What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedVideodrome
David Cronenberg · Film · 1983
If you loved Videodrome, start with Severance (Dan Erickson, 2022) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Videodrome across media.
You crave the way Videodrome dissolves the boundary between human identity and the corrupting influence of the technology we consume.
Books on the same thread
Christine
Stephen King · Book · 1983
Explores: Obsession, Possession, Coming of Age.
Much like the parasitic television signal in Videodrome, this book explores how an inanimate object exerts a malevolent, possessive influence over its owner, leading to a total psychological transformation.
Ring
Kōji Suzuki · Book · 2003
Explores: Technology and Society, Urban Legends, Contagion.
This story mirrors the technological dread of Videodrome by examining how media imagery acts as a literal contagion, proving that the things we watch can fundamentally alter our reality.
The Dead Zone
Stephen King · Book · 1979
Explores: Precognition, Moral Dilemma, Political Corruption.
If the psychic decay in Videodrome fascinated you, this thriller offers a similar descent into a fragmented reality where a singular, cursed ability forces a confrontation with inevitable doom.
Annihilation
Jeff VanderMeer · Book · 2014
Explores: Environmental Collapse, Exploration, Identity.
This novel echoes the body horror and existential confusion of Videodrome, tracking how an unknowable, invasive force systematically erodes the identity and physical reality of those who encounter it.
Series on the same thread
Severance
Dan Erickson · Series · 2022
Shares a thread with Videodrome: Corporate Conspiracy.
The surgical memory manipulation here captures the same corporate conspiracy and loss of self found in Videodrome, showing how institutional control can physically divide a person against their own mind.
Black Mirror
Charlie Brooker · Series · 2011
Explores: Technological Dystopia, Social Commentary, Unintended Consequences.
This anthology series expands on the technological dystopia of Videodrome, focusing on the dark, unintended consequences that arise when society becomes hopelessly entangled with its own screen-based innovations.
Mr. Robot
Sam Esmail · Series · 2015
Shares 2 threads with Videodrome: Corporate conspiracy, Cyberpunk.
You will recognize the paranoid corporate conspiracy and the blurred lines between digital obsession and mental health that defined the trajectory of the protagonist in Videodrome.
Westworld
Jonathan Nolan · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Videodrome: Corporate Conspiracy.
Just as Videodrome explored the loss of human agency through media, this series examines how artificial consciousness and programmed environments strip away the difference between reality and simulated experience.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
These cinematic audio stories capture the uncanny, experimental spirit of Videodrome, frequently plunging listeners into surreal scenarios that challenge their perception of what is real and what is fabricated.
Darknet Diaries
Podcast
Explores: hacking, data breaches, cybersecurity.
This podcast peels back the curtain on the digital underbelly, providing a real-world look at the hacking and data exploitation that formed the foundational paranoia of Videodrome.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the plot of Videodrome?
Videodrome follows Max Renn, the president of a trashy television channel. He discovers a broadcast featuring torture and punishment, which he decides to air. After his girlfriend auditions for the show and disappears, he investigates the mysterious broadcast and uncovers a disturbing truth behind the program.
Who directed Videodrome?
Videodrome was directed by David Cronenberg. The film was released in 1983 and centers on the obsession of a television executive who becomes consumed by a signal that broadcasts graphic and violent content, leading him into a dangerous investigation regarding the origins of the transmission.
What year was Videodrome released?
Videodrome was released in 1983. The story depicts Max Renn, a television executive who seeks out sensationalist programming for his channel. Upon finding a signal called Videodrome, he inadvertently becomes involved in a dark conspiracy after his girlfriend disappears following an audition for the broadcast.
Is Videodrome about a television channel?
Yes, Videodrome focuses on Max Renn, the president of a trashy television channel. He is constantly looking for new, provocative programming to attract viewers. This search leads him to a signal showing torture and punishment, which eventually causes him to investigate the reality behind the Videodrome broadcast.