Where to start withArchive 81
2 versions · originally a podcast, 2016
Themes: liminal spaces, altered reality, psychological disintegration, cosmic horror, found footage.
Start with Archive 81 (Dead Signals, 2016) — the podcast. Archive 81 exists in 2 versions across media, beginning as a podcast in 2016; each is ranked below by what it does best.
An archivist reconstructs mysterious 1994 recordings made by Melody Pendras inside an apartment building, uncovering dark disappearances.
✦ Most fans start here
Archive 81 (2016)
The original podcast
✦ Start hereArchive 81
Dead Signals · Podcast · 2016
The 2016 podcast Archive 81 delivers found-footage audio horror through restored 1994 cassette interviews. It is ideal for listeners seeking short, immersive episodes centered on ritual, sound, and Dan's disappearance.
2022 series
Archive 81
Rebecca Sonnenshine · Series · 2022
The 2022 television series Archive 81 expands the mystery into visual supernatural horror, following Dan Turner in a remote Catskills facility as he restores damaged videotapes depicting a 1994 cult.
Common questions
How long are episodes of the Archive 81 podcast?
Episodes of the Archive 81 podcast run approximately 15 to 30 minutes each. The show is presented as a scripted fiction radio drama using found-footage audio, documenting cassette tapes that an archivist is tasked with restoring.
Is Archive 81 a podcast or a TV show?
Archive 81 originated in 2016 as a scripted found-footage horror podcast created by Daniel Powell and Marc Sollinger for Dead Signals. The property was later adapted for the screen as a television series titled Archive 81 in 2022.
What is the Archive 81 podcast about?
Archive 81 is a found-footage horror podcast exploring ritual, stories, and the subconscious. It follows Dan, an archivist who vanishes after listening to 1994 cassette recordings made by Melody Pendras inside an old high-rise apartment building.
Who voices the main characters in Archive 81?
In the Archive 81 podcast, co-creator Daniel Powell voices Dan, the archivist hired to restore the recorded materials. The character of Melody Pendras, who recorded the 1994 apartment building interviews, is voiced by Amelia Kidd.