The Evolution of Horror (podcast)

The Evolution of Horror is a weekly podcast created and hosted by journalist Mike Muncer alongside guests. The podcast is serialised by subgenres including folk horror, paranormal and slashers. Episodes have reviewed classic horror films, cult films, contemporary and new releases.

Premise

Muncer worked as a TV producer on BBC's Film 2018 and he worked on the BBC Radio 1 film podcast Screen Time. Episodes of Evolution of Horror review horror films with a different returning guest reviewers with Muncer, and they have a typical runtime of one to two hours. The show typically releases one episode weekly.

Main episodes are hosted by Mike Muncer (and guest) and are focused on reviewing two films who meet the criteria that series' subgenre. At the end of the episode Muncer will typically ask the guest reviewer their personal favourite horror film. Other episodes feature Muncer interviewing film writers and directors including Robert Eggers, Damien Leone and James Watkins.

List of episodes

Season 1

The first season explores the history of the slasher subgenre and reviews films including Psycho (1960), Halloween (1978) and It Follows (2014).

Season 2

The second season explores horror film featuring ghosts and the paranormal. Film reviews include The Innocents (1961), The Amityville Horror (1979) and Paranormal Activity (2007).

Season 3

The third season explores the folk horror genre. Film reviews include The Wicker Man (1973), The Blair Witch Project (1999) and The Witch (2015).

Reception

ScreenRant included Evolution of Horror in their list of the "10 best podcasts for horror movie fanatics" in 2020. The podcast has won 'Best Media Outlet' in 2024 and 2025 at the Horor Critics Group's The Golden Claw Awards. In August 2018, Evolution of Horror was one of the Guardian's podcasts of the week picked by readers and was described as feeling "like Desert Island Discs for the horror genre".