Something I absolutely love about Mouthwashing is that it is positively DRIPPING with symbolism, which becames more and more apparent the more times you play or watch it. Nothing is there on accident. I've genuinely considered making a video of my own going over every little piece of it
This game is one of those games I couldn't play myself, but I will absolutely listen to it being talked about because I really like the story of it. It's up there with Outlast, Still Wakes the Deep, Fear and Hunger, and Indika.
When Jack's mouthwashing playthrough came out, the very first thing i noticed was that in the end, Jimmy never apologizes to the person that mattered. He only "takes responsibility" towards Curly, the person he tried to be but couldn’t. He never apologizes for what he did to Anya, for his actions that caused all of this in the first place. I have a lot of big thoughts on Jimmy's spiral and ending i need to eventually write it down.
Yes!! He never even reflects on Anya the way he does the others, the only hallucinations/flashbacks we see of her are from Curly's perspective (showing how close they were, and making it hurt all the more when Curly didn't Take Responsibility and hold Jimmy accountable). BUT the pony express mascot Jimmy DOES see? It's text is the same color as Anya's. It's very fitting then that Polly is the one to tell Jimmy that "hold on! Isn't there someone else you should be saying sorry to?"
What a line up of media to talk about. I watched I Saw The TV Glow with my girlfriend, a trans woman, I myself am a cis butch lesbian. Both of us saw ourselves in the main characters, and it absolutely broke me near the end. Mouthwashing has been there in the back of my mind for weeks, I can't stop thinking about it, like that dead pixel, it sticks with you. I haven't had a chance to play Disco Elysium, but I desperately want to. Silent Hill was one of the first ever horror franchises I got into. Unfortunately I never had the chance to play more than the first two, and I didn't beat either due to mental health at the time, but I've consumed SO much media around it, and I want to play the remake of 2 so badly.
I really appreciate how you take a theme throughout popular media and how those things tie together. It's a skill i think a lot of people have but really struggle to articulate. This is a really great video.
Yeah, I am one of those people who have followed a lot of the discourse around all of these games, but have yet to hear anyone, even anyone I know loves any given two, if not all these games, highlight this thematic commonality.
Thought the jazzy intermissions were just a goofy way to break the tension through the heavy discussion. Which I thought was thoughtful. Up until intermission part 2. I saw someone mention how when you find Anya's fate, you can't interact with her body at all. Jimmy never mentions it at any point. Makes no comment on it. But then you take a few steps away to the broken hatch covered in Daisukes blood and he says he can't look at it because it makes him sick to his stomach. He really never even saw Anya as a person to begin with. Was interesting to see your face in this instead of the usual floating skull. Not unwelcome.
Really appreciate the disclaimer about exaggerating in your live action segments. I worry about some RUclipsrs and how much they drink on camera. Even if they're faking it, or stretching the filming out over multiple shootings, it sets a disturbing example for the audience.
Just to add another reason Maslow Was Trash (TM), he stole the idea of the hierarchy of needs from the Blackfoot Nation in Alberta, Canada. To be brief, he was stuck on how to explain the theories he was working on and went to hang out with some (white) anthropologist friends on the reserve. There, he learned about Blackfoot philosophy and shamelessly copied it, while totally missing The Point. Even down to the shape of the model - the tribe's model isn't a triangle, it represents a tipi, the shelter, the home one shares with their family. And the Blackfoot philosophy is more outward and community-focused, not internal and individualistic. I could write a huge essay here, but if you Google "Maslow stole the hierarchy of needs," some good explanations pop up as the first few hits.
Thanks for the info! I'm a Canadian, but not a native one, so I really want to take any chance I can get to see what history was rewritten and stolen from the many families here. I'm just a first gen Canadian, my family and my country also deeply fucked over by colonialism. Whenever I can I wanna take the effort to learn about the people who went through similar experiences
A rare occurrence where Connor doesn’t talk about the magnus archives, but he thoroughly makes up for it by dressing like Jonathan Sims, Timothy Stoker, AND Elias Bouchard all in one go 🤌🤌🤌
This video is. amazing. And the fact that there are so many other things that fall under this umbrella of a concept is so interesting. As someone who felt “I saw the TV glow” was really relatable. It’s honestly a really important movie to me, the people around me who didn’t understand it just saw it as a bad horror movie. I couldn’t understand how they couldn’t see it, how they couldn’t see what was actually going on. But I guess at some point you realize that media literacy is dead to most, and that they wont understand unless blatantly stated. Thank you for being the one to explain to them 🫡.
Fun Fact: There was an alternate ending shot for I Saw The TV Glow where Owen runs out of the fun center at the end, presumably to finally go and bury herself alive and wake up as Isabel. Jane Shoenbrun and Justice Smith have both said they consider the theatrical ending to have a glimmer of hope in there if you want to see it. I myself love to see it since it can send a good message about how it’s never too late to come out, even if you’re older.
The fit goes hard, as many have pointed out, but I wanted to just say the sunglasses are so smart because you can read a script or notes from the laptop and still look like you’re looking directly at the camera! Pretty AND Practical!
Had to stop watching because I still haven't played disco elysium, and I'm trying to go into it as spoiler free as possible, but leaving a comment 👍 I will be back one day
Clicked on this because i love the couple of videos I've seen from your channel (and also "taking responsibility" and "hells of our own making" are such inherently intriguing concepts), and you've successfully convinced me to consume two of these pecies of media before continuing, and at least glance at the other two in the future. Haven't watched the whole thing yet, but im loving it (:
Gotta say, this has been one of the best channels I've found in 2024. You release banger after banger and they're always the perfect videos to distract myself with while I'm doing chores. Thanks 👍
phenomenal essay, apologies i don't have anything more poetic to say (also completely off topic, but you were an absolute icon of gender envy in this video; the fit, the vibes, 10/10)
This is super interesting! I really thought the way you talked about I saw the TV glow was super well done, as a trans woman I definitely had a point where I tried to do the same thing as Owen :)
I started watching this channel without really realising, I just kept getting recommended videos of different things I loved and one day I realised they were all from the same person. Anyway, this one was so particularly tailor made. What a wonderful way to spend 53 minutes of my day🖤
I hope you know that I watched the tail end of this with my phone propped up on the couch and my dog on my lap and he seemed to be watching the video too. I will be showing him more of your videos now
Owen's story resonates with me a lot. I spent years a bigot because of how I was raised, and after I changed I only figured out my sexuality. I was afraid of being trans. I knew it would make everything harder. My parents talked about trans people far more harshly that queer people. It would ruin so much more. But I am trans. The first label I used was demigirl, because I felt like I could cling onto the word 'girl' being there because it meant I was still close to being cis. But I'm not. demigirl is still a trans identity, but not mine. I realized that and now I'm trying to figure out who and what I actually am. It is scary. I don't want to be wrong again, but I know that I probably will be because some of the fear has stuck around. But seeing what happens when you don't accept yourself at all made me realize I have to.
me seeing kim: close enough! welcome back hilbert from wolf 359 jokes aside i have watched this three times now because it left such an impact on me i’m like. wOw. i’ve only heard about disco elysium, but i can safely say it will become one of my favorite games. how do i know? it has a sidekick with a cool jacket who stands in a Nice Way (no, really, i saw how kim stands and was immediately like FAVORITE CHARACTER👈🏻👈🏻) i haven’t played mouthwashing or watched any playthroughs, just seen some fanart and read the plot from wiki. still one of my favorite horror games. there’s SO much depth to all the characters and their complicated dynamics, and jimmy is the best at being the worst. what makes it so good is that the story starts from the beginning of an end, and you can’t change it. the added unreliable narration is just the cherry on top when you spend half of the game confused/certain you know what’s happened, and then in the end it spirals and you just have to watch it unfold to a tragedy. also your entire outfit in this video is so comfy. whoever said you look like filmcooper has validated my feelings because you do remind me of him, especially in the connor unscripted videos. and the intermissions were funny, if you do another video like this PLEASE include them again. very drunk ben wyatt vibes, especially the first one
Great video, love your content, but you need to add some chapters. I tried to skip past the section on "I saw the TV glow", to avoid spoilers, and accidentally landed on the worst possible sentence for spoilers.
The construction of the video mimics the context of how the media is presented. I don’t think you can add chapters to a video like this and make it hit the same way
@@PlantPlantPlantPlantPlant I guess. It just gets frustrating seeing videos that seem 90% interesting and awesome, and 10% spoilers for something I haven't gotten around to yet.
I related to Owen the most out of anybody in this video, and then you said she was trans 😭 I am also trans, but non-binary/transfeminine. I currently present "as a boy" and I find it interesting that I found myself in Owen despite not having the full context yet.
Also yeah no you're under explaining the bender my man Tequila Sunset took to erase the past, it was highly implied that alcohol was the very least of it as alone it is lacking the capability to function well enough to do the things he did post blackout.
Heyo, amazing video as always, 1 question tho, do you have a discord server ? I think it would be amazing for there to exist a place where like minded people would gather and just have a cool lil chat about stuff, keep up the great work brother !!!
“I hope this hurts.” Feels like the tagline for 2025
Something I absolutely love about Mouthwashing is that it is positively DRIPPING with symbolism, which becames more and more apparent the more times you play or watch it. Nothing is there on accident. I've genuinely considered making a video of my own going over every little piece of it
Finding Anya's keycard super early on hits so different on round 2
i have subscribed in case you ever do make that video 🙏
Real real real
I have so many games to play, I could never get back to any game a second time, so a video like you talk about would be perfect!
This game is one of those games I couldn't play myself, but I will absolutely listen to it being talked about because I really like the story of it. It's up there with Outlast, Still Wakes the Deep, Fear and Hunger, and Indika.
Disco Elysium proves that the true Maslow's Hierarchy of needs is:
Kim's approval
Kim's approval
Kim's approval
Kim's approval
Kim's approval
Better Call Saul also proves this
When Jack's mouthwashing playthrough came out, the very first thing i noticed was that in the end, Jimmy never apologizes to the person that mattered. He only "takes responsibility" towards Curly, the person he tried to be but couldn’t. He never apologizes for what he did to Anya, for his actions that caused all of this in the first place. I have a lot of big thoughts on Jimmy's spiral and ending i need to eventually write it down.
Yes!! He never even reflects on Anya the way he does the others, the only hallucinations/flashbacks we see of her are from Curly's perspective (showing how close they were, and making it hurt all the more when Curly didn't Take Responsibility and hold Jimmy accountable). BUT the pony express mascot Jimmy DOES see? It's text is the same color as Anya's. It's very fitting then that Polly is the one to tell Jimmy that "hold on! Isn't there someone else you should be saying sorry to?"
What a line up of media to talk about. I watched I Saw The TV Glow with my girlfriend, a trans woman, I myself am a cis butch lesbian. Both of us saw ourselves in the main characters, and it absolutely broke me near the end. Mouthwashing has been there in the back of my mind for weeks, I can't stop thinking about it, like that dead pixel, it sticks with you. I haven't had a chance to play Disco Elysium, but I desperately want to. Silent Hill was one of the first ever horror franchises I got into. Unfortunately I never had the chance to play more than the first two, and I didn't beat either due to mental health at the time, but I've consumed SO much media around it, and I want to play the remake of 2 so badly.
That spoiler warning is literally my favorite: RPG, Video Game, Horror Game, Video Essay Topic. im buying a fucking shirt
"Take responsibility" might have to be my motto going into the new year
You dress like a cool lesbian art teacher, I love it :]
thank you. i'm honored by the comparison
one of the best compliments one can be given
@@spookymcg np, Low-key jealous of your wardrobe fr :]
I really appreciate how you take a theme throughout popular media and how those things tie together. It's a skill i think a lot of people have but really struggle to articulate. This is a really great video.
Thank you so much!
Yeah, I am one of those people who have followed a lot of the discourse around all of these games, but have yet to hear anyone, even anyone I know loves any given two, if not all these games, highlight this thematic commonality.
Thought the jazzy intermissions were just a goofy way to break the tension through the heavy discussion. Which I thought was thoughtful. Up until intermission part 2.
I saw someone mention how when you find Anya's fate, you can't interact with her body at all. Jimmy never mentions it at any point. Makes no comment on it. But then you take a few steps away to the broken hatch covered in Daisukes blood and he says he can't look at it because it makes him sick to his stomach. He really never even saw Anya as a person to begin with.
Was interesting to see your face in this instead of the usual floating skull. Not unwelcome.
Really appreciate the disclaimer about exaggerating in your live action segments. I worry about some RUclipsrs and how much they drink on camera. Even if they're faking it, or stretching the filming out over multiple shootings, it sets a disturbing example for the audience.
Just to add another reason Maslow Was Trash (TM), he stole the idea of the hierarchy of needs from the Blackfoot Nation in Alberta, Canada. To be brief, he was stuck on how to explain the theories he was working on and went to hang out with some (white) anthropologist friends on the reserve. There, he learned about Blackfoot philosophy and shamelessly copied it, while totally missing The Point. Even down to the shape of the model - the tribe's model isn't a triangle, it represents a tipi, the shelter, the home one shares with their family. And the Blackfoot philosophy is more outward and community-focused, not internal and individualistic.
I could write a huge essay here, but if you Google "Maslow stole the hierarchy of needs," some good explanations pop up as the first few hits.
Thanks for the info! I'm a Canadian, but not a native one, so I really want to take any chance I can get to see what history was rewritten and stolen from the many families here. I'm just a first gen Canadian, my family and my country also deeply fucked over by colonialism. Whenever I can I wanna take the effort to learn about the people who went through similar experiences
was looking to see if someone mentioned this :]
A rare occurrence where Connor doesn’t talk about the magnus archives, but he thoroughly makes up for it by dressing like Jonathan Sims, Timothy Stoker, AND Elias Bouchard all in one go 🤌🤌🤌
connor mcgrath discussing mouthwashing it truly is christmas time
This video is. amazing. And the fact that there are so many other things that fall under this umbrella of a concept is so interesting. As someone who felt “I saw the TV glow” was really relatable. It’s honestly a really important movie to me, the people around me who didn’t understand it just saw it as a bad horror movie. I couldn’t understand how they couldn’t see it, how they couldn’t see what was actually going on. But I guess at some point you realize that media literacy is dead to most, and that they wont understand unless blatantly stated. Thank you for being the one to explain to them 🫡.
The drip thooooo. Loving the glasses! Very mothman vibes
some Indrid Cold kinda vibes
I love all the transitions from one piece of media to the next, and the overall structure. This is a really well-constructed essay. ^^
Just found your channel, loved this video. I will be stealing your aesthetic/outfit for my drag king persona though.
i want to see the look👀
Fun Fact: There was an alternate ending shot for I Saw The TV Glow where Owen runs out of the fun center at the end, presumably to finally go and bury herself alive and wake up as Isabel. Jane Shoenbrun and Justice Smith have both said they consider the theatrical ending to have a glimmer of hope in there if you want to see it. I myself love to see it since it can send a good message about how it’s never too late to come out, even if you’re older.
I absolutely love the way the spirit of Karl Heisenberg possessed you bodily during each intermission
The fit goes hard, as many have pointed out, but I wanted to just say the sunglasses are so smart because you can read a script or notes from the laptop and still look like you’re looking directly at the camera! Pretty AND Practical!
This video was *fantastic.* Gave me some real Jacob Geller vibes and something else all your own!
YESSSSS NEW CONNOR MCGRATH VID !!!!!!! CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY THIS YEAR BOYS !!!!!!!!!!
After watching Jack's playthrough, the I HOPE THIS HURTS flashing on screen made my lungs drop in my body 🙁
this video is like Jacob Geller levels of good, and i dont say that lightly
Last time I came this early to anything, my gf broke up with me
New vid just in time for breakfast
Yes! Watching this while makimg myself brunch
im sad this video is about to end, ones like this put me in a mysterious mood and i dont wanna leave
5:55 This line goes CRAZY
Had to stop watching because I still haven't played disco elysium, and I'm trying to go into it as spoiler free as possible, but leaving a comment 👍 I will be back one day
probably a good plan- see you when you're done!
Clicked on this because i love the couple of videos I've seen from your channel (and also "taking responsibility" and "hells of our own making" are such inherently intriguing concepts), and you've successfully convinced me to consume two of these pecies of media before continuing, and at least glance at the other two in the future. Haven't watched the whole thing yet, but im loving it (:
this is one of the best video essays I've ever watched.
Gotta say, this has been one of the best channels I've found in 2024. You release banger after banger and they're always the perfect videos to distract myself with while I'm doing chores. Thanks 👍
bro dressed up all dapper like dionysus
phenomenal essay, apologies i don't have anything more poetic to say (also completely off topic, but you were an absolute icon of gender envy in this video; the fit, the vibes, 10/10)
27:24 Knowing the twist, that line hit me like a truck. Good work!
This is super interesting! I really thought the way you talked about I saw the TV glow was super well done, as a trans woman I definitely had a point where I tried to do the same thing as Owen :)
same omg
One of my favourite youtubers talking about some of my favorite pieces of media (also this is a fantastic video great job)
Rolled over video. Saw Gale of Waterdeep and Mouthwashing thumbnail. Clicked on video.
I started watching this channel without really realising, I just kept getting recommended videos of different things I loved and one day I realised they were all from the same person. Anyway, this one was so particularly tailor made. What a wonderful way to spend 53 minutes of my day🖤
happy to have you here!
Nice aesthetic you've got there. I also really like how you wove these four stories of regret, suicidal ideation, and guilt together.
thank you for articulating so much of why I Saw The TV Glow resonated with me so much.
the drip! the drip!!!!!
This is like a mash of my three interests of the last few months thank you so much for this video Mr. McGrath
I saw the TV glow yes!!!!!!!
I've been watching your vids every now and then, but I have to say this is without a doubt your best one so far. Subscribed.
Funnily enough, I visited your channel last night to see if you had made a video on Mouthwashing. I can't wait to watch this later ❤️
Trenchant analysis X gold hoops and pearls combo = great video. Keep up the good work!
2:30
ah yes Jayce Talis my favorite psychologist
Im honestly in awe. This was an excellent analysis ❤
WOOO NEW UPLOAD!! I can't wait to experience the manmade horrors these stories hold
I hope you know that I watched the tail end of this with my phone propped up on the couch and my dog on my lap and he seemed to be watching the video too. I will be showing him more of your videos now
Hell yeah,
Owen's story resonates with me a lot. I spent years a bigot because of how I was raised, and after I changed I only figured out my sexuality. I was afraid of being trans. I knew it would make everything harder. My parents talked about trans people far more harshly that queer people. It would ruin so much more. But I am trans. The first label I used was demigirl, because I felt like I could cling onto the word 'girl' being there because it meant I was still close to being cis. But I'm not. demigirl is still a trans identity, but not mine. I realized that and now I'm trying to figure out who and what I actually am. It is scary. I don't want to be wrong again, but I know that I probably will be because some of the fear has stuck around. But seeing what happens when you don't accept yourself at all made me realize I have to.
A bucnh of my favorite media all in one video!
35:20 .... yeah, that's a relatable energy
What an amazing video omg!! Super underrated. I love mouthwashing it really stuck with me as someone who enjoys a lot of horror.
My favorite white guy posted! Love the outfit!
I was hoping you'd make a video about I Saw the T.V. Glow!
It's a Christmas miracle
Great work as always! I haven't played Disco Elysium yet in particular, I am excited for the experience
the way i jumped up and down and ran around my room when i saw that connor made a video abt mouthwashing
Discussing Maslow at length brought back memories of my first year PhD in clinical psych, so it definitely hurt, thanks
I've been obsessing over disco elysium for the last weeks or so. This video was made for me.
The hoops are so effing slay Connor
Traveling rn but I can’t wait to watch this later
Why was Connor lowkey serving Crowley from Good Omens here?
You really outdid yourself with this essay!! Great job!
big fan of the interludes man's just doing shit
I saw Disco Elysium in the thumbnail, I had to click
Mr Evrart is helping me find my gun
2:28 jayce's hammer!! 🫵🏻🫵🏻🫵🏻🫵🏻
me seeing kim: close enough! welcome back hilbert from wolf 359
jokes aside i have watched this three times now because it left such an impact on me i’m like. wOw. i’ve only heard about disco elysium, but i can safely say it will become one of my favorite games. how do i know? it has a sidekick with a cool jacket who stands in a Nice Way (no, really, i saw how kim stands and was immediately like FAVORITE CHARACTER👈🏻👈🏻)
i haven’t played mouthwashing or watched any playthroughs, just seen some fanart and read the plot from wiki. still one of my favorite horror games. there’s SO much depth to all the characters and their complicated dynamics, and jimmy is the best at being the worst. what makes it so good is that the story starts from the beginning of an end, and you can’t change it. the added unreliable narration is just the cherry on top when you spend half of the game confused/certain you know what’s happened, and then in the end it spirals and you just have to watch it unfold to a tragedy.
also your entire outfit in this video is so comfy. whoever said you look like filmcooper has validated my feelings because you do remind me of him, especially in the connor unscripted videos. and the intermissions were funny, if you do another video like this PLEASE include them again. very drunk ben wyatt vibes, especially the first one
Great intro lol, I’ll watch this later fsfsfs
connor has made me realize with this look that I love how men look when they wear hoop earrings. slay.
is anyone else getting Jonny D'ville from Connor's outfit? the thought just occurred to me and now it won't leave me alone /pos
“They’re just problems” yeeeeeesh
Great video, love your content, but you need to add some chapters. I tried to skip past the section on "I saw the TV glow", to avoid spoilers, and accidentally landed on the worst possible sentence for spoilers.
The construction of the video mimics the context of how the media is presented.
I don’t think you can add chapters to a video like this and make it hit the same way
@@PlantPlantPlantPlantPlant
I guess. It just gets frustrating seeing videos that seem 90% interesting and awesome, and 10% spoilers for something I haven't gotten around to yet.
great video as ever! but excuse me?? that look goes HARD
This video gives off some real Bo Burnham x hbomberguy vibes.
I related to Owen the most out of anybody in this video, and then you said she was trans 😭 I am also trans, but non-binary/transfeminine. I currently present "as a boy" and I find it interesting that I found myself in Owen despite not having the full context yet.
another brilliant essay
Please dear God make longer videos
You look like cooper in a super cool way
Tough one
I will return to this video after I watch I Saw The TV Glow lmao
If anyone wants a song for I Saw The TV Glow, I would recommend Black Hole Fantasy or Arcturus Beaming both by The Crane Wives
If that's not an arresting title of a RUclips video,I just don't know what is.
new connor mcgrath video??? christmas really came early this year
A very good video. Also... Are you ok Connor?
mmmmm mouthwash
Saw a Mouthwashing video by Connor McGrath and immediately clicked
SOMETHING tatoo! ::D
Damn.
Also yeah no you're under explaining the bender my man Tequila Sunset took to erase the past, it was highly implied that alcohol was the very least of it as alone it is lacking the capability to function well enough to do the things he did post blackout.
This is so good!
you sigh key an ism
Heyo, amazing video as always, 1 question tho, do you have a discord server ? I think it would be amazing for there to exist a place where like minded people would gather and just have a cool lil chat about stuff, keep up the great work brother !!!
I do have a discord for members! It's a lot of fun, everyone there is so cool, and i'm pretty active!
will watch after i summon the courage to see I Saw The TV Glow 🫡