Episode 26: “Aliens”
We're off again with Ripley, this time headed into the hive. From an iconic feminist action hero to the Xenomorph Queen's monstrous power, learn how the sci-fi horror classic Aliens redefined feminine strength.
Episode 25: “Alien”
We're dipping our toes into the feminist undercurrents of Ridley Scott's Alien in this eye-opening episode. We dissect how this sci-fi horror classic subverts genre expectations, forcing viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about gender and power. Discover why Alien remains a powerful statement on women's experiences, cleverly disguised as a monster movie.
Episode 24: Green Ladies and Glaistigs
Discover Scotland's eerie green spectres: from mischievous glaistigs to tragic green ladies. Explore the folklore, superstitions, and ethical questions surrounding these female phantoms that haunt Scotland's ancient castles and fuel its paranormal tourism industry.
Episode 23: Rangda
Discover the complex mythology of Rangda, Bali's demon queen. From ancient Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms to modern Indonesia, we explore how this fearsome figure embodies the duality of creation and destruction. Uncover the historical roots of Rangda in Queen Mahendradatta's story and examine how powerful women throughout history have been demonised for political gain.
Episode 22: “The Fall of the House of Usher” (Part 2)
Explore how the 19th-century Cult of True Womanhood may have influenced Edgar Allan Poe's female characters. From Madeline Usher to modern horror and the cult of domesticity to the tradwife movement, we unpack some of society’s “feminine” ideals and their surprising link to feminism. We also talk about how women in fiction still struggle to break free from being mere reflections of male narratives.
Episode 21: “The Fall of the House of Usher” (part 1)
Edgar Allan Poe, known for pioneering gothic literature, had a fixation on beautiful dead women in his works. This motif reflects his personal losses and the cultural glamorisation of tuberculosis, a disease often associated with beauty and death in his time.
Episode 19: The Malleus Maleficarum (Part 1)
The Malleus Maleficarum is an infamous book that provided a framework for identifying, prosecuting, and executing witches. It’s a stark example of how one person’s misogyny can legitimise society’s violent actions against women given the right circumstances.
Episode 18: Monster girls of video games
Like the monster girls of mythology, the monster girls of video games combine elements of human and monster, and are designed to be both alluring and terrifying. This duality plays on society’s fears and anxieties about female sexuality, power, and autonomy.
Episode 17: Monster Girls of Greek Mythology
Whatever form they take, monster girls have long embodied society’s fears and fantasies about women, serving as both enthralling and terrifying symbols throughout history.
Episode 16: The Ciguapa
The ciguapa, who lives deep in the forest of the Dominican Republic, symbolises resistance against oppression. She challenges historical narratives… by tearing them apart.
Episode 15: The Island of the Dolls
On Mexico City’s Island of the Dolls, thousands of dolls, haunted by the spirit of a tragic girl, come to life at night. This episode explores the science of creepiness and the societal implications of gendered toy play.
Episode 14: Sarah Whitehead, The Bank Nun
The second season of Paranormal Pajama Party kicks off with the haunting story of Sarah Whitehead, the Bank Nun. An unmarried woman in Regency England, she was doomed to a life of poverty by a sexist system. No wonder her ghost is still mad.
Episode 13: The Tower of London (part 2)
Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, remains one of history’s most fascinating figures. Her story of a world-changing romance, political intrigue, betrayal, and a tragic end, has preoccupied the public imagination for centuries. Who was the real Anne? And what does her ghost’s popularity say about our culture?
Episode 12: The Tower of London (part 1)
The Tower of London is renowned for its haunted past. Among other ghosts, the spirits of the Countess of Salisbury, Lady Arbella Stuart, and Lady Jane Grey – all victims of tragic fates – are said to roam the grounds.