Woman of the Hour and 3 Other New Movies About Live-Action TV Shows

Several recent releases take audiences inside the studios of TV shows. Over the past few years, many filmmakers have attempted to master the TV format on the big screen – we look at recent flicks that have not shied away from live broadcasts.

1. Late Night with the Devil, 2023

Late Night with the Devil is one of the latest horror hits. Host Jack Delroy recently buried his wife and returns to the small screens with a Halloween special. During the evening show, Delroy, with the help of guests, will try to prove the existence of psychic mediums to the entire country.

To even the odds, an ardent skeptic is invited into the studio to question the paranormal. Colin Cairnes' movie plays by the rules of television, but fans of the genre will be pleased with the spectacular ending.

2. Woman of the Hour, 2024

The plot is based on a true story: in 1978, a serial killer came to a TV show about blind dates and was one of three potential partners to choose from. Anna Kendrick combines live studio broadcasts with flashbacks of horrific murders: the result is a rather tense picture of evil in plain sight.

Kendrick does not revolutionize the genre, but rather develops a thoughtful and professional cinematic language that rejects cinematic violence and doesn't romanticize the figure of the madman – instead, she draws attention to the victims and conveys a very precise sense of foreboding.

3. Saturday Night, 2024

Director Jason Reitman has made a feature-length love letter to SNL. The nearly two-hour movie follows the production method of The Bear – immersing the viewer in the mouth of a studio volcano.

In an hour and a half, SNL will air for the first time, but everything goes wrong. It is a charming sketch with many acting cameos. At the same time, it's a clear tribute to a time when humor was progressive and people weren't afraid to make jokes on live television, despite censorship.

4. History of the Occult, 2020

According to the plot, in the latest episode of the political program 60 Minutes Before Midnight, the show's producers decide to take a bold step: to prove, live on air, the connection between the current president of the country and the leaders of sectarian associations.

In History of the Occult, the bet is not only on the retro stylization and the television format, but also on the creation of an irrational space in the frame, where giallo mixes with noir, and occult horror with political thriller.