For Halloween, we head to Huron County, Ontario, to tell the story of Margaret “Maggie” Pollock, a local woman who said she could communicate with spirits and help people find lost things. In 1919, after a man asked her to locate missing oats, Pollock was charged under a Canadian law against fortune-telling and pretending to use occult powers—a law that remained on the books until 2018.
Along the way, we discuss whether we believe in ghosts, what makes a horror movie scary, and why audiences connect with characters’ reactions as much as the monsters on screen. Plus: spooky-season banter, a Halloween movie chat, and a teaser for next episode’s poltergeist story.
00:00 Spooky season, horror movies, and the Blair Witch Project
03:22 Welcome to Canada Is Boring
04:28 Salem’s witch trials—and a Canadian witch story
06:51 Margaret “Maggie” Pollock and her alleged abilities
09:00 Do we believe in ghosts?
17:35 Maggie’s services and her visions of future machines
21:04 A Canadian panic—and the Moreal ad
22:36 The missing oats that brought Maggie to court
24:58 The law against pretending to practice witchcraft
27:23 Psychics, grief, and the ethics of fortune-telling
29:44 Maggie’s conviction and appeal
32:56 The lost ring and Maggie’s supporters
35:23 Police consult Maggie about missing people
37:31 Maggie’s legacy and questions about her accuracy
38:43 The STD Zone: what makes horror movies work?
40:00 Character reactions, Jurassic Park, and modern filmmaking
46:07 What if horror characters weren’t scared?
47:27 A dog at the studio—and wrapping up
48:33 Next episode: a Quebec poltergeist story
51:56 The voicemail button debate
53:00 What we’re doing next
54:01 Outro