Žižek And So On PREVIEW - Why Television PART 2 w/ Ryan Engley
Nov 3, 2025
Ryan Engley, a cultural critic and co-host of the Why Theory Podcast, dives into the fascinating world of television. He explores how shows like Seinfeld and Severance use audience forgetting to enhance narrative twists. Engley also reveals the intricate role of laugh tracks, treating them as a form of rhythm that deepens meaning rather than just prompting laughs. Additionally, he shares insights from a classroom exercise that uncovers how viewers subconsciously process TV episodes. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the aesthetics of television!
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Deliberate Forgetting Enables Payoff
- Television deliberately induces partial forgetting as a storytelling device to enable later reveals.
- Shows plant details to be ignored then later retrieve them for narrative payoff.
Classroom Bet On Severance Callback
- Ryan Engley recounts predicting a seemingly throwaway detail in Severance would return by season end.
- His students doubted him but the detail reappeared, proving the technique's power.
Chekhov Meets The MacGuffin On TV
- TV mixes Chekhov's gun and MacGuffin strategies to manipulate attention and surprise.
- That interplay lets shows elevate some elements by burying others as apparent throwaways.