Strange, Dark & Mysterious: How the Stories Became a Podcast
The stories started as short videos. In 2022 they got a home of their own: a weekly podcast. Here is how it works.
What is the podcast called?
The full name: MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories. Those three words, strange, dark and mysterious, sum up every episode.
When did it start?
February 2022: that's when the first episodes went out.
Every Monday: new episodes come out on Mondays.
Where can you listen?
Amazon Music: in September 2022 Amazon Music got the exclusive rights to the podcast, so that's where you'll find it.
YouTube: the channel at @MrBallen, where it all began in March 2020.
What makes an episode?
True crime, mysteries and the unexplained: some episodes are real cases, some are mysteries nobody has solved, and some are simply scary.
The victim's point of view: I tell the story from the side of the person it happened to, not the person who did it.
Who is behind it?
Ballen Studios: I co-founded Ballen Studios, which makes the show.
How does the podcast show up in the merch?
The title, in script: our Strange, Dark & Mysterious design spells out the podcast's three words in a worn, old-style script.
Scenes from the woods: other designs carry the mood of the stories, like a campsite at night and a question nobody wants to hear.
Curious what each design shows? Read the stories behind our designs.