If you aren’t familiar with Lindsay Ellis, I highly recommend checking her out on YouTube. Over the last many years, she’s been producing videos that revolve around popular culture with deep-dives into the ways they’re made, the messages they convey and the critical theories that can help viewers understand media with more depth.
Admittedly, I am a giant nerd when it comes to popular culture, so these videos fit perfectly in my particular niche. Furthermore, I am a tried-and-true auditory learner, so Ellis’ style of amusing, personable critical analysis truly helps me become a better viewer and critic of popular media, too.
But even if you aren’t specifically looking to brush up your critical lens for media, Lindsay Ellis’ work holds entertainment value of its own that makes her channel a must-follow for many people.
One important thing to note: Many of these video essays take a critical stance positioned specifically to address flaws of certain pieces of media. Ellis is careful in many of her videos to assert that she’s not just making content to assert that “Thing bad.” Rather, she teaches us to view media through the system in which it was made, the cultural environment in which it exists and the critical theoretical lenses that enhance viewers’ understanding about why something is or is not artistically successful.
So, without further ado, here are five Lindsay Ellis videos to catch your interest!