02.13.2020 HORROR TV VOL. 2!!! With DANA GOULD!

Written By Stephanie Morgan

MONSTER PARTY SERVES UP ANOTHER DOLLOP OF TELEVISUAL TORMENT!

JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, return to a ghoulish goldmine of ghastly gifts. Whether we're talking cathode ray creepers, or streaming screamers, the time has come for another episode celebrating all the terrors that your home theater system can handle. It's... HORROR TV VOL. 2!!!

To be frank, this is kind of a strange episode. Yes, we do talk quite a bit about HORROR TV, past and present. But, we also take a few tangents, that are as necessary as they are entertaining.  How did these tangents come about?  Well, that might have something to do with our very special return guest!

Joining us once again is a BIG friend of the show, and a powerhouse of entertainment! He's a celebrated comedian, actor, writer, producer, and hands down, the best DR. ZAIUS impersonator in the business. MONSTER PARTY is proud to welcome back... DANA GOULD! (STAN AGAINST EVIL, CREEPSHOW, TALES OF HALLOWEEN, THE SIMPSONS, CONAN O'BRIAN, GEX, SUPER ADVENTURE TEAM) 

Just keep telling yourself... it's only a TV show!

Guest(s)

Dana Gould

Follow Dana: Dana Gould (@danagould) • Instagram profile | Dana Gould | Enjoy. | Dana Gould | Dana Gould

Key Topics Discussed

  • Dana's horror-comedy series Stan Against Evil , including its production and influences.

  • An in-depth look at the TV movies and series Kolchak: The Night Stalker , which heavily influenced Dana.

  • Extended discussions about the Planet of the Apes film series, particularly Escape from the Planet of the Apes and Beneath the Planet of the Apes.

  • A review of classic TV horror anthologies, such as Night Gallery , Thriller , and the Roald Dahl-hosted Way Out.

  • A wide-ranging discussion of other horror and sci-fi shows, including Dark Shadows , The X-Files , What We Do in the Shadows , and Star Trek: Discovery.

Timestamps

  • 00:01:58: Special guest Dana Gould is introduced with a long list of his credentials, including comedian, podcaster, and creator of Stan Against Evil.

  • 00:02:16: Dana discusses his show Stan Against Evil, its three-season run, and the network replacing it.

  • 00:04:49: The group goes on a tangent about the Planet of the Apes series, specifically discussing the story of Escape from the Planet of the Apes and its famously bad gorilla costumes.

  • 00:09:39: Dana's celebrity impersonation of Dr. Zaius is brought up, and he performs a story in character as the ape appearing on a 1970s variety show .

  • 00:13:59: The main topic returns as Dana explains how '70s TV movies and Kolchak: The Night Stalker were the primary influences on the look and feel of his show.

  • 00:17:17: The conversation becomes a deep dive into Kolchak: The Night Stalker, praising the two TV movies and discussing the character's appeal and the series' production issues.

  • 00:27:36: Dana briefly discusses his ex-wife's role as an agent and HBO executive in championing and developing True Blood and Game of Thrones.

  • 00:29:11: The discussion returns to Planet of the Apes with a detailed behind-the-scenes story about why Charlton Heston insisted on blowing up the world in Beneath the Planet of the Apes.

  • 00:35:43: The hosts and Dana share their earliest and most frightening horror TV memories, focusing on Night Gallery and the Roald Dahl-hosted anthology Way Out.

  • 00:43:15: A tangent about the aesthetics of Star Trek leads to the group praising the fan-made Star Trek Continues and criticizing the tone and writing of Star Trek: Discovery.

  • 00:49:14: Dana explains his "rules" for horror-comedy based on An American Werewolf in London and how the show What We Do in the Shadows brilliantly breaks every one of them.

  • 00:53:17: Dana's childhood memories of Dark Shadows lead to a discussion on vampire TV shows, including the upcoming Dark Shadows reboot and The Vampire Diaries.

  • 01:10:25: The group moves on to other major horror shows, including Supernatural, the highs and lows of The X-Files, and the "joyless" Millennium.

  • 01:25:22: Before wrapping up, Dana tells a story about Michael Douglas's reaction to When Michael Calls and plugs his upcoming projects.

  • 01:27:31: The hosts read listener shout-outs and reviews, including one from a past guest whose magazine article was inspired by the podcast.

Resources/Links Mentioned

Films

  • High Plains Drifter (1973): Used as a comparison for a character surviving an impossible situation.

  • Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979): Mentioned by Dana while in character as Dr. Zaius, claiming he did "three days on a little movie called Beyond the Poseidon Adventure".

  • An American Werewolf in London (1981): Discussed for its surprising inclusion of a Mickey Mouse, which Dana notes would be impossible today due to Disney. It's later brought up again as the model for horror-comedy that Dana used for Stan Against Evil.

  • The Night Stalker (1972) and The Night Strangler (1973) (TV Movies): These two Kolchak TV movies are cited as a massive influence on Stan Against Evil and are praised as a "security blanket" and "so good".

  • The Poseidon Adventure (1972): Referenced in a joke about Kolchak's girlfriend, Carol Lindley (who was in the film).

  • The Questor Tapes (1974 TV Movie): Identified as the source for many of the music cues used in The Night Stalker.

  • The Sting (1973) and Jaws (1975): Mentioned as the successful films producer Dick Zanuck made after being fired from Fox (an event that led to Beneath's ending).

  • The Wolfman (2010): Used as an example of a movie that delivers exactly what its title promises.

  • Fast and Furious (Film Series): Used as a negative comparison for what studios try to turn Star Trek into.

  • What We Do in the Shadows (2014): Dana praises the film and the subsequent TV show for brilliantly breaking all the horror-comedy rules he thought were concrete.

  • Dark Shadows (2012): The Tim Burton film is mentioned briefly and dismissively. Dana later revisits it to praise Danny Elfman's soundtrack and to pitch his own, more serious take on the film's premise.

  • Train to Busan (2016): Recommended by one of the hosts as "one of the most brilliant horror movies in the past 20 years".

  • The Host (2006): Mentioned as a great horror movie.

  • Parasite (2019): Mentioned as being made by the same director as The Host and compared to Bad Ronald.

  • Bad Ronald (1974 TV Movie): Joked as being a partial inspiration for Parasite.

  • Nick Knight (1989 TV Movie): Identified as the original TV movie pilot (starring Rick Springfield) that led to the series Forever Knight.

  • King of Comedy (1982): Quoted ("better King for a day than schmuck for a lifetime") and later referenced again.

  • Lost Highway (1997): Used as a comparison for the feeling of disappointment after watching the first X-Files movie.

  • Planet of the Apes (2001): The Tim Burton film is discussed, with Dana recounting his friend Peyton Reed's extremely negative reaction to it on opening night.

  • Psycho (1960): Referenced in a joke about bringing "the dry, withered corpse of your mom from the fruit cellar" to Monsterpalooza on Mother's Day.

  • Danger: Diabolik (1968): Discussed because of its "groovy" and hard-to-find soundtrack.

  • Barbarella (1968): Also mentioned as starring John Philip Law.

  • The Thing (1982): Used as an example of a film that was a "giant flop" on release but is now considered "brilliant".

  • Dumbo (2019): The Tim Burton film is discussed, with Dana noting he's heard from a few people that it's "very good".

  • Ed Wood (1994): Mentioned as the type of film the hosts wish Tim Burton would return to making. It's later revealed to be the film that inspired Eddie Murphy to make Dolemite Is My Name.

  • Dolemite Is My Name (2019): Praised as "so beautiful," "life affirming," and "incredibly sweet," much like Ed Wood.

  • Bowfinger (1999): Mentioned as one of Eddie Murphy's great performances.

  • The Nutty Professor (1996) and Dr. Dolittle (1998): Mentioned as the "family movies" of Eddie Murphy's that the hosts like less , though "The Clumps" (from Nutty Professor) are praised.

  • Norbit (2007): Mentioned as a highlight among Eddie Murphy's films, with Dana saying "I love Norbit".

Television

  • The Simpsons: Mentioned as part of guest Dana Gould's introduction, as he is a writer for the show.

  • Stan Against Evil: Mentioned as the show Dana Gould created. It is the subject of a long discussion about its three-season run , its horror-comedy model , and its creative influences.

  • Sherman Showcase: The show that Dana says replaced Stan Against Evil on the IFC network.

  • The Whitest Kids U'Know: Mentioned by Dana as another show that was on IFC, to make a point about the network's audience.

  • Star Trek (Classic Series): Compared to Stan Against Evil because both shows had three seasons. It is brought up again later in a discussion about its aesthetics and fan-made spin-offs.

  • Dark Shadows (Classic Series): First mentioned as a show where characters can be written back from the dead. It's discussed in depth later, with Dana recalling playing Dark Shadows in a real cemetery as a child.

  • Making Apes: A television documentary (or series) about the Planet of the Apes films that the hosts were discussing.

  • The Merv Griffin Show: Referenced as the type of 1970s show Dana's Dr. Zaius character would have frequented.

  • Meet the Press: Used as a comparison to describe the intensity of the previous episode's interview.

  • Night Gallery: Dana cites this Dan Curtis series as a primary visual and tonal influence for Stan Against Evil. It is also mentioned as the first show Dana remembers scaring him.

  • Kolchak: The Night Stalker: Discussed at length as a "huge" influence. The hosts and Dana praise the two TV movies , its main character , its influence on The X-Files , and its writing staff, which included David Chase.

  • Columbo: A host states he likes to think Columbo and Kolchak exist in the "same universe" due to shared sets, actors, and music cues.

  • The Brady Bunch: The show's iconic house set is mentioned as having been used in an episode of Columbo.

  • Night Stalker (2005 Reboot): Mentioned as a "terrible version" and a failed attempt to revive the series.

  • The X-Files: First mentioned because its producer, Frank Spotnitz, created the failed Kolchak reboot. It is discussed in much more detail later.

  • True Blood: Discussed because Dana's ex-wife was instrumental in developing the show and bringing it to HBO.

  • Game of Thrones: Dana mentions that his ex-wife is also the reason this show is on television.

  • Werewolf (1987): Mentioned as a classic horror TV show.

  • Lights Out (1946): Mentioned as possibly "one of the first horror series" on TV, adapted from a radio show.

  • The Veil (1958): Listed as one of the early supernatural anthology shows.

  • Thriller (1960): Listed as one of the classic horror anthologies hosted by Boris Karloff.

  • Way Out (1961): Discussed as a short-lived but "fantastic" Roald Dahl-hosted anthology show that one of the hosts just discovered.

  • One Step Beyond: Mentioned as another good early supernatural anthology show.

  • Star Trek: Discovery: Discussed (and criticized) as the official series that likely led to the shutdown of fan-made shows. The group critiques its "Game of Thrones" tone and lack of optimism.

  • Star Trek: Enterprise: Briefly mentioned as a show that "did a pretty good job" of portraying lower-tech Star Trek.

  • Friends: Referenced in a joke about the niche appeal of horror-comedy, saying it will never be as big as Friends.

  • Watchmen (2019 Series): Praised by Dana as a modern show that "did it well".

  • What We Do in the Shadows (TV Series): Highly praised by Dana for brilliantly breaking all the rules he thought were essential for horror-comedy.

  • Dragnet: Used as a comparison for a show with a fast-moving plot, unlike Dark Shadows.

  • Dark Shadows (1991 Revival): Referenced as the "80s reboot" (though it was 1991) that will be disregarded by the new version.

  • The Vampire Diaries: Discussed as a show Dana's daughter loved, which he dismisses as "crappy teen True Blood".

  • Stranger Things: Mentioned as a modern show, but Dana puts it in a "different box" than The Vampire Diaries.

  • Black Summer: Mentioned as one of The Walking Dead's imitators.

  • Z Nation: Mentioned as another zombie show, but given credit for using fast, viral zombies.

  • Moonlight (2007): Mentioned as a vampire P.I. series.

  • Forever Knight (1992): Praised as a "good show" and a "fun" Canadian series about a vampire cop. (Transcript mishears as "Forever Night" ).

  • The Strain: Discussed as a vampire show; one host didn't like the pilot's "overacting" , and Dana "couldn't get into" it because of the infamous eye-worm posters.

  • The Goop Lab: Dana goes on a tangent about the show's "giant vagina" poster.

  • Supernatural: Discussed as a very long-running show with a "gigantic fan base". Dana mentions his daughter loves it and that actor Jim Beaver (Bobby Singer) read for the lead role in Stan Against Evil.

  • Millennium: Discussed as a Chris Carter follow-up to The X-Files that the hosts liked but ultimately found "joyless," "dark and morose".

  • Manimal: Mentioned as a cheesy '80s show.

  • Lucan (1977): Mentioned as a "wolf boy" show that preceded Manimal.

  • Creepshow (Shudder Series): Mentioned as the new revival on Shudder, and the hosts praise the episode Dana starred in.

  • Riverdale: Mentioned alongside Sabrina as a show that "looks beautiful" but is "too YA".

  • Goosebumps (TV Series): A host mentions watching it for the first time and feeling he would have "loved this show" as a kid, though he notes some episodes get "a little goofy".

  • The Exorcist (TV Series): Mentioned as a show based on a movie, starring Geena Davis, that one host heard was good.

  • Scream (TV Series): Mentioned as another horror movie-to-TV adaptation.

  • Hannibal (TV Series): Mentioned as another adaptation, with one host noting, "I thought that was cool".

  • Dark (German Series): Praised as a "great show" but noted as "so complex" it requires re-watching to follow.

  • Les Revenants (The Revenant): The original French series about people returning from the dead is highly praised as "brilliant," "gorgeous," and a "nice slow burn".

  • The Returned (A&E Series): Mentioned as the "English version" (American remake) of Les Revenants.

  • Glitch (Australian Series): Described as an "interesting" show with a "similar theme" to Les Revenants, where people rise from their graves.

  • When Michael Calls: Praised as a "great mystery TV movie". Dana tells a story about its star, Michael Douglas, being confronted with the novelization by director Peyton Reed.

  • Saturday Night Live (SNL): Mentioned in the context of wanting to book alum Laraine Newman as a guest. It is also mentioned that Christopher Lee hosted, at Laraine's request.

  • The Twilight Zone (Classic Series): A host tells a long story about being hired to impersonate Rod Serling for a Twilight Zone marathon on "TV 20 of San Francisco".

  • The Flintstones: An episode is recalled that featured "little rock guys" singing "way out".

Books, Albums & Other Media:

  • Novels: Kolchak Spinoff Novels: One of the hosts mentions he owns all the Kolchak spinoff novels and reads them for comfort, like a "security blanket".

  • The Poop Side Down (1973): The Mad Magazine parody of The Poseidon Adventure is mentioned by name.

  • The Night Killers (Unmade): Mentioned as the title of a script for a third Kolchak TV movie that was never made.

  • Book: David J. Skal book (likely The Monster Show): Dana mentions he gave a horror book by David Skal to Alan Ball (creator of True Blood), who never opened it.

  • Model Kit: Aurora Quasimodo: When discussing the Way Out episode "False Face," a host mentions the Quasimodo character was "one of the worst Aurora kids" (model kits).

  • Book: Good Omens: The book (not just the show) is discussed, specifically a part where the angel and demon argue over who has the best music.

  • Magazine: Scary Monsters Magazine: The hosts read a shout-out from past guest Michael Mesmer, who wrote an article for the magazine that was inspired by his appearance on Monster Party.

  • Graphic Novels: Planet of the Apes: Mentioned as one of the media types that have attempted to explain the plot hole of how the apes repaired the spaceship in Escape from the Planet of the Apes

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Stephanie Morgan
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