The Niche Files is a pop culture and media podcast where three nerdy friends dive into cult classics, forgotten gems, and fan favorites. We overanalyze movies, shows, books, and games with humor, deep dives, and plenty of unhinged tangents. Sometimes it’s overlooked, sometimes it’s weird, and sometimes it’s just something we love too much not to share. Expect chaotic debates, fandom hot takes, and maybe too much thought about which fictional characters are... dateable.Come for the nostalgia, stay for the nonsense -- pull up a chair, you’re among friends.

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This week, Ryan tries to record… but the Niche Nook Studios has other plans. Between loud hammering, union-mandated lunch chants, Nerf snipers, and the occasional chainsaw, things get chaotic fast.We’re hitting pause for a few weeks while the dust (and possibly the drywall) settles while we get things ready for season 2. Follow us on social media and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss our return -- hopefully unscathed!Brace yourself.

Season 2 Coming Soon (Pending Structural Repairs)

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Kass loves Broadchurch. Cody hasn’t seen it.In this episode, Kass makes the case for why Broadchurch is such a powerful and enduring series, focusing on its themes, performances, and emotional impact rather than a spoiler-heavy recap. Cody comes in fresh, asking questions and digging into what makes the show stand out from other crime dramas.Content note: discussion includes themes of murder and sexual assault.

Kass and Cody Take on a Difficult Subject

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What do Crowley, The 13th Doctor, Queen Elizabeth II, Anthony Bridgerton, and Richard Madoc all have in common? Next week&#39;s episode of the Niche Files!We will be discussing some difficult topics this time around, but we still hope you’ll join us as we discuss the BBC’s Broadchurch.

Episode 13 Trailer

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This week on The Niche Files, Ryan drags us headfirst into his childhood nostalgia with a deep dive into Holiday World -- the surprisingly wholesome Midwest theme park with free soft drinks, free sunscreen, wooden roller coasters, and a delightful amount of history and lore.We chat about the rides, water coasters, food, accessibility, and all the little details that make this place such a joy. Come for the theme park stories, stay for the shared nostalgia, food envy, and the warm realization that Holiday World is a genuinely happy place.

The Most Magical Place in Indiana

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After a short vacation, The Niche Files is back, and Ryan is already planning a field trip.In this teaser, we start talking about childhood favorite theme parks, questionable ride safety, and why Kass might be actively tempting fate at this point.

Episode 12 Trailer

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This week on The Niche Files, we’re talking about The Muppet Christmas Carol, Cody’s pick for the best adaptation of A Christmas Carol, and the one that somehow manages to be heartfelt, emotional, and extremely Muppet-level chaotic at the same time.We walk through the story, the songs, and the ghosts, talk holiday traditions, and derail ourselves with a Muppet personality quiz along the way. It’s festive, funny, and feral -- exactly how a Christmas episode should be.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (Is the Best Adaptation)

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A simple holiday question turns into disbelief, metaphorical daggers, and a passionate defense of a Muppet-filled “beautiful masterpiece.”Was The Muppet Christmas Carol a yearly tradition -- or did someone in the room somehow miss it entirely?

Episode 11 Trailer

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This week on The Niche Files, we take on The Nightmare Before Christmas, a movie that’s been sparking arguments for decades.Kass makes her case, Cody questions the hype, and Ryan does his best to derail the conversation at every opportunity. We talk big opinions, strong nostalgia, and why this movie hits very differently depending on who you ask.Whether you watch it every year or side-eye the obsession, one thing’s guaranteed: this episode gets chaotic fast.

The Nightmare Before Podcast

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In a world where one Christmas movie dominates every Hot Topic shelf… Three podcasters must face the truth: Is it a masterpiece? Is it overrated? Is it both?

Episode 10 Trailer

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This week on The Niche Files, we’re dropping a special Thanksgiving Day episode and talking about A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving -- from Snoopy’s chaotic cooking to Peppermint Patty inviting herself (and everyone else) over, plus our own questionable childhood traditions and holiday memories.Join us for the holiday vibes! It’s nostalgic, lightly unhinged, and probably the closest thing you’ll get to wholesome from us.

Charlie Brown: The Closest Thing You'll Get to Wholesome

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A small appetizer before our full Thanksgiving episode full of cozy vibes, and Ryan speaking entirely in Charlie Brown–adult gibberish.Here’s the general translation:Happy Thanksgiving! We’re grateful for you -- enjoy your holiday and stay tuned.Want the full word-for-word version? We posted it on our socials.

Episode 9 Trailer

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Join us as we journey back to Lamia for Ella Enchanted, where we read Lucinda’s very real* (*not at all real) AITA post, expose some magical red flags, and accidentally curse each other along the way.

Big Magic and Bad Decisions

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What happens when we step away from vampires and accidentally trip into a fairy-tale disaster zone? Ogres, elves, rogue magic, and a fairy godmother who should’ve been banned from baby showers. Check out the trailer.

Episode 8 Trailer

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This week on The Niche Files, we’re wrapping up spooky month with a special Halloween day release -- Kass’s pick: Interview with the Vampire.From Brad Pitt’s eternal angst to Tom Cruise’s chaotic energy, Kass unpacks Anne Rice’s gothic masterpiece, shares wild behind-the-scenes facts (including the makeup nightmares and River Phoenix’s almost-role), as we laugh our way through murder theaters, moral crises, and vampire drama that’s equal parts tragic and absurd.It’s the perfect bite-sized ending to spooky season. 🦇

Podcast With the Vampire

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Kass takes the mic for a very spirited discussion about a certain A-list actor and a very questionable casting choice.We’re not saying Tom Cruise was the wrong pick… but we get the initial concern. All complaints can be sent directly to Kass at thenichefiles@gmail.com.

Episode 7 Trailer

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The Goosebumps celebration continues -- but this time, things get weirder. Cody takes Ryan and Kass through the show’s strangest, silliest, and most wonderfully unhinged episodes... from evil lawn gnomes and comic-book villains to giant ants and one very cursed baby.We’re not here to scare you (okay, maybe a little); we’re here to celebrate the campiness, chaos, and charm that made 90s Goosebumps impossible to forget.

(Goose) Bumps in the Night pt. 2

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Things are getting weird at The Niche Files! In the upcoming Part 2 of our Goosebumps 30th anniversary special, we&#39;re diving into some of the strangest, silliest, and most gloriously bizarre episodes the &#39;90s had to offer.The awesome dark synthwave cover of the Goosebumps Theme you hear in this trailer is used with permission from our new friend DreamReaper! Seriously, check him out at <a href="https://linktr.ee/dreamreaper" rel="nofollow">Linktree</a> or grab the track on <a href="https://dreamreapermusic.bandcamp.com/track/goosebumps-theme" rel="nofollow">Bandcamp</a>.

Episode 6 Trailer

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This week on The Niche Files, we’re going back to 1995 to revisit the Goosebumps TV series that defined a spooky childhood. Cody counts down her top five favorite episodes, shares why The Haunted Mask is the best episode, and tries to convince Ryan and Kass that some stories are actually timeless.Along the way, we laugh at the cheesy effects, talk about the best monsters, and remember why this show still sticks with us -- even 30 years later. Grab your flashlight and maybe a mask, because nostalgia is about to get weird.

(Goose) Bumps in the Night pt. 1

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Remember reading Goosebumps under the covers with a flashlight? We’re bringing that feeling back. Kick off spooky season with us as we celebrate 30 years of Goosebumps!

Episode 5 Teaser Trailer

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In this week’s episode of The Niche Files, we dive into FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) -- the animated classic that made a generation of kids hug trees.Ryan gets banished to the Shadow Realm, Kass takes the host seat for the first time, and Cody debuts her very first Hear Me Out segment: yes, it’s about Hexxus. (You’ve been warned.) Along the way, we talk Robin Williams’ Batty Rap, Tim Curry’s “Toxic Love,” the VHS nostalgia of 90s classrooms, and whether this eco-fable actually gets its message across.

The Podcast is Erratic

A Second Look at the Overlooked

A trio of nerdy friends chatting about our favorite movies, shows, and whatever else catches our fancy. Sometimes it's underrated, sometimes it's weird, sometimes it's just something we love and want to share. Stay a while and listen...