The Me In The TV: A Sci-Fi, Horror That Meets Your Expectations

Gordon Phillips’s The Me In The TV is a tight 7-minute long film that neatly mixes horror with science fiction. A must watch for the aficionados of this genre, the short deftly touches upon themes of technology, psychological horror and fantasy with a dash of comedy. When realtor (Katya Kasatkina) introduces Sophie (Mika Wysocki) to her newly leased apartment, little does she know that it is already occupied, albeit by an ancient TV. A harmless entity, one might think until it fills its screen with a live broadcast from an unknown source. And that’s The Me In The TV’s catch–the prop that Phillips uses to propel his story forward.

The distorted reality that plays out is very dexterously embedded in its linear narrative, smart edit and a befitting background score. There are very few jump scares, little dialogues, but all expertly inserted into the timeline that makes its minuscule duration even more effective. It works in its favour, because it leaves you longing for more and yet, any longer, it would have lost its punch. Add to that, the domestic space, as minimalistic as it might seem, becomes our focal point as soon as the film picks pace. The unsettling sensorial experience of its inhabitant becomes an added bonus to a film that manages to successfully pack in a lot of details.

A special mention needs to be made of the production design. Usually films that rely on their indoor spaces for the timeline to build up lose the rhythm and options as they quickly run out of presenting the confined space with originality. However, to cinematographer James D Bowen’s credit, the camera follows Sophie and manages to hold the pace. We discover the apartment along with her, the surprise and shock of uncovering the contents of its jammed closet is as unnerving to us as it is for her. 

Phillips understands the pulse of his audience. Leaving the audience to discover it along with Sophie not only manages to form a bond with her, which is perhaps the most underrated part of any film of this genre–and, Phillips manages to crack it well. Add to that Wysocki’s effortless performance, and we become hooked from the opening scene. As a friendly neighbour Kyle (Steven Oktaras) enters the apartment, the story kicks off, with a hint of romance and comedy delicately balanced within its storyline. Peppered sparingly with slapstick comedy, the short manages to remain true to its theme–the malicious entity that has been programmed in the TV. The broadcasting soon begins to raise concerns and within minutes even question one’s sense of reality.

Wysocki and Oktaras raise the bar. There’s an easy chemistry between the two, without which the film could have easily lost its tempo, especially considering its short duration–a risky move that paid off well. What Phillips manages to bring forth is a unique style of narration and storytelling that leaves you with the satisfaction of a good old horror film but backed with something very visceral even though it’s technology-based. The pacing is adequately fast to keep one engaged, and leaves one begging for a sequel, in fact. The vignette style short carries with it a lot of potential that easily can be translated into a feature.

For those into psychological horror, this is a must watch and for those tiptoeing around horror and science fiction, this is a good place to start!

Watch The Me In The TV Short Film Trailer