Are you a fan of creepy TV anthology classics like The Twilight Zone and Tales from the Crypt? Was your imagination ever held hostage by spine-chilling old-time radio shows like Inner Sanctum or Lights Out? If you enjoy spooky listening like this, you’re in for a treat —just in time for Halloween this year. Mark Ramsey, the creator of Inside The Exorcist, recently announced his next cinematic podcast thriller, Dark Sanctum.
The new scripted seven-episode limited series launches exclusively on Wondery+ on Oct. 17. Here’s what we know about it so far.
Dark Sanctum Premise
This new series blends captivating storytelling with chilling audio and sound design in Dolby Atmos to transport listeners through a twisted audio thrill ride. Each episode reveals cursed items, which propels its own chapter of the story.
Dark Sanctum Voice Cast
The voice cast boasts the talents of Clive Standen (Vikings, Doctor Who), Bethany Joy Lenz (One Tree Hill, Dexter), and Michael O’Neill (Jack Ryan, Dallas Buyers Club).
Dark Sanctum’s Creator
Mark Ramsey is the creator/writer/narrator of acclaimed podcasts like Inside Psycho, Inside The Exorcist, and more. He collaborated with his Inside partner and sound designer Jeff Schmidt, who is known for his work on podcasts-turned-television hits such as Dirty John and Dr. Death.
Trailer
Visit https://wondery.com/shows/dark-sanctum/episode/11539-dark-sanctum to hear the trailer.
Check-In
So? Did you ever listen to classic mystery radio theater like Inner Sanctum or Lights Out?
Not that I’m old enough that I ever heard their original airings…but my parents were. My dad was especially fond of such things and knew I was too. Before one road trip, he found tapes for sale of some of the favorite shows he’d listened to as a kid. Inner Sanctum was among them.
I’d always heard my parents talk about having no TV growing up, only radio shows. That was my first experience appreciating the medium they’d enjoyed, and I was all about it. Who knew you could convey so much with just dialogue and sounds alone?
And now with the technology we have these days to make even better and more realistic sounds…well, let’s just say I’m looking forward to listening to Dark Sanctum on my podcast walks!
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, as well as obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of healing, to learn how she channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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Both the hubster and I listened to re-runs of old radio shows when we were growing up. They played on late night talk radio (me) and Armed Forces Radio (the hubster).
My ideal job would have been to play The Shadow on radio. I have the laugh down perfectly. Alas, that show ended four years before I was born. 🙁
I do have a vague recollection of hearing a western on the radio when I was about two. That would have been in 1960, when my family drove fairly often between Auburn, Alabama, where Dad was in college, and Athens, where we lived until I was three and a half. We must’ve been going through Birmingham, and it had to be Gunsmoke, which was the only western still on the air in 1960.
Don’t laugh; I vividly remember my second Christmas in 1959. A long memory is a blessing, when it’s not a curse. 🙂
I, too, loved hearing about the old time radio shows Mom and Dad listened to, so I started collecting OTR when it began showing up in large numbers online in the late 90s. I traded tapes with other collectors and bought sets of various shows on cassette. Now, most of what has survived can be found in the Internet Archives, curated by the OTRR, Old Time Radio Researchers.
I write a column for my blog column at Horror Addicts a few times a year on OTR. Inner Sanctum will be one of three programs I’ll be writing on for my first column next year. Join me then for “Doors that Creak”. Should be fun!
Ooooo! I wonder if I missed out and any late night radio stations played them when I was growing up? Dang it! lol
Also, if you mentioned before that your husband served, I don’t know if I ever said to pass on a “THANK YOU” on my behalf, but even if I did it’s worth repeating.
Now THAT’S a talent, Mark! Have you ever joined Emz on the Horror Addicts podcast and used that laugh?
I also love that you shared your recollection of being in a car and listening to a radio show with your parents. AND learning about OTRR! I’m positive it was the 90s when my dad gifted me Old Time Radio Greatest Mysteries…a big package with cassettes from all the great old shows. My husband and I used to live in Phoenix and would drive back and forth to Denver 2-3 times a year. That’s what we listened to during our drive.
I’ll keep an eye out for your “Doors That Creak” column. THANKS for sharing that!
And one last comment…memory. I used to think I had a good one, but WOW! You REALLY have a great one. I can see how that would be both a blessing and a curse. lol
Alas, the podcast season is over, but next year I might just do one of my three minute snippets on ol Lamont Cranston and his distinctive laugh. There is at least one episode that is horrific in nature. 😀
I have a stack of those sets, and we used to take them along on our frequent trips from Nashville to Ft. Myers, Florida, where my in-laws lived for many years. I’m not sure their house is still standing after Ian came through. 🙁 Anyhow, my nephew loved The Life of Riley radio show, so I made sure we took along a stack of those cassettes when he rode with us. He especially like the character Digger O’Dell, Your Friendly Undertaker. But then, who didn’t? “D
I used to listen to Dylan Thomas’ Under Milkwood on record a lot as a kid….I know that doesn’t really count, but it was my favourite. And my grandma had that old stereo/TV set/radio and I have some memory of listening to radio shows on that…
Okay now I’m going to have to see if I can find a Life of Riley episode to listen to! LOVE that you introduced your nephew to it! Digger O’Dell…I’m sure I would remember that character if I heard it. It’s not ringing any bells. Gotta fix that! lol
And I hope you can do a quick snip and through in your Lamont Cranston laugh on one of the HA episodes!
Also, yikes. Do you still have any family in Ft. Myers these days? It sure sounds like a lot of places there got wrecked. I hope the house you knew isn’t one of them. So very sad how hard that part of FL got hit. Ugh.
Sure it counts! Any listening experience that left an impression does!
No, my in-laws moved well north ten years ago or so, all the way to Indiana. FiL passed away three years ago, MiL just took a trip to Ireland less than a month after we did! The Auld Sod seems to be a popular destination these days. 😀
Glad to hear they were out of harm’s way. Well, except for sorry to hear about your FiL, but your MiL sounds like she’s not letting any grass grow under her feet!