How To Watch I Saw The TV Glow At Home

Jane Schoenbrun's audacious, original "I Saw The TV Glow" mesmerized audiences at its Sundance Film Festival debut earlier this year and was given a theatrical release by the folks at A24 last month, but according to The-Numbers, that release only made its way to 469 theaters across North America. Compared to the thousands of theaters that play big movies like "The Fall Guy" or "Inside Out 2," it's safe to guess there are likely a lot of folks who were interested in seeing "I Saw The TV Glow," but it simply wasn't playing in a theater near them. Thankfully, the movie is now available to watch at home digitally, so hopefully the folks who are curious about it will be able to track it down and let it wash over them.

We were impressed by Schoenbrun's previous movie, 2021's "We're All Going to the World's Fair," and were excited to see what the writer/director could do with their next project knowing they'd have access to many more resources this time around. Schoenbrun lived up to high expectations by delivering something singular and unique, a film that feels like it was made by a living, breathing person who has feelings and beliefs and a worldview and a personality as opposed to so many movies today that feel like they have all of their creative edges sanded off for mass consumption.

Here's the official description:

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.

As of now, you can rent "I Saw The TV Glow" from places like Amazon, YouTube, Fandango, and more for $19.99, and/or purchase the digital version for $24.99. And if you're a proponent of physical media, we have good news: The movie will receive a Blu-ray release on July 30, 2024. In the meantime, you can stream the film's original soundtrack on Spotify.

The fictional show at the center of this story is called "The Pink Opaque" (great show name, fun to say, terrific mouthfeel), a kid-centric series that feels like an homage to 1990s Nickelodeon shows like "The Secret World of Alex Mack" as well as slightly more modern shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." While we acknowledge "I Saw The TV Glow" won't be for everyone, it must be commended for the way it absolutely nailed the aesthetic it was trying to capture, as well as for its exploration of themes like obsession and identity. (Schoenbrun, who is trans, has described the movie as a trans allegory, which may add some clarity to your viewing experience if you're going in completely blind.)

In some ways, the fact that this film didn't get a huge theatrical rollout actually feels appropriate for a story about obsessive media watchers who pass around physical copies of their favorite TV show like sacred objects. But I'm glad more people now have the opportunity to seek this out. Once you've watched it, come back and check out our "I Saw The TV Glow" review right here.

The film stars Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, and Helena Howard, with Fred Durst and Danielle Deadwyler in supporting roles as Owen's parents.