Can a fictional television show hold the secret to your true identity?

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In Jane Schoenbrun’s 2024 psychological horror drama, two teenagers bond over a mysterious show that feels more real than their own lives. As they age, the line between their reality and the screen blurs, forcing a terrifying confrontation with the identities they have spent years trying to suppress.

I Saw the TV Glow follows Owen and Maddy, two isolated teens in 1996 who find refuge in a young adult series called The Pink Opaque. While Maddy becomes convinced that she and Owen are actually the show’s protagonists trapped in a pocket universe, Owen struggles to reconcile this with his mundane, stifling life. The film serves as an allegory for the transgender experience, specifically the 'egg crack' moment—the realization that one’s assigned sex does not match their internal identity. Schoenbrun, who began the script shortly after starting hormone replacement therapy, uses the narrative to explore the fear of living a life without ever transitioning.

The film is the second entry in Schoenbrun’s Screen Trilogy and draws heavy inspiration from 1990s television staples like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twin Peaks. By utilizing a 'Buffy-esque' structure, the film examines how media can become a vital coping mechanism for queer youth. However, it avoids explicit depictions of coming out, opting instead for a surreal, Lynchian atmosphere where characters grapple with the claustrophobia of their environments. The visual aesthetic, characterized by vibrant, heightened colors, mirrors the shifting perceptions of the protagonists as they age and their sense of wonder is challenged by the harsh realities of adulthood.

Critical reception has been largely positive, with the film holding an 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While some critics found the experience intentionally uncomfortable or confounding, others, including Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader, have praised its psychological power and originality. The film’s ending, which sees a middle-aged Owen experiencing an existential crisis, highlights the persistent, haunting question of whether it is ever too late to change. Schoenbrun has expressed interest in a potential sequel, suggesting that the story’s themes of identity and the passage of time remain fertile ground for further exploration.

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