Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals

Bitter Karella

Each week, a group of storytellers gathers around a campfire. There's world-weary club MC Edgar Allan Poe, nerd dad Stephen King, violent goth Mary Shelley, squid-obsessed wimp HP Lovecraft, and others. A comedy-horror semi-anthology adapted from Bitter Karella's Hugo-nominated microfiction. read less
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Midnight Snacks: 11 teaser mini-episodes
23-10-2023
Midnight Snacks: 11 teaser mini-episodes
The main characters of Midnight Pals, plus a few regular visitors to the campfire, introduce themselves with a series of short skits based on their most popular works. A medley of midnight-snack size tales from Stephen King, Mary Shelley, HP Lovecraft, Clive Barker, Dean Koontz, Edgar Allan Poe and more.This is a consolidation of the first eleven short ‘teaser’ mini-episodes that were released prior to season 1. We’ve done this to clean up our feed and make it easier for new listeners to navigate to the full episodes, which will continue to be released weekly on Tuesdays throughout the season. Content notes: swearing, sexual references, raised voices, threats of violence, animal death, gory noises, discussion of racismCAST Stephen King — JASON ROBINSON Mary Shelley — REBECCA D’SOUZA HP Lovecraft/Arthur Conan Doyle — ROBIN JOHNSON Dean Koontz — WREN MONTGOMERRY Clive Barker — SISTER INDICA Edgar Allan Poe — RODRIGO BORGES with Anne Rice — JESSICA BERSON Roger Corman — BITTER KARELLA Robert Louis Stevenson — DEXTER HOWARD Shirley Jackson — RAYNA MONTGOMERY The script was written by Robin Johnson, based on tweets by Bitter Karella. Production and music by Robin Johnson. Daisy McNamara was an audio consultant. Liselle Nic Giollabháin was a production assistant. TIME STAMPS 00:00 — Stephen King (The Tale of the Small Town with a Spooky Secret) 00:55 — Mary Shelley (The Tale of the Hot Monster) Inspired by Frankenstein, available at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41445; also see our full episode The Tale of the Frankenstein 01:45 — HP Lovecraft (The Tale of the Indescribable Eldritch Abomination) Lovecraft’s works are available at https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/ 02:30 — Dean Koontz 03:10 — Clive Barker (The Tale of the Horny Ghost) 03:55 — Edgar Allan Poe (The Tale of the Black Cat) Poe’s The Black Cat is included in his collected works at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2148 05:00 — Anne Rice (The Tale of the Sad Vampire and the Devil) Inspired by Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles series 06:15 — Roger Corman Read about Roger Corman’s “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Haunted Palace” (1961) at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Haunted_Palace 08:05 — Robert Louis Stevenson (The Tale of the Bottle Imp) The Bottle Imp is included in Stevenson’s collection Island Nights’ Entertainments, available at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/329 09:35 — Arthur Conan Doyle (The Tale of Sherlock Holmes) Doyle’s works, including many stories of Sherlock Holmes stories as well as those of Professor Challenger, are available at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/69 11:00 — Shirley Jackson (The Tale of the Haunted House) Inspired by Jackson’s The House on Haunted Hill (1959) Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals is created by Bitter Karella © All characters are fictitious, especially the real ones. Subscribe to Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Cast or wherever you find podcasts. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a rating or a review. Find us at midnightpals.com
Midnight Snack: The Tale of the Torture Tower
24-10-2023
Midnight Snack: The Tale of the Torture Tower
It's Bram Stoker's turn at the campfire and he's brought a new story, "The Tale of The—" oh dear, we might have to do something about that title.Content notes: Discussion of racism; human and animal death; discussion of violence and torture. Season 1 Premiere: Our first full episode, The Tale of the Frankenstein, will release on our podcast feed on Tuesday 31st October— but there will also be a special early streamed premiere and open hangout with the cast and crew on Sunday 29th October at 5PM GMT / 1PM Eastern / 10AM Pacific. Join us on Rodrigo "Poe" Borges's twitch channel at  https://www.twitch.tv/TheCommanderRodCAST: BRAM STOKER – Joel A.S. ButlerEDGAR ALLAN POE — Rodrigo BorgesCLIVE BARKER — Sister IndicaHP LOVECRAFT – Robin JohnsonMARY SHELLEY – Rebecca D'SouzaSTEPHEN KING – Jason RobinsonDEAN KOONTZ — Wren MontgomeryScript, production and music by Robin Johnson, loosely adapted from The Sq**w by Bram Stoker. The Midnight Pals is created by Bitter Karella. All characters are fictitious, especially the real ones. About the story: Bram Stoker's unfortunately named short story The Sq**w was included in his posthumously  published short story collection Dracula's Guest, which can be found on Project Gutenberg at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10150 (CN for explicit racism, torture, gore, and killing of humans and animals.) In adaptations it has been variously renamed Dungeon of Horror, Cat's Cradle and The Torture Tower.HP Lovecraft's childhood cat was named either what you're thinking, or something worse.Find the Midnight Pals at midnightpals.com on bluesky at @midnightpals.bsky.social or on twitter at @midnight_pals. Subscribe to Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals now at https://midnight-pals.simplecast.com or via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast site/app of choice. A transcript of this teaser is available at https://midnight-pals.simplecast.com/episodes/teaser-12-bram-stoker/transcript
The Tale of the Frankenstein
30-10-2023
The Tale of the Frankenstein
Mary Shelley tells her Midnight Pals a chilling tale about a brilliant young researcher, Victor, whose arrogance leads him to pursue a deadly ambition. The experiment has been attempted by generations of mad scientists, but never successfully accomplished: the creation of a Frankenstein! Stephen King gets pedantic about terminology. Content notes: swearing, raised voices, violence, gore, death including the murder of a child, mention of strangulation. CAST Mary Shelley — REBECCA D'SOUZA Edgar Allan Poe/De Lacey — RODRIGO BORGES Clive Barker — SISTER INDICA Stephen King — JASON ROBINSON Dean Koontz — WREN MONTGOMERY HP Lovecraft — ROBIN JOHNSON with Victor Frankenstein — DOMINIC RYE The Monster — CANAVAN CONNOLLY The Bride — BETH LINDLY Professor Griffin — ANNA LAZAREV Professor Waldman — BRAD BARNES Dr Krempe — DAVID COURT Agatha — LIETTHYS Captain Walton — LOU SUTCLIFFE Olaf — DEXTER HOWARD additional voices — LORETTA CHANG, MERCEDES HESSELROTH, EVE MORRIS, ADAM ROBINSON Episode written and produced by Robin Johnson, loosely based on Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and its various adaptations. Script edited by Bitter Karella. Music by Robin Johnson. Daisy McNamara was an audio consultant. Material based on existing works is used for parody and comment. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is often cited as the first science fiction novel and is certainly one of the most important and influential horror novels ever written. Shelley wrote it at the age of 18 (THAT'S LESS THAN 19) as part of a ghost-story writing competition with her pals. It has been adapted to stage and screen countless times, perhaps most notably in James Whale's 1931 film adaptation starring Boris Karloff as the trope-codifying flat-headed monster. The original novel is in the public domain and can be found on Project Gutenberg at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41445A transcript of this episode can be found at https://midnight-pals.simplecast.com/episodes/s01e01-the-tale-of-the-frankenstein/transcriptThe Midnight Pals is the creation of Bitter Karella ©Subscribe to Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Cast, or wherever you find podcasts. For more information, see https://midnightpals.com
The Tale of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
07-11-2023
The Tale of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
A new candidate for the Midnight Society, insufferable San Francisco hipster Robert Louis Stevenson, attempts to impress the Pals with the story of Henry Jekyll, a Victorian psychiatrist. On the steamship home from a business trip, Jekyll's seemingly chance meeting with a certain Edward Hyde will change his perception of reality forever. In a twist so unexpected that nobody even knows it's a twist, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde turn out to be the same person! An adrenaline-fueled social satire of mischief, mayhem and soup.Content notes: swearing, discussion of colonialism and colonial violence, mention of death, murder and cannibalism, guns, explosions, themes of mental illness and dissociative identity. CAST Edgar Allan Poe — RODRIGO BORGES Mary Shelley — REBECCA D'SOUZA Clive Barker — SISTER INDICA HP Lovecraft — ROBIN JOHNSON Dean Koontz — WREN MONTGOMERY Stephen King — JASON ROBINSON with Robert Louis Stevenson — DEXTER HOWARD Dr Jekyll — KARIM KRONFLI Mr Hyde — SEAN BABAPULLE The Major — DAVID COURT Poole — DAISY MCNAMARA Constable — CANAVAN CONNOLLY Resurrection Man — BRAD BARNES Fanny Osbourne — SENI RIVERA Script by Robin Johnson, edited by Bitter Karella, based (very) loosely on The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson. Production and music by Robin Johnson. The sensitivity reader was Rebecca D'Souza, and Daisy McNamara was an audio consultant.Stevenson's original novella is in the public domain, and can be found on Project Gutenberg at https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/43A transcript of this episode can be found at https://midnight-pals.simplecast.com/episodes/s01e02-the-tale-of-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde/transcriptThe Midnight Pals is the creation of Bitter Karella ©Subscribe to Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Cast, or wherever you find podcasts. For more information, see https://midnightpals.com
The Tale of Dracula
14-11-2023
The Tale of Dracula
Neurotic closet-dweller Bram Stoker visits the campfire to tell his iconic vampire story. In Transylvania, hot twink Jon "Jonathan" Harker shacks up with a rich older man who wants to consume his bodily fluids. Meanwhile in England, notorious strumpet Lucy Westenra attempts to ensnare her innocent friend Mina into the dangerous and disgusting world of sex. A cautionary tale about the perils of horniness, as Bram attempts to prove once and for all that vampires are in no way sexy. Mary Shelley invites Anne Rice and Stephenie Meyer just to stir the pot.Content notes: swearing, raised voices, violence, death, guns, gory sounds, Victorian institutionalisation of mental health patients, strong sexual content. CAST Edgar Allan Poe/Dracula — RODRIGO BORGES Mary Shelley/Mina Murray — REBECCA D'SOUZA Clive Barker — SISTER INDICA HP Lovecraft — ROBIN JOHNSON Dean Koontz — WREN MONTGOMERY Stephen King — JASON ROBINSON with Bram Stoker/Quincey Morris — JOEL A.S. BUTLER Jonathan Harker — THADDEUS STRANGE Lucy Westenra — MARNIE WARNER Dr Van Helsing/Dr Seward — CASSIE VULPINE Renfield — JOHN SERRANO Anne Rice — JESSICA BERSON Stephenie Meyer — NOMI IBSEN Additional voices — EMILY HANNAK, LOU SUTCLIFFE, DAVID COURT Script by Bitter Karella, edited by Robin Johnson, based loosely on Dracula by Bram Stoker. Production by Robin Johnson. Music by Alex Rancourt, Robin Johnson and Lou Sutcliffe.Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula is the codifying example of the vampire story in popular culture. The book is in the public domain and can be found on Project Gutenberg at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/345Stoker's completely normal letter to Walt Whitman, written on Valentine's Day of 1876, can be read at https://www.themarginalian.org/2019/01/09/bram-stoker-walt-whitman-letter/A transcript of this episode can be found at https://midnight-pals.simplecast.com/episodes/s01e03-the-tale-of-dracula/transcriptThe Midnight Pals is the creation of Bitter Karella ©Subscribe to Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Cast, or wherever you find podcasts. For more information, see https://midnightpals.com
The Tale of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Midnight Society
21-11-2023
The Tale of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Midnight Society
Arthur Conan Doyle stumbles upon the Midnight Pals' storytelling circle and reluctantly agrees to bring beloved supersleuth Sherlock Holmes back for one last, final, final case. A locked-room murder mystery turns to metafictional highjinks as the Pals are embroiled in the world of Holmes's adventures, sort of like when the holodeck malfunctions on Star Trek.Content notes: swearing, raised voices, drug references, portrayal of psychologically abusive relationships, threats of violence, guns, discussion of death, loss, grieving and murder.CAST Edgar Allan Poe — RODRIGO BORGES Mary Shelley — REBECCA D'SOUZA Clive Barker — SISTER INDICA HP Lovecraft/Arthur Conan Doyle — ROBIN JOHNSON Dean Koontz — WREN MONTGOMERY Stephen King — JASON ROBINSON with Sherlock Holmes — LOU SUTCLIFFE Dr Watson — CANAVAN CONNOLLY Professor Moriarty/Ian Fleming — JOEL A.S. BUTLER Inspector Lestrade — LISELLE NIC GIOLLABHÁIN Old-timey radio announcer — NOMI IBSEN Raymond Chandler — DEXTER HOWARD Script by Robin Johnson, edited by Bitter Karella, based on the Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan Doyle. Production and music by Robin Johnson. Daisy McNamara was an audio consultant.Most of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories (as well as his Professor Challenger ones) are in the public domain and can be found on Project Gutenberg at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/69A transcript of this episode can be found at https://midnight-pals.simplecast.com/episodes/s01e04-the-tale-of-sherlock-holmes/transcriptThe Midnight Pals is the creation of Bitter Karella ©Subscribe to Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Cast, or wherever you find podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please consider leaving us a rating or review. For more information, see https://midnightpals.com
The Tale of the Strangers on a Train
28-11-2023
The Tale of the Strangers on a Train
Patricia Highsmith, crime writer, snail friend, and lovable weirdo known for her shabby trenchcoat, eccentric habits, and possibly imaginary wife, investigates a bizarre double murder. Two people who don't know each other, or if you will, "strangers", meet on a rail vehicle, or as it were, "train", and plan the perfect crime. What really happened with Mary Shelley and her polycule at Lake Geneva last summer?Content notes: swearing, violence, murder, death including by train and drowning.CAST: Mary Shelley — REBECCA D'SOUZAEdgar Allan Poe — RODRIGO BORGESClive Barker — SISTER INDICAHP Lovecraft — ROBIN JOHNSONDean Koontz — WREN MONTGOMERYStephen King — JASON ROBINSONwith Patricia Highsmith — KATE DAVOLIJane Williams — HANNAH BROWNPercy Shelley — LOU SUTCLIFFEMrs Cleveland — JULIA DRAKEEdward Ellerker Williams — DAVID COURTTrain engineer — CANAVAN CONNOLLYHuman Guy — DEXTER HOWARDHuman Bruno — BRAD BARNESplus special guest stars HELEN ARNEY as Mary Wollstonecraft's ghostMIKE McSHANE as William Huskisson MPHelen Arney is a science presenter and musical comedienne who has appeared in TV, radio and theatre across the world with her unique mix of stand-up, songs and science. For more information, see helenarney.com.Mike McShane, veteran of Whose Line is it Anyway?, kindly agreed to record a cameo scream in support of Waverley Care, who provide help to people living with HIV and hepatitis in Scotland. Donations can be made at https://waverleycare.orgScript by Robin Johnson, edited by Bitter Karella, inspired by Patricia Highsmith's novel Strangers on a Train and its film adaptation by Alfred Hitchcock. Elements from copyrighted works are used for purposes of parody and comment.This episode takes many liberties with history, the Midnight Pals characters are not necessarily representative of the real-life authors with whom they share names (except when they are), and Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals should on no account be regarded as a historical source... but...  The story that the real Mary Shelley had sex on her mother's grave is often dismissed as myth, but happens to be surprisingly plausible—see this unrolled social media thread by the London Vagina Museum: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1588162489858117634.htmlShelley, despite centuries of historical gal-pal-ization, was certainly bisexual and probably did have an affair with Jane Williams, the widow of the man who drowned alongside Percy. See https://bi.org/en/articles/famous-bis-mary-shelleyWilliam Huskisson, member of parliament for Liverpool, was indeed killed by the first train locomotive, Stevenson's Rocket, during a technical demonstration. He'd probably have survived if he hadn't stopped halfway across the tracks to dither over whether to go left or right, which ought to be a lesson for all politicians. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Huskisson#DeathA transcript of this episode can be found at https://midnight-pals.simplecast.com/episodes/s01e05-the-tale-of-the-strangers-on-a-train/transcriptThe Midnight Pals is the creation of Bitter Karella ©Subscribe to Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Cast, or wherever you find podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please consider leaving us a rating or review. For more information, see https://midnightpals.com
The Tale of the Nightbreed
05-12-2023
The Tale of the Nightbreed
Clive Barker takes the stage and relates his cult classic of an eternal battle—gay monsters versus redneck cops. Cabal has always had unsettling dreams of becoming a gay monster, but his personal journey to gay monsterhood is obstructed by queer-gatekeeping monsters, Nazi sheriffs' departments, and unconvincing gimp-mask serial killer David Cronenberg. Frank Belknap Long teaches Dean Koontz to be a furry. Content notes: swearing, raised voices, sexual content, violence, discussion of homophobic and transphobic propaganda techniques, homophobic and transphobic state violence, riots, guns and military weapons, death and killing, attempted genocide. CAST: Clive Barker—SISTER INDICA Edgar Allan Poe—RODRIGO BORGES Mary Shelley—REBECCA D'SOUZA Dean Koontz—WREN MONTGOMERY Stephen King—JASON ROBINSON HP Lovecraft—ROBIN JOHNSON with Cabal—JOHN SERRANO Lori—LORETTA CHANG Sheriff—DEXTER HOWARD Deputy/David Cronenberg—JOEL A.S. BUTLER Governor/Monster Gatekeeper—CASSIE VULPINE Frank Belknap Long—DAVID COURT Script by Bitter Karella, edited by Robin Johnson, inspired by Clive Barker’s 1990 cult film Nightbreed, an adaptation of his novella Cabal. Elements of copyrighted works are used for purposes of parody and comment.A transcript of this episode can be found at https://midnight-pals.simplecast.com/episodes/s01e06-the-tale-of-the-nightbreed/transcriptThe Midnight Pals is the creation of Bitter Karella ©Subscribe to Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Cast, Goodpods or wherever you find podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please consider leaving us a rating or review. For more information, see https://midnightpals.com
The Tale of the Snow Woman
12-12-2023
The Tale of the Snow Woman
It's winter at the campfire, and that means one thing—snow-themed holiday special! The Midnight Pals are visited by Junji Ito, adorable catboy and terrifying master of fucked-up-face-filled manga horror, accompanied by original weeaboo Lafcadio Hearn. The pair narrate an ancient Japanese folktale of ripped samurai, distressed noblewomen, and seasonal ice-demons. Lafcadio helps Junji out by using his insightful perspective as a Greek-Irish academic to explain Japanese tradition and culture. HP Lovecraft nearly has an aneurysm.Content notes: swearing, raised voices, sexual references, discussion of racism and appropriation, violence, death, references to guns.CAST: Edgar Allan Poe — RODRIGO BORGESMary Shelley — REBECCA D'SOUZAClive Barker — SISTER INDICADean Koontz — WREN MONTGOMERYStephen King — JASON ROBINSONHP Lovecraft/Lafcadio Hearn — ROBIN JOHNSONwith Junji Ito/Osamu Tezuka — TENEST TANGLord Fujiwara — JON GUTIERREZLady Minamoto — NICOLETTA GIUSEFFISnow-child — CHIBINaoko Takeuchi — LORETTA CHANGKouta Hirano — JOHN SERRANOScript by Lou Sutcliffe, edited by Bitter Karella and Robin Johnson. The Japanese sensitivity reader was Minaro Kato-Hopkins, and the Irish accent and swearing coach was Liselle Nic Giollabháin. Lafcadio Hearn's translation of the Japanese folktale "Yuki-Onna" (The Snow Woman) is included in his collection Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things, which is available from Project Gutenberg at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1210A transcript of this episode can be found at https://midnight-pals.simplecast.com/episodes/s01e07-the-tale-of-the-snow-woman/transcriptThe Midnight Pals is the creation of Bitter Karella ©Subscribe to Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Cast, Goodpods or wherever you find podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please consider leaving us a rating or review. For more information, see https://midnightpals.com
The Tale of the Tell-Tale Heart
19-12-2023
The Tale of the Tell-Tale Heart
Low-budget movie mogul Roger Corman sets out to produce a papier maché blockbuster adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's classic tale of psychological suspense. Loosely following the plot of the original, Poe is tasked with taking care of a Scottish castle belonging to a certain formerly popular children's author. But uh oh! His wacky pal Stephen King arrives... with his all-amateur band, the Rock Bottom Remainders, in tow! When an electrical blackout results in the Pals smashing a priceless collection of literary awards, it's a race to get the castle presentable again before the gender-critical reptilian returns!Content notes: swearing, raised voices, sexual references, loud noises, discussion of transphobia, death including drowning.CAST: Edgar Allan Poe —  RODRIGO BORGES Mary Shelley — REBECCA D'SOUZA Clive Barker — SISTER INDICA Dean Koontz — WREN MONTGOMERY Stephen King — JASON ROBINSON HP Lovecraft — ROBIN JOHNSON with Roger Corman — BITTER KARELLA Neil Gaiman/Dario Argento — DEXTER HOWARD David DeCoteau — BRAD BARNES Patricia Highsmith — KATE DAVOLI Lord Byron — JOEL A.S. BUTLER Percy Shelley — LOU SUTCLIFFE Secretary — MARNIE WARNER and special guest star HAILEY PIPER as She Who Must Not Be Named Hailey Piper is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth, A Light Most Hateful, The Worm and His Kings series, and other books of dark fiction. She is also the author of over one hundred short stories appearing in Pseudopod, Vastarien, Cast of Wonders, Cosmic Horror Monthly, and various other publications. She lives with her wife in Maryland, where their occult rituals are secret. Find Hailey at haileypiper.com. Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart is available in Volume 2 of his collected works on Project Gutenberg at https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2148/pg2148-images.htmlA transcript of this episode can be found at https://midnight-pals.simplecast.com/episodes/s01e08-the-tale-of-the-tell-tale-heart/transcriptThe Midnight Pals is the creation of Bitter Karella ©Subscribe to Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Cast, Goodpods or wherever you find podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please consider leaving us a rating or review. For more information, see https://midnightpals.com