Podcasts
‘The Faculty’ Is the ‘Season of the Witch’ of the ‘Scream’ Franchise [Halloweenies Podcast]
We’re not aliens, we’re discontent.
For the final installment of this season’s Randy’s Recs, which finds the Halloweenies dissecting a film that inspired the Scream franchise, the gang heads to Ohio. No, not Springwood, but the small town of Herrington, where young Midwestern teens are having close encounters with the third kind. The only way to stop ’em? Designer drugs.
You guessed it: We’re talking about The Faculty.
Released on Christmas Day in 1998, Kevin Williamson and Robert Rodriguez‘s sci-fi teen thriller capitalized on the Scream wave with a new genre and a killer cast of Hollywood hotties — from Clea DuVall to Josh Harnett, Elijah Wood to Usher. Although not as successful as its slasher predecessor, The Faculty has since become a beloved cult classic — and, more importantly, is a vital detour when discussing the Scream franchise altogether.
Join co-hosts Justin Gerber, Michael Roffman, Mike Vanderbilt, and Mac Gerber in the lab as they dissect this specimen. Together, they theorize on What-if scenarios involving Williamson’s career, the pros and cons of conformity, whether or not Mary Beth is a tragic character, and, naturally, the film’s unstoppable ’90s soundtrack. Needless to say, the gang doesn’t let up, delivering an epic episode that’s guaranteed to jack you up.
Stream the whole thing below or via iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. Don’t go away, though, as the Halloweenies will return yet again to Woodsboro, California in January to slice and dice through the highly anticipated fifth Scream, which they’ve properly dubbed 5-cream.
New to the Halloweenies? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and this year’s Scream. You can also become a member of their Patreon for hilarious commentaries and one-off episodes, including their recent deep dive on 2019’s Black Christmas.
The Halloweenies hitch a ride out to the small town of Abaddon in Upstate New York to check out this totally killer haunted house that’s opening: Hell House LLC.
Join Michael Roffman, Justin Gerber, and Rachel Reeves as they discuss director Stephen Cognetti’s found footage gem that has since spawned multiple sequels and spinoffs. But, as with anything, nothing is ever quite as good as the original.
Note: This episode was originally released to our patrons in October 2025.
Stream the whole conversation below or subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. New to the Halloweenies? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, The Evil Dead, Chucky, Alien, and Universal Monsters.
This year? Hellraiser AND The Omen.
You can also become a member of their Patreon, The Rewind, for hilariously irreverent commentaries (e.g. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Gremlins, Child’s Play) and one-off deep dives on your favorite rentals (e.g. Saw, 28 Days Later, Manhunter, Near Dark). Each month promises something new and unexpected from the wildest corners of the genre.