How Real is The Rehearsal?

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When you try to make a show deconstructing reality TV and you go too far and deconstruct reality itself...
Nathan Fielder's The Rehearsal takes on a journey from Simulacra to Simulation, to a world of pure imagination.
References:
Vulture Profile: www.vulture.com/article/natha...
Darren Brown - The Heist: • Derren Brown - The Hei...
Synecdoche; New York (2008)
"Simulacra and Simulation" by Jean Baudrillard
Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioral Study of obedience. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67(4), 371-378. doi.org/10.1037/h0040525
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#ThomasFlight #VideoEssay
00:00 "Not Everything is Make-Believe"
01:25 I. The Dark Art of Misdirection
11:13 II. Simulacra and Simulation
15:41 III. Never Question The Premise
18:44 IV. Welcome To The Hyperreal

[@PowerSynopsis]

Nathan Fielder is a genius, or at the very least, a guy that got really good grades.

[@rickysalgado1623]

Don’t forget that he graduated from Canadas top business school too

[@MonsieurDrobot]

Report Card: B- A C+ B- D B+ C-

[@wakegary]

Yea, he's totally a genius... crazy how I heard some bozo howling at the moon about how Nathan is the "King of Loneliness". Nonsense. I expect to see a Centerfold of this #dreammaker in Vanity Fair or even the Diarrhea Times (sounds like a gross gag but it's great and there are tons of dolphin facts).

[@devonmarr9872]

Nathan is the craziest person on the show. He is insane. The good thing is that he is also a genius and has this as his outlet instead of serial killing.

[@user-em4xh9pn5m]

He KILLS.

[@goldmaskfiend]

This description of him reminds me of him in the episode of Nathan For You where he tests a random guy from craigslist's dopamine levels without his knowledge before and after hanging out with him

[@janine7384]

I went to the bar that Nathan recreates in The Rehearsal and the feeling of surreality was something I've never experienced. I felt like there could be a follow up episode of the show about the fans like me who show up there and giggle and take pictures and order the "Nathan Fielder" cocktail. It felt like I was part of the joke.

[@sophcw]

I used to walk by that bar all the time, it was so weird and funny that it was in the show

[@Duncevideos]

They have a drink special now called the Nathan Fielder

[@DisappearingBunny]

Ooh whats in it?

[@Babelfish112]

@@DisappearingBunny poop, probably

[@amaebarnes]

What the hell, how?? I live in Portland and I didn't know about the bar obviously until the season aired and I heard the bar was removed by then. Did you just walk by randomly and see it?

[@claytonkelley4921]

It’s wild. I unknowingly without any knowledge of the plot watched Synecdoche New York for the first time shortly after getting into a Nathan Fielder kick and binging Nathan For You and The Rehearsal. My media consumption is starting to show patterns. Without Nathan’s guidance, I probably wouldn’t have appreciated the genius of SNY so much.

[@ThomasFlight]

It's a terrifying and daunting movie.

[@debrachambers1304]

You're the 3rd person I've seen make the comparison (other than myself), I'm glad there's this much overlap between the audiences for those pieces of media

[@LuisSierra42]

The Truman show also fits this category

[@katyacore]

@@debrachambers1304 I'm a big fan of Kaufman so I kept comparing the two a lot as well as I was watching the rehearsal! I also enjoy Sasha baron Cohen's work which might lack a few layers of complexity but is also about a farce of what is real and what isn't.

[@debrachambers1304]

@@katyacore Nathan Fielder and Charlie Kaufman are both Jewish and both of their mothers are social workers (both of Nathan's parents are actually, but for Charlie it's only his mom)

[@NeoCherrn]

When he had the actor move in with a pair of actors to mimic the situation of the person he was studying, I knew where it was going, and I wasn't surprised when Nathan then moved himself in with a pair of actors acting like the actors that the actor Nathan was following, but I still lost my shit when it happened. Brilliant show!

[@OsaculnenolajO]

Yeah once I figured out what he was doing there I just couldnt stop smiling.

[@Roerco]

same

[@prodigymr9496]

😂

[@KittyPieVibes]

He’s really something else and I love the production team for letting him do this madness

[@natemattern2260]

I think the final scene and the line “No, I’m your dad” is very much the confirmation of Nathan’s realization that the rehearsals are not real. If he would’ve said “oh yeah you’re right. I’m your mom,” it would’ve basically admitted that his whole speech about the validity of emotions and the falsehood of The Rehearsal would have been an act, but him doubling down here shows that he’s not going to take back what he said because he was right. His refusal to take it back shows that he sees himself as a combination of himself, the dad character, and the mom. He has been able to see from others’ perspective and acknowledges the validity of others’ experiences even if we cannot understand them

[@jessegibby9458]

Since it aired, I have been obsessed with The Rehearsal. Hours have been spent trying to extract an understanding from the absolute insanity that Nathan Fielder created. Thank you for making it even more clear!

[@chickennuggetpaw]

Same here! There’s a lot to discuss and delve into with The Rehearsal, and even some in Nathan For You (even though that show was mostly a comedy). I both love and hate how complex it is loll

[@alexcoyg3281]

Nathan is fantastic, love that HBO has smart enough people to let him do his "crazy" ideas. Its everything i ever wanted to see. What a brilliant review and video!!Thank you very much for this!!

[@LuisSierra42]

And they renewed it. HBO is probably the only network willing to do experimental stuff like this

[@alexcoyg3281]

@@LuisSierra42 Exactly !

[@therupoe]

Have you watched How To With John? Produced by Nathan and is also a unique vision.

[@alexcoyg3281]

@@therupoe yes i did, really enjoyed it also

[@28Pluto]

@@alexcoyg3281 Also check out "Painting with John." It's just John Lurie reflecting on his life and telling weird stories, while he sometimes paints. HBO seems to have made the show just on the basis that Lurie's older show "Fishing with John" (which is amazing) has become a cult classic. Thank you, HBO.

[@mrhomard609]

It's funny because Nathan in himself is a character that exists outside of the show, that is one if the best at blurring the line between "what is this guy like outside of his work". And while we usually have no problem doing that with others, a fascination even (especially when you see all that market around gossip news of actors), Nathan is somebody I don't want to know about outside of his work. He managed to perfectly inhabit what he does, making you doubt of everything he shows you. He is the first who made me wonder "ok what's real": reality is the true show in The Rehearsal

[@Buffaloguy1991]

Fun fact about the milligram experiment. The guy cooked his books. It was actually very very common for people to refuse to do the final shock. I'll source my citation as from Humankind a hopeful history but i knew from my own schooling

[@s3yf_]

Was thinking this as well!

[@sophcw]

Like most well known psychology experiments it was fake (cf Stanford Prison Experiment)

[@jn4003]

It was Australian psychologist Gina Perry who investigated Milgram's data and writings and concluded that Milgram had manipulated the results, and that there was a "troubling mismatch between (published) descriptions of the experiment and evidence of what actually transpired." She wrote that "only half of the people who undertook the experiment fully believed it was real and of those, 66% disobeyed the experimenter". She described her findings as "an unexpected outcome" that "leaves social psychology in a difficult situation." Published as PERRY, G. "Deception and Illusion in Milgram's Accounts of the Obedience Experiments". Theoretical & Applied Ethics. (2013) p. 79-92. ISSN 2156-7174.

[@LuisAntonioPerez327]

Look up “The Bad Show Radiolab” they explain how the Milgram experiment has been misinterpreted for decades.

[@ben.7el]

yes was gonna mention this !! I think also (at least) several participants didn't believe it was real so they screwed with it

[@zachtayloriv]

I'm glad to see you going into what The Rehearsal says about reality and reality media. I've seen some other reviews that just wrote as if the show were a straightforward reality show, which I think misses the mark.

[@chickennuggetpaw]

What I think is funny is that The Rehearsal is actually a reality show, or at least closer to being real reality than standard “reality” tv shows are.

[@dddgtsd]

Completely, I like that it's open to interpretation but for me the whole thing was acted/scripted as a satire of reality TV. Everything he is doing in the show to plan out 'The Rehearsal', he is also doing off camera to make the actual show if you get what I mean which makes it even more ridiculous and clever. Strong Synechdoche NY vibes, glad to see it mentioned in this piece.

[@Wrenasmir]

As others have commented, you’ve provided an excellent analysis here. The shot of Willy Wonka hugging Charlie Bucket, mirroring Nathan’s final scene, calling back to the dialogue about Wonka in Episode 1, is all that anybody wondering about ‘Remy’ needs to consider. Tom McCarthy’s ‘Remainder’, Charlie Kaufman’s ‘Synecdoche’, W G Sebald’s ‘Rings of Saturn’, David Shields’ ‘Reality Hunger’, Ross McElwee’s ‘Sherman’s March’, Joshua Oppenheimer’s ‘The Act of Killing’, Friedrich Nietzsche’s ‘Ecce Homo’, René Magritte’s ‘This Is Not A Pipe’, Miguel de Cervantes’ ‘Don Quixote’, and Jon Wilson making risotto. A dream within a dream.

[@piercelearning8321]

William Greaves "Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One"

[@Wrenasmir]

@@piercelearning8321 Absolutely, particularly the character that Greaves plays instead of being himself.

[@bbclaus1716]

Act of Killing is a great call.

[@LadsTalkTime]

Commenting on this to always be reminded of these references when someone else comments. Thanks for sharing!

[@Bucknasty117]

Amazing

[@m_a_k_e_n_n_a]

I loved everything about this show conceptually and artistically but I just hope someone follows up later with Remy. I hope that sweet baby turns out okay

[@ThomasFlight]

His grandma has been reply to posts on Reddit and has said he's fine. www.reddit.com/r/TheRehearsal/comments/wtrkh1/heres_remy_doing_just_fine_and_a_few_other_random/

[@m_a_k_e_n_n_a]

@@ThomasFlight I’m glad, little guy was going through it

[@JovemEverton]

@@m_a_k_e_n_n_a Of course we all got worried, but it is normal for young kids to get very attached to someone so quickly (and it is normal for them to forget about it just as quickly). And the most important thing is that his mother seemed to be a nice and caring person, I'm pretty sure he will be fine.

[@MariaVosa]

@@ThomasFlight And we trust the grandma? It's not like his caretakers have an incentive to say it's all ok.

[@colincnote2120]

Ok but are we sure Remy is even his real name was that even his real mom

[@spurguvitunhuora9119]

“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” Philip K. Dick Quote I couldnt stop thinking about during the first episode. Ive been telling my friends to watch this by saying Its like Charlie Kaufman movie was turned into a s"%tpost. Still its the best summary I could come up with.

[@Piratevirus]

That is the best description

[@rootfish2671]

Wasn't that guy who went crazy and thought Romans were coming to execute him for being a Christian because a pink laser shot him in the head from a satellite called VALIS?

[@JAWNDOEmusic]

I only just noticed this but at 15:00 when Remy (as Adam but not really) says 'i love you Daddy' THATS when Nathan knew IMMEDIATELY that he went too far because you notice his response puts HEAVY emphasis on him calling remy ADAM when he says 'i love you ADAM' back to him and i swear u can see the 'real nathan' break thru for split second

[@baronmix2193]

Wow great catch!!

[@TheNitroPython]

Wtf did he expect though..

[@prodigymr9496]

I don't really believe Nathan the real person ever feels he's went too far.

[@JAWNDOEmusic]

@@prodigymr9496 tbh its impossible to know but i dont have any reaason to think he's an ACTUAL sociopath, he seamed genuine imo, and only in the moments involving Remy/Adam etc which werent staged unless that kids a goddamn prodigious actor lol

[@prodigymr9496]

@@JAWNDOEmusic for us yeah it's impossible to verify but the trend of people like this show they don't really have remorse. I believe he's happy with the outcome of what transpired

[@filmegitmedenonce]

This was a great deep dive!

[@Halkin85]

This is an absolute banger! What a great breakdown and love that you brought in Baudrillard and Synecdoche, New York.

[@chelseachelseachelsea4604]

Baudrillard would just say this is real in. 2022

[@ThePhunnman5]

You are so skilled at consistently identifying, and concisely (and artfully!) communicating, the most important takeaways from pretty much everything you cover. All your videos are so satisfying and well considered. But I think this is my favorite thing of yours I've seen :)

It's nice to be quoted in such an interesting video ! Great analysis

[@ThomasFlight]

Love your work!

[@TritoxHDTV]

Did not expect a Hiérophante reference in this video! I listen to I Should Probably Try Harder when I study

[@rosemerritt1035]

As always, Thomas, amazing video essay on this subject. I’m so glad you’re out there doing the work you do, helping to transcribe the feelings and reactions we have about these things. Honestly, you are the arbiter of seeing and viewing. I’m a subscriber forever.

[@brittany6099]

One of the most concise, intelligent and well articulated video essays ive seen! Congrats on really fantastic work!

[@asig000]

Just wanna say keep up the good work. These video essays are very professional and enthralling. One of my top 5 favorite KZbin channels

[@Foksorie]

This was an incredbile in depth video, one of the best essay videos I've seen on here. Great job

[@dandrechesterfield5411]

Finally a really good breakdown on this show. Thanks so much for taking the time to research this.

[@AUMOTmusic]

I'm so glad you brought up Derren Brown - I kept thinking of him while I watched The Rehearsal. Glad to see I'm not the only one.

[@KevinMakins]

Excellent. Excellent video Thomas Flight. Your videos continue to pull me, both at a psychical level and at the level of entertainment. I especially appreciate the pace. At a time when so many are trying to cram every word they can into every second, there's a patience to your commentary that makes it easy to relax, engage, and reflect. Thanks.

[@JonathanWymer]

Fantastic video, Thomas! I absolutely love this experiment of The Rehearsal. The same philosophical questions you pose here I also felt during the watching of the show.

[@BritneyLaZonga]

"Thomas!" *applause*

[@SW-zb6bf]

This is the best analysis of The Rehearsal. So much realization

[@JeffWortman]

That was a great wrap. I loved the rehearsal. It was so unique, took chances and kept me guessing and questioning the whole way through

[@dippaverse]

I really think this is one of the best channels on youtube, it is endlessly fascinating, and I'm so grateful for the work that goes into it. 🙏

[@fripperiffic]

This video is actually SUPER fucking deep, when you start to weigh out some of the implications, and observations on behavior shaped by culture/peer influence. Really really thought provoking, thank you!

[@rafaelbarbosa4405]

An impeccably done video essay, bravo!

[@YarrBr0]

that juxtaposition of Nathan hugging the actor playing Remy with the Willy Wonka hugging Charlie Bucket clip absolutely blew my mind

[@christamayo1616]

Been waiting for this one ever since the first rehearsal.

[@absurdittie]

I am planning on writing an analysis of The Rehearsal for my Media Theory course. I will definitely use this amazing video in my research.

[@Tinyvalkyrie410]

If you haven’t completed the project yet, I would also highly recommend Super Eyepatch Wolf’s essay on it. It takes a slightly different tact, but is just as revealing.

[@danielshaffer2609]

This is one of the best breakdowns of that show that I've seen, thanks man.

[@orangenostril]

I think a brilliant way he was able to capture "real" people was making part of the premise the actual "rehearsal" itself. I don't doubt that that's how a person would actually act if they were in an experiment where you act out every possible outcome of a real life scenario

[@adolfodominguez1857]

I love that, even if this spoiled the whole show, there's nothing that can prepare you for the experiance of watching it

[@Bjhorn279]

That finale is just something else, adding that Willy Wonka ending for comparison just makes it better. Loved watching you talk about this show, it seems like not enough people are making videos about it.

[@JoeBurgettMusic]

As a guy who lost his father by a car accident, I can relate to the child that did not have a father in real life. But for me, this happened at age 11. I knew the concept of loss, of death. I knew how to handle it even though I was still young. I also had trouble accepting any other man who came into my family's life, even though I needed a Dad and did not know it. This was because I did not want a replacement for my father, I wanted my actual father. Yet for this kid, he craves and needs a Dad. It does not matter to him that it is a replacement as he doesn't even understand that side of it yet. For him, it's gaining back something he never wanted to lose. Sadly, this now sets up the premise that Nathan was unaware of. He might have known he was faking but the kid has trouble grasping that. He only knows there is a new dad. So now he loses yet another Dad in his young life. Sure, it's fake and short-lived but it's still a loss he feels a second time for real. Yes, this made some realism come into play for Nathan that is present somewhat in reality television. He also needed this because he can get past the fake side of "The Rehearsal" situation. He knows he isn't what the show makes him. However, that is why he needed the kid without a father for real. Now HE is the viewer of real, literal reality. Which he now has to deal with, wrestling with the issue of his own ethics and morality legit. His overall show presents a version of Nathan playing a character. Although, ironically in an episode about "Reality TV" that is often fake...we see the most real side of Nathan.

[@russelljazzbeck]

I never thought of the SNY comparison, but I saw that movie back in 08 and it is one of the very few movies that is seared so deeply in my brain. There is something wildly uncanny about that movie that makes it stand so far out from just about every movie I've ever seen. This comparison gives it a whole new layer of meaning. Great analysis here, thanks.

[@TheMakica55]

I haven't even watched the video but I love that you have watched the rehearsal, I love and follow your account for a long time now and I respect your opinion and value your insights. This is gonna be a treat, I can tell 🥰

[@brandonchristopher2110]

Great Video! Was waiting for you to talk about The Hunk from Nathan for you when you were discussing the idea of playing a role when you know you’re on reality tv

[@maardora_art]

Loved this show and this is such a well done video. Great job!

[@1gorSouz4]

An amazing analysis of that show, i could understand it better after this. I didn't realized it had so many layers...

[@nerdude360]

I think it's interesting that just as it becomes hard to know whats real and whats not as the show goes on, it's kinda almost reflective of Nathan's general character. We equally dont know how real his character is, as he kind of blurs that line as the show goes on. It seems like this is something truly representative of his character, and really enriches it through this show. It feels like it was done out of true passion and dedication to the art

[@jacobpaint]

I loved this, I only came across you’re channel a couple of days ago and subscribed, now my finger is poised over the bell. We seem to have similar tastes and interests so the depth in which you analyse films and programs holds my attention. As a side note, I noticed something vaguely interesting about my KZbin habits while watching this. I mostly watch 5 to 10 or maybe 15-minute videos on KZbin but there are some KZbinrs that I will gladly invest much longer in watching. I saw the thumbnail for this video a couple of days ago and was just waiting for a moment when I had the time and right mood to watch, the trick is that I just saw Nathan in the thumbnail and “The Rehearsal”, it was only after I started watching that I recognised your voice and that this wasn't just an episode of Nathan For You or some special by Fielder of which I would happily watch a longer video of but a Thomas Flight video of whom I’m realising that I don't mind watching longer videos from. There is something odd about how I apply my attention to videos on KZbin compared to platforms where the programs are nearly always 30mins or longer even though it’s all just video. In part I think it might be the waffle that happens on KZbin, where people pad out videos just to extend their watch time even though the subject and their insight doesn't warrant it. Someone like Captain Disillusion fills his videos with quality that belies his platform, experience and low subscriber count. A less obvious KZbinr who can often hold my interest in spite of the subject nature being flimsy, is Drew Gooden. I can generally tell by the subject if I want to watch or not and he takes a very balanced approach to what is seemingly superficial nonsense. Then there are more obvious KZbinrs that create solid longer videos* like Derek from Veritasium. *I struggle with the new way of using the word “content”. I get it but it often crosses the line into something else and I don't like where the word is going, ie. Content as the stuff contained within as opposed to “my content” which is a thing in and of itself. Enough rambling.

[@staspanteleev7595]

I also subscribed, having come here from the Metamodernism episode and I also thought about Captain Disillusion. In this new attention economy, it's reassuring to see that even though the bar for long-term content is set so much higher, there are still creators who crash through that bar. It also tells me that my brain's attention span isn't necessarily so fried that I can't consume anything longer than a wikipedia article - but it's that for me to do so, it has to be _good_ enough - and that's getting rare. Brevity is a boon, and we understand its value. But millions of people have no trouble sustaining their attention for 37 minutes if it's Thomas Flight or CD (or Gotham Chess! There are different ways to pass that bar)

[@levih.2158]

Thank you for a great video! I think the show is really interesting, but I find it hard to really put into words w h y it's so interesting. So it's great to hear such a reflective analysis to help understand what's going on. Always looking forward to your videos!

[@blinginlike3p0]

This all mirrors a Borges story (mentioned in Simulation and Simulacra) where a forgotten civilization were such diligent and precise map-makers, that they made larger and larger maps, until the map was the same size as the place that it represented.

[@juanmontero7101]

Fascinating piece here, thanks for creating it and sharing with us.

[@justwatching1980]

Well done. I saw Derren Brown’s The Heist and Synecdoche, New York when they came out and saw the similarities with The Rehearsal during its run. I felt manipulated by Nathan while watching The Rehearsal, so it was effective. Most media is meant to be manipulative.

[@CrisWhetstone]

Thanks for this. I actually just finished watching the Rehearsal a couple of days ago. I've been chewing on it on and off again. To your points about reality show participants and how they act on shows versus real life, I've been trying to explain that to people since The Real World came out. Its so obvious to me that the producers were manipulating people into situations but some people want to see it as real life. There was a great, if very lurid show that was underwatched about exactly this concept called UNReal. I recommend it to anyone wondering about the big reality shows. The creator worked on these shows as a producer before making UnReal. Her experiences clearly were not positive but extremely revealing.

[@dddgtsd]

same reason why first few series of Big Brother are so different, those people went in not knowing how they 'should' act, they were aware of cameras but you got a much more organic experience...when you got to BB10 for example, the people going in wanted to be reality tv stars and already knew all the tropes of a reality tv contestant.

[@Mikey-od1xd]

I think where Nathan went wrong with the gold-digger was that the misdirection was too on-the-nose and over the top. He was literally digging for gold in the misdirection. My working theory is that he was too dense to realize what happened at first and had a genuine reaction on set. Later when he told his gold-digging girlfriend what happened she likely explained to him how Nathan set him up, and he became embarrassed/insulted and then cut contact with Nathan.

[@crabluva]

Nathan was fucking with the guy for being anti-semitic. Nathan's a comedy writer with a staff at the end of the day. Nathan's company Summit Ice has a lot of resources if you want to learn about why fighting anti-semites by tricking them into changing a stranger's diaper is important.

[@Kinuhbud]

@@crabluva And it was comedy gold too!

[@yahboyx]

Are you referring to the guy who kept putting too much impotence on random numbers ?

[@john_smith_john]

It's not said in the show but there's an obvious time jump between that moment and when the guy fails to show up after, because most likely that's right when covid lockdown hit and everything got put on hold. People are all wearing masks by the time he comes back and it's likely the dude just went and had the conversation on his own rather than waiting months for the show to allow him to.

[@Prolific_Troll]

@@john_smith_john This notion would not explain many things, like the motivation to cut contact with Nathan instead of just explaining intentions due to covid/production restrictions.

[@eleanorhumphries3994]

This is one of the best video essays I’ve ever seen

[@austins.2495]

I always love a video about Nathan For You!

[@Wypipo]

Jesus Christ this is the best video essay I’ve ever seen. Please do this forever.

[@Joenah5]

Those Derren Brown specials are so good, glad to see them talked about

[@holotape]

Returning here after watching Synecdoche New York. What a trip!

[@maxuabo]

That cliche music video was what helped throw my perception further out word, like existentially and just kinda b like ya every Insta “photographer” just compiled one another. A lot of life is so similar it’s like we’re all living the same shared experience. Kind of awe inspiring and kind of bleak for those who copy others. At least some are trying to truly be creative original

[@amalia01]

spot on, interesting and insightful as usual!

[@benmartens2885]

I definitely thought of Synecdoche when I was watching the show!!! Great vid

[@VIK_1903]

FINALLY SOMEONE POSTING ABOUT THIS! It drives me CRAZY how quiet people are about this show. EDIT¹: THERE'S EVEN DERREN BROWN THERE?! WOOOOOOOW EDIT²: After finishing The Rehearsal I thought a lot about Derren Brown, so it's pretty cool to see that. The point is that what is reality and what isn't simply doesn't matter. You can view it as entertainment and distance yourself from what you're watching, or you can see as an art form, and become part of it. Then, reality doesn't really matter, because your perception dictates what it is and isn't.

[@alexanderwill2847]

I watched the first episode and took it pretty much at face value, because even the more ridiculous parts seemed entirely plausible to me. (I know Nathan Fielder is known for playing up a persona, but it’s I’m talking about about the logistical implementation of the episode.) Even though I was extremely entertained, I decided not to watch any more, specifically because of the part where they let the participant believe people had been killed in a shooting. I felt that, and only that, crossed an ethical line. Even though “it’s days like these I curse the Chinese for inventing gunpowder” was hilarious.

[@oyassoon]

I think it's coz people are unsure if that little kid was actually emotionally affected or not. That bit seemed so real.

[@adamlodge8093]

Shout out to the crew that painstakingly recreated those locations in almost perfect detail

[@saeedfaramarzi5120]

I highly recommend you to watch “close-up” by “Abbas Kiarostami”. The film has an invisible boundary of “simulacra” and “reality”.

[@YaBoiBigNutz]

Has someone been following Joel Havers movie channel?

[@jon4715]

@@YaBoiBigNutz Kiarostami is one of the great filmmakers of all time. Why would you assume one of the most famous movies ever made is not well known outside of some other youtuber's recommendations?

[@YaBoiBigNutz]

@@jon4715 I didn't, it was purely because it was a recent upload of his. Why do you care so much tho? 😂

[@jon4715]

@@YaBoiBigNutz Because it's obnoxious that someone would assume an highly relevant film would only be known and referenced because of some movie of the week youtube popularity. Culture vultures chewing up and spitting out crap takes as if they are the first to discover an internationally recognized classic.

[@AK907LSD25]

Your channel is spot on man this is an excellent examination.

[@dante1234]

This is the best analysis I’ve seen yet

[@mrmikejsteele]

I had watched this and wanted to talk through it. This video scratched that itch. I loved the connections to Synecdoche, New York and others. Great video!

[@rageagainstmyhairline5574]

Hey, Thomas :) I don't think I've ever left a comment on one of your videos, which, now I think about it, seems absurd given how many of them I've watched. I just wanted to say that I love your videos, I really do. Your style, the succinctness of your diagnosis/dissection/evaluation ability, the fact that you always choose such interesting subjects to talk about, and the vibe you've managed to cultivate over time; all of these qualities and many, many more, raise the level of your content far above your peers and make it just such a pleasure to experience anything you make. I don't want to spend too long telling you how exceptional you and your videos are, as it becomes redundant and starts to detract from the sincerity of the message at some point; but suffice it to say, you're amazing at what you do and KZbin is lucky to have you. We're all lucky to have you, man. Anyway, you take care of yourself and keep on making these. Much love from England.

[@ThomasFlight]

I appreciate the love! Thanks for watching :)

[@user-yl4lf9mh1w]

great video yet again!

[@lyuzhka]

Eagerly waiting for your take on The Curse!

[@jr0dmusik]

Great video! It seems like a lot of the discourse and analysis for this show is just surface level. You really went in depth here

[@Just.Kidding]

Not enough people acknowledge Synecdoche, New York. It's my personal favorite film of all time and I heartily encourage anyone with any curiosity to see it.

[@moonverine]

I am so hoping you get around to a full rundown of Synecdoche. That is one of my all-time favorites, and I only have one friend who actually likes it too. It is such a parfait of irony and earnestness, I think it doesn't click with a lot of people because they think it is being mawkish or self-pitying. Really, it is a celebration of living life, just told through the POV of someone who takes 80 years to realize how to really do that.

[@vitoria.no.c]

I dont have the mental health to watch this, so I appreciate this video so much. Great discussion starter!

[@ham_slam_wich]

Wow really good video essay. Well done.

[@Problematist]

This really changed my perspective on the show. While watching it I had the exact same thoughts in the beginning, but gradually I still ended up judging the participants even though I knew they were exaggerating for the show. It really does say a lot about the format of reality shows being able to warp your perception even if you're directly being confronted with it being an illusion.

[@zunuf]

One thing I don't see people mention, is Nathan for You, and many other reality shows, really probably do have to do rehearsals and make flow charts and scripts. When Nathan is proposing a ridiculous idea to someone like "tie weather balloons to heavy people so they can ride horses", I'm sure he's not just winging it. They figure out, how do we say it to not upset them? How do we say it so we have multiple ways we can cut it? If they seem opposed, what do we say? I'm sure they might even do a fake interview with crew from the show to figure it out. He can improv, but the way he improvs can be more or less useful when editing a TV show. When you get into potentially more expensive or difficult ideas, like walking a tight rope, I'm sure they do real rehearsals too. Of course none of this happens to the crazy level of detail of the show, "The Rehearsal", but it connects to the manipulation inherent in the medium. If they spend a bunch of money on a Dumb Starbucks, and the coffee shop guy backs out, they need to figure out a way to still do the episode and have it connect to the original plot. They aren't just going to waste a bunch of money or make a boring episode where nothing happens. I'm sure this kind of planning, along with Nathan's personal anxieties or struggles is where the inception of the show comes from.

[@loljoker127]

i come back to this instead of watching the show… certainly smells like simulacra. EXCEPTIONAL vide as always, loved returning to this more than the first time! (and i loved it the first time) please keep it up 😅💚

[@mxmv76]

Excellent critique Thomas!

[@sploofmcsterra4786]

With regards to never question the premise, I'm pretty sure this is a parody of the phenomenon in the sense that the premise is OBVIOUSLY flawed, and Nathan happily highlights this implicitly, just not explicitly.

[@sploofmcsterra4786]

Nvm you kinda pointed that out

[@huxleyginsberg13]

Great video. Leaves a lot to think about.

[@ufoclub1977]

My impression of this show is that it is just a fictional series that is constructed to appear to be a reality show. Nothing is real in it. In fact I recognized one character (the overnight security guard who always sleeps) from an episode of of "Nathen For You" from years earlier as a different character.

[@noelvalenzarro]

Now you’re adding a whole other layer on top of something already so unbelievably complex that I don’t think would be possible. Like how would you even explain something like that to the people who decide to green light the show or not. And all the extra micrologistics of making the “real moments” seem genuine. There many very real seeming moments (too many to think of) that they would’ve had to pour a ton of extra resources to make it appear genuine in more way than one. Are you sure these two people don’t happen to just look alike? They would also have to be much younger in Nathan for you than in the rehearsal. And even if that is fabricated (I wouldn’t put it past him) I don’t really see how that little side gag that’s something very easy to pull of invalidates the rest to be just fiction.

[@ufoclub1977]

To me, the caliber of the acting is not up to par with "real". And the actor is younger and the exact same person. @@noelvalenzarro

[@zacharywong483]

Great breakdown and analysis!

[@drivr8]

Fantastic analysis. Fantastic.

[@SW-zb6bf]

4:50 maybe I'm wrong but Nathan WANTED Kor to be put into that final situation. For Kor to realize he spent all this time to end up in the scenario. Only to realize in the moment that everything he did, the time the "rehearsal", the scripts! Then in the moment it all meant nothing. The real rehearsal was for Kor to explain the premise of the show

[@SW-zb6bf]

I love Nathan for you. But any real fan can admit that the rehearsal probably didn't go as planned. And Nathan ACTUALLY wasted a bunch of money. BUT he definitely hit the ground running with a few points in the season. Angela's potential partner, Adam's actor being attached, and the Jewish woman. All great side stories.

[@noelvalenzarro]

⁠​⁠@@SW-zb6bfI mean with something so volatile as real people instead of actors I refuse to believe it’s possible for it to have gone any other way than just “running with it”. If they tried to stick to some plan this thing would’ve gone straight into the ground so I don’t think they did and to me it’s beautiful this way.

[@LariskiAgard]

Dear Thomas, thanks for your great videos. They continue to be a great source of inspiration and insight for me. Can you tell me what the funny little piece of music being played in the background around 6:21 is? Thanks!

[@mrahzzz]

I love Nathan For You - I had no clue about this. Now I want to look into it. I think so many people forget in our internet age that you can put yourself on camera and be a persona without a script. We all can do this as we go between different scenarios in our own lives even. It gets more personal, then, the question of simulation, simulacra, reality and hyper-reality , when you think about advice like "fake it 'til you make it." Are our live simulations and hyper-real acts 🤔 I'm not sure that I made it all the way through synechdoche new york. Maybe it's time to revisit media that looks into more of this, because it's very interesting.

[@Agos226]

I was literally thinking of Simulacra and Simulation the entire time I was watching this

[@canadiancommenter160]

Man I remeber when Nathan Fielder was doing skits for the Canadian tv show 22 Minutes. They were called 'Nathan Fielder, On Your Side' and he would interview people with his blank stare approach. Weird to see him with his own show.

[@ErikA-ip5nb]

Wow. What a great video.

[@SnoTheSkeleton]

ive never seen another tv show or movie that made me feel the way the rehearsal did

[@fmeu7733]

Incredibly clever, as always 🙏

[@glorygloryholeallelujah]

I think the show *unREAL* showcases (although far more over the top and targeting reality gameshows) a lot of the techniques used to “subtly manipulate” participants.

[@faca994]

Super interesting video!!

[@VIK_1903]

I really hope we can get a podcast about this (Maybe a Nebula version?). Including discussions about the morality of it all.

[@dsmvfl363]

Great breakdown

[@akbarshahzad5780]

Great video, Thomas, but I have to point out, for future reference, that "simulacra" is plural for "simulacrum", so saying "a simulacra" is like saying "a horses" or "a cheeseburgers". It's not a big deal, but language processing is instantaneous and involuntary, so anyone who can hear the error is immediately pulled out of the video for a second or two.

[@amaebarnes]

Awesome analysis

[@lmeeken]

It's worth noting that in the 2010s it was found that Milgram manipulated his data, and that the headline-grabbing conclusions he drew about obedience were largely a misrepresentation of what happened. Which still makes the experiments relevant to discussion of this show, but nullifies Milgram as an easy reference to make when talking about obedience or manipulation more generally.

[@Project20]

when you make these videos, how do you make the connections to the different shows and examples like the Darren Brown show that relate back to the rehearsal? how do those connections happen in your head and process? incredible work!

[@dddgtsd]

he did mention that Fielder referenced Derren Brown in an interview (I think, and not taking anything away from the guy who put this together).