Black Mirror (the Netflix years)

Fuddlemiff

Is this real life?
I’ve only seen the first one, so disappointed to hear it’s the best one. Hopefully I disagree so I have more to look forward to!

I did like it, though. It was an intriguing and believable concept and the conclusion wasn’t what I was expecting. Also, maybe this shouldn’t be a consideration, but it was good to see a black, male, gay(ish) relationship, as it’s a very rare occurrence on screen.
 

CaptainWacky

I want to smell dark matter
Well I don't think the other two were bad so it's possible you could like them more.

One thing I noticed was that there wasn't really anything new in terms of technology or story-telling. All three were pretty straightforward Black Mirror episodes (well okay the third was a Disney movie version of a BM episode.) I feel like Brooker should maybe take a break for a couple of years and come up with some fresh ideas BUT WHO AM I to tell him what to do.
 

Fuddlemiff

Is this real life?
Odd when tech is getting so much scarier. Deep fakes, Russian news bots, actual robots. There’s so much to draw on.

Btw, you should watch Years and Years. It’s a BBC1 drama which follows a family’s life over a few decades, starting from now until 2040 I reckon (it hasn’t finished yet). It’s written by RTD and has all the usual hallmarks (Russell Tovey, a sex robot, a boy dressed as a girl but it’s ok nowadays, hamfisted allegories and people shouting the plot at the camera. SHOUTING THE PLOT AT THE CAMERA. SHOUTING. THE. PLOT. AT. THE CAMERA), but it’s still really good. Emma Thompson is in it as a politician with the Greendale anus flag as her party’s logo.
 

CaptainWacky

I want to smell dark matter
I saw adverts for that and thought it looked interesting but the RTD of it all gave me pause.
 

Fuddlemiff

Is this real life?
That’s fair. I didn’t know it was by him beforehand, but by about midway through I had no doubt.

Watched the second Black Mirror. It was good... certainly kept up the tension. I liked the naturalistic feel, it was well acted and I guess it was good to focus on a current technology for a change, instead of something that’s made up where we don’t have to worry about it. It did feel like preaching to the choir, though. Anyone with a phone or an internet connection is well aware of the addictive nature and how it distracts us from possibly more important things, so it didn’t feel like a fresh enough idea to warrant an hour. Maybe if the story of why he wanted the phone call had been a revelation it would’ve felt like a payoff, but it was obvious enough from quite early on.
 

CaptainWacky

I want to smell dark matter
I'm sure people got distracted while driving before phones came along anyway. Like by graomophones and stuff.
 

Mirah

I love you
It didn't pique my interest enough to want to watch them, but you make me want to watch them now.
 

CaptainWacky

I want to smell dark matter
It was fun! I just thought that first half seemed to be going one way then it turned into Short Circuit pretty late in the episode.
 

Mirah

I love you
Did anyone watch Black Mirror Striking Vipers yet?

I was disapointed with the dishwasher. In the future if dishwashers are going to talk to me-they should not be telling me I need to rinse them better. It should do it for me.

I don't want to discuss the finer points of the actual plot of the show until someone else has watched it.
 

CaptainWacky

I want to smell dark matter
We all posted about it when it first came out.
 

Mirah

I love you
What?!
Where?
It was like just the other day-wasn't it?
Air date: June 5 2019
WTF
I am late to the game!
 

Mirah

I love you
Anyone watched them yet? The first one was the best of the three. I know some are already comparing it to San Junipero and no it wasn't as good as that, but it was different enough to be an entertaining story in its own right. And let's face it if that game was real we'd all be having sex with polar bears in it

The second one was pretty good in terms of acting and I liked the stuff with the social media company knowing more than the police, but the ending felt a bit flat? I mean I'm sure the point of it all wasn't just "don't get distracted by your phone while you drive!" but it kind of felt that way.

Third one was weird because the first half was quite serious and slow then it turned into a fun, Disney movie style romp. I liked the robot anyway. Miley felt a bit too much like she was just playing Miley (because she was) but I guess if you write a character who is basically Miley you might as well get Miley.

Found it finally! LOL
I think I liked the first one the best also
I am in the middle of the doll one and waiting for the pink thing to turn on the sister, that would be awesome.
 

Mirah

I love you
Okay, so now the doll is "woke" and Rachel and her sister Jack are driving Ashley too to her house. I wish instead they would record all of this and put it on social media. This is fucked up! Wake up Ashley!!! Wake up Miley!

OMG Please have a happy ending!
 

CaptainWacky

I want to smell dark matter
 

CaptainWacky

I want to smell dark matter
 

CaptainWacky

I want to smell dark matter
Joan Is Awful - Starts off like it might be a serious character study and turns into a farce where Salma Hayek is talking about her anus' legal rights by the end. It was fun! Having the layer of unreality let them be over the top and have the forementioned anus talk. Michael Cera was funny in his cameo. It was good.

Loch Henry - Fuck me, this was bleak. It was good, well told story, but man that ending was depressing. Davis lost everything even his ability to tell his own story (which he didn't want to tell in the first place.) Compelling viewing but sad!
 

CaptainWacky

I want to smell dark matter
Beyond The Sea - I mean...it was good? But didn't need to be so long? It was an interesting concept and well acted. Just felt like I knew where it was going and then it took like half an hour to get there. And if you're going to introduce a Manson Family who hates robots maybe do more with them?

Mazey Day - Uhh...yeah. This is just a standard "the paparazzi are bad" story which is only memorable for the twist. And it's kind of an annoying twist as there's no way of seeing it coming as this has never been a supernatural show before.

And her being a werewolf doesn't end up mattering that much since the point is still just "the paparazzi are bad!"

Clever final line and Zazie Beetz is always good to watch but would be better as an episode of Inside No. 9 (except they wouldn't have Zazie Beetz or as good special effects.)

Demon 79 - So it seems like the previous episode broke the reality of the show and let the supernatural in because there was nothing Black Mirror about this one. But it was presented as a "Red Mirror" presentation so I didn't have a problem with that and, crucially, this was great, the best episdoe of the season. The two leads were excellent and it looked perfect for the time period and seemed to capture the seventies' horror feel it was going for (I don't know, I'm no expert), while still being funny unlike the previous two. I ENJOYED IT A LOT.

So what happened here? Did Brooker get bored of the whole concept of Black Mirror halfway through the season and decide to do a horror anthology instead? If he can make more films as good as Demon 79 then I'm all for that.
 
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CaptainWacky

I want to smell dark matter
How did I not realise the Wife Strangler was Nathan Barley lol.
 
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