By Amy Watkins
Horror fiction has long been a genre that thrives on the unseen, the unspoken, and the unsettling. First Word on Horror, a fifteen-part docuseries debuting exclusively on Substack on February 7, takes that ethos and applies it to its own profoundly revealing form. Directed by Emmy and WGA winner Philip Gelatt, the series offers a rare look at some of the most formidable voices in contemporary horror. For aspiring horror writers and enthusiasts, Philip Gelatt’s fifteen-part docuseries First Word on Horror is a must-watch.
What makes The First Word in Horror particularly interesting is that the authors aren’t afraid to reveal the unfiltered details of their paths into horror writing. They discuss the early stages of their careers, what drove them to the genre (with some shocking stories), and how they craft their terrifying tales. Each episode offers an intimate look at their creative process, with interspersed clips that bring their haunting excerpts to life.
The series is divided into three segments, each focusing on a different writer. The first three episodes spotlight novelist Stephen Graham Jones. A member of the Blackfeet Nation, Jones frames horror as something hardwired into human evolution. His reading from Dear Final Girls, a collaboration with Jolyon Yates, is particularly chilling, made even more unsettling by his quiet, almost hypnotic delivery.
The next set of episodes turns to Paul Tremblay, an award-winning author and editor whose novel The Cabin at the End of the World was recently adapted into a film. A high school math teacher by day, Tremblay describes his teaching job as a “safety net” that allows him to explore horror’s strange and unsettling realms. His reading of The Teacher, a Bram Stoker Award-nominated short story, is unnervingly calm.
Elizabeth Hand, an acclaimed novelist, essayist, and comic book writer, takes the spotlight in the following three episodes. She reads from her short story The Bacchae, available on Nightmare Magazine. Though she doesn’t necessarily believe in the supernatural, she does believe that evil exists – the darker side of human nature driving her stories. However, viewers should be aware that Episode 8 delves into themes of sexual assault, which may be distressing to some.
Each writer brings a unique tone and perspective to the series, but all deliver deeply unsettling glimpses into the horror universe. Whether you’re an aspiring horror writer looking for insight or a devoted fan of the genre, The First Word in Horror is an enthralling and spine-chilling experience.
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