They say the Devil’s in the details, but when conspiracies captivate our imaginations, we often overlook the real devils walking among us.
From the creators of the hit podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill comes a new show, Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, which takes you back to the Satanic Panic that gripped America in the 1980s and 90s.
This limited series explores how hysteria gripped parents and teens through cautionary tales like Go Ask Alice, influenced notorious criminal cases like the West Memphis Three, and catapulted the political agenda of the Moral Majority.
Join as we seek to understand how this wave of panic devastated innocent lives and diverted the church’s attention from the evil lurking in its own pews.
Last refreshed: ⓘ
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
In our final bonus episode, Mike Cosper and Rebekah Sebastian talk with exoneree, producer, author, podcaster, and advocate Amanda Knox. Amanda was a 20-year-old American student in Perugia in 2007 when her roommate, Meredith Kercher, was murdered in the apartment they shared. Italian prosecutors quickly zeroed in on Amanda, casting her as the instigator of a lurid, senseless crime and claiming she pulled her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, into it. She and Raffaele were convicted in 2009, a...
In this bonus episode, Mike Cosper sits down with attorney and advocate Rachel Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. Together, they discuss what it really costs to tell the truth, the devastating realities survivors face, and how the church can either protect the vulnerable, or fail them completely. Denhollander offers a powerful perspective on justice, accountability, and the Christian community’s responsibility to confront both false narratives and the ...
Mike Cosper and Rebekah Sebastian sit down with Chris Lane, District Attorney of Floyd County, Indiana, and Matt Martens, a Washington, D.C. defense attorney and author of Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal . Together, they unpack the tensions between prosecution and defense, the challenges created by systemic limitations, and the unique factors in the West Memphis 3 case that frustrated and bewildered so many of us. We’re grateful to Chris Lane and Matt Martens for joining us for ...
In this bonus episode of The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea , Mike Cosper sits down with former Congressman Adam Kinzinger for an intimate and wide-ranging conversation about January 6th, conspiracy thinking in the church and in congress, and the price he paid for speaking truth to power. Kinzinger shares what it was like to be inside the Capitol as the insurrection unfolded, and the spiritual deconstruction and political reckoning that followed. This conversation is a powerful reminder of how easi...
In this bonus episode of Devil and the Deep Blue Sea , we explore one of the most difficult and essential topics raised in season 1: abuse. Joined by guests Colleen Ramser and Mary DeMuth, we discuss the complexities of trauma, memory, and belief, especially when it comes to hearing and honoring the stories of survivors. From systemic failures in churches to the personal weight of silence and shame, this conversation is both heavy and hopeful. You’ll also find links below to the important work a...
Season One may be wrapped—but the story isn’t over. In this bonus episode of The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, we bring you a dynamic conversation between two returning guests—Matthew D. Taylor and Robert Downen—who unpack the lingering impact of the Satanic Panic and the modern evangelical movement, including the events of January 6, 2021. You’ll also hear from a DDBS from a listener in Australia, who recounts the chilling true story of a fatal exorcism that took place in rural Australia in 1993...
Stay tuned to the end for news from Mike Cosper and Rebekah Sebastian on upcoming Bonus episodes! In the finale of Devil and the Deep Blue Sea , we try to do the impossible: tie the threads together. From criminal cases to political crusades, we retrace the lines between fear, faith, and power that shaped the Satanic Panic—and continue influencing our world today. Mike Cosper and Rebekah Sebastian open with a game that highlights just how absurd things got, then dive into the deeper questions: W...
As we approach the end of the series, we learn that the Satanic Panic didn’t end with a bang. It was more of a slow fade-out. The Religious Right had secured major political and cultural victories. Evangelicals no longer needed Satan to galvanize their movement—their influence was cemented. Fear of the Devil simply became less useful. Today’s episode marks a turning point in the series. Join us as we revisit the concept of memory—this time with two experts who spent their careers trying to prope...
Remember Mike Warnke, the world’s #1 Christian comedian from Episode 3? We’ll revisit his story with a little fact-checking, but first, we introduce you to another infamous figure of the Satanic Panic: Lauren Stratford. Her memoir, Satan’s Underground , recounted her harrowing experience with satanic ritual abuse in vivid, gruesome detail—capturing the imagination of millions. However, years after her book became a bestseller, her story was thoroughly debunked as a complete fabrication. But Laur...
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea team is on spring break, so we’re taking this opportunity to bring you something a little different. In this interview with show creator and host Mike Cosper, we explore how the ripple effects of the Satanic Panic still echo today. You’ll also learn the story behind the series title—and Mike answers a burning question: Has the church ever truly reckoned with its role in the panic? Then, stick around for a special bonus: some of our favorite moments from the Devil ...
Do you hear what I hear? Backmasking. From the Beatles to Led Zeppelin, rumors of hidden, subversive messages in popular music sent Christians into a frenzy. Backmasking wasn’t just a recording trick—it was seen as proof that rock musicians weren’t just after album sales but after the very souls of our children. Today, we’re unpacking the hysteria around backmasking, but first let’s explore the conservative resurgence and the world events that set the stage for a full-blown moral panic. We’ll be...
In today’s episode, we’re exploring how fear and false memories motivated us to believe stories that were horrific yet too compelling to check. It started with Jay’s Journal , where Beatrice Sparks transformed teenage angst into a cautionary tale of demonic possession. Then, Michelle Remembers , the book that introduced the idea that buried trauma could be unlocked through recovered memory therapy—if only you had the right guide. But the idea that memories—especially traumatic ones—could be buri...
August 8, 1974—Richard Nixon resigns. The country watches as the law-and-order president falls under the weight of his own corruption, leaving behind a legacy of paranoia, scandal, and a crisis of trust in American institutions. But as one political era collapsed, another movement began to take shape. In this episode, we track the shifting tides of the 1970s—from Watergate’s unraveling to the unlikely rise of Jimmy Carter, a Southern Baptist reformer who captured the White House and disrupted th...
The 1960s promised a revolution—civil rights, moon landings, peace, love, and rock and roll. But it also brought riots, rising drug use, and missing kids. By decade’s end, American parents weren’t just worried—they were terrified. This episode follows Art Linkletter, America’s beloved TV host, whose daughter Diane fell to her death in 1969. The official ruling? Suicide. But Linkletter blamed LSD and the counterculture, launching an anti-drug crusade that aligned him with President Nixon and fuel...
“Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” launches its first season by exploring the Satanic Panic, a troubling era when America became convinced of hidden occult activity. It contrasts the ultra-conservative Duggar family, whose rigid lifestyle was meant to protect from outside evil, with the West Memphis Three, three teenagers falsely accused of satanic ritual murders. The episode highlights how fear and misinformation led to wrongful convictions and overlooked real predation within "wholesome" communities, diverting attention from genuine evils.
They say the Devil’s in the details, but when conspiracies captivate our imaginations, we often overlook the real devils walking among us. From the creators of the hit podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill comes a new show, Devil and the Deep Blue Sea , which takes you back to the Satanic Panic that gripped America in the 1980s and 90s. This limited series explores how hysteria gripped parents and teens through cautionary tales like Go Ask Alice , influenced notorious criminal cases like the We...
