Spoilers are ahead for I Saw the TV Glow & We’re All Going to the World’s Fair.

With an 84% aggregate score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, writer-director Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow is an astonishing sophomore feature that builds upon the singular aesthetic and compelling themes of the filmmaker’s micro-budget directorial debut. Schoenbrun’s first feature-length film, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, is equally unsettling, trading in the same kind of coming-of-age psychological horror as A24’s Twin Peaks-inspired I Saw the TV Glow. Although the writer-director’s second outing deepens the psychological wounds and widens its narrative ambitions, there’s a lot of overlap between the two films.

In Schoenbrun’s We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, the filmmaker examines a teen’s obsessive relationship with the internet, viral challenges, and twisted validation, while I Saw the TV Glow indulges in ’90s cult classic TV show nostalgia — and just how comforting these other worlds can be for isolated teens. Between I Saw the TV Glow‘s killer soundtrack and menacing atmosphere, it’s also clear that Schoenbrun has refined a lot of their filmmaking hallmarks. Luckily for fans of the director’s work, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair and I Saw the TV Glow are the first two installments in a planned trilogy.

I Saw The TV Glow Is Part Of Jane Schoenbrun’s Screen Trilogy

A24’s Hit Horror Movie Is The Second In A Series Of Linked Films

Jane Schoenbrun referred to We’re All Going to the World’s Fair as the first installment in their so-called “Screen Trilogy.” Instead of meditating on the all-consuming nature of the internet, and its potential for self-discovery, the filmmaker’s second entry in the Screen Trilogy tackles a different kind of looking glass: the television screen (via Variety). Also referred to as Schoenbrun’s “Self-Induced Hallucination” trilogy in reference to their similarly titled 2018 Slender Man documentary, the filmmaker’s movies delve into how fiction can invade one’s reality, as it does with I Saw the TV Glow‘s cast of characters.

In the Twin Peaks-inspired I Saw the TV Glow, teenage loners Owen (Justice Smith) and Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) find connection and solace in a TV show called The Pink Opaque. Throughout the film, Owen and Maddy find so much comfort in The Pink Opaque that they begin to see themselves as the series’ main characters, Isabel and Tara. As the characters age, their reality begins to blur with the fictional TV show, which, in turn, reshapes and unearths their most authentic identities. Sometimes, the fuzzy glow of a TV or computer screen is the most effective mirror.

Schoenbrun’s We’re All Going To The World’s Fair Is A Must-Watch

The I Saw The TV Glow Director’s Debut Feature Is Also A Psychological Horror Film

An intelligent internet horror tale, 2022’s World’s Fair was a huge hit following its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. We’re All Going to the World’s Fair centers on lonely teenager Casey (Anna Cobb), who lives a relatively isolated life with her single father. After learning about the viral “World’s Fair Challenge,” Casey takes the bait: She says, “I want to go to the World’s Fair” on camera three times, pricks her finger, smears blood on her laptop, and watches a strange video. Other World’s Fair challenge-takers post their own alleged psychological and physical changes on YouTube.

The reaction videos and updates that World’s Fair participants post only furthers the notion that the challenge is having an effect on them. Casey indulges in this, creating updates that grow increasingly more disturbing as the film goes on. An internet stranger, JLB (Michael J. Rogers), expresses concern for Casey’s well-being. Casey claims that she’s just playing along and indulging the challenge’s darker elements, but We’re All Going to the World’s Fair keeps the truth, and Casey’s understanding of her own reality, ambiguous. Undoubtedly, Schoenbrun’s debut narrative feature taps into the dysphoric nature of the internet.

I Saw The TV Glow & We’re All Going To The World’s Fair Examine Gender Dysphoria Through A Horror Lens

Director Jane Schoenbrun’s Screen Trilogy Films Share Similar Themes

While I Saw the TV Glow is more explicit about its themes, both of Schoenbrun’s films explore coming of age, trans identity, and gender dysphoria. For Owen, The Pink Opaque television show is more than just an escape — it’s a place of refuge. The teenager disassociates from the weight of their reality when watching The Pink Opaque, and, through it, comes to understand their authentic self. Owen, who feels reflected by teenage protagonist Isabel, can’t quite accept their trans identity, making the imaginary realm of The Pink Opaque a kind of safe space.

Only Maddy, who sees herself reflected in The Pink Opaque‘s confident and queer-coded Tara, knows Owen’s truth. By taking refuge in the show, Owen is able to find happiness in the anonymity of being Isabel — if only in the teen’s imaginings. Similarly, Casey feels accepted in the virtual escape of the internet. Thanks to the rabbit hole of The World’s Fair Challenge, a horror augmented-reality game, Casey is able to connect with others, all while her reality blurs with the fiction of the game. When things become too real, Casey can even hide behind her internet avatar.

In I Saw the TV Glow‘s ending, Owen is weighed down by the secret they’ve kept buried. In fact, Owen’s inability to confront their transness takes a physical, mental, and emotional toll. After having a panic attack at work, Owen slices open their chest and dares to look at the wound. Inside, Owen sees the glow of TV snow; importantly, the character finally takes action. As I Saw the TV Glow‘s background details remind viewers, it’s not too late for Owen to live authentically, and it’s that blurring of the real and unreal that brings the character to this realization.

What We Know About The Third Movie In Schoenbrun’s Screen Trilogy

The Director’s Next Film Will Likely Tackle Similar Themes But With A Different Piece Of Technology

In interviews, Schoenbrun touched on a possible sequel to I Saw the TV Glow, but noted that it would have to revisit the story from a fresh perspective. Of course, that’s also almost exactly what the Screen Trilogy aims to do. Thematically speaking, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair and I Saw the TV Glow tread similar ground, even though the latter refines its themes. As of June 2024, Schoenbrun hasn’t announced their next project, but it’s likely that a third installment in the Screen Trilogy will tackle another looking glass, be it a phone, iPod, or Game Boy.

Source: Variety