I Saw the TV Glow - A Movie Review

We need to talk about the new episode of The Pink Opaque.

I Saw the TV Glow is a 2024 film. Two teenagers bond over their love of a supernatural TV show, but it’s mysteriously canceled. Owen and Maddy are trying to understand their worlds and fighting for an escape from reality.

I have taken a lot of time to decipher the complex and complicated atmosphere of I Saw the TV Glow. This is a strange movie and I wasn’t sure how to react to it. My one takeaway was the positive depiction of how media brings us together, and forms connections.

Justice Smith and Bridgette Lundy-Paine portray Owen and Maddy, two complex characters who connect with their interest in a TV show. Both actors are great in their roles, but the film’s subtle approach to studying their minds is left too ambiguous.

Smith is a talented actor, but the movies he’s been cast in have not commended his talents. Owen is implied to have a mental disability. He has a hard time interacting with the world, except for Maddy. With this observation, Owen’s behavior makes more sense. I felt bad about how things were left with his character.

Lundy-Paine is great in their performance. Maddy is a complex character who is running from demons. Aside from that, this character is vague. If the story had a more focused angle, we needed to delve more into Maddy’s psyche.

More credits include Ian Foreman, Danielle Deadwyler, Helen Howard, Lindsay Jordan, and Fred Durst. Side characters don’t have much focus, but they’re important in our lead characters' development.

Jane Schoenbrun’s direction is more fragmented than cohesive. We’re left to piece together this strange world that constantly switches between fantasy and reality. Owen or Maddy breaks the fourth wall in some scenes and narrates to the audience.

Her direction is meek and doesn’t convey much action. Most line delivery is bland. Owen fidgets with his backpack, having no idea what to do for almost an entire scene.

The story aside, Schoenbrun does a good job with the aesthetic. The visual style complements the film’s exploration of mental health, media influence, and the blurring of reality and illusion. Some sequences matched a disoriented music video with chaotic visuals.

One of the film’s most impactful takeaways is how the role of television has shaped connections. The Pink Opaque, the show that Owen and Maddy watch plays an integral part in the story. The Pink Opaque is meant to remind viewers of shows they binged as kids. What was your favorite show growing up? Remind yourself about the lessons you learned.

Owen and Maddy have conversations and debates about certain topics. Movies/media create a world for people to express opinions on their favorite subjects. As a movie fanatic, this element of the film spoke to me. Movies are a big part of who I am and I would be lost without them.

What is the movie building up to? Several times I thought the movie was going somewhere until hopping down the rabbit hole for more nonsense. All of a sudden, the movie just ends without any resolution.

Ultimately, I Saw the TV Glow is a peculiar and challenging film that requires careful contemplation. Almost every review I have read has had a different opinion from me. The film was uncomfortable to watch at times, especially the symbolic action Owen does to himself in the climax.

I Saw the TV Glow requires deep analysis. It wasn’t my favorite film and concludes on a downer.