Pop Xulture Newsletter # 37
Xollection Machine: Re-Watching Shows, Relationship Advice, Etc. 9/4/25
Hi Friends and welcome to another quick Newsletter! I’ve got some updates and then a few interesting things I’ve found online.
Xurrent News
I was interviewed on “The Ride Home” radio show on August 14th (2025) and really enjoyed the conversation. The topics involved a horrible industrial accident in Pittsburgh, my time in manufacturing, and where we can find hope when things get bad. Spoiler: I talked a little about a new kitten we adopted named Marion (Murder Mittens). I’d love if you listen here!
I’ve also been hard at work on my Humility book and on a few mini-article exclusives for you. A few weeks ago I published “Why Fictionalized Crime is the Most Flourishing Streaming Genre.” This was my first mini-article, although I’ve done a ton of them for you as parts of my Newsletters in the past.
I have three more mini-article drafts already started for you, so I hope to be giving you some fun stuff consistently in the future. I’ll dangle the topics: appreciating good music, space songs, and biblical connections about gender and marriage.
Xollection Machine: Re-Watching Shows, Relationship Advice & Wrexham
Why We Re-Watch Shows
In an article published back in July titled “Seen it All Before,” Melissa Kirsch asked why everyone is “rewatching the prestige shows of the early 21st century”? It seems like every couple months someone is writing about the comfort of watching old shows. But Kirsch’s article is interesting for a few reasons.
Firstly, that there is a focus on the last 25 years (yes, she addresses that we’re a quarter of the way through this century, humorously acknowledging: “I don’t know how to process that either”). But second, she gives quite a few reasons why we re-watch even while our queues of unwatched content stack up. For those reasons, read the article!
Problems with Married Partnership (and How to Fix)
Recently I was apologizing to my wife for how much I unwittingly took her for granted in the early years of our marriage. I thought I was pulling my weight but over the years realized I wasn’t a good partner. And shortly after that conversation, these videos from marriageishappening on Instagram came across her feed. I highly recommend:
-Part 1 - Societal norms of unbalanced married partnership
-Part 2 - As the video’s description says: “Women often move through the world centering community vs. men who have been encouraged and allowed to center [themselves].” (Plus a great highway patrol officer analogy!)
-Part 3 - Examples of fixing partnership
Welcome to Wrexham’s Emmys
Also, I’m not sure if I’m happier about Welcome to Wrexham’s nomination for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program, or that the Emmy’s have something called “Unstructured Reality.” (BONUS: I wrote a little something on Welcome to Wrexham here.)
Xoncluding Thoughts
As always I appreciate you reading my Newsletter and hope you enjoyed the Xollection Machine!
Thanks, in Him,
-Chris (the Bearded Wonder) Fogle