nosleep

Top Ten NoSleep Podcast Stories (Seasons 7-10)

By popular demand, here's your all new list of the best NoSleep had to offer in seasons 7-10. If you're looking for the best of the early years of the show, check out our definitive list here.


Wallmart

Season 8, Episode 22    

A mundane trip to the eponymous store turns into a surreal nightmare in this brief but effective tale. Some of the most terrifying stories (to me, anyway) take place in an ordinary world that suddenly becomes strange & unfamiliar in small ways. Addison Peacock, a new addition to the NoSleep cast in these later seasons, shows here why she's quickly become one of the show's best narrators, & stalwart composer Brandon Boone's score lends an extra layer of eerie to the proceedings. 


Down in the Library Basement

Season 7, Episode 22     

This one typifies the type of creative storytelling that gives NoSleep its staying power. The show has always known that horror fiction encompasses a huge variety of styles & feels. It's not all morbid, dark & bloody; horror can be funny or heartwarming too, & "Library Basement" is both. The first part of the story originally appeared as a season pass offering; proof that the show runners don't just fill their paid content with fluff.


500 Yards

Season 10, Episode 18    

This tale of a group of track stars forced to run for their lives from a snarky monster is easily one of the most immediate & intense stories the show has ever aired. Erin Lillis is clearly having a blast as said snarky monster.


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Dogs in the Drywall

Season 10, Episode 9     

Here we have another everyday horrible scenario turning into actual horror. This story of an office drone pursued through his cubicle farm by monsters only he can see is a chilling & often awkward depiction of what a psychotic break might look like from the perspective of the one having the breakdown.


A Seaside British Pub

Season 7, Episode 5    

Quick, who's your favorite female NoSleep narrator? Is it: a) Erika Sanderson, b) Erika Sanderson or c) Erika Sanderson? Yeah, she slays every role, every time, but this one might be her best. No surprise there, when one of the show's very best authors, C.M. Scandreth, is providing the words. The strange denizens of the titular pub exist in a fully fleshed-out world, each with their own fun backstory. For extra credit, check out the season 10 finale, which revisits the pub.


The Forest of a Thousand Legs

Season 9, Episode 7 

You should've known you weren't getting out of this list without a spider story, & this one's a doozy. Not only will it make you itch for days, "Forest" is also filled with warmth & relatable details, not to mention a hell of a surprise.


The Slog

Season 7, Episode 9     

From time to time NoSleep likes to tweak its usual pattern of introduction then story by integrating a creepy tale into David Cummings's introduction. Sometimes it doesn't work, but in the case of "The Slog," it works very well. This surreal story of a man growing old & dying while stuck in traffic pretty much describes my own personal version of hell. It's also a clever cautionary tale about not putting things off "til you get there."


What Happens When the Stars Go Out

Season 10, Valentine's Day Bonus    

Let me preface this by assuring you that I have very little patience for sappy, lovey dovey horseshit, so when a Valentine's Day special popped up on my NoSleep feed I was skeptical at best. Despite starting off with a pretty cornball meet cute, the relationship drama at the center of the story ends up ringing true. Surprisingly, we're even treated to some genuine wisdom about love & loss. Color me impressed. Mick Wingert, who has been an invaluable addition to the cast, gives his best performance thus far.


The House in the Field

October Opening (Between Seasons 7 & 8)

What would you do if a full-sized house suddenly appeared in your yard? Shit your pants then call the police, right? Sure, but what if you're 7 years old, & none of the adults can see the house? That's the premise of this tale, which has the distinction of being the only story in NoSleep's run to have given me actual goosebumps. Somebody turn this into a short film, STAT.


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Best Finale Episode:

(tie) Borrasca & My Dad Finally Told Me What Happened that Day

Season 7, Episode 25 & Season 8, Episode 25

Yes, "Borrasca" is an epic story with an all-star cast. Yes, it's basically an audio feature-length film. And yes, it is a must-listen for fans of audio horror fiction. But allow me to plead the case for my preferred finale of these later seasons, "My Dad Finally Told Me What Happened that Day." First off, this might just be a personal preference, but I like my horror to come with some loose ends. How often in life are we privy to the entire story? How often are the motivations of others fully revealed to us? That our narrator is left with so many unanswered questions makes "My Dad" all the more realistic & chilling. And second, it's nice to hear a story as far into the show's run as season 8 that is this faithful to the subreddit’s original premise - a first-person account of unexplained, unsettling events. Amy says try em both!


There you have it, folks - the very best of seasons 7-10. According to moi, anyway. What did I miss? Let me know in the comments. Or, y'know, just yell at me for not including "Feed the Pig."

(Credits for all the neat original artwork seen here can be found by clicking on the respective episode link)

Top Ten NoSleep Podcast Stories

As I've mentioned on past Bloodlust episodes, I'm a huge fan of the audio fiction podcast NoSleep. What better way for horror junkies to continue creeping themselves out while cleaning the house or stuck in traffic? It's horror for multitaskers! And far from just being convenient, the quality of the series is unmatched in terms of story, production, & performance. Simply put, this is my favorite podcast, & I want you all to check it out.

In honor of NoSleep's recent season 7 premiere (and their fifth anniversary), I present you with my personal favorite stories, in no particular order. Use these as a jumping off point to discovering your own favorites.


The Cocoa Jumping Spider

Season 3, Episode 14     There have been quite a few stories about creepy crawlies on NoSleep, but none can match the storytelling panache of this tale. We watch an invasion unfold with a wry old veteran & his dog. This one has humor (and the kind of pathos that you only have when a pet is involved), but that doesn't stop it from being utterly horrifying. Bonus points for letting narrator Peter Lewis show off some diversity by playing a non-psychopath for a change.


The Disappearance of Ashley, Kansas

Season 2, Episode 5     A tale told by assembling 911 calls from the inhabitants of a small town. They find themselves unable to leave Ashley, Kansas, & the deputies dispatched to check it out can't seem to find the town where it had always been. Though it originally appeared on Reddit's NoSleep forum (as do the majority of the podcast's stories), this story is best presented as an audio drama. It's a nice example of how to make the most of your medium.


Eater

Season 4, Episode 22      There are ghost stories galore in the six-and-counting seasons of NoSleep, but this particular ghost story takes the familiar territory of shadows in the corner & sleepover seances and adds its own weird twist. The ending left me imagining possible scenarios for the character's future, which is a clear sign of a good short story.


The Good Thomas Shea

Season 6, Episode 13     If you'd told me this time last year that a NoSleep story could get me choked up, I would've laughed in your face. Then I listened to last season's excellent Christmas episode, & by the end, well...I wasn't laughing. "Thomas Shea" starts off as a normal, suspenseful creep-fest, until the twist that hits you like a punch in the stomach. Narrator Jessica McEvoy gives a particularly fearless & affecting performance, one of her best.


Mummer Man

Season 5, Episode 4     This story of a book club who inadvertently summons an evil imp to their biweekly meeting is like listening to someone narrate their own nightmare. Hallucinatory & gory af, with lyrical prose that sounds like a fairytale from hell.


Tug

Season 4, Episode 18     In what may well be the strangest story NoSleep has ever released, "Tug" introduces us to a man who has grown up with an extra set of appendages that seem to exist in another dimension. These "garlands," as he calls them, are just a private oddity for the man, until an unseen force becomes aware of them as well.


Soft White Damn

Season 5, Episode 18     This story, produced and narrated by Jeff Clement, boasts a seriously creepy monster. I found myself thinking of its disturbing voice hours later. If you like it, be sure to check out Jeff Clement's YouTube page & his other project, Chilling Tales for Dark Nights.


Penpal (pts. I & II)

Part I

Part II

I'm cheating a bit, since this is really a series of connected stories. But I'm the head honcho around here, so I'll do what I like. The real terror in the "Penpal" series is born out of the innocence of its main character, who recounts confusing events from his childhood that only make sense to him as an adult. Parents, you will never let your children out of your sight again after this one.


The Oddkids

Season 5, Episode 12     Hopefully you're getting the idea of just how unique NoSleep's stories can be. In case you're not, let me present "The Oddkids." The titular characters live in the forest on the other side of a creek, & if you cross into their territory, you're pretty much screwed. Good luck finding a movie with monsters this horrifying. 


I hope you're intrigued enough to check out NoSleep for yourself. And if you already have, let me know which stories are your favorites! I have plenty more that came close to making the list. -AP