The Familiars was an American indie horror folk band formed in Oklahoma in 1989. It consisted of members Marsha Bluthe (lead vocals, guitar), Molly Knightly (vocals, bass guitar), and Cedric Johnson (drums). The band is noteworthy for its focus on macabre subject matter such as murder and demonic possession, as well as its usage of cats, pumpkins, and 1950s and 1960s movie monsters as its primary iconography.

The band released its only album, "Toil 'N Trouble", on October 12th, 1989. It became notable when approximately 9 days after the album's release, all three of the band's members were reported as missing by their family and friends. Though a search was initiated, none of the members were ever located and no bodies were ever found. There was, according to Johnson's mother Diane Jorgenson, "no reason [the band members] would up and leave without warning", though it's been asserted by conspiracy theorists that the members disappeared of their own accord based on the only available piece of evidence, a handwritten note found in Bluthe and Knightly's shared apartment that read "nevar [sic] watch. look again. gone gone now".

Bluthe and Knightly had previously made a name for themselves in their community by publicly sharing tales of paranormal phenomenon they asserted were all true. These stories were viewed by a majority of listeners as fictitious accounts of supernatural activity invented by the couple to increase interest in their band's music. With fans, however, the stories were taken as true happenings that had lent inspiration to the band's music.

i wonder if there's actually a band called "the familiars" lol