, Stephen King took a turn toward the macabre with Revival. A sprawling opus about the intersection between faith and science, the novel has since become a favorite amongst Constant Readers, who all consider it to be one of his modern masterpieces with an ending that haunts you forever. Today, the Losers step up and prepare to be healed by Minister Charles Jacobs as they discuss the unnerving novel. Together, they weigh in on the themes, how they relate to King's own beliefs in god and the afterlife, and whether or not this is the most harrowing ending King has put to paper.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Losers once again find themselves in Hell where they're surrounded by the most scorching Stephen King hot takes they've read to date. Yes, we're back with another installment of Firestarters. For context, this feature sees the Club sift through hot takes submitted by their patrons -- Constant Readers just like you! Each one is classified as mild, medium, or hot, and, let's just say, you're gonna need some milk as this episode rolls on. Want to submit a hot take next time around? Become a member of The Barrens at patreon.com/thebarrens Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As Constant Readers, we love to wander through King's Dominion, whether it's down the main street of Castle Rock or through the barrens outside of Derry. But Sharon Kitchens actually followed the footsteps of Stephen King, and she lived to tell the tale. Well, she lived to write the book! It's called Stephen King's Maine: A History & Guide, and it's an essential tome for Constant Readers. Today, Sharon joins Losers' Club co-host Michael Roffman to discuss how she put together this incredibly rich read and shares her 10 favorite King spots ... all of which you can visit in real life. Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

To celebrate the release of King’s latest shortest story collection You Like It Darker, we’re unlocking our premiere episode of The Stephen King Archives, our Patreon exclusive imprint in which your Losers search the vault of Stephen King material – dusting off unpublished short stories, long-forgotten interviews, coffee-stained manuscripts, and alternate versions of your favorite tales.This particular episode, recorded in 2021, zeroes in on King’s earliest stories – his roots, if you will – 1956’s "Jhonathan and the Witchs" 1963’s The Aftermath, and 1965’s "I Was a Teenage Grave Robber". What are these stories? Where did they come from? Listen ahead as Losers Randall Colburn, Jenn Adams, and myself parse through these early, early works. And to help us out, we even consulted the one and only Bev Vincent. And, as you’ll hear, the writer and noted King scholar had much to say on these works.But if you want more of the Archives series, rest assured, we have several installments from over the years, including a brand new entry about the ways King’s short stories have evolved from inception to collections, and that episode features another King historian in Bryant Burnette. To get that episode, you can join us in The Barrens at patreon.com/thebarrens, where we have close to a thousand hours of content just waiting for you. Not to mention a whole Discord community of Constant Readers just like you. And, not to mention, our latest book episode on You Like It Darker. Win, win. Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Losers Randall, Justin, and Jenn are joined by LC OG Wolfman Mac (Halloweenies) to talk the latest developments in King's Dominion. That includes the news that Hollywood Hunk Glen Powell will star in Edgar Wright's The Running Man, Neon picking up Oz Perkins' adaptation of The Monkey, and Francis Lawrence's The Long Walk heading into production this summer. They also check in on King's recent online antics, like his bizarre claim that he was never a Neil Young fan and his new friendship with Ice T, which leads to a meditation on the divergent paths of devoted posters in old age (and dramatic readings of Ice T's best tweets). Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we're unlocking our "book episode" on Stephen King's e-book Finn. This was recorded in 2022 and is being unleashed today to celebrate the story being collected in his latest book: You Like It Darker. So, if you're reading that collection and you'd like to hear our thoughts on all 12 stories... good news. We have a full book episode already available in The Barrens (Patreon): www.patreon.com/thebarrens. In addition to that episode, you'll unlock hundreds hours of exclusive content that includes episodes of The Stephen King Archives, our Dark Tower Detour series, dozens of Ka-mmentary tracks for your favorite King flicks, all of our Lobstrosities episodes clawing through those silly King sequels, plus spinoffs like The Soul's Midnight, Talkin' Hawkins, and CrichtonCast. Not to mention, dozens upon dozens of locked episodes and one-offs, including a 24-7 Discord community featuring Constant Listeners just like you!Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here's a clip from our latest Patreon-exclusive book episode that sees your Losers leave the path of the beam and jump ahead to Stephen King's newest novel You Like It Darker. Want to hear the full track? Become a member of The Barrens (Patreon) by visiting www.patreon.com/thebarrens. You'll unlock hundreds hours of exclusive content that includes even more episodes of The Stephen King Archives, our Dark Tower Detour series, dozens of Ka-mmentary tracks for your favorite King flicks, all of our Lobstrosities episodes clawing through those silly King sequels, in addition to spinoffs like The Soul's Midnight, Talkin' Hawkins, and CrichtonCast. Not to mention, dozens upon dozens of locked episodes and one-offs, including a 24-7 Discord community featuring Constant Listeners just like you!Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You've read the book, now watch the series! In this deep dive into the first season of Audience Network's Mr. Mercedes, Losers Randall Colburn, Justin Gerber, Ashley Casseday, and Dan Pfleegor discuss the ways in which the show improves upon the source material, how a good performance can elevate a dud character, and the cultural turmoil of the time that clearly influenced its production. Later this summer, the Losers will check in on the show’s subsequent seasons as their coverage of the trilogy continues.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After releasing The Colorado Kid and Joyland via the Hard Case Crime imprint, Stephen King made his grand debut into the world of hard-boiled crime fiction with Mr. Mercedes. The first in a trilogy, the 2014 novel introduced readers to Bill Hodges, a crusty, retired detective who finds his golden years interrupted by the taunts of a psychopathic killer he failed to apprehend. Join the Losers as they detail the book’s origins, how it differs from the author’s previous forays into crime, and the ways in which it reflects evolving societal fears about domestic terrorism. They also discuss the book’s messy vision of a post-recession America and its musings on class, second chances, and the nature of evil. It’s also one of King’s poundcakiest books, so prepare to blush.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Losers close out April with another trip to prom with Carrie White, only this time there's no Brian De Palma, no Sissy Spacek, and no Amy Irving. Instead, they dial back to 2002, when NBC aired a new vision of Carrie that may or may not have been the backdoor pilot for a would-be TV series. Together they discuss Bryan Fuller's vision, the early aughts aesthetics, the garish CGI, Angela Bettis and Patricia Clarkson's performances, how it hews closer to the page, and more.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Losers head to Frazier, New Hampshire to review Stephen King's novel Doctor Sleep. Together, they weigh in on the True Knot, dirty dozens of dishes with poundcake, and argue whether King should have ever burned down The Overlook Hotel. Note: This episode was recorded in Fall of 2019 and is being re-published for our chronological read through.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We interrupt our regular programming to give you a taste of The Lady Killers: A Feminine Rage Podcast. Our sister series -- featuring Jenn Adams, Sammie Kuykendall, Mae Schults, and Rocco Thompson -- celebrated the 50th anniversary of Stephen King's first novel by revisiting King's first adaptation.Brian De Palma's 1976 Oscar-nominated Carrie.Together, they discuss cinematic mean girls, upsetting monologues, cartoonish calisthenics, egregious red hats, Carrie’s true motivations, and more. They also answer burning questions like: What do we think of De Palma’s opening shower scene? Why does King like to burn down his fictional towns?Enjoy and be sure to subscribe to The Lady Killers!Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fifty years ago today, Stephen King published his first novel, Carrie. A lot has changed since 1974 -- the world, the culture, King himself -- and yet his debut novel pervades. Half a century later, Carrie has become a trope, a story we all think about when we see the curious kid in the corner. It's been adapted, emulated, and influenced countless cultural moments. Carrie White lives.Today, the Losers gather for their very first Twinner episode, which sees all your favorite co-hosts who weren't on the original book episode getting a chance to record their own. To celebrate the major milestone in King's Dominion today, co-hosts Jenn Adams, Rachel Reeves, Ashley Casseday, and Mel Kassel gathered around the mic and recorded their own thoughts.Same categories, different voices.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here's a clip from our recent installment of Firestarters in which the Losers leave The Shop and come face to face with some scorching Stephen King hot takes from all of their testy Constant Listeners. Want to hear the full track? Become a member of The Barrens (Patreon) by visiting www.patreon.com/thebarrens, and here’s the good news. We’ve done away with tiers. We got one single tier: Losers Forever, which gets you access to everything under the Derry sun for $7 a month.That means hundreds of hours worth of exclusive content we’ve already recorded over the last four years: our Stephen King Archives series, our Dark Tower Detour series, our spooky Soul’s Midnight series, our Stranger Things spinoff series, our Michael Crichton spinoff series, dozens of commentaries on all your favorite Stephen King movies, rankings, bracket games, lists, AND that’s not all. You can submit your own hot takes for another Firestarters, submit questions that we’ll 100% answer on Bag of Bones episodes, and tell us what to talk about on another Oops All Tangents. Plus, you’ll have access to our 24/7/365 Discord to find Constant Listeners and Readers just like you.Only $7 bucks… for all that. Subscribe now through the link in the description of this episode, or visit www.patreon.com/thebarrens. Hope to see you there -- over long days and pleasant nights.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Losers head down to North Carolina for a summer job at Joyland. Together, they discuss Stephen King's second Hard Case Crime novel, weighing in on the era, the crime at the center, and how it connects to an iconic work in King's Dominion. Spiritually, of course.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today marks the release of Stephen Graham Jones' The Angel of Indian Lake, the final chapter of his Indian Lake Trilogy. To celebrate its release, co-host Jenn Adams joins Scare You to Sleep's Shelby Novak as they speak with Jones about final girls, slasher tropes, and more. Pick up The Angel of Indian Lake now at your local bookstore!Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Losers return to Mid-World to discuss the eighth and final (?) Dark Tower novel: 2012's The Wind Through the Keyhole.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lobstrosities is a Patreon-only segment of The Losers' Club that journeys into the barren wastelands of Stephen King movies and sequels. Today, in light of its 25th anniversary, the gang is unlocking their 2020 Lobstrosities episode on the 1999 sequel, The Rage: Carrie 2. Join Losers Michael Roffman, Randall Colburn, and Jenn Adams as they discuss toxic jocks, late '90s fashion, King connections, and, well, Zachery Ty Bryan. You can also read Jenn's new editorial on the film over at Bloody Disgusting.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This month marks the 40th anniversary of Fritz Kiersch's Children of the Corn. Starring Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton, the 1984 adaptation largely ignored King's Night Shift story -- and his own screenplay -- in favor of a more rote entry in the slasher genre. Join the gang as they return to Gatlin, Nebraska to chart its leap from page to screen ... to unlikely franchise.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Losers untie another big ol' Bag of Bones and answer your questions. Questions like "How has Stephen King informed or influenced your personal vocabulary?", "What should be the first Stephen King adaptation for A24?", "Which Muppets would you cast for The Dark Tower?"; and "What are the three best and worst Stephen King sequels?". They also share their earliest memories with the horror genre, share a few underseen horror movie recommendations, and name the most "dudes rock" King work. Want to ask them a question on the next Bag of Bones episode? Become an Overlook patron at www.patreon.com/thebarrens.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here's a clip from our recent discussion on Tales from the Darkside, specifically Stephen King's entries. Want to hear the full track? Become a member of The Barrens (Patreon) by visiting www.patreon.com/thebarrens. You'll unlock hundreds hours of exclusive content that includes The Stephen King Archives, our Dark Tower Detour series, dozens of Ka-mmentary tracks for your favorite King flicks, all of our Lobstrosities episodes clawing through those silly King sequels, in addition to spinoffs like Talkin' Hawkins and CrichtonCast. Not to mention, countless locked episodes and one-offs, including a 24-7 Discord community featuring Constant Listeners just like you!Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.