It’s pretty uncommon for a podcast to run for 14 years, especially a fiction one. In fact, Welcome to Night Vale holds the title for the longest continuously running fiction podcast. (Some might argue for We’re Alive, but that has taken a few significant breaks between seasons.) The tale of Night Vale, the fictional desert town, now spans 12 seasons, over 280 episodes, three books, and at least 10 live standalone shows. While investing several hundred hours in listening to every episode might seem like a lot, trust me, you’ll be hooked once you dive in.
The show is created by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, who draw inspiration from the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Each season has its own storyline, but overall, it unfolds in an alternate version of Earth where Angels are real—which is illegal to acknowledge; librarians are terrifying creatures with “thousands of spiny legs” and “pincers”; and a Faceless Old Woman secretly resides in your home.
These ideas are certainly unsettling at first glance. However, instead of trying to scare the audience, Cranor and Fink embrace the absurdity of cosmic horror and manage to keep things light-hearted. They also challenge the bigotry found in Lovecraft’s works, using Lovecraftian elements to craft stories filled with LGBTQ+ characters.
But it’s not just the well-written scripts and engaging storylines that make Welcome to Night Vale exceptional. The cast, especially narrator Cecil Baldwin, truly elevates the experience. He voices the central radio show’s host, Cecil Palmer, and has the gravitas to narrate ominous tales of secret government agencies and ancient gods. Yet, he can switch gears to deliver light-hearted banter with a sentient patch of haze (which, by the way, goes by Deb).
Cecil Baldwin has a knack for making even mundane topics like a toaster repair manual intriguing. His voice can convey creepiness, humor, or comfort, sometimes all within a single episode. (Because of this, I wouldn’t recommend listening to Night Vale at night. I’ve dozed off to Baldwin’s soothing voice a few times, only for the unsettling parts to sneak into my dreams.)
Every episode also features a musical intermission known as “The Weather.” While it primarily highlights lesser-known artists, notable alumni include Jason Isbell, The Mountain Goats, Waxahatchee, Angel Olsen, Open Mike Eagle, and Sylvan Esso.
Welcome to Night Vale serves as a fantastic introduction to horror for younger listeners. I wouldn’t dream of suggesting my eight-year-old read any of H.P. Lovecraft’s works—largely due to the man’s blatant racism and the often excessive violence. But Night Vale takes those horrors and transforms them into entertaining stories. I can play the podcast, connect with my kid over our shared fascination with all things eerie and strange, and feel good knowing they’ll take away a positive message.
Welcome to Night Vale is accessible on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Pocketcasts, YouTube, and Spotify.
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Terrence O’Brien
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