Deep Night: CBC's Chilling Summer of 2005
Did You Know? Deep Night was originally planned as a 10-week series but was cut short after 7 episodes, leaving 3 unaired scripts in the CBC archives!
Canada's Short-Lived Horror Anthology
DEEP NIGHT was a horror anthology produced by the CBC in the summer of 2005. Part of their Monday Playbill series (though it ran on Friday nights), it featured:
- 7 chilling episodes mixing horror and science fiction
- Three repurposed episodes from CBC's WINTER'S TALES
- One pilot episode for an unaired sci-fi anthology (EMANATIONS)
- Strong writing and production values reminiscent of NIGHTFALL and VANISHING POINT
🎙️ Behind the Scenes:
"We wanted to create that perfect summer night chill - the kind where you're sweating from heat but shivering from the story."
- Series Producer, CBC internal memo
✉️
"The intercom episode was recorded using actual vintage equipment we found in a building scheduled for demolition - the static and distortion were completely authentic."
- Sound Engineer, via CBC Radio Tech Journal
The Episodes
👻 Someone Just for Me
🎧 July 1, 2005Julie Stewart stars in this tale of childhood trauma resurfacing
👁️ Preview: Bonehouse
TOWN ELDER: (whispering) "You shouldn't have come back, boy. The bones remember."
TEEN: "What are you talking about? Let me go!"
(Sound: Rattling bones, then a deep, unnatural groan)
TOWN ELDER: "Too late. The house is hungry again."
The Creative Forces Behind Deep Night
This anthology brought together some of Canada's finest genre writers:
✍️ Robert J. Sawyer
Hugo Award-winning sci-fi author ("Birth")
✍️ Drew Hayden Taylor
Ojibway playwright and author ("Ice Screams")
✍️ Kendra Fanconi
Vancouver playwright ("Bonehouse")
🎭 Julie Stewart
Star of "Someone Just for Me" (Cold Squad)
Which Deep Night episode chilled you the most?
The Intercom? Bonehouse? Email your picks!
Share Your Deep Night Memories
"We want to hear from fellow Canadian horror audio fans! Did you:
- Listen to these broadcasts when they originally aired in 2005?
- Have a favorite episode or moment that still haunts you?
- Know any behind-the-scenes stories about the production?
Listener Experiences
Sarah (Toronto)
"I recorded 'The Intercom' episode on cassette and listened to it alone in my apartment. When the intercom in my building buzzed unexpectedly that night, I nearly jumped out of my skin! Still the most effective horror audio I've ever heard."
Mark (Winnipeg)
"As a huge Robert J. Sawyer fan, I was thrilled to hear 'Birth' - it's such a shame EMANATIONS never got made. The concept of nanobots achieving consciousness was way ahead of its time and still gives me chills."
Comments may be edited for length/clarity.
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