May 1, 2026

Hi, friend!

Welcome to the first edition of Worth the Watch. I’m John, the resident movie & TV nerd at Pix. You may recognize me from TV & Movie Pix, where I've been sharing my top picks each week. I'm also the voice behind many Pix newsletters from Anime & Manga Pix to Today's Pix and more.

Some important things to get out of the way: I’m a die-hard Christopher Nolan fan, an avid hater of Disney live-action adaptations, and a Kristen Stewart defender until the day I die. And yes, I did cry six times during my first viewing of Past Lives. Here’s proof:

Crying in the club, but the club is my local AMC

But make no mistake, I’m not a stereotypical film bro.

I, too, enjoy trashy reality TV, feel-good 90s rom-coms, and big dumb action movies you can half-watch while scrolling your phone. Recently, my partner and I have been binge-watching Scrubs and that old TLC reality show, Four Weddings. It’s called range.

Now, I’m rising from the couch to bring you Worth the Watch, a part of Pix Plus—Pix's new subscription bundle that goes deeper into the entertainment picks that are actually worth your time. Every Friday, you’ll get a new email from me to help you decide what to watch, where to stream it, and give you a community to experience it with. (You’ll also get full access to Worth the Read, Worth the Chat, and Worth the Listen!)

What to Expect from Worth the Watch

Watch Together

I'm building a monthly movie club with community-led challenges and a space to connect on the shows and films you're loving.

Your Weekly Streaming Cheat Sheet

I do the deep dives so you always know what's coming to your streaming services and what's worth watching week to week.

Stop Paying for Stuff You Don't Watch

Every month, I review each streaming service with a "Subscribe or Cancel" breakdown, plus the cost-cutting hacks most people don't know about.

How I Got Here

As a wise woman once said…

“Who the hell is this bitch?”

—Lois Griffin

You’re probably wondering how I ended up in this situation. A series of fortunate events took me from film school in Southern California to my first adult job as a cinematographer for a professional esports team in Dallas. This era was short-lived, as I realized I had no desire to lug around a 50-pound bag full of camera gear every day.

So I pivoted to working as a video editor for gaming YouTubers, including Typical Gamer and LankyBox. During the Covid lockdowns, when I was burnt out on video editing, I started creating film & TV analysis videos on TikTok and YouTube, where I gained 200,000 followers *not-so-subtle flex*.

The point is, I’m a nerd. Which is why when I saw a job opening at Pix for a TV and movie writer, I got hearts in my eyes like Tom in that one scene of Tom & Jerry.

Why I Started This

I love a solo binge or solitary matinee as much as the next cinephile. It would be hard to do this job if I didn’t. But the truth is, nothing compares to experiencing a great movie or show with other people.

When I think about why I love this medium so much, the moments that stick with me are almost always shared ones. Like forcing my friends to watch Brake (2012), a terrible ripoff of Buried, for my 15th birthday after I became weirdly obsessed with it. Or seeing Everything Everywhere All at Once on opening night with a packed crowd that laughed, cried, and gasped together for two straight hours. Or the standing ovation from a sold-out audience at the Seattle International Film Festival after a screening of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.

Those are the experiences that remind me why movies and shows matter. That’s what inspired this newsletter.

My hope is that Worth the Watch becomes a place where people who love movies and TV can feel a sense of community and belonging. A place where we watch things together, talk about them, argue about them, and maybe discover something new along the way.

The Promise

In an age where seemingly every industry is infested with A.I. slop, I want you to know that this newsletter is written by me, a living, breathing, sentient human being. With opinions that are my own and a perspective of the world that is unique:

I believe The Worst Person in the World is the greatest film ever created. I have an irrational fear of Shrek. I think Jeff Goldblum has a punchable face. Sorry, not sorry.

This newsletter is driven by a genuine passion for cinema and a desire to offer something valuable to viewers. I want you, the reader, to feel part of a community where we can watch, discuss, and appreciate shows and movies together.

With that being said, I hope you enjoy this newsletter. Please reply to this email and tell me one film that you think should be the first pick for our community-driven movie club. Next week I’ll provide more details and logistics regarding the movie club and what to expect.

See you next Friday!

John Farrar, the guy who watches everything @ Pix Media

Helping you decide what to stream and what to skip

John Farrar went to film school, spent a few years as an editor, then accidentally built an audience online by sharing his passion for cinema. He covers film and TV for Pix Media, interviews the people behind some of your favorite shows and movies, and has never once successfully talked himself out of buying a movie ticket.

Currently watching: Half Man