Bad Vibes

Justin McElroy (of My Brother, My Brother and Me fame) hosts this horror anthology as Mr. Boogey, delivering weekly chilling tales designed to unsettle. If you have ever wished The Twilight Zone had an audio equivalent hosted by someone who genuinely enjoys creeping you out, this is your show. The anthology format means each of the 12 episodes tells a standalone story, so you can jump in anywhere. McElroy guides listeners through each tale with a narrator's relish, and the individual stories range from 19 to 40 minutes. The season finale ("Rarities") drew particular praise for being "visceral and gnarly" in the best possible way. The production quality and immersive audio design are consistent with Qcode's standards -- meaning they are excellent. A 4.7-star rating from nearly 560 reviews puts it among the better-received shows in the catalog. The anthology structure avoids the cliffhanger problem that plagues many Qcode series -- each story has a beginning, middle, and end. One content warning worth noting: Episode 7 includes animal harm. The show threads a needle between horror and dark humor that McElroy is well-suited to navigate. If you need a podcast for a long drive at night, this will keep you very alert.