Monstrum - Season 2 / Year 2020
Season 2 / Year 2020
Network
DatesJan 29, 2020 - Dec 23, 2020
Episodes
Year 2020Episode 17 min
Leshy: The Slavic Lord of the Forest
He can grow higher than the trees, or smaller than a blade of grass. Both demon and deity, guardian and antagonist, the Leshy is rooted deep in the cultural and religious history of the Slavic people.
Jan 29, 2020
Year 2020Episode 27 min
The Dark Origins of Hansel and Gretel
Hansel and Gretel is one of the most famous fairy tales of the Western world, and contains one of the most notorious witches. In this episode you’ll learn about witch trials in Germany, the role famine and poverty play in creating monsters, and how the Grimm brothers evolved oral folklore into legendary tales. The real story of Hansel and Gretel is even more scary than you think.
Feb 19, 2020
Year 2020Episode 37 min
The Crazed Hunt for the Himalayan Yeti
Dr. Zarka examines the yeti’s origins, from Tibetan folklore and religion to the Westernized abominable snowman version. She explains how Buddhist beliefs, a series of intrepid 20th-century explorers, and a creatively translated word make the yeti the creature we recognize today—and how it led to some pretty incredible scientific discoveries.
Mar 11, 2020
Year 2020Episode 47 min
How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse (with Dr. Z)
Apr 6, 2020
Year 2020Episode 57 min
Jinn: The Ancient Arabian Shapeshifter
Apr 15, 2020
Year 2020Episode 67 min
Slender Man: How The Internet Created a Monster
May 14, 2020
Year 2020Episode 77 min
Jorōgumo: The Deadly Spider Woman from Yokai Lore
Although able to appear as a beautiful young woman, the jorōgumo is really a deadly spider monster in disguise. This episode dives into the fascinating world of yōkai and the long history of beautiful women and spiders in Japanese folklore. You’ll learn about the real-world spider that may have inspired this monster, and discover two of the oldest recorded jorōgumo stories in existence.
Jun 11, 2020
Year 2020Episode 87 min
Bunyip: Australia's Mysterious Amphibian Monster
Originating in the stories and beliefs of the southeastern Indigenous peoples of Australia, accounts of the bunyip are widely varied. This episode uses Aboriginal stories, historical records, and fossils to explore the bunyip legend, and take a look at how European colonization impacted Australia and its Indigenous peoples.
Jul 1, 2020
Year 2020Episode 97 min
The Fatal Song of the Sirens
This episode explains how sirens appeared in ancient history, from literature to art, and looks at how the half human half bird creatures became more commonly associated with mermaids. From Ancient Greek legends to Medieval bestiaries, and even Egyptian hieroglyphics, the siren’s history is so much more complicated than you think.
Jul 23, 2020
Year 2020Episode 107 min
Unlocking the Mystery of Loch Ness
While reported sightings of a mysterious creature in Loch Ness go back hundreds of years, it received little global recognition until the 1930s. Historical records, newspapers articles, blockbuster films, and advanced scientific technologies all play a role in this story. Watch this episode to find out what theories have been disproven—and what questions are still unanswered.
Aug 14, 2020
Year 2020Episode 117 min
The Original Urban Legend: Spring-heeled Jack
19th century London and the hunting ground of Spring-Heeled Jack. The fire-breathing, wall-leaping, claw-wielding devil attacked women in their homes and in the streets, terrorizing England for more than 50 years. Learn how Spring-Heeled Jack manifested the fears of the development of urban spaces and the upheaval of social classes and lifestyle changes city life afforded in the 1800s.
Sep 3, 2020
Year 2020Episode 127 min
How Gargoyles Became Monsters
Before these stoney grotesques became monsters they were just water spouts. We still adorn our buildings with the carvings and sculptures of the frightening, funny, and exaggerated forms—but why? Learn all about the strange history of the gargoyle monster and how the power of imagination turned some odd looking architecture into a legendary creature.
Oct 2, 2020
Year 2020Episode 137 min
The Origins of the Zombie, from Haiti to the U.S.
In the first episode of our three-part special series, we explore the complex history of the zombie—from its origins in the spiritual beliefs of the African diaspora to the development of Vodou in Haiti. Learn how one of the most enduring monsters in popular culture evolved in the midst of slavery, racism and prejudice.
Oct 14, 2020
Year 2020Episode 147 min
Why George Romero Changed Zombies Forever
The second episode of our three-part special series looks at the Romero zombie. Considered the “godfather of zombies,” Romero’s 1968 film The Night of the Living Dead introduced the flesh-eating reanimated corpse to popular culture. Notably, the Romero zombie’s introduction during a time of great political and cultural unrest in America impacted how it was received—and why we still talk about it.
Oct 21, 2020
Year 2020Episode 157 min
Modern Zombies: The Rebirth of the Undead
This final episode of our three-part series, brings us to the 21st-century zombie where the monstrous legacy of both the original Haiti zombi and the Romero ghoul play a role in the rebirth of public interest in the zombie. Explore how the effects of new global anxieties like terrorism, bioweapons, global warming and overpopulation have forever solidified the zombie narrative in global society.
Oct 29, 2020
Year 2020Episode 167 min
Nuckelavee: Scotland's Skinless Evil Monstrosity
This horse-like horror of Scottish folklore emerges from the sea bringing death and disease. With origins in Orcadian folklore this demonic creature was blamed for plagues, drought, and death in equal measure. This episode explores how the history of the Orkney Islands, the influence of Norse mythology, a real equine disease, and the kelp trade crafted a terrifying, skinless monster.
Nov 13, 2020
Year 2020Episode 177 min
Pontianak: The Vengeful, Violent Vampiric Ghost of Southeast Asia
Dec 3, 2020
Year 2020Episode 187 min
Kasagonagá: The Cute, Kind Monster We All Need Right Now
A sky deity falling from the sky sounds bad, right? Not if it’s the Kasogonagá! From the mythology of the Toba peoples of South America, this god of lightning, thunder, and rain appears as a small, hairy anteater-like creature and needs a bit of human intervention to return to the skies.
Dec 23, 2020
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