Episodes

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

    The Stacks: What We're Reading in May and the Latest in Horror Fiction
    May 16 2025
    The Losers are back in The Stacks for another round for recommendations, digressions, and musings about the joys of the written word. Randall, Ashley, Sammie, and Julia begin by gabbing about some of May's new horror and genre releases and riffing on the latest news from the literary world, including Michael B. Jordan scooping up the rights to some BookTok favorites. Then we share our own recommendations, which span fiction and non, horror and sci-fi, and releases new and old. Two are about video games and one inspired 1987's Angel Heart. Pretty rad. Check out an abbreviated list of our recs below. Books: Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves by Sophie Gilbert The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory O'Meara The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward Mary: An Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy Noobs by CG Regan Polybius by Collin Armstrong Other recs: Andor (series) Book of Love: Book of Love (album) Dead Mail (movie) Peter and the Pulsars (band) Provoker: Mausoleum (album) Subtle Hints: Subtle Hints (album)
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    1 hr and 58 mins
  • Ranking: The Hard Case Crime Novels (Patreon Clip)

    Ranking: The Hard Case Crime Novels (Patreon Clip)
    May 14 2025
    Here's a clip from our latest Patreon-exclusive episode that sees your Losers ranking all three Stephen King Hard Case Crime novels: The Colorado Kid, Joyland, and Later. 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!
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    13 mins
  • Later

    Later
    May 9 2025
    Check it, there's a dead guy over there. He's talking to us. His mouth and his words don't match up entirely, but if you just listen, he's not hard to follow. Get used to it. They're everywhere. The dead. And they have a lot to say before they're gone forever. The Losers have returned to the East Coast as they make their way back to Maine. Along the way, they visit New York City and stop by The Manhattan Restaurant of the Mind to pick up Stephen King's new hardboiled crime novel, Later. Join Losers Randall Colburn, Michael Roffman, McKenzie Gerber, and Rachel Reeves as they discuss the new rules of the dead, the book's ties to King's Dominion, and whether or not the twist works or flops. Note: This episode was recorded in Spring of 2021.
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    2 hrs and 52 mins
  • Let's Cast a White Lotus Season With Stephen King Characters!

    Let's Cast a White Lotus Season With Stephen King Characters!
    May 2 2025
    The Losers untie another big ol' Bag of Bones and answer your questions. Questions like: "Did Jud kill Church?"; "Are we getting more Twinner episodes like 'Carrie'?"; and "What are the Losers' favorite episodes?" They're also tasked to replace Roland's ka-tet, inject Stephen King into the Jersey Shore, and cast a whole season of White Lotus with King characters. Good stuff, great fun, Losers' Club. Want to ask them a question on the next Bag of Bones episode? Become a patron at www.patreon.com/thebarrens.
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    1 hr and 33 mins
  • Cat's Eye at 40: Revisiting the Stephen King Anthology

    Cat's Eye at 40: Revisiting the Stephen King Anthology
    Apr 25 2025
    This months marks the 40th anniversary of Cat's Eye. Directed by Lewis Teague, the 1985 anthology film delivers three memorable adaptations for "Quitters, Inc.", "The Ledge", and the written-for-the-screen-closer "General". Join the Losers as they finally review the King classic as part of their ensuing Long Watch series.
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    2 hrs and 2 mins
  • Faithful and "A Face in the Crowd"

    Faithful and "A Face in the Crowd"
    Apr 18 2025
    Play ball! The Losers hit the green with Stephen King and Stewart O'Nan as they revisit their two baseball books: 2004's Faithful and 2012's novella "A Face in the Crowd". For more baseball coverage, head to The Barrens (patreon.com/thebarrens) for Faithful, Too, which sees Justin Gerber journaling this year's season of the Chicago Cubs.
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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • If It Bleeds Pt. 2: "If It Bleeds" and Final Thoughts

    If It Bleeds Pt. 2: "If It Bleeds" and Final Thoughts
    Apr 11 2025
    “If it bleeds, it leads.” In the second of two episodes dedicated to Stephen King's 2020 novellas collection If It Bleeds, Losers Randall Colburn, Michael Roffman, Dan Caffrey, and Jenn Adams discuss the titular and final novella, "If It Bleeds". Together, they parse through King’s true crime era and what the future of Holly Gibney might bring, be it on the page or in another season of HBO’s The Outsider. Note: This episode was recorded in 2020 and is being dusted off for our proper chronological re-read.
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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • If It Bleeds Pt. 1: "Mr. Harrigan's Phone", "The Life of Chuck", and Rat"

    If It Bleeds Pt. 1: "Mr. Harrigan's Phone", "The Life of Chuck", and Rat"
    Apr 11 2025
    “When an old man dies, a library burns.” Join Losers Randall Colburn, Michael Roffman, Dan Caffrey, and Jenn Adams as they take a call from the grave, busk on the streets of Boston, and abscond to a rustic cabin upstate. In the first of two episodes dedicated to Stephen King's 2020 novellas collection, they review three out of the four stories: “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone”, “The Life of Chuck”, and “Rat”. Be sure to continue their coverage with Pt. 2 that sees them visiting Finders Keepers to reunite with Holly, Jerome, and the rest of the gang. Note: This episode was recorded in 2020 and is being dusted off for our proper chronological re-read.
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    1 hr and 47 mins