''Rabbits'' is a

mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' Films * ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film * ''Mystery'' ( ...

pseudo-documentary A pseudo-documentary or fake documentary is a film or video production that takes the form or style of a documentary film but does not portray real events. Rather, scripted and fictional elements are used to tell the story. The pseudo-documentary, ...

podcast A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosing ...

. Published by Pacific Northwest Stories, it is part of their series of podcasts set in the same

fictional universe A fictional universe, or fictional world, is a self-consistent setting with events, and often other elements, that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed, or fictional realm (or world). Fictional universes may ...

(such as '' The Black Tapes'' and ''

Tanis Tanis ( grc, Τάνις or Τανέως ) or San al-Hagar ( ar, صان الحجر, Ṣān al-Ḥaǧar; egy, ḏꜥn.t ; ; cop, ϫⲁⲛⲓ or or ) is the Greek name for ancient Egyptian ''ḏꜥn.t'', an important archaeological site in the ...

'') which, despite being works of fiction, are presented as legitimate true stories both within the podcast and outside of it; the podcast has no credited writers or performers, as the events and characters are framed as real. The show revolves around a mysterious, dangerous unnamed

alternate reality game An alternate reality game (ARG) is an interactive networked narrative that uses the real world as a platform and employs transmedia storytelling to deliver a story that may be altered by players' ideas or actions. The form is defined by inten ...

nicknamed "Rabbits". The first season follows protagonist Carly Parker, who stumbles upon the game while investigating the disappearance of her friend Yumiko. The second season follows a new character, Riley Bennet, who also comes to investigate the game. A main feature of ''Rabbits'' is the use of

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references, especially to classic

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s like '' Defender'' and ''

Space Ace ''Space Ace'' is a LaserDisc video game produced by Bluth Group, Cinematronics and Advanced Microcomputer Systems (later renamed RDI Video Systems). It was unveiled in October 1983, just four months after the ''Dragon's Lair'' game, followed b ...

''. A second season was announced and its funding was attempted on

Kickstarter Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...

; while it did not reach its goal, the season was still published on Stitcher Prenium.A three episode spin-off miniseries, ''The Path'' was available on Apple in 2021, while a novel written by Miles and also titled ''Rabbits'', a stand-alone story set in the same universe, was released on June 8, 2021. A sequel, ''The Quiet Room'', is due to be published in October 2023.

Episodes

Season 1

Season 2

(Available on Stitcher)

The Path

(Available on Apple)

Reception

''Time'' listed ''Rabbits'' as one of "The 50 Best Podcasts Right Now," saying it is perfect for "people nostalgic for that moment when we couldn't tell if ''

The Blair Witch Project ''The Blair Witch Project'' is a 1999 American supernatural horror film written, directed and edited by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez (director), Eduardo Sánchez. It is a fictional story of three student filmmakers—Heather Donahue, Mic ...

'' was real or not." ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

'' chose ''Rabbits'' as their "Podcast Pick" of the week because part of its fun is that "it feels like it ''almost could'' be true." ''Vox'' chose ''Rabbits'' for a list of "podcasts to get you in the Halloween spirit" because of its "well-acted blend of urban legends, weird fiction, and your average creepypasta."

Neil Patrick Harris Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received multiple accolades throughout ...

called ''Rabbits'' "addictive." Wil Williams criticized ''Rabbits'' for its writing, acting, and production, along with the other Pacific Northwest Stories podcasts

and The Black Tapes, as well as its pacing and advertising ("How am I, the listener, supposed to feel suspense or concern in an intense plot moment when the host stops her narration to talk about Nature Box?"). Lucia Peters criticized the first episode's writing for relying too heavily on exposition.

Novel

In 2021, a ''Rabbits'' novel written by Terry Miles was released. The novel tells a new story set in the same world as the podcast.

References

External links

* {{Official website, https://www.rabbitspodcast.com/ 2017 podcast debuts Podcasts adapted for other media Audio podcasts Horror podcasts Scripted podcasts