Fictional

Jason Weiser, Carissa Weiser | Nextpod

Classic lit with a modern tone, every other week.

From the creators of Myths and Legends, comes an altogether same-but-different podcast set in the world of classic lit. These are the stories of Dracula, The Time Machine, The Three Musketeers. They're stories written by Jane Austen, Shakespeare, and H.P. Lovecraft, but with a casual, modern tone. Listen as Jason and Carissa Weiser breathe new life into the classics and tell the stories of some of the greatest books ever written.

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20 episodes
Updated Oct 15, 2025

Episodes20

Newest first

Wizard of Oz: The Great and Terrible (Part 3 of 3)
On the season six finale of Fictional, the Wicked Witch of the West is dead, but it came at a terrible cost. Still, Dorothy needs only to travel back to the Emerald City to finally make her way home. If only things were so simple. Adapted from "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum: https://myths.link/oz Myths and Legends: https://www.mythpodcast.com
Oct 15, 2025 · 50 min
Wizard of Oz: Witchhunters (Part 2 of 3)
Dorothy and the party make their way via crumbling yellow brick to the Emerald City, but all is not what it seems, and Oz, the Great and Terrible, has a gruesome request for them. Adapted from "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum: https://myths.link/oz
Oct 1, 2025 · 42 min
Wizard of Oz: Defying Gravity (part 1 of 3)
A girl from Kansas takes a ride on a cyclone to a bizarre, ridiculous, and dangerous land. Adapted from "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum: https://myths.link/oz
Sep 17, 2025 · 36 min
Arsene Lupin: Unseen
Two stories of Arsene Lupin. In the first, the Queen's necklace has gone missing from a locked and guarded room. On the second, a man just wants to relax on the train where he won't be crowded by loud, smoking people...or getting tied up and repeatedly punched in the face. Sources: Arsene Lupin: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/6133/pg6133-images.html
Sep 3, 2025 · 40 min
O. Henry: Desperate Men
Two stories of crime and punishment and why kidnapping is wrong and dangerous but not for the reasons that you think. By American author O. Henry. Stories: The Ransom of Red Chief: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Whirligigs/The_Ransom_of_Red_Chief After Twenty Years: https://americanliterature.com/author/o-henry/short-story/after-twenty-years/
Aug 7, 2025 · 38 min
Sherlock Holmes: Burn
A man discovers something reading the paper on his train ride into London: he's wanted for murder. What does he do next? Lead police on a low-speed chase to 221B Baker Street. Say hi on discord: https://myths.link/discord
Jul 23, 2025 · 36 min
Edgar Allan Poe: The Forgotten
Two stories from Edgar Allan Poe about the masks we wear and the work we do and the profound consequences of both. Today's stories were adapted from: "Hop-frog" by Edgar Allan Poe: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Poe%27s_Tales_of_Mystery_and_Imagination/Hop-Frog "The Oval Portrait" by Edgar Allan Poe: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Works_of_the_Late_Edgar_Allan_Poe_(1850)/Volume_1/The_Oval_Portrait
Jul 9, 2025 · 36 min
Philip K. Dick: Veg
Dr. Henry Harris has been called to the outpost for asteroid Y-3, humanity's first line of defense against a vast, strange galaxy, because there's a strange infection growing among the soldiers of the outpost: they think they're turning into plants. Adapted from "Piper in the Woods" by Philip K. Dick: (Warning, link NSFW as it contains a drawing of a nude alien) https://myths.link/piper
Jun 25, 2025 · 35 min
The Island of Doctor Moreau: The Mark of the Beast (part 2 of 2)
The secret of the island is out, and Doctor Moreau is close to his greatest achievement. Will Edward Pendrick make it home, and, if he manages to get away from the island of horrors, what sort of man will he be when he returns? Adapted from "The Island of Doctor Moreau" by H.G. Wells. Connect with us on Discord: https://myth.links/discord Want ad-free episodes? Find us on Apple Podcasts or join the Myths and Legends membership at https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership NOTE: Ad-free episodes start with this and the next episode. I will work on getting the previous seasons uploaded, but currently it's just these two.
Jun 11, 2025 · 41 min
The Island of Doctor Moreau: An Almost Religious Awe (part 1 of 2)
When Edward Pendrick makes it into the lifeboat as the Lady Vain sinks, he thinks he's one of the lucky ones. Upon finding his way to the Island, populated with curious people, a reclusive genius, and his shamed assistant, he might question just how lucky he truly is. Adapted from "The Island of Doctor Moreau" by H.G. Wells. Connect with us on Discord: https://myth.links/discord Want ad-free episodes? Find us on Apple Podcasts or join the Myths and Legends membership at https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership NOTE: Ad-free episodes start with this and the next episode. I will work on getting the previous seasons uploaded, but currently it's just these two.
Jun 11, 2025 · 42 min
Special - Christmas Ghost Stories: Phantoms
Hi! It's been awhile. Thanks for your patience. Today is a special episode and not the start of the next season, but a new season is coming in 2025. In Victorian England, they told ghost stories on Christmas. Today, we have three ghost stories from that era. The stories today were adapted by the Weisers from "The Old Portrait" by Hume Nisbet, "The Ghost's Summons" by Ada Buisson, and "Old Applejoy's Ghost" by Frank R. Stockton. Links! Discord: https://myths.link/discord Twitter: https://x.com/fictionalpod Mastodon (might not be approved, yet): https://mstdn.social/@fictional
Dec 24, 2024 · 48 min
Jack London: The You You Are
Dr. Freddie Drummond is in a great position: a fulfilling job, a wonderful fiancée, and the respect of titans of industry. So...why is he going out at night, living a double life? Today's story was based on "South of the Slot" by Jack London.
Dec 1, 2022 · 32 min
Time Enough at Last: One for the Books
Someday Henry Bemis is going to do it. Sometime he is going to go to that wonderful, glorious place and live the life of his dreams. The place? Well, the public library, of course. But...today is not that day. -- Today's episode was inspired by "Time Enough at Last" by Lynn Venable.
Nov 10, 2022 · 27 min
Nikolai Gogol: Nose Goes
What happens when your nose leaves your face...and starts living a better life than you? Today's episode was adapted from the story "The Nose" by Nikolai Gogol. You can find the full text here. -- Looking for something else to listen to? Check out Best of the Worst! It used to be a segment on this show. Now it's a weekly mini-cast. https://www.nextpod.com/botw-subscribe
Oct 27, 2022 · 30 min
Edgar Allan Poe: Comorbid
You receive a letter from an old friend. He isn't doing well. He invites you to visit him at his house. His house...that's eating him whole. Today's episode was inspired by "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe.
Oct 13, 2022 · 43 min
Tolstoy: The Long Way Home
Two men, a servant and his master, take a drive on a snowy evening. The experience will forever alter both of their lives. Adapted from "Master and Man" by Leo Tolstoy. -- If it sounds like it would be your thing, check out Mitos y Leyendas, Myths and Legends in Spanish! https://myths.link/mitos
May 19, 2022 · 42 min
Philip K. Dick: Fallout
It's the 2010s and nuclear war between the US and the Soviet Union has forced humanity into bunkers, scorching the planet and leaving only the Leadys, the semi-sentient robot fighters, to continue to wage the war above against other Leadys. The humans below, however, think that their Leadys might have other motives... -- Adapted from "The Defenders" by Philip K. Dick.
May 5, 2022 · 32 min
Sherlock Holmes: Dealbreaker
We learn which crime Sherlock Holmes thinks is the absolute worst...and it's not what you think it is. Also, the great detective tries his hand at crime himself. Once he crosses that line, will he be able to come back from it? -- Check out Best of the Worst! https://www.nextpod.com/botw
Apr 21, 2022 · 32 min
Alexander Pushkin: A Sure Thing
A young woman working as a servant for a cruel countess falls in love with the man across the street. It seems like a fairy tale, but are there more sinister motivations at play? Adapted from " The Queen of Spades" by Alexander Pushkin
Apr 7, 2022 · 35 min
The Most Dangerous Game: The Hunted
Sanger Rainsford, a big-game hunter, just wants to go home, but he finds himself on an island belonging to General Zaroff, a fellow hunter with twisted, unorthodox tastes. Sanger refuses to go along with Zaroff, but what will last longer, Sanger's adherence to his principles...or his life? Adapted by the Weisers from "The Most Dangerous Game" Read the original: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/O._Henry_Memorial_Award_Prize_Stories_of_1924/The_Most_Dangerous_Game -- Check out our other show, Scoundrel: History's Forgotten Villains, new this week! https://myths.link/scoundrel And if you haven't heard, we turned Best of the Worst into its own twice-weekly mini cast. Subscribe here: https://www.nextpod.com/botw-subscribe
Mar 24, 2022 · 35 min

Fictional

Wizard of Oz: The Great and Terrible (Part 3 of 3)

Wizard of Oz: Witchhunters (Part 2 of 3)

Wizard of Oz: Defying Gravity (part 1 of 3)

Arsene Lupin: Unseen

O. Henry: Desperate Men

Sherlock Holmes: Burn

Edgar Allan Poe: The Forgotten

Philip K. Dick: Veg

The Island of Doctor Moreau: The Mark of the Beast (part 2 of 2)

The Island of Doctor Moreau: An Almost Religious Awe (part 1 of 2)

Special - Christmas Ghost Stories: Phantoms

Jack London: The You You Are

Time Enough at Last: One for the Books

Nikolai Gogol: Nose Goes

Edgar Allan Poe: Comorbid

Tolstoy: The Long Way Home

Philip K. Dick: Fallout

Sherlock Holmes: Dealbreaker

Alexander Pushkin: A Sure Thing

The Most Dangerous Game: The Hunted