Halloween is the rare moment when we collectively embrace the morbid, the mysterious, and the delightfully spooky. You don't have to love the macabre to get into the spirit — sometimes, a bowl of candy corn and a good podcast will do the trick.
We've gone digging through the podcast archives and have a goodie bag of episodes that cover all your seasonal needs: deep dives into history, thoughtful analysis of horror films, and a practical guide to making the ultimate cozy fall soup.
Every week on NPR's Pod Club newsletter we share roundups like this one, with the best episodes from across the NPR network. FYI, we have a newsletter coming up that features longer listens — aka perfect company for all your upcoming holiday travel. Join the Pod Club here!
Now for our spookiest podcast recs…
- The psychology behind the horror genre
Why do some of us take GREAT pains to avoid horror while others seek it out at every turn? Short Wave explores this spectrum and interviews psychiatrist and author Arash Javanbakht about why the genre resonates with so many people. - Carved pumpkins, bedsheet ghosts and pounds of candy. How did we get here?
Halloween has been around for a while. Instead of fading into history, the holiday kept morphing and adapting (much like a zombie, in fact). The Catholic church co-opted a pagan celebration, carved turnips eventually became modern Jack O'Lanterns, and a night of pranking evolved into trick-or-treating. This Throughline episode follows All Hallows' Eve through 2000 years of history. - Real life ghost stories, told by the people who lived them
The Spooked podcast from KQED has a cult following of listeners who love the creepy, real-life supernatural stories. If you, too, WANT to be scared, start with this fan favorite. It's an episode called "The Thin Place" about a paramedic who keeps seeing patients… that didn't make it. - Mmm brains
The concept of zombies is even older than Halloween itself, with roots in the religion of Voodoo. The word zombie itself is believed to come from the Kongo word for "soul", which is "nzambi". For more tidbits like these, and a sober look at why eating brains is never a good idea check out this episode of Health Wanted from WABE. - Subverting tired horror stereotypes
For film nerd and Code Switch host B.A. Parker, horror movies are a mixed bag. They're rich in cinematic tension, but often depict Black women as sidekicks or quick victims — enduring microaggressions from villainous icon Freddy Krueger, no less. In this episode Parker and her guests discuss how "Get Out" helped and hindered the genre, and the need for more diverse stories rooted in folklore and slasher fun. - Spooky season is also soup-y season
Fire up your cauldron, and wait for trick-or-treaters with a delicious, piping hot soup. This episode from Life Kit shares tips from chef Sohla El-Waylly who says, "You don't have to really follow a strict formula when it comes to soup. It's all about tasting all along the way and adjusting." You'll learn about broth, texture, key ingredients and (crucially) how to blend a soup without scalding yourself.
Let the gourd (sorry) times roll, and subscribe to the Pod Club newsletter for weekly recommendations from across the NPR network.
Copyright 2025 NPR