‘Dark Sanctum’ Delivers Chills and Thrills with “Detour” [Dread Pod Picks]
Welcome to Dread Pod Picks, a column spotlighting the freshest episodes from across the Dread Central Podcast Network. This week’s pick is Dark Sanctum, Mark Ramsey’s full-cast audio horror anthology, and its new episode “Detour.”
Mark Ramsey has been a fixture in horror audio for years, building an impressive résumé of obsessively researched and tightly produced narrative podcasts. Perhaps best known to horror fans for his popular Inside Jaws, Inside The Exorcist, Inside Psycho, and Inside Star Wars series, Ramsey once again delivers the creepy, cinematic goods with Dark Sanctum.
Dark Sanctum is a horror anthology of audio “movies” inspired by classic radio dramas and shows like The Twilight Zone and Tales from the Crypt, and is executive produced by Josh Korngut (Development Hell) and Rachel Reeves for Dread Central, and Paul Anderson and Scott McCarthy for Workhouse Media. Complete with a full cast of talented performers, Dark Sanctum pulls big names into small, intense stories of drama and terror.
Across its 14 episodes, the series features performers such as Bethany Joy Lenz (One Tree Hill, Dexter), Clive Standen (Vikings, The Morning Show), Michael O’Neill (Dallas Buyers Club, Seabiscuit), Sam Daly (The Office, Bel-Air), Maxwell Caulfield (Grease 2, Empire Records), Lucy Martin (Vikings), Jeannie Tirado (The Last City, Death Stranding 2), Karissa Vacker (Castle), and more. Further supported by Jeff Schmidt’s sound design, each Dark Sanctum entry is tailor-made to induce goosebumps.
“Detour”
Making its debut on the Dread Central Podcast Network, “Detour” recounts the tale of a man racing home to repay a debt. However, fate (or something far more sinister) soon throws a wrench into his best-laid plans, sending him on a devastating detour that risks the lives of his wife and young daughter. Tense and truly affecting, “Detour” hooks you with its heartfelt horror and concludes by sending shivers down your spine. Before he knows it, the man finds himself confronted with some of life’s biggest questions. After all, what truly matters? What does one truly value in this life? And, who can you trust to be there at the end of it all?
What makes Dark Sanctum stand out from the audio drama podcast crowd is Ramsey’s ability to engage all the senses with his immersive, evocative storytelling. In the grand horror tradition of creatives like Stephen King, Guillermo del Toro, and Mike Flanagan, Ramsey knows some of the best horror originates from within.
In an interview with Dread Central’s own Josh Korngut, Ramsey spoke on the matter, stating, “People forget that some of the most terrifying stories were first experienced on the radio. In horror, everything terrifying…has a root in something real, something internal.” In “Detour,” this dedication to the power of fear, phobias, and the imagination comes through with ease as the central character is confronted and unable to change the events he set in motion.
Often clocking in under 30 minutes from start to finish, each episode of Dark Sanctum delivers a compact horror experience. Immersive and expertly executed, Ramsey’s brand of horror feels practical, textural, and lovingly handcrafted from a true genre disciple. Perfectly bite-sized, Dark Sanctum is a podcast companion that can transform any boring bus ride, routine commute, evening dog walk, or house-cleaning session into a rewarding, chilling, cinematic listening experience.
Where to Listen
If paywalls kept you away before, now is a great time to crawl back into Mark Ramsey’s world and see what scares and secrets he has in store for you. Dark Sanctum, the premier horror anthology audio series, is now available on the Dread Central Podcast Network, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday. Subscribe to Dark Sanctum on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen and follow @dreadcentral on social media for future pod updates.
Craving more Dread Pod Picks? Bookmark this column for spotlight features on standout episodes across the Dread Central Podcast Network with short, curated recommendations from our horror pod-obsessed staff.
