Final Girl meets haunted Chuck E. Cheese! In a world of killer animatronics, flickering security monitors, and childhood trauma, Abby might be the smallest Final Girl we’ve covered, but she’s also one of the fiercest. This week, we dive into Five Nights at Freddy’s and its pint-sized protagonist who manages to survive a gauntlet of ghost kids and malfunctioning mascots with her empathy, resilience, and a seriously uncanny ability to communicate with the dead.Spoiler warning: This episode contains major plot points from Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023).Theme song by Max AnsonMore at final-girls.com, and join our Patreon!
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FINAL DADDIES: The Creature from Frankenstein (2025)
FREE PATREON PREVIEW - SHE'S ALIVE! Our Patreon, that is. This is a FREE preview of our Patreon-only Final Daddies series, in which we break down the Final Daddy journey of Jacob Elordi's Creature from Guillmero del Toro's 2025 Frankenstein remake. We cover the design, the gorgeousness, the tenderness, the tragedy, the male loneliness epidemic, the queer codes, and whether this version of the Monster is a certified Final Daddy or not. SIGN UP FOR OUR PATREON HERE!www.final-girls.com
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Jessica from Thanksgiving
This year, there will be no leftovers! Let’s carve into the surprisingly sharp Thanksgiving (2023) and shine the carving knife spotlight on Jessica, our privileged but persistent Final Girl with a… locket (?) We talk all about her arc, Black Friday madness, and the camp vibes of this Eli Roth holiday slasher. We also dig into the film’s commentary on consumerism, social media rot, and the absurdity of American traditions. Spoiler warning: We talk plot twists and dinner-table deaths and everything in between.Theme by Max Ansonwww.final-girls.comPatreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/FinalGirlsThePodcast
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Carly from House of Wax
Join us this week to revisit the gloriously grotesque 2005 cult favorite House of Wax, and our Final Girl Carly, played by the scream-worthy Elisha Cuthbert. We dig into Carly’s transformation from fashion intern and Waffle House waitress to one of the grimiest, grittiest Final Girls of the 2000s. We also unpack the heavy 2000s vibes: the Interpol and Deftones soundtrack, the roadside voyeurism, the Paris Hilton-era celebrity spectacle, and the cultural moment this movie captured. Plus, we talk about how the marketing made Paris Hilton the real horror bait.Spoiler warning: We reveal who melts, who shatters, and who walks away covered in wax and ready to fight.Theme by Max Anson www.final-girls.com
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Deena from Night of the Reaper
We’re heading to the suburbs with Night of the Reaper (2025), a love letter to 80s slasher classics with a modern, blood-soaked twist. Our Final Girl is Deena, a criminology major home from college for what should’ve been a cozy fall break. Instead, she finds herself at the center of a violent, terrifying mystery… and face to face with a masked killer who is dragging the past to the surface.Find our recent guest appearances hereSpoiler warning: If you haven’t watched Night of the Reaper, now’s your chance to press play before the body count rises.Theme by Max AnsonVisit us at www.final-girls.com
Final Girls is a dynamic podcast that dives deep into the world of horror by examining one iconic final girl per episode. Co-hosted by Kellie and Sarah — both UC Davis alumni with strong academic backgrounds — each installment dissects the tropes, triumphs, and challenges of these resilient characters. Drawing from Kellie’s expertise in Human-Computer Interaction and Film, and Sarah’s insights from History and Political Science, the show brings a unique blend of sharp analysis and genuine passion to every discussion.
Each episode explores the final girl's journey in detail, from the creative escape scenes that have become cult favorites to the narrative complexities that define their battles against overwhelming odds. Final Girls celebrates the spirit of women who fight back, inviting listeners to rethink classic horror tropes and appreciate the empowering narratives that make these characters enduring cultural icons.
This podcast is not only a must-listen for horror enthusiasts but also for anyone interested in the intersection of storytelling, gender, and cultural critique.
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