Cultish

Stranger Things - Cultish Responds

Dec 30, 2025
Dive into a lively discussion about Season Five of a beloved sci-fi series. The hosts analyze its 80s influences and how nostalgia shapes audience connection. They tackle the intertwined themes of supernatural storytelling and modern politics, questioning how these elements impact immersion. The pressure on creators in a corporate landscape is explored, revealing its potential harm to coherent narratives. Additionally, they debate character development and societal reactions, emphasizing how storytelling reflects deeper cultural shifts.
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INSIGHT

Podcast As Ministry Outreach

  • Cultish uses each episode to include the gospel and reach people leaving cults, claiming 1.6 million downloads in 2025.
  • Andrew attributes at least one person leaving the cults to their resources and ministry impact.
ANECDOTE

Origins Of Cultish

  • Jeremiah recounts when Cultish launched and how Stranger Things predated their podcast by three years.
  • They launched in late 2018 with formal 2019 episodes after Jeff's seizure prompted them to step up.
INSIGHT

Supernatural Appeal Reflects Cultural Longing

  • The hosts link Stranger Things' appeal to a cultural hunger for the supernatural in a post-Christian society.
  • Jeremiah argues people substitute pagan or occult experiences for the 'Jesus-shaped hole' if not satisfied by Christianity.
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