Tag Archives: video essay

July 31, 2025 · 6:55 am

Hank Hill: How To Be Stubborn Yet Reasonable

This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.

TV dads are known for being stubborn, dense, and foolish. But some do manage to stand out for all the right reasons. They’re still stubborn, but that doesn’t prevent them from having greater depth.

Hank Hill from King of the Hill is a perfect example of this. He is very much defined by how stubborn and uncompromising he is. But he has also been shown to be reasonable. And that helps make him such a better character while also providing for some endearing comedy.

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March 31, 2025 · 5:26 am

Daria Retrospective: The Evolution And (Partial) Redemption Of Quinn Morgendorffer

This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.

In this video, I once again revisit 90s MTV gem, Daria. And this time, I focus on the evolution and (partial) redemption of her younger, super-shallow, super-popular sister, Quinn.

Now, I freely admit that Quinn Morgendorffer was the character I hated most on this show. For the first two seasons, she was insufferable. But towards the end, she went on an interesting arc. And while I won’t say she completely redeemed herself, her evolution is worth exploring. Enjoy!

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March 14, 2025 · 6:28 am

How To Train Your Dragon: Why Hiccup Is The Ultimate Underdog Hero

This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.

In this video, I highlight a hero’s journey, as well as an underdog story. Both stories, on their own, have plenty of appeal. But it’s rare to see them rolled into one character and one story.

But “How To Train Your Dragon” did just that with Hiccup, a character who embodies everything we love about underdogs and heroes. Enjoy!

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August 20, 2024 · 5:15 am

Legally Blonde: How Elle Woods Embraces And Celebrates Pure Femininity

This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.

This video revisits one of my favorite movies from the early 2000s, Legally Blonde. I’ve always been fond of romantic comedies, but this one was different in a very special way.

Legally Blonde isn’t your typical romantic comedy starring the ever-lovable Reese Witherspoon. This movie explores and celebrates the joy of pure, unfiltered femininity through Elle Woods.

She may look like a stereotypical blonde from a college sorority. But after her boyfriend breaks up with her in the first 10 minutes, she quickly proves that she is so much more. And in doing so, Elle goes onto become one of the most lovable, endearing female characters in cinematic history. Enjoy!

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October 10, 2023 · 5:30 am

Smile | A Good Horror Movie That Was Almost Great

This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.

This video is my personal take on Smile, a 2022 horror movie that I was really excited about when I first saw the trailer. But after seeing it in theaters, I found myself a bit underwhelmed with how it played out. I still thought it was a good movie, but it had the potential to be much greater. And I think that shortcoming offers some lessons for future horror movies. Enjoy!

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August 27, 2023 · 8:09 am

Thought Experiment: What Technology Can Humanity NOT Be Trusted With?

This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.

This video is a thought experiment about dangerous technology. Over the centuries, humanity has developed numerous tools that have helped us survived. But some tools are more dangerous than others. There’s nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, and biologically engineered viruses. But these are all things we have now.

Future technology has the potential to be much more dangerous. So, I explore the idea of there being some technology that humanity just cannot be trusted with. Do you agree? Do you have other insights? Share your thoughts. They are always welcome.

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May 27, 2023 · 7:46 am

Why Do We Root For Characters Like Bojack Horseman?

This is another video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video is about unlikable characters and why we root for them. There have been no shortage of such characters over the years. But few have really resonated as much as Bojack Horseman. There are so many things unlikable about this character and over the course of his show, he does many objectively awful things. And yet, he’s still someone I found myself rooting for. Why is that? Why do we feel this way about certain characters? I don’t claim to know the answer, but I make an effort in this video. Enjoy!

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April 16, 2023 · 7:13 am

What Is (And Isn’t) Orwellian And Why That Matters

This is another video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video essay is an exploration of what makes something truly Orwellian. It’s a term that gets thrown around a lot in political circles these days. But those who use it have likely not read any of Orwell’s work and don’t fully understand the larger message of 1984. I attempt to break down that message and apply it to the larger idea of what makes something truly Orwellian. Enjoy!

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February 14, 2023 · 5:22 am

How “No Strings Attached” Became My Favorite Romance Movie

This video is another video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video highlights and celebrates one of my favorite romance movies of all time, “No Strings Attached.” It’s a movie I didn’t expect to love as much as I did. I didn’t even expect to wash it in full. Now, it’s a movie I keep going back to whenever I’m in the need of some quality romance. Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day!

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December 28, 2022 · 9:33 am

Inside Job Season 2: The Heart, Vulnerability, And (Healthy Growth) Of Regan Ridley

The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. In this video, I break down the character evolution of Reagan Ridley in Season 2 of Inside Job. It’s a loose follow-up of the first video I did on her. But with this one, I discuss how her journey builds on the larger themes of the show. Enjoy!

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