The Take
This is the Take. It's where you come to understand more about your favorite movies, shows and culture. Our video essays make the story worlds you enter richer and deeper. Think: Endings Explained, Character Studies, Hidden Messages and Symbols Revealed, Actor and Director Profiles, and more.
We want to share our love of visual culture with the world. So here's our Take.
301
The White Lotus Symbolism & Ending: What You Mi...
The White Lotus season 2 had *so much* going on - here's our take on which characters came out of their stay at The White Lotus as winners, and how the show gave us all the clues to its ultimate ending along the way.
11 min
302
The "Good" Ol' Days: Romanticizing an Era That ...
Cinema loves reliving the so-called 'good old days' – but the reality is that the time period wasn’t good for everyone. Click to watch our take on why we should stop looking through the rearview with rose tinted glasses.
14 min
303
Revenge Stories: Satisfying or Problematic?
We love seeing revenge played out on screen, but do revenge narratives that celebrate the vindictive anti-hero enact an unhealthy fantasy that we should be trying to get away from?
11 min
304
Why People Are Turning Away From Harry and Megh...
By trying to set the record straight and elicit some sympathy, have Prince Harry and Megan Markle damaged what people liked about them in the first place?
13 min
305
Your Honor, Season 1 Explained & What To Expect...
SHOWTIME's Your Honor season 1 was full of twists and turns, secrecy and revenge... and now the dangerous cycle is set to continue in season 2! Click to check out our new video unpacking season 1 and sharing our favorite theories about season 2.
12 min
306
Tarot, Astrology, Crystals - Spirituality is re...
Tarot readings, healing crystals, witchcraft, and astrology… spirituality definitely seems to be on the rise both online & irl. But is it just for the aesthetics? Or does it reflect how, even as traditional religion declines, new generations still need to find frameworks that make sense of our troubled times?
10 min
307
The Hot Mess - Why we love a chaotic heroine | ...
The "Hot Mess" has been the queen of the female-led sitcom (and sad-com) for two decades now, but is it time to move on from her as the main representation of young-ish female protagonists onscreen?
16 min
308
Women Everywhere Are Reaching Their Breaking Point
Worldwide there are increasingly more attacks on women’s liberties and lives. Here’s our take on how the global war on women has reached a breaking point – and how we can fight back by learning from other women in similar positions around the world.
14 min
309
How "Toxic" Discourse Can Do More Harm Than Good
Is it time to retire the word “toxic”? It’s beginning to feel like the word is losing its meaning. If everything is toxic, then nothing is...
10 min
310
The Dirtbag is the New Sex Symbol - And We’re H...
For leading men on screen, it looks like the alpha male is out and the dirtbag is in. Click to watch our video on the rise of the dirtbag, and why it’s the perfect moment for men to embrace their rough edges, and show us a more chaotic side of themselves.
13 min
311
Death of the Movie Star - What It Means for Hol...
Hollywood is still full of A-listers, but the true movie star is dying out. But is this because the business has changed, or because actors have changed?
14 min
312
The Fab 4: Why 4-Person Shows Work So Well
The four-person ensemble creates a particular screen magic audiences love, especially on TV. So what is it that's so special about the Fab 4 set up?
13 min
313
You’ve Got Mail - In Defense of Joe's "Toxic" T...
Tom Hanks’ Joe Fox makes some questionable choices in You’ve Got Mail, but Joe’s duplicity gets at the ultimate message of the film – which is that a lot of us are actually living double lives, often without realizing it. Is Joe not actually as toxic as we thought?
14 min
314
How Prince Charming Became a One-Note Joke | TR...
It’s safe to say that the fairy tale princess archetype has been reclaimed, now a far cry from the stereotypical damsel in distress, waiting for her prince. But what about Prince Charming himself? Has he been updated?
16 min
315
The Ugly Pretty Girl: It’s the Stories That Nee...
In 2022, ideas of beauty and self-acceptance feel far more fluid than ever. So does the old-school “ugly-pretty girl” story even work in today’s context?
15 min
316
Gen Z Brought Twee Back and It’s Here to Stay
The "adorkable" trend is back, but Gen Z's new version of twee is a lot less smug and more unfiltered – striving to embrace the DIY creativity in a realer way.
14 min
317
How Kristen Stewart Became an Icon of Authenticity
How did Kristen Stewart go from child actress to Twilight superstar to indie darling? Above all, by owning her authentic self, no matter what anyone thinks. Click to watch our new video on how Kristen became an icon through her non-conformity & authenticity.
13 min
318
Disappearing Content: Media is still getting wi...
When content gets removed from the internet and streaming services…where does it go? And should we be worried about the future of shows that have only ever existed online?
12 min
319
The Millennial Mom - A New Brand of Anxious Par...
Both on screen & in real life, the millennial mom is a master of juggling, up on all the trends, and totally exhausted – expected to be a superwoman as the bare minimum.
15 min
320
House of the Dragon: Rhaenyra, Her Own Worst Enemy
How did Rhaenyra Targaryen go from the sweet, timid girl we met in episode one to a woman willing to burn down the entirety of Westeros to settle a grudge against her former best friend?
12 min
321
Gen Z Dating: Not the Puriteens They're Made Ou...
Gen Z’s dating priorities may be different, but are they really the "puriteens" they’re made out to be?
11 min
322
The Crown S5 Explained, The Institution vs It’s...
The Crown S5 has faced a lot of criticism for being too soft on the Royals. The Crown invites us to blame the system in order to sympathize with the rich elites caught in its crossfire, and asks if we need a Monarchy at all if it does more harm than good, even for those who are meant to benefit most from it?
11 min
323
Drew Barrymore - Troubled Child Star to Memeabl...
In our new video, we're taking a look at how Drew Barrymore beat the curse of the child star, and why it’s so satisfying for us to watch her succeed.
11 min
324
The Childfree Woman Trope Needs a SERIOUS Update
On screen, motherhood is still depicted as the idealized end goal for all women, to the point where depictions of childfree women often feel reductive or even vilified. Watch our take on the childfree woman, why she desperately needs an upgrade to reflect society’s changing attitude towards the decision to not be a parent.
17 min
325
Female Friendship Stories Are FINALLY Taking Over
The new generation of female BFFs onscreen are finally dispensing with so many bad cliches and showcasing how having a true friend makes everything in life better.
15 min