Transmissions From Jonestown
Haunted houses, vampires and the paranormal are all well and good. But you know what’s really scary? Listening to actual people argue whether or not they should commit mass suicide.
That’s the kind of chilling thing you can expect when listening to the podcast Transmissions from Jonestown.
Created by Shannon Howard and premiering in November of 2017, Transmissions from Jonestown starts by telling us the detailed story of The People’s Temple and its well-known tragic ending.
We hear actual recordings of conversations from the lead-up to the day of the mass suicide. These include unhinged rants from Jones himself, singing from the congregation, and testimonials from those about to die.
I’m going to warn you now that some of these tapes include children screaming and crying. Given the timing, these are children who were just forced to drink poison. This is the sound of these children dying.
Before this, I had no idea that was on tape. Now, I have no Godly idea why it’s on tape. Honestly, that was a little much for even me.
Hearing the tale in this way, intermingled with conversations from those who did not live through it, was scary enough. But as I said, that’s only part of the story.
What gets ignored when we talk about Jonestown is the lasting impact it had. Not just on the loved ones of those lost. Not just on the survivors. But on our society at large.
The second half of Transmissions from Jonestown dives into those impacts. But it also talks about some of the theories people have about Jonestown. Some of these theories are just bonkers. Everyone from the CIA to Russia is to blame for the deaths. It was all an experiment that led to the aids epidemic. Jim Jones got away, it was a body double that was found dead at Jonestown.
(Want to hear check out another podcast review? Check it out here.)
I’m happy to say that any theory that isn’t based on verifiable facts is presented as such. So the listener gets to hear these theories for what they are. Shannon is clear that she wants us to think for ourselves and make our own judgments.
I loved this podcast. Every episode was chilling and riveting. If you’re a fan of cult theories and historical horrors, this is a podcast you shouldn’t pass up. Though it does lose a whole Cthulhu for including the sounds of little kids dying. That wasn’t necessary.
(4 / 5)
If you’re having surgery anytime soon, you might want to give this episode a pass. It might make you rethink that decision.
Hosted by Laura Beil, the voice of True Crime, Dr. Death tells the tale of neurosurgeon Chris Duntsch. And it’s a bloody tale to tell.
This is the true story of a man so infatuated with himself that he murdered and maimed almost every patient unfortunate enough to come under his shaky scalpel. A doctor so terrible at surgery that a fellow doctor thought he was an imposter.
We begin with a description of two surgeries at a Dallas hospital. Surgeries that, to put it mildly, didn’t go to plan. As a warning, there are vivid descriptions of horrific medical mess-ups, right from the start. Duntsch manages to lose a screw in a patient’s muscle. He severs the nerves of another patient, putting them in a wheelchair for the rest of their life.
The descriptions of the botched surgeries are horrifying. As are the descriptions of Duntsch himself. His drug addictions and lack of self-control are horrifying to imagine in a person whose job it is to open people up and work on them. But what’s even more terrifying is the response of the medical community around him. Because most of the hospitals and higher-ups in Texas just didn’t want to get involved.
As Duntsch crippled or killed person after person, no one who should have stepped in did. It wasn’t until a fellow doctor, Dr. Henderson, was called in to clean up one of his messes that anyone acted. Dr. Henderson is the hero of Dr. Death. He was the first to report Duntsch to the Texas Medical Board. And when they didn’t act fast enough to get Duntsch out of operating rooms, Henderson got the police involved.
(Want to hear about another psychotic killer podcast? Check out my review of Transmissions from Jonestown.)
It’s horrifying to hear about a man who had so little regard for other people that he would ignore his own ineptitude and keep right on hurting them. It’s worse to realize how little protection people have against doctors who just don’t care who they hurt. And this season of Dr. Death makes this clear.
I was terrified by this podcast. Beil interviewed survivors, family members, nurses, and doctors who worked alongside Duntsch. She dug into this situation and told the bloody story with such passion that I was left shaking. And I can’t recommend it enough.
Unless, of course, you have any upcoming doctor appointments. Then, it might be a bit much.
(4 / 5)
Old Gods of Appalachia is a podcast you need to be listening to right now. It’s a recent find for me, though it’s been around since Halloween, 2019. The latest episode came out on September 8th, so it’s still going strong.
The first thing that drew me into this podcast was the actor’s voice. This would be Mr. Steve Shell. It’s like butter, laced with sweet poison. Some people consider an Appalachian accent to be a mark of ignorance. As someone who has a bit of the accent myself, that can’t be further from the truth. Hearing these tales, poetic and horrific, told with this deep accent is a delight.
Though, that does bring me to the tales. And they are so, so creepy.
The Appalachian region contains a mixture of superstition, poverty, political aggression, and environmental worry that sprouts scary stories like mushrooms in damp leaves. And those are the kinds of stories you’re getting here. Stories of people lost in mines who come back to seek revenge. Stories of towns swallowed up by the green forest. Stories that make you wonder whether Earth is keen on us living here.
I listened to the first few episodes that told the tale of Barlo, Kentucky. In it, a young girl flees for her life when her uncle comes back from the mine. Or, at least something wearing her uncle’s skin comes back. Then, throughout the tale, something much bigger comes back to claim the whole town.
Old Gods of Appalachia refers to itself as an eldritch horror fiction, set in an alternate Appalachia. But some of these tales sure feel like they might have been waiting for me to stumble into them outside my grandma’s backyard.
Those of us from the area, or adjacent, will feel at home in these stories. We’ll see magic and monsters that feel familiar. But not in a warm, comforting way. It’s the familiar way your hair raises on your arm when you walk past certain places in the forest. The way you feel when that one neighbor is on the same path as you on your nightly walk. It’s a dark, foreboding kind of familiar.
Those of you who aren’t part of that sort of community will be introduced to a chilling world that you’ll almost believe is real.
You’ll almost be right.
(Want to check out another chilling podcast I reviewed? Click here.)
I cannot suggest this podcast enough. It’s easily the best new podcast I’ve listened to this year. Just don’t plan to sleep after you do, without leaving an offering.
(4.5 / 5)
True crime makes for a great podcast. And so do supernatural tales. In fact most of my favorite podcasts are about one of those topics or the other.
What if there was a podcast that combined them?
Well, I’ve found the delightful chocolate and peanut butter blend of true crime and supernatural that is That’s Why We Drink.
Hosted by Christine Schiefer and Em Schultz, this podcast started in February of 2017 with a simple premise. The two friends would get together, drink wine and milkshakes, and talk about what makes them need a drink.
The two have covered tales I’ve heard of before. Kind of hard not to, I’m also in the field. In the very first episode, they talked about the Winchester Mansion and Johnstown.
I know these stories. I especially know the Winchester house. My Webkinz house is basically modeled after it. And yet, I learned something new. I didn’t know about the single doll room. And if you don’t know about it either, go listen to that episode.
Of course, there are obscure tales as well. The two talk about killers I’d never heard of before, like the remarkable bastard Robert Durst or the horrifying death of Rebecca Schaeffer.
Christine and Em are great hosts. They clearly share our fascination with the darker corners of this world. And they clearly like each other’s company. Listening to them is a lot like listening to two old friends who want you to feel included.
Each episode starts with Em and Christine talking about what’s making them drink in their real lives. They chat about family, roommates, and pet craziness. Then, of course, they get down to the blood and guts.
This is a great podcast for any true crime lovers. It’s also a great one for anybody who misses Buzzfeed Unsolved. Not only have I learned new spooky stories, I’ve also gotten book and tv show recommendations.
So in short, it’s not just two podcasts in one, it’s three. You get some true crime, you get some supernatural ghost story, and you get some time with two friends who clearly adore each other.
No wonder every episode is over an hour long.
(3 / 5)
