In this episode, we trace the rise (and backlash) of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope and explores why this character rarely survives in horror.
Unlike the indie rom-coms that birthed her, horror has no use for a paper-thin catalyst character. Here, the “manic” gets dialed up to maniacal, the “dream” turns nightmare, and instead of saving sad boys, she’s reclaiming her own narrative or getting messily destroyed in the process.
We’ll talk final girls, feminine rage, and what happens when you give the quirky side character (ahem) 'teeth'.
Because in horror, this adorable psychopath is NOT your muse—she’s your reckoning.
*This episode has no real spoilers, but here are some of the films we discuss:
Carrie (1976)
The Fifth Element (1997)
Bride of Chucky (1998)
House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
The Loved Ones (2009)
Jennifer's Body (some spoilers here, kinda) (2009)
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Ingrid Goes West (2017)
The Babysitter (2017)
The Babysitter 2: Killer Queen (2020)
The Last Girl in Soho (2021)
Pearl (2022)
Maxxine (2024)
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