Episodes

  • The Stacks: What We're Reading in July and the Latest in Horror Fiction

    The Stacks: What We're Reading in July and the Latest in Horror Fiction
    Jul 11 2025
    The Losers return for another round of recommends in The Stacks, our monthly series about all the good shit we've been reading, watching, and listening to. Randall, Jenn, and the Dans chat about new releases from Paul Tremblay, Stephen Graham Jones, and Riley Sager, then throw the mic to Caff to unpack his journey through the works of Elmore Leonard. Check out everything we recommended in this episode below. Books: We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry Hungerstone by Kat Dunn William Gibson's Alien 3 (novelization and screenplay) The Dog Stars by Peter Heller Everything by Elmore Leonard (but specifically Valdez Is Coming, Swag, and 52 Pickup) Oracle by Thomas Olde Heuvelt Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television – and America – Forever by Alan Siegel Vermis by Plastiboo Other recs: Love Island US (slop) Petey USA – The Yips (album) This Is Lorelei – Box For Buddy, Box For Star (album) Shifty: Living in Britain at the End of the Twentieth Century (docuseries) Stoker (film) Taskmaster: Series 19 (show)
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    1 hr and 47 mins
  • CrichtonCast: Jurassic Park (1990)

    CrichtonCast: Jurassic Park (1990)
    Jul 4 2025
    Welcome to CrichtonCast, our Michael Crichton spinoff podcast exclusive to The Barrens. Today, we're unlocking last year's episode on Crichton's seventh novel, 1990's Jurassic Park, in light of the new Jurassic taking a bite out of the box office this week. Host Randall Colburn is joined by Losers Michael Roffman, Dan Caffrey, and Justin Gerber on Isla Nublar as they meditate on all the prehistoric monsters -- from our universal affinity for dinosaurs to objective science research to the film effect and more. Want to hear our thoughts on this book's sequel The Lost World? Head to The Barrens: patreon.com/thebarrens. We're dropping that episode later this month -- and it's gonna be another exploration filled with fun facts, great bits, and dino DNA.
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    3 hrs and 39 mins
  • The Stand: Book One: "Captain Trips"

    The Stand: Book One: "Captain Trips"
    Jun 27 2025
    Ka is a wheel and the Losers are once again walking through Stephen King’s The Stand as part of their event series, The Summer of the Stand. The first of three Twinner book episodes dedicated to the apocalyptic epic finds the gang revisiting Book I: "Captain Trips". Join Losers Jenn Adams, Randall Colburn, Ana Marie Cox, and Dan Pfleegor as they offer new perspectives on an old favorite. Then stay tuned for the next two episodes to drop in July and August, respectively.
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    3 hrs and 1 min
  • Billy Summers

    Billy Summers
    Jun 20 2025
    In our latest book episode, formerly exclusive to the Barrens, the Losers rent some office space, grab some grub from the food trucks downstairs, and snipe through Stephen King's new novel Billy Summers. Together, they discuss the immortal currency of the written word, the timely themes of financial insecurity, and King's penchant for creating lovable characters out of recognizable archetypes. Note: This episode was recorded in August of 2021.
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    2 hrs and 19 mins
  • The Life of Chuck Movie Review

    The Life of Chuck Movie Review
    Jun 13 2025
    The Losers busk through Mike Flanagan's latest Stephen King joint: The Life of Chuck. Beware of spoilers.
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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • The Shining Ka-mmentary Track

    The Shining Ka-mmentary Track
    Jun 7 2025
    Head to the Aladdin Theater with the Losers as they record a Ka-mmentary track on Stephen King's favorite adaptation of his: Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. Losers include Michael Roffman, McKenzie Gerber, Mel Kassel, and Randall Colburn. It should be noted this Ka-mmentary was recorded half a decade ago in December 2020. We're unlocking it today to celebrate 45 years of the Stanley Kubrick joint. So, keep that context in mind as you listen.
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    2 hrs and 39 mins
  • Hollywood King: On Sad Stephen King Quotes, Welcome to Derry, The Long Walk, and More Carrie

    Hollywood King: On Sad Stephen King Quotes, Welcome to Derry, The Long Walk, and More Carrie
    May 30 2025
    Losers Randall Colburn, Michael Roffman, and Dan Caffrey head to Hollywood King again to discuss the latest developments in King's Dominion, specifically new trailers for Welcome to Derry and The Long Walk, a depressing quote from Stephen King, Mike Flanagan's Carrie, Emilio Estevez's Maximum Overdrive sequel idea, and more.
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    1 hr and 53 mins
  • Never Flinch (Spoiler-Free Review)

    Never Flinch (Spoiler-Free Review)
    May 25 2025
    In anticipation of our exclusive full book episode -- which arrives this week in The Barrens -- Losers Randall and Justin recorded a spoiler-free discussion. They also answer YOUR questions! Take a listen, grab the book this week, and head to patreon.com/thebarrens to hear our full, spoilerific book episode. Or, you can wait until December when we unlock it in the main feed. It's your choice.
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    48 mins