I Saw the TV Glow | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

84% Tomatometer 215 Reviews 72% Popcornmeter 100+ Verified Ratings

Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

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I Saw the TV Glow

I Saw the TV Glow

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Critics Consensus

With a distinctive visual aesthetic that enhances its emotionally resonant narrative, I Saw the TV Glow further establishes writer-director Jane Schoenbrun as a rising talent.

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Critics Reviews

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I Saw the TV Glow | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Wenlei Ma The Nightly (AU) I Saw the TV Glow is a confident, original film, birthed and crafted in a way that feels wholly different to anything you’ve seen before – certainly not in mainstream Hollywood cinema. Rated: 3.5/5 Sep 6, 2024 Full Review I Saw the TV Glow | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Stephen Romei The Australian The ending is the rawest and best part of this ­unconventional movie. Aug 31, 2024 Full Review I Saw the TV Glow | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Jake Wilson The Age (Australia) The power of I Saw the TV Glow lies precisely in its ambiguity, which may go deeper than was intended. Rated: 3.5/5 Aug 29, 2024 Full Review I Saw the TV Glow | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Cris Kennedy Inner East Review For fans of the esoteric, of chaos, of Lynch, even of Donnie Darko, this will seem brilliant - I carefully use "seem" because this is going to take some slow unpacking at a later date. Rated: 4/5 Sep 6, 2024 Full Review I Saw the TV Glow | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Nadine Whitney The Curb Jane Schoenbrun’s art is singular and strange, seducing the eye and the mind to hone in on their frequency. I Saw the TV Glow crackles on a wavelength of originality and purpose. Rated: A Aug 31, 2024 Full Review I Saw the TV Glow | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Simon Miraudo Movie Squad (RTRFM 92.1) Between this and We're All Going to the world's Fair, Jane Schoenbrun has now made two brilliant, horrifying, poetically articulated movies about body dysmorphia, gender identity and the guilty disquiet of being an alien to oneself. Rated: 5/5 Aug 30, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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James G I feel like the trailer for this movie did it a grave disservice and will likely unfairly harm its rating on here. If I had gone into it with any understanding of what it was, I likely would have enjoyed it even more. I thought I was in for a rather campy horror movie, not a serious commentary on what life is like living with gender dysphoria. Great visuals and a great job done by the cast. Justice Smith has been in a lot of mediocre movies, but this film finally lets you really see that he has some decent acting chops. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/26/24 Full Review Pet_ M I Saw the TV Glow viscerally depicts the struggle of confronting identity as we age. While confronting themes of gender, identity, escapism, isolation, repression, and dissociation, the film imparts the message that avoiding our problems, thoughts, and emotions will only sow the seed of a deeper, inescapable pain. notions of “There is still time” and “I’m dying” are juxtaposed, reminding us of the ever lessening time we have on Earth. It is a cautionary coming of age tale of a protagonist who never comes of age. Owen’s obsession with the Pink Opaque subdues the deeper anxiety he feels relating to his own existence. When passively consuming what is presented through his screen, he avoids the urgent need to find and embrace authenticity in his life. He stays in his hometown, largely alone, spending his days at an unfulfilling job. He is scared, and never confronts the feeling. One can’t talk about the film without examining the conspicuous subject of gender. Jane Schoenbrun asserts their place as both a writer and director with unique taste and execution in their second feature film, making a movie by and for trans people, while still conveying a message that can resonate with anyone. The passage of time is an opportunity, especially in queer temporality, to find solace. The late start and often early end to many trans people’s lives exacerbates the unease of the already short and unforgiving nature of existence. “Does time ever feel like it’s not moving normally?” asks the person once known as Maddy, glaring into the eyes of the viewer in one of several fourth wall breaks. The film is both a meta-commentary on media and a vigorous wake up call to live life wholeheartedly and authentically. This message, mixed with memorable visuals and a stellar soundtrack, is sure to make its home in the hearts of many. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/25/24 Full Review Audience Member I saw this three times, and each was a new experience. There are so many ways to interpret this, and it allows you to understand the story more deeply each time. This is not a traditional horror by any means, and I would recommend it to people who appreciate lighting/visuals/sound in film rather than high-stakes action or adrenaline. While the film has an explicitly queer narrative, this is one that can be enjoyed by anyone who has struggled to make sense of their life and take it into their own hands. To them, I say: there is still time. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/24/24 Full Review Brenda J Really slow and boring. Don’t waste your time. Rated 1/5 Stars • Rated 1 out of 5 stars 06/18/24 Full Review Sky Good. Devestating but good. Will have you feeling raw by the end. Also, killer soundtrack. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/17/24 Full Review Mr. Hollywood Nothing special. Tired of filmmakers who make films where its up to the audience to interpret. All it means is they themselves cant make up their mind so just leaves it open ended. Its lazy Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/11/24 Full Review Read all reviews

I Saw the TV Glow

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Cast & Crew

Jane Schoenbrun Director Justice Smith Owen Brigette Lundy-Paine Maddy Ian Foreman Young Owen Lindsey Jordan Tara Helena Howard Isabel
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Synopsis Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

Director
Jane Schoenbrun

Producer
Emma Stone, Dave McCary, Ali Herting, Sam Intili, Sarah Winshall

Screenwriter
Jane Schoenbrun

Distributor
A24

Production Co
A24

Rating
PG-13 (Thematic Elements|Teen Smoking|Some Sexual Material|Violent Content)

Genre
Sci-Fi, Horror, Drama, LGBTQ+, Mystery & Thriller

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
May 17, 2024, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 14, 2024

Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.5M

Runtime
1h 40m

Sound Mix
Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
Most Popular at Home Now
I Saw the TV Glow | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

Is Owen autistic in I Saw the TV Glow? ›

Therefore, given that I Saw The TV Glow paints Owen going through the journey of initially resisting and finally starting to accept his gender identity, given that he isn't cisgender, he is also far more likely to also be autistic, supporting the reading that he is both transgender — and autistic — whether it was ...

What does the tomatoes mean on movies? ›

When at least 60% of reviews for a movie or TV show are positive, a red tomato is displayed to indicate its Fresh status. When less than 60% of reviews for a movie or TV show are positive, a green splat is displayed to indicate its Rotten status.

What is the meaning of the TV glow? ›

Schoenbrun, who uses they/them pronouns, devised the film as a metaphor for gender dysphoria; to embrace the TV's glow is to actualize one's true identity, which Owen's friend Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) does via The Pink Opaque—the Buffy the Vampire Slayer analogue that galvanized the pair's relationship and gave ...

Who is Owen's father in I Saw the TV Glow? ›

Owen's father Frank derides him for watching a show that is "for girls", while Maddy feels connected to the show as it feels "more real than real life". Two years later, while watching The Pink Opaque, Owen notices Maddy crying. Maddy explains that she has resolved to run away to escape her abusive stepfather.

How scary is I Saw the TV Glow no spoilers? ›

Overall, it's not a bad movie, the slow burn, creepy atmosphere and story could serve as a horror film for some, but I don't see it that way, for me it's a sort of psychologic, experimental, art house drama with a creepy style, but I wouldn't call it horror.

Who is the autistic person on glow up? ›

Sophie Baverstock

She was diagnosed with autism at the age of 17 and admits she “always felt a bit odd”. Speaking on Glow Up, Sophie said: “On a bad day, giving someone eye contact is physically painful. But my autism affects my makeup in a positive way.

Which movie has 100 Rotten Tomatoes? ›

To date, Leave No Trace holds the site's record, with a rating of 100% and 252 positive reviews.

What does tomato mean in slang? ›

“Tomato” is a retro term from the “Mad Men” era used to describe a woman who exudes confidence and knows her way around. Tomatoes are not defined by age or labels like boomers – but are all about living and enjoying life fully, at every age and every stage.

Is 95% Rotten Tomatoes good? ›

As the reviews of a given film accumulate, the Rotten Tomatoes score measures the percentage that are more positive than negative, and assigns an overall fresh or rotten rating to the movie. Scores of over 60 percent are considered fresh, and scores of 59 percent and under are rotten.

What does the ending of I Saw the TV Glow mean? ›

By the end of the movie, Schoenbrun says, "After half a lifetime of resistance, when Owen finally sees that glow inside himself — and to do so, he literally has to open himself up and see the heart that's been taken from him, and see that it's been replaced by this signal that could be something beautiful, but also ...

Is Owen actually Isabel? ›

When Maddy returns to town, she suggests that Owen's reality is fake and that the world of The Pink Opaque is what's real. That is, Owen is Isabel. By that, I Saw the TV Glow means that Owen is a trans woman. Maddy and Owen bonded so deeply over the show because they saw their truest selves in Tara and Isabel.

What is the plot of I Saw the TV Glow? ›

What is the pink opaque I Saw the TV Glow? ›

The characters in I Saw the TV Glow are obsessed with a show called The Pink Opaque that's about two teenagers with glowing ghost tattoos on their necks who met at summer camp and fight supernatural evil using their connection on the psychic plane.

How old is Owen in I Saw the TV Glow? ›

Owen is 12 years old in 7th grade. He approaches a 9th grader named Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine), who is reading a guide book to “The Pink Opaque”.

Was Owen in the Midnight Realm? ›

She disappears for years, and when she returns, she tells Owen she's been inside The Pink Opaque, and that the world he lives in is actually the Midnight Realm, the domain of the show's Big Bad, Mr. Melancholy.

Are the characters in As We See It autistic? ›

In a first for TV, the series, which debuted on Friday, stars three lead actors who identify as autistic, playing characters who are also on the spectrum. Having three leads with autism allowed the show to highlight a range of different experiences and challenges related to life on the spectrum.

Does the actress who plays Quinn have autism? ›

She was diagnosed with autism at age 13, and ADHD at age 22. Hayden has also been diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), endometriosis, and adenomyosis.

Is Emma autistic love on the spectrum? ›

Emma Hodgson(V)

Growing up, she often felt the pressure to blend in with her peers. Not much is known about her life outside of the show since everything is private. One user, tones, confirmed that Emma is on the spectrum, citing a local news story about her diagnosis with Asperger's Syndrome at age 4.

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