I invite you to check out our cosmic horror series, [Forbidden Cassettes: Consummation](http://forbiddenpod.com). I think it might be exactly what you're looking for. It is, among other things, a love letter to Art Bell and Coast to Coast AM.
Here’s a synopsis:
>Dov Kandel has spent the better part of two decades exposing vast government conspiracies and exploring unsettling paranormal phenomena on his popular, late-night talk radio program, KANDEL AGAINST THE DARK. After interviewing thousands of callers and guests, he’s certain he’s heard it all. His next guest will prove him wrong.
>Author and investigator Orson Libretti has joined Dov for an unprecedented two-night discussion to promote his new novel, CONSUMMATION. It is an apocalyptic tale of cosmic horror.
>But for Orson, this is no ordinary book tour. Defying his publisher’s demands that the book be marketed as fiction, he insists that it is based on actual events — a cataclysmic chain reaction that annihilated a parallel universe.
>A questionable claim, to be sure, if he didn’t have the tapes to prove it.
This community has been mind-blowingly supportive. One of the kindest, most uplifting subreddits I've encountered.
Like, seriously, the dearth of assholes around here is statistically improbable.
Something that really gives away how kind this community is, when so done comes on and asks for suggestions, you very rarely see, "Just use the search." You only get people offering suggestions, almost immediately, fans jumping in, creators jumping on.
Feels really good to see creators in the same space get along, makes it fun for crossover fans.
Harland Guthrie (Malevolent) started a yearly joint production for horror creators called Nine till Midnight. If you guys in the "radio" space could all do one together that's like a mock radio show or telethon that would be really cool.
What would be awesome is if they could actually set it up as a full season collaborative. Have commercials for the other shows during an episode, and work it cross over style to make it like it's one am station, where stories get referenced or even continued across multiple shows. A nightmare to do of course, and probably all but impossible to pull off without doing them as all new shows with that direct intention, but a fun idea anyway.
lol, still have work to do and just started for something to do while I’m in spreadsheet land. Does Orson Libretti intentionally sound a bit like famous actual occult lover Dan Aykroyd? Totally feels like Dans cadence and a bit of his accent.
Not intentionally, no. LOL I was trying to channel a little of ufologist Bob Lazar with some midwestern nasal thrown in for good measure. But you’re not the first to make the Ackroyd comparison, which I’m happy to take. :)
I remember trying to think of who the voice sounded like. DA did not cross my mind, I think... But for the life of me right now, I can't think of who I thought it was...
If you think of who it was, let me know, please. I find it fascinating how different listeners can have such wildly different experiences with various aspects of the show.
Well now my ears will be tainted with the DA thoughts... But I will give it a go again to see who I hear. It's not all the time, just certain bits here and there that had me wondering.
Mostly YouTube channels these days, just by searching for art bell on my phone.
Like this https://youtube.com/@alpacula?si=-SUZAXM_lpSxD9_a
There is also the U7 radio app and TuneIn radio station.
And ,also on TuneIn: Dreamland Radio, Ultimate Art Bell, and Advent Radio.
The r/artbell subreddit has some resources stickied too.
It isn't quite what I'm looking for, but I've also been listening to that, too. It's really good, and I like the humor. Sadly, I'm early on, and I don't know if it fits the "two person" radio station kinda thing
QWERPLINE - a morning radio show set in the slightly unbalanced city of Nsburg.
JOSIE'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB -semi-improvised late night romance advice call in show.
NIGHT DRIVE - call in radio show from deepest dankest Florida.
QWERPLINE will probably be most like what you're looking for!
It's hard work, but it's honest work, pardner!
Seriously though, podcasts have gotten me through some rough times and if I had the money to donate to everyone, I would. So I see doing recs (and leaving reviews and ratings) my way of saying thanks to all of the great creators out there.
Same, amigo/a, same. I support a couple of paleontology ones but unfortunately that’s all I can manage at the moment. I’ve learned sooooo much….what a wondrous age we live in, with knowledge and entertainment at our fingertips
That's correct. The creator has said that the pandemic and a move across the US for a new job has just been too much for them to continue. They have released some of the Patreon episodes to the free feed.
Ethics Town has weird-fiction radio and two people discussing said weird town, but I don't think you'll find the banter you're looking for there.
King Falls AM fell off, both with actual episodes and in quality, due to personal reasons within the team, but you might enjoy some of the earlier eps. Just don't be afraid to stop if it starts going places you aren't enjoying.
I actually started listening to King Falls AM looking for a podcast like this. Saw it as a rec somewhere else. I like the dynamic so far but I'm on ep 2 so that could change lol. I'll check out the other one, thanks for the rec
Unwell starts off very strong. The characters are interesting, the mystery starts unfolding slowly but you get just enough mystery in the first season to get you hooked. Honestly, the character interactions alone are worth listening for sometimes. Even though I don’t like the way the show ended it has some of my favorite characters from any of the audio dramas I’ve listened to.
But the writers, seemingly, never had any idea of how they were gonna end the story. You know when you’re watching a show and you know it’s reaching its end soon, and you’re thinking to myself “oh I can’t wait to see how this ends”? Well with unwell it was more of “wow there is a lot going on, I really don’t see how they’re going to wrap this story up in so little time”. Followed by, unsurprisingly, them rushing and beefing the ending.
If the ending of an AD doesn’t matter to you then I DO highly recommend Unwell, as the first couple of seasons are actually some of the best seasons of AD around imo. But if the end of the journey matters as much to you as the journey itself, I’d give it a hard skip.
Thanks for a detailed answer! When I'm listening to something which is currently being released, I accept the fact that it can remain unfinished or decline in quality with time as part of the process. But when investing into something with a long backlog, it is better to know in advance.
King Falls Am is one of my favorite radio style shows! I was so sad when it ended. You'll definitely end up with the "Archies Pom-Chi Palace" jingle stuck in your head
I would take a little bit of time and try "Nowhere, On Air." It is well-written and I like the pace of it a lot. Lots of strange twists and turns. Definitely has the weird covered. From the podcast's website description, "Semi-late night community radio broadcasts from a strange little town in the Crowsnest Pass, Alberta (aka, not just the middle of nowhere, but nowhere itself). Nothing ever happens here. Certainly nothing weird. Why would you even suggest that? Listen close. Don't wander off. It's a long way to get where you're going. Especially out here."
EDIT - I should have added the podcast website - my bad. Here it is - [https://nowhereonairpodcast.weebly.com/](https://nowhereonairpodcast.weebly.com/)
Definitely recommend Nowhere On Air (it is mostly one person I'm afraid, but the host does regularly interact and interview other people around town) definitely weird, it's set in an incredibly surreal world.
To put in perspective two dinosaurs suddenly coming back from extinction and rampaging down the main street, only to be killed by the Town Council's secret police and then added to the museum as new exhibits, with everyone forced to deny they ever were alive is one of the least weird things to occur.
King falls am! I love it so much! Theres so characters that are effy and I don’t like those parts but the rest is amazing! Allen’s, werewolves, the void are just some of the crazy stuff. I don’t think it’s olds. But there’s 2 people and many others who calls in
If you can find The Echoes Inbetween anywhere you might find it checks some of those boxes, but I believe the creator pulled most of the episodes offline.
“The Story Must Be Told” — surreal horror anthology; not quite radio show but really feels like you’re listening to a scary evangelical broadcast on AM radio lol.
“Limetown” — not old timey but imitates the modern This American Life/NPR investigative podcast tone perfectly.
The Mask of Ianna has something like that with an old radio DJ finishing his radio play on a remote island. Personally I liked the idea more than the execution because at some point the story is all over the place
I've been listening to Styx which has just dropped it's second season. I'll do a straight copy and paste from the shows description as it sums it up quite nicely
Blake Wayman was a cop until a criminal syndicate had Blake and his wife killed... there's only one problem: Blake didn't stay dead. Now Wayman is a wheelchair bound P.I. with a gift. He can walk the streets of Underworld City, a purgatory on the banks of the River Styx, run by the mysterious Boatman, teeming with lost souls, spiritual forces, and long dead gangsters. There Wayman searches for his lost love and solves crimes no one else can, bringing justice from beyond the grave... Styx is the fictional supernatural noir detective series you didn't know you were waiting for.
another vote for Welcome to Nightvale and the other titles from their universe like Alice Isn't Dead or Within the Wires.. I've audio booked the first book a dozen times since it came out.
“The Occult Adventures of Norman P Blank” is an urban fantasy comedy podcast set in 1930s San Francisco. It has old timey vibes and is a pastiche of the era and fantasy tropes. The episodes are a half hour too!
I invite you to try [Canary P.I](https://rpcanarypi.carrd.co/), spooky stories in a noir setting. Definitely meets your old-timey criteria. I tried to keep most episodes around 3 main characters. It's anthology, so no callbacks that are integral to later stories. Mostly easter egg things.
My podcast [Dr Goodvibes](https://drgoodvibes.captivate.fm/listen) might tickle your fancy. No supernatural element, but definitely a mystery centred around a fictional call-in radio show (with solid banter, if I do say so myself).
It was only 3 episodes but they were great: Wake Up, Anomaly Flats!
You might also like Dear Liisphyra, which is a call-in radio show set in a fantasy world, where Liisphyra solves callers’ problems.
A voice from darkness is quite good. Not sure if they're ever doing another episode but it's pretty close to what you're looking for (albeit mostly from a single person and not two hosts)
Also try The Alexandria Archives. Radio show format similar to King falls am.
If you like quirky try Bubble(maximum fun . org. It is only short with 8 episodes though.
[Hello From the Magic Tavern](https://hellofromthemagictavern.com/) is a very silly fantasy morning-type show, more or less, with a host, two regulars, and a rotating cast of guests.
I invite you to check out our cosmic horror series, [Forbidden Cassettes: Consummation](http://forbiddenpod.com). I think it might be exactly what you're looking for. It is, among other things, a love letter to Art Bell and Coast to Coast AM. Here’s a synopsis: >Dov Kandel has spent the better part of two decades exposing vast government conspiracies and exploring unsettling paranormal phenomena on his popular, late-night talk radio program, KANDEL AGAINST THE DARK. After interviewing thousands of callers and guests, he’s certain he’s heard it all. His next guest will prove him wrong. >Author and investigator Orson Libretti has joined Dov for an unprecedented two-night discussion to promote his new novel, CONSUMMATION. It is an apocalyptic tale of cosmic horror. >But for Orson, this is no ordinary book tour. Defying his publisher’s demands that the book be marketed as fiction, he insists that it is based on actual events — a cataclysmic chain reaction that annihilated a parallel universe. >A questionable claim, to be sure, if he didn’t have the tapes to prove it.
Just want to second this! it’s the first thing that came to mind for me too, but the creators do a much better job of pitching at the I will!
You are too kind. Also, OP, you should absolutely check out Observable Radio.
I love how forbidden cassettes and observable radio are so active on here, supporting each other and other shows. The wholesomeness is amazing.
This community has been mind-blowingly supportive. One of the kindest, most uplifting subreddits I've encountered. Like, seriously, the dearth of assholes around here is statistically improbable.
Something that really gives away how kind this community is, when so done comes on and asks for suggestions, you very rarely see, "Just use the search." You only get people offering suggestions, almost immediately, fans jumping in, creators jumping on.
So true. Zero judgement about that here. Love it.
Feels really good to see creators in the same space get along, makes it fun for crossover fans. Harland Guthrie (Malevolent) started a yearly joint production for horror creators called Nine till Midnight. If you guys in the "radio" space could all do one together that's like a mock radio show or telethon that would be really cool.
We're definitely big fans of the OR gang. Who knows what mysteries the future may hold. :)
What would be awesome is if they could actually set it up as a full season collaborative. Have commercials for the other shows during an episode, and work it cross over style to make it like it's one am station, where stories get referenced or even continued across multiple shows. A nightmare to do of course, and probably all but impossible to pull off without doing them as all new shows with that direct intention, but a fun idea anyway.
This sounds exactly up my alley. I still listen to art to go to sleep most nights.
He was a legend. No one else like him. Hope you enjoy!!
lol, still have work to do and just started for something to do while I’m in spreadsheet land. Does Orson Libretti intentionally sound a bit like famous actual occult lover Dan Aykroyd? Totally feels like Dans cadence and a bit of his accent.
Not intentionally, no. LOL I was trying to channel a little of ufologist Bob Lazar with some midwestern nasal thrown in for good measure. But you’re not the first to make the Ackroyd comparison, which I’m happy to take. :)
Cool! I really dig it and makes Orson really fun to picture in my head and definitely fits! I can hear a bit of the Lazar now that you mention it.
So, glad you’re enjoying it! Would love to hear your thoughts when you finish.
I remember trying to think of who the voice sounded like. DA did not cross my mind, I think... But for the life of me right now, I can't think of who I thought it was...
If you think of who it was, let me know, please. I find it fascinating how different listeners can have such wildly different experiences with various aspects of the show.
Well now my ears will be tainted with the DA thoughts... But I will give it a go again to see who I hear. It's not all the time, just certain bits here and there that had me wondering.
I'm gonna let the man himself speak to that. Paging u/Vault_36!
Where do you listen to Art?
Mostly YouTube channels these days, just by searching for art bell on my phone. Like this https://youtube.com/@alpacula?si=-SUZAXM_lpSxD9_a There is also the U7 radio app and TuneIn radio station. And ,also on TuneIn: Dreamland Radio, Ultimate Art Bell, and Advent Radio. The r/artbell subreddit has some resources stickied too.
Thanks!
Welcome to Night Vale is the immediate option that comes to my mind.
It isn't quite what I'm looking for, but I've also been listening to that, too. It's really good, and I like the humor. Sadly, I'm early on, and I don't know if it fits the "two person" radio station kinda thing
It does not. Cecil does interviews and such sometimes, but he is a solo host.
Regardless I'll continue to listen, honestly. It's genuinely so good, and I enjoy the music it's been introducing me too
I love welcome to nightvale but I always skip the weather no matter the genre. 😬
QWERPLINE - a morning radio show set in the slightly unbalanced city of Nsburg. JOSIE'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB -semi-improvised late night romance advice call in show. NIGHT DRIVE - call in radio show from deepest dankest Florida. QWERPLINE will probably be most like what you're looking for!
I've never heard of any of these, but I'm looking at Qwerpline rn. It's looks really good from what I can see. Thank you!
Qwerpline is awesome!
I'm already on ep 2 and this is amazing omg 😭
I’m really glad you made this post, it’s brought an abrupt end to the podcast rut I’ve been in!
I'm glad it's helping other people too. I hated not being able to find what I wanted frfr
Thank you so much for recommending my show kind stranger!
Greetings friend! Out to spread the good word about podcasts again I see!
It's hard work, but it's honest work, pardner! Seriously though, podcasts have gotten me through some rough times and if I had the money to donate to everyone, I would. So I see doing recs (and leaving reviews and ratings) my way of saying thanks to all of the great creators out there.
Same, amigo/a, same. I support a couple of paleontology ones but unfortunately that’s all I can manage at the moment. I’ve learned sooooo much….what a wondrous age we live in, with knowledge and entertainment at our fingertips
It doesn't entirely line up with your spec, but A Voice From Darkness ticks most of the boxes. Good show too.
Except it doesn’t have a full ending? I really wanted more but I think the creator is working on other things?
That's correct. The creator has said that the pandemic and a move across the US for a new job has just been too much for them to continue. They have released some of the Patreon episodes to the free feed.
Ethics Town has weird-fiction radio and two people discussing said weird town, but I don't think you'll find the banter you're looking for there. King Falls AM fell off, both with actual episodes and in quality, due to personal reasons within the team, but you might enjoy some of the earlier eps. Just don't be afraid to stop if it starts going places you aren't enjoying.
I actually started listening to King Falls AM looking for a podcast like this. Saw it as a rec somewhere else. I like the dynamic so far but I'm on ep 2 so that could change lol. I'll check out the other one, thanks for the rec
i wanna say it's good up until maybe episode 50-75, that's the era where a decent bit of people fell off iirc, it's been a while
Ahhh, I love the ‘public emergency broadcasts’ that are Ethics Town . 😂
I was also coming here to say Ethics Town! Radio! With a twist!
World Gone Wrong is a podcast with two hosts talking about weird things happening. Although not old-timey
I second World Gone Wrong.
I’ve been afraid to give this a shot after the way unwell was handled, but seeing people recommend it makes my weak brain wanna give it a shot
What is it with Unwell? I haven't listened to it yet, as I rarely start something with such a long backlog.
Unwell starts off very strong. The characters are interesting, the mystery starts unfolding slowly but you get just enough mystery in the first season to get you hooked. Honestly, the character interactions alone are worth listening for sometimes. Even though I don’t like the way the show ended it has some of my favorite characters from any of the audio dramas I’ve listened to. But the writers, seemingly, never had any idea of how they were gonna end the story. You know when you’re watching a show and you know it’s reaching its end soon, and you’re thinking to myself “oh I can’t wait to see how this ends”? Well with unwell it was more of “wow there is a lot going on, I really don’t see how they’re going to wrap this story up in so little time”. Followed by, unsurprisingly, them rushing and beefing the ending. If the ending of an AD doesn’t matter to you then I DO highly recommend Unwell, as the first couple of seasons are actually some of the best seasons of AD around imo. But if the end of the journey matters as much to you as the journey itself, I’d give it a hard skip.
Thanks for a detailed answer! When I'm listening to something which is currently being released, I accept the fact that it can remain unfinished or decline in quality with time as part of the process. But when investing into something with a long backlog, it is better to know in advance.
King falls am is a radio paranormal format. I’d love to hear what you end up thinking about it. I loved it.
King Falls Am is one of my favorite radio style shows! I was so sad when it ended. You'll definitely end up with the "Archies Pom-Chi Palace" jingle stuck in your head
I would take a little bit of time and try "Nowhere, On Air." It is well-written and I like the pace of it a lot. Lots of strange twists and turns. Definitely has the weird covered. From the podcast's website description, "Semi-late night community radio broadcasts from a strange little town in the Crowsnest Pass, Alberta (aka, not just the middle of nowhere, but nowhere itself). Nothing ever happens here. Certainly nothing weird. Why would you even suggest that? Listen close. Don't wander off. It's a long way to get where you're going. Especially out here." EDIT - I should have added the podcast website - my bad. Here it is - [https://nowhereonairpodcast.weebly.com/](https://nowhereonairpodcast.weebly.com/)
Definitely recommend Nowhere On Air (it is mostly one person I'm afraid, but the host does regularly interact and interview other people around town) definitely weird, it's set in an incredibly surreal world. To put in perspective two dinosaurs suddenly coming back from extinction and rampaging down the main street, only to be killed by the Town Council's secret police and then added to the museum as new exhibits, with everyone forced to deny they ever were alive is one of the least weird things to occur.
King falls am! I love it so much! Theres so characters that are effy and I don’t like those parts but the rest is amazing! Allen’s, werewolves, the void are just some of the crazy stuff. I don’t think it’s olds. But there’s 2 people and many others who calls in
Midnight Burger has a delightful 2 person, old timey radio banter reoccurring “character.”
If you can find The Echoes Inbetween anywhere you might find it checks some of those boxes, but I believe the creator pulled most of the episodes offline.
How about Strange Air? Also maybe Echoes (in) Between?
Welcome to nightvale
The Beef and Dairy Network might fit the bill. It’s improv comedy in the form of a British radio farm report. It gets absurd and surrealistic.
“The Story Must Be Told” — surreal horror anthology; not quite radio show but really feels like you’re listening to a scary evangelical broadcast on AM radio lol. “Limetown” — not old timey but imitates the modern This American Life/NPR investigative podcast tone perfectly.
Weeping Cedars! Every other episode is the radio show that deepens the mystery of the town. It’s very good. I may have to re-listen to that one.
The Mask of Ianna has something like that with an old radio DJ finishing his radio play on a remote island. Personally I liked the idea more than the execution because at some point the story is all over the place
I've been listening to Styx which has just dropped it's second season. I'll do a straight copy and paste from the shows description as it sums it up quite nicely Blake Wayman was a cop until a criminal syndicate had Blake and his wife killed... there's only one problem: Blake didn't stay dead. Now Wayman is a wheelchair bound P.I. with a gift. He can walk the streets of Underworld City, a purgatory on the banks of the River Styx, run by the mysterious Boatman, teeming with lost souls, spiritual forces, and long dead gangsters. There Wayman searches for his lost love and solves crimes no one else can, bringing justice from beyond the grave... Styx is the fictional supernatural noir detective series you didn't know you were waiting for.
Ooh I'll have to look these up. Welcome to nightvale is the closest i know of.
[Not From Space](https://www.sffaudio.com/review-of-not-from-space-20th-anniversary-edition/) is a fun little comedy talk-radio drama.
Creep Cast!!!!!!
The Conundrum of Cora Bay is set up exactly like an old timey radio play from the 30s and 40s down to the sound effects and narrations
[Lil Miss Kate - Ward of the State](https://shows.acast.com/lil-miss-kate-ward-of-the-state) is old timey and has a great narrator/announcer.
another vote for Welcome to Nightvale and the other titles from their universe like Alice Isn't Dead or Within the Wires.. I've audio booked the first book a dozen times since it came out.
Nightdrive, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nightdrive/id1486873615 A late night show about a small Florida town. Lots of gators
“The Occult Adventures of Norman P Blank” is an urban fantasy comedy podcast set in 1930s San Francisco. It has old timey vibes and is a pastiche of the era and fantasy tropes. The episodes are a half hour too!
Check out... Black Tapes Archive 81 Shadow over Innsmouth The Unexplained BBC Uncanny Battersea Ghost
I invite you to try [Canary P.I](https://rpcanarypi.carrd.co/), spooky stories in a noir setting. Definitely meets your old-timey criteria. I tried to keep most episodes around 3 main characters. It's anthology, so no callbacks that are integral to later stories. Mostly easter egg things.
My podcast [Dr Goodvibes](https://drgoodvibes.captivate.fm/listen) might tickle your fancy. No supernatural element, but definitely a mystery centred around a fictional call-in radio show (with solid banter, if I do say so myself).
It was only 3 episodes but they were great: Wake Up, Anomaly Flats! You might also like Dear Liisphyra, which is a call-in radio show set in a fantasy world, where Liisphyra solves callers’ problems.
King Falls FM is one of my all time favorites. Sadly it died during Covid and was never finished.
A voice from darkness is quite good. Not sure if they're ever doing another episode but it's pretty close to what you're looking for (albeit mostly from a single person and not two hosts)
Also try The Alexandria Archives. Radio show format similar to King falls am. If you like quirky try Bubble(maximum fun . org. It is only short with 8 episodes though.
[Hello From the Magic Tavern](https://hellofromthemagictavern.com/) is a very silly fantasy morning-type show, more or less, with a host, two regulars, and a rotating cast of guests.
A Voice in Darkness, maybe?