DON'T WATCH AT NIGHT - Episode Blog

REVISITED: La Llorona

Published June 22, 2026

Welcome back! Today in our REVISITED series, we look back at episode 3. In this one Val and Ron talked about 2019's La Llorona, directed by Jayro Bustamante, starring María Mercedes Coroy, Sabrina De La Hoz, María Telón and Margarita Kenéfic. A fantastic film and if you haven't watched it yet, don't wait any longer!

If you've ever wanted to revisit our earliest episodes, now's your chance!

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Original episode resources can be found HERE.

For the Love of Summer Camp Horror!

Published June 8, 2026

Today we're bringing you a fun little something different while Ron and Val are out on vacation!

It's a glimpse into Don't Watch at Night Creepy Cocktail Hour life!

If you're part of our Patreon or follow us on Youtube, enjoy this revisit today as we bring you all the way back to Creepy Cocktail Hour #5 which was released on May 30, 2025. In it, Val takes a little mini-deep dive into summer camp horror, examining why we love it so much and name dropping a few camp horror films to put on your summer watch lists!

*This audio episode has been edited for time. The full video episode can be found right here!

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/summer-camp-horror-movies

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources:

https://www.cbr.com/best-summer-slasher-films-not-friday-the-13th/

https://screencraft.org/blog/why-are-there-so-many-summer-camp-horror-movies/

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/apr/05/american-summer-camps-rethinking-indigenous-names-rituals

Cocktail: https://imbibemagazine.com/recipe/golden-ghost-bijou-cocktail-riff/

The mezcal Val uses in her cocktail can be found here: https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/mezcal/del-maguey-mezcal-chichicapa/p/103115750?s=510&igrules=true

Jennifer 8

Published May 25, 2026

Val & Ron continue their look at 90s films this month -- This week they bring you 1992's Jennifer 8, directed by Bruce Robinson and starring Andy Garcia, Uma Thurman, Lance Henriksen and John Malkovich! Then, Val announces the summer pick for Don't Watch at Night Book Club! We'll be reading The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro - discussion episode coming in late summer, 2026. 🖤

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-butchered-movie-andy-garcia-will-never-forgive-or-forget/

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources:

https://www.dreadcentral.com/editorials/515694/jennifer-8-is-a-forgotten-giallo-inspired-thriller-with-a-tremendous-cast/

https://midwestfilmjournal.com/2022/11/28/class-of-1992-jennifer-8/

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/jennifer-8-1992

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jennifer_8

REVISITED: Verónica

Published May 18, 2026

We're back with our Revisited series where we're taking a look at some of the oldest episodes of Don't Watch at Night. Today, it's episode 2 where we discussed 2017's Verónica, directed by Paco Plaza and starring Sandra Escacena, Consuelo Trujillo, Bruna Gonzalez, Claudia Placer and Iván Chavero.

If you've ever wanted to revisit our earliest episodes, now's your chance!

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-08/religion-christianity-horror-movie-film-psychology/105586080

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources can be found HERE.

Some newer episode resources for portions of this episode can be found here:
https://apnews.com/article/hugh-grant-heretic-movie-horror-genre-religion-films-1252f80811e8c5e6cdc6610d3d87b070

https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/what-horror-movies-teach-us-about-christianity/

The Faculty

Published May 11, 2026

This May we're discussing some 90s horror and we're kicking it off with 1998's The Faculty, directed by Robert Rodriguez with a who's who cast of fresh faces of the 90s that include Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood, Jordana Brewster and Clea DuVall!

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/21075/ultimate-trivia-classic-horror-movies/

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources:

https://pophorror.com/the-faculty-1998-turns-20/

https://www.cbr.com/the-faculty-streaming-free-pluto-tv-may-2026/

https://creepycatalog.com/the-faculty-movie-trivia/

https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/remembering-the-faculty-josh-hartnett-jon-stewart-1990s-horror

https://www.filminquiry.com/horrific-inquiry-35/

BOOK CLUB: This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

Published April 27, 2026

It's book club episode! Join us today as we discuss This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno over Johnnie Walker Ginger Highballs!

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

https://www.kqed.org/arts/13904783/this-thing-between-us-wants-to-hurt-you-and-you-should-let-it

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources:

https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-this-thing-between-us-by-gus-moreno/

https://locusmag.com/review/ian-mond-reviews-this-thing-between-us-by-gus-moreno/

https://thenerddaily.com/review-this-thing-between-us-by-gus-moreno/

https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/a65715927/best-highball-cocktail-recipes/

https://www.johnniewalker.com/en-us/our-whisky/core-range/johnnie-walker-black-label

Don't forget to subscribe to Don't Watch at Night and tune in on Monday!

Rocky Mountain High

Published April 25, 2026

Don't Watch at Night Book Club episode is coming up and we'll be discussing This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno so we've got the cocktails for ya right here.
Thiago is a simple man...you might even say he becomes a woodsman at a certain point (Maybe? He would say hell no.) so we opted for something that was no fuss or muss.

A Johnnie Walker Ginger Highball combines just two ingredients and makes for a refreshing bev as the weather starts to warm up (which is not what's happening for Thiago in Colorado but we digress!)

Johnnie Walker Ginger Highball

1.5 oz Johnnie Walker Black Label

4.5 oz Fever Tree Ginger Beer

Put all your ingredients in a highball glass over ice and stir. Garnish with a lime wheel

or wedge and enjoy responsibly!

Credit: Forbes - Easy Whisky Cocktails For The Whisky Novice

For our mocktail, we're keeping the principles very much the same so here it is...

The Whiskey Ginger

2 oz Mashville Whiskey Alternative

4 oz Ginger Ale (brand of your choice!)

Credit: Seir Hill at seirhill.com

Want to get cocktail pairings early straight to your inbox ahead of book club episodes? Join us over on Patreon!

The Wailing (El Llanto)

Published April 13, 2026

Today, Valerie and Veronica discuss 2024's The Wailing (El Llanto), directed by Pedro Martín-Calero and starring Ester Expósito, Mathilde Ollivier, and Malena Villa.

Plus: Last call for book club for This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno! ⁠Book club episode coming later this April!

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

https://www.heavenofhorror.com/reviews/the-wailing-2024-el-illanto/

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources:

https://nofspodcast.com/the-wailing-review-spanish-atmospheric-horror-feels-like-walking-through-a-nightmare-fantasia-2025

https://www.pajiba.com/film_reviews/review-spanish-horror-the-wailing-is-the-scary-movie-youve-been-waiting-for.php

https://thefilmverdict.com/the-wailing/

REVISITED: Mal De Ojo

Published March 30, 2026

Today we're revisiting the first EVER episode of this podcast, where Val and Ron discussed 2022's Mal de Ojo, directed by Isaac Ezban and starring Ofelia Medina, Samantha Castillo and Paola Miguel. This episode was also where we launched our book club with the show's first pick: Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez.

If you've ever wanted to revisit our earliest episodes, now's your chance!

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources can be found HERE.

Murder in The Woods

Published March 15, 2026 - This episode will be released wherever you listen to podcasts on Monday, March 16th.

This week Val & Ron take a look at 2017's Murder in The Woods, directed by Luis Iga Garza and starring Jose Julian, Chelsea Rendon, Catherine Toribio, Jeannette Samano, Kade Wise, Jordan Diambrini and Danny Trejo!

Don't forget our latest book club pick has been made -- we're reading This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno.

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/samantharose5678/90s-horror-movie-trivia

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources:

https://freshfiction.tv/review-murder-in-the-woods-serves-up-some-good-times/

https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2020/8/14/21366610/murder-in-the-woods-review-movie

https://morbidlybeautiful.com/reel-review-murder-in-the-woods/

https://www.horrorsociety.com/2020/08/23/review-luis-iga-garzas-murder-in-the-woods/

https://mamasgeeky.com/2020/08/murder-in-the-woods-review.html

Bingo Hell

Published March 2, 2026

Val & Ron are back this week talking about 2021's Bingo Hell directed by Gigi Saul Guerrero and starring Adriana Barraza, L. Scott Caldwell, Richard Brake, Jonathan Medina, Grover Coulson and many more!

Don't forget our newest book club pick is This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno and we'll have a book club discussion coming at the end of April.

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

https://ew.com/the-bride-jessie-buckley-christian-bale-maggie-gyllenhaal-cover-story-exclusive-11897809

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources:

https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/bingo-hell-review-blumhouse-1235078649/

https://keithandthemovies.com/2021/10/05/review-bingo-hell-2021/

https://dentonrc.com/entertainment/movies/winner-winner-bingo-hell-filmmakers-blend-horror-comedy-and-relevant-themes-into-blumhouse-terror/article_f0731d30-af21-546b-9763-64d951cb4756.html

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/welcome-to-the-blumhouse-bingo-hell-2021

Down a Dark Hall

Published February 16, 2026

We're back, talking about 2018's Down a Dark Hall, directed by Rodrigo Cortés and starring AnnaSophia Robb, Isabelle Fuhrman, Uma Thurman and others. After that, we announce our next DWAN Book Club Pick!
We'll be reading This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno! Book club episode coming in April!

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/down-a-dark-hall-2018

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/down-a-dark-hall-1135203/

https://www.joblo.com/down-a-dark-hall-movie-review-313/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_Duncan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_a_Dark_Hall

Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End (Apocalipsis Z: El Principio del Fin)

Published February 2, 2026

Today Ron and Val take you through Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End, a 2024 Spanish zombie action thriller directed by Carles Torrens and based on the novels by Manel Loureiro.

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3846464/apocalypse-z-the-beginning-of-the-end-is-a-thrilling-retelling-of-a-familiar-story-review/

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources:

https://theorion.com/103120/uncategorized/he-said-she-said-apocalypse-z-the-beginning-of-the-end/

https://collider.com/apocalypse-z-movie-prime/

https://www.panoramaaudiovisual.com/en/2025/07/02/carles-torrens-rodaje-apocalipsisz/

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/zombie-movies-politics-fears

BOOK CLUB: Children of Chicago by Cynthia Pelayo

Published January 19, 2026

We're back with another awesome book club discussion, joined by amazing friend of the show, ⁠Perla Caballero⁠! This week we discuss Children of Chicago by Cynthia Pelayo + we toast with our special cocktail and mocktail pairings (a Carajillo).

Find Perla here: https://www.instagram.com/pxcaballero/

MCBC West Seattle Chapter: https://www.instagram.com/mcbcwestseattle/

The Noir Pearl: https://www.instagram.com/thenoirpearl/

Seattle Horror Book Club: https://www.instagram.com/seattlehorrorbookclub/

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

https://punchdrink.com/articles/mexico-city-party-coffee-cockail-carajillo-recipe/

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie Gonzalez Street and Veronica Gonzalez. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources:

https://cafe1820.com/carajillo-history-and-how-to-prepare-it/

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026779-carajillo

https://classbarmag.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/1673/Classic_cocktails:_Carajillo.html

https://www.almave.com/blogs/recipes/ambar-carajillo?srsltid=AfmBOoqpMy1XLwl6IWt-TnUH0qbiapaQ2YGOLOACFozkmhGNlZjV_jtZ&country=US

https://lit.newcity.com/2021/05/10/the-pied-piper-is-back-a-review-of-children-of-chicago-by-cynthia-pelayo/

https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/payment-is-due-on-cynthia-pelayos-children-of-chicago/

https://crimefictionlover.com/2021/02/children-of-chicago-by-cynthia-pelayo/

Don't forget to subscribe to Don't Watch at Night and tune in on Monday!

Patreon Special: Drag Me To Hell (film commentary)

Published January 18, 2026

We're back with a film commentary of 2009's Drag Me To Hell, directed by Sam Raimi and starring Alison Lohman and Justin Long!

This is a full length film commentary episode (audio only) so it's designed to be listened to *as* you watch the movie along with us.

Join us on Patreon HERE: patreon.com/dontwatchatnight

A Sweet Cup of Joe

Published January 16, 2026

We've got an all new BOOK CLUB discussion episode coming up on MONDAY and in preparation for that, we've got some cocktail pairings for you! So go grab everything you need to make these delicious concoctions as you listen!

Children of Chicago by Cynthia Pelayo tells the story of detective Lauren Medina, who sees the calling card at a murder scene in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood and immediately knows the Pied Piper has returned.

It's equal parts police procedural and moody, horror mystery and one thing we picked up quickly about our girl, Medina? She likes her coffee.

So no better excuse than this to make ourselves a Carajillo!

It's one of the best known and most loved coffee drinks in much of Latin America with origins that some place in Cuba, others firmly in Spain, but most definitely: during the time of the Conquest.

It's also become a beloved bevvie in places like Mexico City and the Licor 43 version is said to be the Mexican take on this drink (vs. the rum or brandy version is considered more of a Spanish influence).

Either way? Delicious! Recipe below!

Carajillo Cocktail:

2 oz espresso

2 oz Licor 43

Toss your two ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake it up! Go for that frothy topping and serve in a coup glass or Val's preference: an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.
Recipe courtesy of NY Times Cooking

Carajillo Mocktail:

2 oz Almave Ámbar

1 oz Cold brew concentrate (Val just used espresso)

0.5 oz Agave Nectar

3 dashes NA Orange bitters and 1 dash NA Aromatic bitters (Val used All The Bitter brand)

Same as above, toss this is all in a shaker with a little ice and do a limited shake. Gently mix up the ingredients but avoid too much dilution that will just make your flavors weaken. Serve in a coup or in Val's preferred glass with ice.
Recipe courtesy of Almave

Cheers!

Want to get cocktail pairings early straight to your inbox ahead of book club episodes? Join us over on Patreon!

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010)

Published January 5, 2026

The gang's all here. Today Val and Ron bring 2010's Don't Be Afraid of the Dark to the discussion table as we ring in a new year!

Directed by Troy Nixey with screenplay by Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins. Starring Guy Pearce, Katie Holmes and Bailee Madison.

Plus, the sisters give out their latest recommendations for your viewing/listening purposes. 😘

Don't forget: Book club episode is coming January 19th! Join us in reading Children of Chicago by Cynthia Pelayo and email us your thoughts on it at dontwatchatnightpod@gmail.com .

**This is a scary movie & book focused podcast. Some content may not be suitable for some audiences. Be advised.

⁠Join Don't Watch at Night on Patreon HERE.⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Find the DWAN Letterboxd list here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Don’t Watch at Night is a Ness Production. Executive Producers are Valerie and Veronica. Editing by Valerie. Music by Omar Chakor. Special thanks to Lorenzo Villarreal and Alex Street for production support for this episode.

Episode Resources:

https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/tv-movie-that-inspired-guillermo-del-toros-dont-be-afraid-of-the-dark

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshweiss/2020/10/30/dont-be-afraid-of-the-dark-turns-10-how-guillermo-del-toro-updated-an-obscure-horror-gem-from-1973/

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/oct/06/dont-be-afraid-of-the-dark-review

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dont-be-afraid-of-the-dark-201