Top Ten NoSleep Podcast Stories (Seasons 7-10)
By popular demand, here's your all new list of the best NoSleep had to offer in seasons 7-10. If you're looking for the best of the early years of the show, check out our definitive list here.
Wallmart
A mundane trip to the eponymous store turns into a surreal nightmare in this brief but effective tale. Some of the most terrifying stories (to me, anyway) take place in an ordinary world that suddenly becomes strange & unfamiliar in small ways. Addison Peacock, a new addition to the NoSleep cast in these later seasons, shows here why she's quickly become one of the show's best narrators, & stalwart composer Brandon Boone's score lends an extra layer of eerie to the proceedings.
Down in the Library Basement
This one typifies the type of creative storytelling that gives NoSleep its staying power. The show has always known that horror fiction encompasses a huge variety of styles & feels. It's not all morbid, dark & bloody; horror can be funny or heartwarming too, & "Library Basement" is both. The first part of the story originally appeared as a season pass offering; proof that the show runners don't just fill their paid content with fluff.
500 Yards
This tale of a group of track stars forced to run for their lives from a snarky monster is easily one of the most immediate & intense stories the show has ever aired. Erin Lillis is clearly having a blast as said snarky monster.
Dogs in the Drywall
Here we have another everyday horrible scenario turning into actual horror. This story of an office drone pursued through his cubicle farm by monsters only he can see is a chilling & often awkward depiction of what a psychotic break might look like from the perspective of the one having the breakdown.
A Seaside British Pub
Quick, who's your favorite female NoSleep narrator? Is it: a) Erika Sanderson, b) Erika Sanderson or c) Erika Sanderson? Yeah, she slays every role, every time, but this one might be her best. No surprise there, when one of the show's very best authors, C.M. Scandreth, is providing the words. The strange denizens of the titular pub exist in a fully fleshed-out world, each with their own fun backstory. For extra credit, check out the season 10 finale, which revisits the pub.
The Forest of a Thousand Legs
You should've known you weren't getting out of this list without a spider story, & this one's a doozy. Not only will it make you itch for days, "Forest" is also filled with warmth & relatable details, not to mention a hell of a surprise.
The Slog
From time to time NoSleep likes to tweak its usual pattern of introduction then story by integrating a creepy tale into David Cummings's introduction. Sometimes it doesn't work, but in the case of "The Slog," it works very well. This surreal story of a man growing old & dying while stuck in traffic pretty much describes my own personal version of hell. It's also a clever cautionary tale about not putting things off "til you get there."
What Happens When the Stars Go Out
Season 10, Valentine's Day Bonus
Let me preface this by assuring you that I have very little patience for sappy, lovey dovey horseshit, so when a Valentine's Day special popped up on my NoSleep feed I was skeptical at best. Despite starting off with a pretty cornball meet cute, the relationship drama at the center of the story ends up ringing true. Surprisingly, we're even treated to some genuine wisdom about love & loss. Color me impressed. Mick Wingert, who has been an invaluable addition to the cast, gives his best performance thus far.
The House in the Field
October Opening (Between Seasons 7 & 8)
What would you do if a full-sized house suddenly appeared in your yard? Shit your pants then call the police, right? Sure, but what if you're 7 years old, & none of the adults can see the house? That's the premise of this tale, which has the distinction of being the only story in NoSleep's run to have given me actual goosebumps. Somebody turn this into a short film, STAT.
Best Finale Episode:
(tie) Borrasca & My Dad Finally Told Me What Happened that Day
Season 7, Episode 25 & Season 8, Episode 25
Yes, "Borrasca" is an epic story with an all-star cast. Yes, it's basically an audio feature-length film. And yes, it is a must-listen for fans of audio horror fiction. But allow me to plead the case for my preferred finale of these later seasons, "My Dad Finally Told Me What Happened that Day." First off, this might just be a personal preference, but I like my horror to come with some loose ends. How often in life are we privy to the entire story? How often are the motivations of others fully revealed to us? That our narrator is left with so many unanswered questions makes "My Dad" all the more realistic & chilling. And second, it's nice to hear a story as far into the show's run as season 8 that is this faithful to the subreddit’s original premise - a first-person account of unexplained, unsettling events. Amy says try em both!
There you have it, folks - the very best of seasons 7-10. According to moi, anyway. What did I miss? Let me know in the comments. Or, y'know, just yell at me for not including "Feed the Pig."
(Credits for all the neat original artwork seen here can be found by clicking on the respective episode link)