Youtube channels like CGP Grey, Kurzgesagt, Vsauce and Nerdwriter are all incredibly popular. They bring up interesting topics, explain them fairly well, and have high production quality. But to me, something is missing. I'm not sure how to formulate my criticism, since it has nothing to do with the quality of their videos.

It feels like the mentioned channels lack depth. They give off an uncomfortable "pop-science" vibe. Pop-science isn't wrong, I have nothing against it. But they feel too "poppy". They provide sources, but the commentary is directed to people who don't read. They don't dare to use precise words, in case the audience won't understand them. I get the feeling that they make their videos for the lowest common denominator: persons who doesn't read, persons who can't google and persons who want to make no effort to actually learn.

I'd feel bad to only mention bad examples, so here is a list of high-effort video-creators with (in my eyes) good content:

Lindsay Ellis: Long-form film reviews that actually go into the details.

Every Frame a Painting: Very high-quality analyses of film directors and their styles.

3Blue1Brown: Beautifully animated math visualizations explaining multiple areas of mathematics.

Captain Disillusion: Critically debunking and deconstructing fake videos.

Historia Civilis: In-depth historical videos about Rome.

Bliss Foster: A hidden gem, with only 1000 subscribers, analysing runway shows.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on what makes a good video essay. I'd also really like some suggestions for more creators to follow.

So I really respect what can be done with the let's play format and think it can be great art in its own right, but I think it's in a bit of a rut. A lot of the older and more successful channels have gotten repetitive or otherwise stopped being worth watching, so I'd love some recommendations for creators who are currently putting out good work.

Who do you think is making good content or even pushing the format forward?