NaN/100 votesLoading...#1 - What Dragons Say About Us
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 10/22/2018
In the first episode of Monstrum, Dr. Emily Zarka reveals the mythological origins of iconic dragons from Game of Thrones and The Hobbit, and explains why dragons have been a part of human culture for thousands of years.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#2 - Rethinking Frankenstein's Monster
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/22/2018
Now celebrating its 200th anniversary, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was a revolutionary text that pioneered the sci-fi genre. On the surface, it’s a novel about a scary monster, but the sympathetic description of a soulful creature makes us rethink the label.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#3 - Post-Dracula Vampires: From Anne Rice to Twilight
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 11/5/2018
Stories of blood-sucking monsters have been around for centuries. But the one who have outlived them all is Dracula! Revisit the Count and other vampires he inspired in this episode of Monstrum
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#4 - The Original Headless Horseman
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 11/19/2018
Meet the Headless Horseman and his terrifying cousin, the Irish Dullahan, in this episode of Monstrum.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#5 - Release the Kraken!
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 1/8/2019
Legend has it this monster could take down ships, grab sailors off decks, and create whirlpools. Meet the Kraken in the latest episode of Monstrum from PBS Digital Studios!
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#6 - The Origin of Medusa
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 1/8/2019
Medusa has inspired art for centuries, whether as a symbol of protection or a monster. Explore her literary and cultural history in this episode of Monstrum from PBS Digital Studios.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#7 - Are White Walkers Really Nordic Zombies?
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 4/12/2019
What do the Sagas of the Icelanders and Game of Thrones have in common? Dr. Zarka answers this question and explores how the draugr, Nordic undead monsters, bear a striking resemblance to the White Walkers—and more importantly, how these monsters connect to the history of Ancient Nordic peoples.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#8 - El Chupacabras, a Modern Mystery
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 5/10/2019
Did you know there are two different types of chupacabras? Or that these bloodsucking monsters only starting popping up 25 years ago? Sightings of el chupacabras, the “goatsucker,” began in Puerto Rico in 1994 for a very real reason—the unexplained deaths of many farm animals.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#9 - Godzilla and Mothra: King and Queen of the Kaiju
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 5/24/2019
Godzilla is one of the most recognizable monsters in film, and he should be. After all, he is part of the longest running film franchise in the world, but you might be surprised to learn that his history in literature is just as prolific. Without his giant footsteps paving the way, we wouldn’t have the female kaijū Mothra, who is perhaps even more beloved.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#10 - How Chimaera Mythology Became Reality
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 6/27/2019
The impossible, three-headed monster of Ancient Greek mythology, the Chimaera, may have started off as a fantasy, but today, the word “chimera” can be used to refer to anything that seems impossible. This includes the real-life, interspecies animals humans have successfully created.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#11 - The Legend of La Llorona
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 8/5/2019
The legend of La Llorona, the “weeping woman,” has terrified generations. This female ghost wanders in the darkness, crying as she searches for her children--the children she murdered. Some even say that she will capture other kids in her desperation. How could a murderous mother become such a cultural symbol?
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#12 - Golem: The Mysterious Clay Monster of Jewish Lore
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 8/2/2019
Made from clay and animated by the sacred word of G-d, the golem of Jewish origin has evolved from a 6th-century meditation of creation, to a source of labor, and finally, an avenging symbol of redemption. The golem many people recognize today wasn’t invented until the 19th century--but how did it become so influential?
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#13 - Martians! How Aliens Invaded Earth
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 8/9/2019
From the invading, high-tech aliens of ‘War of the Worlds’ to post-world war escapism literature and even real-life scientific exploration today, the stories of Martians have changed throughout time. Find out how we’ve gone from viewing Mars as a pre-existing utopia populated by alien races to actually seeing the planet as a potential new home for earthlings.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#14 - Windigo: The Flesh-Eating Monster of Native American Legend
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 10/17/2019
Explore the symbolic interpretations of the windigo with Dr. Zarka as she explains how this Native American legend can teach us about the spiritual beliefs and social values of the early indigenous peoples of North America.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#15 - Banshee: Ireland's Screaming Harbinger of Death
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 10/17/2019
Dr. Zarka shows how this wailing female ghost connects to the very real Irish tradition of keening— a rhythmic wailing and mourning performed by women as part of the death ritual. Tune in to see how fact and fiction combine to create a supernatural tradition that connects the people of Ireland to their ancestors.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#16 - Cyclops: The Origin Story of this Terrifying One-Eyed Giant
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 10/17/2019
In this episode, you’ll hear all about Homer’s Polyphemus and Hesiod’s one-eyed blacksmiths, but also a little about the role paleontology has played in creating monsters. Join Dr. Zarka and special guests Kallie Moore and Blake de Pastino from Eons to learn all about the surprising fossil inspiration behind cyclopes.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#17 - Blame the Tokoloshe! South Africa’s Most Notorious Goblin
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 10/17/2019
Connected to witchcraft, sexual predation, and mischief, the tokoloshe is a dominant myth in South Africa. There are different kinds of tokoloshe/tikoloshe, but one thing remains the same in all versions of the monster: they cause havoc in the lives of all those unfortunate enough to encounter them. They’re blamed from everything from murder and possession to divorce and debt.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#18 - Manananggal: A Flying, Disembodied, Blood Sucking Nightmare
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 10/17/2019
One of the Phillipine’s most dangerous and bizarre aswangs, the viscera-sucking, self-segmenting monster hunts at night. A beautiful woman by day, this creature detaches its upper torso and grows wings after sunset. An intestine-dangling nightmare woman with a taste for fetuses sounds like absolutely madness, but can she teach us about the history of social and religious power in Filipino culture?
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#19 - Mothman: America's Notorious Winged Monster
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 10/17/2019
Dr. Z travels to the town of Point Pleasant, WV to research the complicated history of the flying creature and how the town was forever changed by the myth of the Mothman. Newspapers gave the winged, red-eyed creature its name after it was spotted on November 15, 1966—an incident followed by almost a hundred other eyewitness accounts.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#20 - The Wicked Feline Murder Floof, a Yule Cat Story
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 12/20/2019
Christmas isn’t just a time for presents, cookies, and holiday cheer, but the hunting period of Iceland’s murderous monster feline, the Yule Cat. This giant, fluffy cat towers over buildings, roaming the snowy countryside for human victims who have yet to receive new clothes before Christmas.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#21 - Leshy: The Slavic Lord of the Forest
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 2/21/2020
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.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#22 - The Dark Origins of Hansel and Gretel
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 2/28/2020
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.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#23 - The Crazed Hunt for the Himalayan Yeti
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 3/26/2020
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.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#24 - Jinn: The Ancient Arabian Shapeshifters
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 5/8/2020
Jinn is a popular character in fiction and their origins continue to influence Islamic cultures today. From the Qur’an to The Thousand and One Nights, the story of Aladdin to I Dream of Jeannie and everything in between—the jinn are more than just a being trapped in a lamp who grants wishes. They’re powerful, intellectual entities whose stories are woven into ancient Islamic culture.
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NaN/100 votesLoading...#25 - Slender Man: How The Internet Created a Monster
Season 2 Episode 5 - Aired 5/29/2020
Dr. Zarka explains the timeline of this Internet folklore sensation, examining how unlike so many other monster origins stories, we know exactly when and why this one was created. From Creepypasta to video games, horror movies to doctored photographs, Slenderman is everywhere. Find out why he consumes our imaginations.
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The Best Episodes of Monstrum
Every episode of Monstrum ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Monstrum!
The world is full of monsters, myths, and legends and Monstrum isn’t afraid to take a closer look. The show, hosted by Emily Zarka, Ph.D.,...
Genre:Documentary
Best Episodes Summary
"What Dragons Say About Us" is the best rated episode of "Monstrum". It scored N/A/10 based on 0 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 10/22/2018. This episode scored NaN points higher than the second highest rated, "Rethinking Frankenstein's Monster".