Now Playing Podcast Presents: The Friday the 13th Retrospective Series

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Latest Episodes:

Freddy vs. Jason Apr 23, 2010

Nightmare on Elm Street Series Episode 8

This is a whole new episode of Now Playing Podcast. No, really, it is!

Having already spent time with the strong, silent type during last year’s Friday the 13th retrospective, Now Playing Podcast switches allegiances to the wisecracking dream demon for a fresh look at Freddy vs. Jason. This time the focus is squarely on Freddy Krueger and how this long-awaited crossover fits into the Nightmare on Elm Street legacy. With Robert Englund donning the glove for what would become his final big-screen turn as Freddy, the film pits cunning against brute force in a battle fans had debated for years. But does this clash give Freddy the send-off he deserves, or does sharing the spotlight dilute what made Elm Street special? The hosts examine whether this slasher showdown honors the dream stalker’s legacy or leaves Nightmare fans feeling like the real casualties.

Friday the 13th Feb 14, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 12

Now Playing Podcast wraps up its Friday the 13th retrospective with the moment it’s all been building toward. After revisiting every sequel, detour, and resurrection, the hosts finally arrive at the franchise’s modern reboot, released on Friday, February 13, 2009. This remake promises a faster, meaner, back-to-basics take on Jason Voorhees, blending elements from the early films while aiming to reintroduce the hockey-masked killer to a new generation. Does this reboot deliver the fresh start fans were hoping for, or does it prove that maybe it’s better to keep legends in mothballs? The retrospective ends where the future begins.

Freddy vs. Jason Feb 12, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 11

Now Playing Podcast continues its Friday the 13th retrospective as the series heads toward the release of the new film on Friday, February 13, 2009. This episode takes on Freddy vs. Jason, focusing specifically on Jason Voorhees and how this long-teased crossover fits into the Friday the 13th lineage. After years of stalled development and fan anticipation, Jason is finally pulled out of Crystal Lake and dropped into someone else’s nightmare. But does this matchup respect Jason as a character and advance his mythology, or does he get sidelined in favor of flashier dream logic and punchlines? The hosts look at Jason’s role, his portrayal, and whether this crossover works as a Friday the 13th chapter or leaves him playing second fiddle to the killer in his own movie.

Jason X Feb 10, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 10

Now Playing Podcast continues its Friday the 13th retrospective as the countdown to the new film’s release on Friday, February 13, 2009, rolls on. This episode tackles Jason X, the sequel that does the unthinkable and sends Jason Voorhees into the future… and into space. Trading Camp Crystal Lake for cryogenics, androids, and zero-gravity kills, Jason X fully embraces sci-fi absurdity and franchise fatigue in equal measure. Is this a self-aware blast of camp that understands exactly how ridiculous it is, or a sign that the series had finally drifted too far from its roots? The hosts dig into the gimmicks, the humor, and whether Jason in space is inspired lunacy or just the last gasp before reentry.

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday Feb 06, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 9

Now Playing Podcast continues its Friday the 13th retrospective as the series barrels toward the release of the new film on Friday, February 13, 2009. This episode dives into Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday. This entry attempts to radically reinvent the franchise by tearing Jason apart and spreading his evil in unexpected ways. Released in 1993, The Final Friday takes big swings with body-hopping mythology, lore expansion, and a very different take on what a Friday the 13th movie can be. Do the hosts find this bold experiment impressive and possessed by Jason’s evil, or does it leave them feeling like they spent the whole runtime in hell?

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan Feb 04, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 8

Now Playing Podcast continues its Friday the 13th retrospective as the countdown to the new film’s release on Friday, February 13, 2009, rolls on. This episode tackles Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. This sequel promises to haul Jason Voorhees out of Camp Crystal Lake and into the city that never sleeps… eventually. After eight films, the franchise makes a big swing by changing locations and upping the spectacle. But does shipping Jason to New York actually breathe new life into the series, or does this detour on a boat prove the formula is running on fumes? The hosts dig into the setting (or lack of it), the kills, and whether Jason’s so-called Big Apple adventure wakes the series up or just bites.

Friday the 13th Part VII – The New Blood Jan 30, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 7

Now Playing Podcast continues its Friday the 13th retrospective with Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. This 1988 sequel tries to shake things up by pitting Jason Voorhees against a new kind of opponent and leaning harder into supernatural elements than ever before. Does The New Blood inject some much-needed life into the franchise, or does it feel like the series is shambling along on fumes? The hosts dig into the gimmick, the kills, and whether this experiment gives Jason a jolt of energy, or makes them wonder if they should have just watched Weekend at Bernie’s II instead.

Jason Lives – Friday the 13th Part VI Jan 28, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 6

Now Playing Podcast continues its Friday the 13th retrospective as the countdown to the new film’s release on Friday, February 13, 2009, keeps rolling. This episode takes on Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, the entry that brings Jason Voorhees back to Camp Crystal Lake in a big, loud, and very intentional way. After the controversy of A New Beginning, Jason Lives marks a tonal shift for the series, leaning into self-awareness, bigger kills, and a more overt embrace of the franchise’s own mythology. Is this the triumphant return fans were hoping for, or just another excuse to dust off the hockey mask? The hosts dig into the humor, the horror, and whether Jason deserves the “Welcome Back” party he gets here.

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning Jan 24, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 5

Now Playing Podcast continues its Friday the 13th retrospective as the countdown to the new film’s release on Friday, February 13, 2009, rolls on. This episode tackles Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning, the 1985 sequel that promised a fresh start for the franchise while boldly toying with its most sacred icon. A New Beginning remains one of the series’ most controversial entries, with its new setting, new characters, and some very deliberate choices about the hockey mask. Is this attempt at reinvention a worthwhile shake-up? Or proof that some things should have been left alone? The hosts dig into the kills, the changes, the damn enchiladas, and whether this “new beginning” was ever really a good idea.

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter Jan 22, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 4

Now Playing Podcast continues its Friday the 13th retrospective with the fourth installment, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. Marketed as the series’s conclusion, this entry escalates the body count, tightens the pacing, and emphasizes the notion that this is indeed The Fnal Chapter at Camp Crystal Lake. With a more menacing demeanor and a deeper understanding of the series’ strengths, fans have long regarded The Final Chapter as a high point. However, does it truly deserve this reputation, and more importantly, should the series have concluded here? The hosts delve into the kills, characters, cast (including Corey Feldman and Crispin Glover!), and whether this was the appropriate conclusion.

Friday the 13th Part III Jan 17, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 3

Now Playing Podcast continues its Friday the 13th retrospective with Friday the 13th Part III, as the hosts work their way through the franchise ahead of the upcoming reboot. This 1982 installment has the hockey mask take center stage, solidifying Jason’s iconic look. But arriving in theaters in full 3-D and pushing the series toward bigger kills and broader spectacle, is Part III a cheap novelty packed with flying eyeballs and pitchforks, or a turning point that helped cement the franchise’s identity? The discussion digs into the gimmicks, the gore, and whether this eye-popping sequel earns its place in slasher history.

Friday the 13th Part 2 Jan 15, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 2

Now Playing Podcast continues its Friday the 13th retrospective series with Friday the 13th Part 2, as the countdown to the new Friday the 13th movie builds toward its release on Friday, February 13, 2009. The sequel picks up the bloody legacy of Camp Crystal Lake and delivers a major franchise turning point. Released in 1981, Part 2 marks the first time Jason Voorhees steps out of the shadows as the killer himself, trading the mystery of the original for a more direct and relentless threat. The hosts dig into Jason’s early incarnation, the kills, the scares, and whether this sequel strengthens the series or just repeats the formula with a burlap sack.

Friday the 13th Jan 10, 2009

Friday the 13th Series Episode 1

Now Playing Podcast kicks off a special Friday the 13th Retrospective Series as we eagerly await the new Platinum Dunes remake. We’ll be camping out with all of the Friday films, starting with the 1980 original. It revolutionized the slasher genre and introduced audiences to the iconic Camp Crystal Lake. Long before hockey masks and pop-culture references, this original entry set the stage with gruesome kills, pervasive paranoia, and a body count that kept audiences on the edge of their seats. Our hosts, Stuart, Arnie, and Brock, delve into the factors that contributed to Friday the 13th’s immense popularity, compare it to its horror contemporaries, and ponder whether it still stands as a terrifying movie or has transcended its genre to become a fascinating curiosity. Join us at the lake where it all began for this captivating retrospective.

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