Jane Schoenburn’s I SAW THE TV GLOW is a film whose cultural reference points tend to take the form of vibes more than direct nods. But the writer-director's stated inspiration point in DONNIE DARKO can be seen on both the surface — the  recent-past suburban setting, the teenage outcasts struggling to relate to the world around them — and on a deeper level in the protagonists’ slippery grips on reality and their own identity. In the case of I SAW THE TV GLOW, that takes the shape of a trans narrative, the apparentness and relatability of which we discuss with the help of our special guest Emily St. James, before putting these two films side by side to consider their respective takes on teenage alienation, TV as a drug, and secondary realities that no one else can see. And in Your Next Picture Show we recommend a book trilogy that offers a different but complementary spin on media obsession. Please share your comments, thoughts, and questions about DONNIE DARKO, I SAW THE TV GLOW,  or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. Next Pairing: George Miller’s FURIOSA and MAD MAX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices