This week on So, You Like Horror?, I'll dive into the dark, strange, and disturbing world of Netflix’s Black Mirror. Rather than breaking down every season, this solo episode looks at some of the stories that best define the series and asks the big question: Is Black Mirror actually horror?

From the obsession of “The Entire History of You” and the grief of “Be Right Back” to the public cruelty of “White Bear,” the supernatural horror of “Demon 79,” the celebrity exploitation of “Mazey Day,” and the relentless machine terror of “Metalhead,” I explore how Black Mirror uses science fiction, technology, surveillance, grief, isolation, and human behavior to create some of television’s most unsettling stories. I'll also discuss episodes including “Nosedive,” “Shut Up and Dance,” “Playtest,” “Beyond the Sea,” and “Arkangel,” along with honorable mentions like “Common People,” “White Christmas,” and “San Junipero.”

We also dig into the bigger themes running through the series: privacy, artificial intelligence, digital consciousness, corporate control, identity, voyeurism, and why technology usually isn’t the real monster in Black Mirror.

So where does Black Mirror fit between science fiction, thriller, satire, and horror? And what has made the series such a lasting part of modern pop culture?

Press play and take a look into the Black Mirror.

In this episode of So, You Like Horror?, I’m joined by my wife, Sarah, as we head back to Bon Temps for a full retrospective on HBO’s True Blood. We look back at the series’ Southern Gothic atmosphere, the vampire boom of the late 2000s, and the characters who made the show unforgettable, including Sookie Stackhouse, Bill Compton, Eric Northman, Pam, Lafayette, Tara, Jason, and Jessica.

We also talk about the show’s strongest seasons, villains like Maryann and Russell Edgington, the arrival of witches, werewolves, faeries, and werepanthers, and whether True Blood eventually became too crowded with supernatural mythology. Along the way, we cover the rise of Billith, the Authority, and Lilith; the show’s use of religion, prejudice, addiction, sexuality, and politics; and whether the final season gave these characters the endings they deserved.

More than a decade after the series ended, does True Blood still hold up? Is it really a horror series, or is it equal parts vampire romance, supernatural soap opera, dark comedy, and Southern Gothic chaos? We also share our favorite characters, villains, storylines, biggest disappointments, and where True Blood ranks among vampire television shows.

If you’re a fan of True Blood, vampire horror, HBO horror series, Southern Gothic stories, or supernatural television, join us as we return to Bon Temps and remember one of the wildest vampire shows ever made.

In this solo episode of So, You Like Horror?, Jake returns to Derry one more time to discuss It: Chapter Two, Andy Muschietti’s follow-up to IT (2017) and the conclusion to the Losers’ Club story.

Twenty-seven years after their first confrontation with Pennywise, Bill, Beverly, Ben, Richie, Eddie, Mike, and Stan are adults who have built new lives away from Derry. But when Pennywise returns, Mike calls the group home and forces them to confront memories, fears, and childhood trauma they thought they had left behind.

Jake breaks down the film through its major plot points, including the adult Losers, the Ritual of Chüd, Pennywise’s return, Eddie and Richie’s emotional arc, Derry’s continuing cycle of violence, and the final confrontation beneath the town. The episode also explores themes of memory, unresolved trauma, friendship, guilt, identity, fear, and what it really means to move on from the past.

How well does the adult cast compare to the young Losers? Is Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise still frightening the second time around? Does the Ritual of Chüd work? And does It: Chapter Two deliver a satisfying ending to the story?

Listen now and take one final trip back to Derry.

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In this solo episode of So, You Like Horror?, Jake returns to Derry for a closer look at Andy Muschietti’s IT (2017). Following the recent discussion of IT: Welcome to Derry, this episode explores how the film expands the town’s cycle of fear, violence, and forgotten tragedy.

Jake gives a light breakdown of the movie while examining Bill Denbrough’s grief, the formation of the Losers’ Club, and the personal fears Pennywise uses against each child. The episode also compares Bill Skarsgård’s version of Pennywise with Tim Curry’s performance from the 1990 miniseries.

The discussion also looks at Derry’s passive adults, the human evil surrounding Henry Bowers, and the film’s larger themes of childhood trauma, friendship, isolation, memory, and confronting fear together. Does IT work better as a horror movie or a coming-of-age story? Which Pennywise is more frightening? And does Welcome to Derry make the 2017 film even stronger?

Listen now and return to Derry, where everyone may see the horror, but few are willing to acknowledge it.

In this bonus episode of So, You Like Horror?, Jake is joined by Maryland Phil for a wide-ranging conversation about what is happening across the horror genre in 2026. They discuss the year’s strongest films, biggest disappointments, overhyped releases, and whether 2026 is shaping up to be another memorable year for horror fans.

The conversation also turns to Evil Dead Burn and the continued evolution of one of horror’s most durable franchises. Does Evil Dead work better as horror-comedy or relentless brutality? Can the series succeed without Ash Williams? And are standalone stories the best direction for its future?

Jake and Phil also look ahead to So, You Like Horror? in 2027 and consider possible season themes, including Final Girls and Horror Comic Books.

In this episode of So, You Like Horror?, Jake and Sarah discuss HBO’s IT: Welcome to Derry, the prequel series that expands the terrifying world of Stephen King’s It. Set in 1962, the series takes viewers back to Derry, Maine, decades before the Losers’ Club faced Pennywise, exploring the town’s dark history, the Black Spot, the Hanlon family, Dick Hallorann, and the cycles of fear that allow evil to survive.

Jake and Sarah break down each episode of Welcome to Derry, discussing the major story beats, standout horror moments, recurring themes, and connections to Stephen King’s larger universe, including The Shining, Doctor Sleep, and the Muschietti It films. They also talk about Pennywise’s expanded mythology, the role of grief and memory, Derry’s history of violence, and whether learning more about the creature makes it scarier or takes away some of its mystery.

If you’re a fan of Stephen King, Pennywise, It, HBO horror, or supernatural horror with deeper social themes, this episode is for you.

In this solo episode of So, You Like Horror?, Jake breaks down the 2026 supernatural horror film Obsession, written and directed by Curry Barker. The film follows Bear, a lonely young man who uses the mysterious One Wish Willow to make his longtime friend Nikki fall in love with him. What begins as a romantic fantasy quickly becomes a violent nightmare filled with possession, body horror, dark comedy, and devastating consequences.

This episode includes a full spoiler-filled recap of Obsession, along with a discussion of Bear’s responsibility, Nikki’s loss of autonomy, the film’s graphic violence, and the difference between genuine love and emotional control. Jake also explores the movie’s “be careful what you wish for” premise, its tragic ending, and whether the gore supports the deeper themes or is sometimes used primarily for shock.

If you enjoy supernatural horror, psychological horror, cursed-object stories, body horror, and detailed movie breakdowns, this episode is for you.

For this episode of So, You Like Horror?, Jake is joined by Sarah to discuss the 2023 horror-comedy The Blackening. Directed by Tim Story and written by Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins, the film follows a group of college friends whose Juneteenth weekend reunion turns deadly when they discover a disturbing board game and become targets of a masked killer.

Jake and Sarah break down the movie’s central question: if the Black character is usually the first to die in a horror movie, what happens when the entire cast is Black? They discuss the film’s mix of slasher horror, ensemble comedy, cultural references, friendship drama, and social commentary, along with the way it challenges stereotypes about Black identity and representation.

The conversation also explores the cast chemistry, the “Blackest” debate, the Juneteenth setting, the effectiveness of the killer and board-game concept, and whether The Blackening works better as a horror film, comedy, or social satire. They also compare it to films such as Scream, Scary Movie, Get Out, Candyman, and The Cabin in the Woods.

Does The Blackening successfully flip one of horror’s oldest stereotypes? Is it scary enough to work as a slasher? And does it belong in the larger conversation around modern Black horror?

Listen now and let us know where The Blackening ranks among your favorite horror-comedies.