The Midnight Seminar podcast

The Midnight Seminar

Tara & Doug

Join Tara, a historian, and Doug, a philosopher, as they dive into the dark corners of culture, horror, folklore, and all things spooky. Blending sharp historical insight with deep philosophical curiosity, Tara and Doug unravel the stories, fears, and ideas that haunt us.

24 Episodes

Our Listeners' Short Horror Stories Blew Us Away! - Halloween Special
10/30/2026
45:39
In September, our listeners submitted delightfully devilish 250-word horror stories. Tonight, we bring you a collection of the finest and most frightening! Tara, Doug, and Christopher perform your stories with music by Steve. Congrats to our featured authors: Steve, Olivia, Ceili, Colette, Bergman, Chloe, and our overall winner, Emily!
Why We Need Werewolves - Werewolves (Part 4)
10/28/2026
1:05:32
In this final part, Tara and Doug meander through lingering questions and curiosities related to the werewolf over time, today, and in a future lit by full moons. Do we all have a beast within? Do monsters lurk in the dark? Thank you for joining us for our 2026 Halloween Special! Resources for Series: A Lycanthropic Reader: Werewolves in Western Culture edited by Charlotte F. Otten "Battling demons with medical authority: werewolves, physicians and rationalization" by Nadine Metzger in History of Psychiatry (2014) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4090416/) "Clinical Lycanthropy, Neurobiology, Culture: A Systematic Review" by Sélim Benjamin Guessoum, Laelia Benoit, Sevan Minassian, Jasmine Mallet, and Marie Rose Moro in Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8542696/?utm) The Werewolf in Lore and Legend by Montague Summers De la Demonomanie des Sorciers by Jean Bodin Daemonologie by James I "Le loup-garous" in Les Petit Choses de Notre Histoire by Pierre-Georges Roy "Meet the Mysterious Beast of Gévaudan, France's 18th-Century 'Werewolf'" by Madeleine Muzdakis in My Modern Met (2024) (https://mymodernmet.com/beast-of-gevaudan-werewolf/) The Book of Werewolves by Sabine Baring-Gould "The Medieval Werewolf" by Amanda Hopkins (https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/researchcurrent/researchblog/werewolf/?utm) The Metamorphoses by Ovid The Satyricon by Gaius Petronius (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/5225/5225-h/5225-h.htm) The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson The Werewolf in Lore and Legend by Montague Summers The Werewolf: Past and Future: Lycanthropy's Lost History & Modern Devolution by Maegan A. Stebbins Trial Transcript from Old Thiess, a Livonian Werewolf: A Classic Case in Comparative Perspective by Carlo Ginzberg and Bruce Lincoln (https://press.uchicago.edu/sites/thiess/old_thiess_transcript.pdf) Wolf: Legend, Enemy, Icon by Rebecca Grambo
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Meet the Modern Monster - Werewolves (Part 3)
10/21/2026
1:26:41
Get ready to finally meet the modern werewolf, who lurks in our legends and literature and scares us on the big screen. Your hosts share the stories that link the last major vestiges of public werewolf panic in centuries past to the rise of the archetypal character we know and love today. Resources for Series: A Lycanthropic Reader: Werewolves in Western Culture edited by Charlotte F. Otten "Battling demons with medical authority: werewolves, physicians and rationalization" by Nadine Metzger in History of Psychiatry (2014) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4090416/) "Clinical Lycanthropy, Neurobiology, Culture: A Systematic Review" by Sélim Benjamin Guessoum, Laelia Benoit, Sevan Minassian, Jasmine Mallet, and Marie Rose Moro in Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8542696/?utm) The Werewolf in Lore and Legend by Montague Summers De la Demonomanie des Sorciers by Jean Bodin Daemonologie by James I "Le loup-garous" in Les Petit Choses de Notre Histoire by Pierre-Georges Roy "Meet the Mysterious Beast of Gévaudan, France's 18th-Century 'Werewolf'" by Madeleine Muzdakis in My Modern Met (2024) (https://mymodernmet.com/beast-of-gevaudan-werewolf/) The Book of Werewolves by Sabine Baring-Gould "The Medieval Werewolf" by Amanda Hopkins (https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/researchcurrent/researchblog/werewolf/?utm) The Metamorphoses by Ovid The Satyricon by Gaius Petronius (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/5225/5225-h/5225-h.htm) The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson The Werewolf in Lore and Legend by Montague Summers The Werewolf: Past and Future: Lycanthropy's Lost History & Modern Devolution by Maegan A. Stebbins Trial Transcript from Old Thiess, a Livonian Werewolf: A Classic Case in Comparative Perspective by Carlo Ginzberg and Bruce Lincoln (https://press.uchicago.edu/sites/thiess/old_thiess_transcript.pdf) Wolf: Legend, Enemy, Icon by Rebecca Grambo
Werewolves on Trial - Werewolves (Part 2)
10/14/2026
1:24:39
Tara and Doug cover the history of the changing relationship between people and wolves, a soured connection that helped give rise to the belief in werewolves. Whether merely outsiders to a community or, if one interpretation is to be believed, sadistic serial killers, accused werewolves went to court and suffered the gruesome consequences. Resources for Series: A Lycanthropic Reader: Werewolves in Western Culture edited by Charlotte F. Otten "Battling demons with medical authority: werewolves, physicians and rationalization" by Nadine Metzger in History of Psychiatry (2014) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4090416/) "Clinical Lycanthropy, Neurobiology, Culture: A Systematic Review" by Sélim Benjamin Guessoum, Laelia Benoit, Sevan Minassian, Jasmine Mallet, and Marie Rose Moro in Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8542696/?utm) The Werewolf in Lore and Legend by Montague Summers De la Demonomanie des Sorciers by Jean Bodin Daemonologie by James I "Le loup-garous" in Les Petit Choses de Notre Histoire by Pierre-Georges Roy "Meet the Mysterious Beast of Gévaudan, France's 18th-Century 'Werewolf'" by Madeleine Muzdakis in My Modern Met (2024) (https://mymodernmet.com/beast-of-gevaudan-werewolf/) The Book of Werewolves by Sabine Baring-Gould "The Medieval Werewolf" by Amanda Hopkins (https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/researchcurrent/researchblog/werewolf/?utm) The Metamorphoses by Ovid The Satyricon by Gaius Petronius (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/5225/5225-h/5225-h.htm) The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson The Werewolf in Lore and Legend by Montague Summers The Werewolf: Past and Future: Lycanthropy's Lost History & Modern Devolution by Maegan A. Stebbins Trial Transcript from Old Thiess, a Livonian Werewolf: A Classic Case in Comparative Perspective by Carlo Ginzberg and Bruce Lincoln (https://press.uchicago.edu/sites/thiess/old_thiess_transcript.pdf) Wolf: Legend, Enemy, Icon by Rebecca Grambo
Wolfmen and Magic and Myths, oh my! - Werewolves (Part 1)
10/7/2026
1:17:18
Your hosts embark on their biggest exploration yet, and it's all about werewolves! This episode introduces the topic and explores the early mythology behind werewolf lore. Stops include Ancient Greece, Rome, Medieval Scandinavia, and Metal House. Resources for Series: A Lycanthropic Reader: Werewolves in Western Culture edited by Charlotte F. Otten "Battling demons with medical authority: werewolves, physicians and rationalization" by Nadine Metzger in History of Psychiatry (2014) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4090416/) "Clinical Lycanthropy, Neurobiology, Culture: A Systematic Review" by Sélim Benjamin Guessoum, Laelia Benoit, Sevan Minassian, Jasmine Mallet, and Marie Rose Moro in Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8542696/?utm) The Werewolf in Lore and Legend by Montague Summers De la Demonomanie des Sorciers by Jean Bodin Daemonologie by James I "Le loup-garous" in Les Petit Choses de Notre Histoire by Pierre-Georges Roy "Meet the Mysterious Beast of Gévaudan, France's 18th-Century 'Werewolf'" by Madeleine Muzdakis in My Modern Met (2024) (https://mymodernmet.com/beast-of-gevaudan-werewolf/) The Book of Werewolves by Sabine Baring-Gould "The Medieval Werewolf" by Amanda Hopkins (https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/researchcurrent/researchblog/werewolf/?utm) The Metamorphoses by Ovid The Satyricon by Gaius Petronius (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/5225/5225-h/5225-h.htm) The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson The Werewolf in Lore and Legend by Montague Summers The Werewolf: Past and Future: Lycanthropy's Lost History & Modern Devolution by Maegan A. Stebbins Trial Transcript from Old Thiess, a Livonian Werewolf: A Classic Case in Comparative Perspective by Carlo Ginzberg and Bruce Lincoln (https://press.uchicago.edu/sites/thiess/old_thiess_transcript.pdf) Wolf: Legend, Enemy, Icon by Rebecca Grambo
BONUS: Which is Scarier - Round 2
10/1/2026
42:11
Tara and Doug usher in Spooky Season with another round of Which is Scarier, the game that asks you...which is scarier... Participate in the fun by playing along at home and looking for polls on Instagram (@themidnightseminar), or write in to tell us why we're wrong or right!
All Things Odd with Author J.W. Ocker
9/17/2026
1:11:21
Award-winning author J.W. Ocker joins Tara (a long-time fan) to talk about traveling to strange places, writing about horror and history, and his forthcoming book on Sleepy Hollow, a place (and legend) they both love! Check out Ocker's books! He has written middle-grade and adult horror fiction as well as non-fiction essential for any spooky soul. Author's Website: https://www.oddthingsiveseen.com/ Where to Buy the Books: https://bookshop.org/shop/jwocker Pre-order a copy of Chasing the Headless Horseman: The History, Hijinks, and Halloweens of the Real Sleepy Hollow, and, if you can make it to Sleepy Hollow, stop by his book signings or get your tickets to one of Ocker's upcoming events: Book Talk @ Lyndhurst Mansion (9/19): https://lyndhurst.org/events/ocker-book-talk/ Sleepy Hollow Fact & Fiction @ Tarrytown Music Hall (10/10): https://tickets.tarrytownmusichall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=3227
Internet Horror
8/31/2026
1:28:53
Take a trip down memory lane to reminisce about cursed email chains, creepypastas, and the ghosts in our machines. Doug and Tara discuss how the Internet has spawned and spread horror stories as digital folklore and, more recently, in mainstream media and entertainment. Some movies come up, but they're not spoiled! Click the links below at your own risk. Pop-up video that broke Tara: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYTrbDLSy_w The Rake: https://creepypasta.fandom.com/wiki/The_Rake Slenderman: https://theslenderman.fandom.com/wiki/Slender_Man Russian Sleep Experiment: https://creepypasta.fandom.com/wiki/The_Russian_Sleep_Experiment The Chair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhazCS14Tas Other References: "Bored at Work? Try Creepypasta, or Web Scares" by Austin Considine, New York Times, Nov 12, 2010. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/fashion/14noticed.html?searchResultPosition=1 "How Slender Man Became a Legend" by Gabe Cohn, New York Times, Aug 15, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/15/movies/slender-man-timeline.html "Talk to Me Is Horror Made by and for the Internet Generation" by Eric Ravenscraft, WIRED, July 19, 2023. https://www.wired.com/story/talk-to-me-movie-review/
Campfire Tales
8/17/2026
1:47:50
Tara is joined by Dr. Christopher Smith (christopherclaytonsmith.com)--friend, colleague, and horror buff--to discuss the enduring tradition of campfire tales and even tell some of the classics. Pull up a log and enjoy a story that involves spooks, slashers, and the Boy Scouts of America. There's some "movie talk" in this episode, particularly about the Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp franchises. Spoilers are signaled in the dialogue, mild for Friday the 13th(s) and major for Sleepaway Camp(s). If you want to learn more about the politics and implications of the movies we discuss here, we recommend the podcasts You Are Good with hosts Alex Steed and Sarah Marshall, and This Ends at Prom with hosts BJ Colangelo and Harmony Colangelo. The Midnight Seminar does not have an association with these shows, although if the hosts ever see this and want to be friends, please get in touch. Our New Website: https://themidnightseminar.com/ Our New Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themidnightseminar Other References: "How Conversations Around Campfires Came To Be" by Robin I. M. Dunbar, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2014: https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1416382111. See links on the Wikipedia page for "Campfire Story" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campfire_story), specifically "Campfire Stories: Sleeper Tells of Release," The Delta Independent (Colorado), June 7, 1912: https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn86063206/1912-06-07/ed-1/?sp=7&r=-0.036,-0.275,1.223,0.586,0 Boy Scouts Handbook, first edition (1911): https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/29558/pg29558-images.html Playing Indian by Philip J. Deloria "URBAN LEGENDS" and the Urban Legend Hotline episodes of the American Hysteria podcast with host Chelsea Weber-Smith "Urban Legends Spectacular!" and "Urban Legends and Urban Legend (1998) with Chelsea Weber-Smith" on theYou're Wrong About podcast with host Sarah Marshall The Encyclopedia of Urban Legends by Jan Harold Brunvand "The Hook and Other Teenage Horrors" in The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings by Jan Harold Brunvand Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz (Drawings by Stephen Gammell) Meatballs (1979) campfire story scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuWjXrFh1qQ
The Monster of Lake Champlain
7/16/2026
1:39:00
Tara tells Doug about her favorite American monster while also delivering a Crash Course on cryptids. If you thought monster legends were all about conspiracies and hoaxes, think again! References: The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters by J.W. Ocker The Untold Story of Champ: A Social History of America's Loch Ness Monster by Robert E. Bartholomew "New Information Surfaces on 'World's Best Lake Monster Photo,' Raising Questions," by Robert E. Bartholomew (Skeptical Inquirer, 2013) Champ: Beyond the Legend by Joseph W. Zarzynski Plesiosaurs 101, National Geographic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkw593Qa19U) Nessie Photos: "The Loch Ness Monster Turns 83: The Story of the Surgeon's Photograph" by Kat Kiernan (Don't Take Pictures, 2017) (https://www.donttakepictures.com/dtp-blog/2017/4/19/the-loch-ness-monster-turns-83-the-story-of-the-surgeons-photograph) Recommendations: Frogman (2023), directed by Anthony Cousins Wild Thing (a Foxtopus podcast), Season One with host Laura Krantz

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