That's Pretty Dark: An '80s & '90s Nostalgia Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 129 | AYAOTD S3E1 — The Tale of the Midnight Ride Sep 18, 2026

Show notes

Headless Horsemen, undying legends, and glowstick Jack-o’-lanterns… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they discuss their own ghostly happenings, yearn for Halloween dances gone by, and get “a-head” of Spooky Season with one of the oldest and most prevalent American ghost stories – The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. From early Dutch settler lore to revolutionary-era imprints of tragedy, Washington Irving’s Headless Horseman, imparted to us here by the Midnight Society, has held a chilling place in our collective hearts for over two centuries, and seems like the perfect introduction to our sixth Halloween together.

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Episode 128 | Movie Night — The Sandlot — Part II Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

Romantic friendships, flashlit faces, and perpetual comings-of-age… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they round all the bases on this beloved staple. Together, they’ll do s’more reflecting on the “mature themes” and childlike wonder that combined forces to make this film such a classic, take a closer look at the scenes that made multiple generations cheer, shudder, and smile, and get just a lil emotional about the finite nature of life (and baseball). If this Existential Summer is reminding us of one thing, it’s that life goes by way too fast – and we should take chances when they spit on our shoes. Email us at thatsprettydarkpodcast@gmail.com Give to our Patreon for extra content: patreon.com/tpdpodcast Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @thatsprettydarkpodcast

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Episode 127 | Movie Night — The Sandlot — Part I Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

Achy Americana, baseball slang, and Benny the Disappearing Jet… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they wring out whatever magic is left in Existential Summer and step up to the plate at the Sandlot. Writer and director David Mickey Evans hit a home run in nostalgia, and this peek behind the scenes highlights his quest to reframe his own experiences as the new kid on the block. Come bask in 30-year cycles, prime schoolyard insults, and the timelessness of a pre-tech childhood with your Ghost Hosts!

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Episode 126 | Movie Night — The Land Before Time — Part II Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

Ducky-isms, banana teeth, and emotional extinction events… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they take one for the millennial team and journey toward their own Pretty Dark Great Valley, full of dino-racism, prickly tears, and the death of Littlefoot’s mother. This film shaped a generation’s view of life, grief, and loss in ways that most of us are still unpacking… but luckily, we can do it together, armed with dino-facts and thoughts of Norman Bates (don’t ask).

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Episode 125 | Movie Night — The Land Before Time — Part I Jul 05, 2026

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Dinosaur infodumps, paleontological accuracy, and Bambi's Late Jurassic ancestor… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they tackle the production story behind one of the most emotionally heavy-hitting films they can recall – and learn how it almost hit even heavier. From Spielberg’s original vision, to James Horner’s unmistakable musical imprint, to the late 19th century Bone Wars and their dinosaur naming conventions, there’s more than a century of Lore Before Time to excavate together.

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Episode 124 | WTF — "Worthless" (from The Brave Little Toaster) Jun 21, 2026

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Blue collar blues, nursing homes, and the crushing conveyer belt of existence… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they flash back to the Brave Little Toaster franchise to break down a song they couldn’t squeeze into their earlier coverage. One of the most existentially charged tracks from their childhoods, they’ve spent years carrying the confusion of the complex, adult references and haunting obsolescence. They’re ready to make it all make sense with and for their Darkling friends, one lyric at a time.

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Episode 123 | Rugrats — History & ‘What the Big People Do’ Jun 07, 2026

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Fiery bosses, paper pushers, and infinite Reptar cereal… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they rewind to the dawn of the Nicktoon and learn how these toddlers were created – and how they managed to teach a generation about growing up. As one of Nickelodeon’s longest running programs, and one of the earliest to reach your Ghost Hosts, Rugrats had a unique opportunity to shape our collective psyche in ways we wouldn’t appreciate for decades. This first trip into the catalog showcases that developmental shift as the kids share a hellish fantasy about the perils of adulthood.

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Episode 122 | Movie Night — The Ring — Part II (w/ And That’s Why We Drink) May 23, 2026

Show notes

Psychic Photography, vengeful spirits, and Phoebe Bridgers… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these four ‘90s ParaPods kids (including Em Schulz and Christine Schiefer!) as they wade deeper into the curses and tragedies that made Samara spiral in the first place. Walk with them through the original Japanese cursed videos and novels, compare and contrast their American counterparts, and explore the misogynistic shadows of the Japanese spiritualist movement. Historical context makes The Ring’s trademark echo of hate, revenge, and destruction all the more haunting… and all we know is, society better do a quick 180, lest these patterns ripple and repeat.

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Episode 121 | Movie Night — The Ring (w/ And That’s Why We Drink) May 09, 2026

Show notes

Sleepwalking parents, Japanese folklore, and viral marketing campaigns… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids and two of their podcastin’ heroes as they turn up the horror dial with a millennial classic that shaped the genre as we now know it. Em Schulz brings the FASCINATING history of chain letters, Christine Schiefer shares childhood nightmares that prevent her from watching horror movies to this day, and your Ghost Hosts guide you through the film’s production history and cyclical Japanese ghost stories that inspired it. Though it wasn’t made for children, many of us caught The Ring early in life…. and if you want to heal that “TV trauma,” listen and forward this episode to 10 friends! Or else.

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Episode 120 | Hey Arnold! — Stoop Kid Apr 26, 2026

Show notes

Chanting townsfolk, quarantined premises, and The Little Engine That Could… Oh lawd, it's about to get pretty dark! Join these ‘90s kids as they head back to Hillwood for Arnold’s very first toe-dip into urban legend territory. These airwaves are consistently partial to the Boo-Radley-kind, and Stoop Kid is no exception. Highlighting the effects of neglect, societal pressure, and the power of one’s mindset, this Hey Arnold! fixture not only stuck in our minds but showed us that there’s life beyond one’s stoop… but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to leave.

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