WHY HAVEN’T YOU WATCHED… BLACK MIRROR?
‘Why haven’t you watched…?’ is a column where we extoll the virtues of a movie or TV show. They may be old or new, they may be US-made or foreign. The only constant will be their awesomeness and that by watching them you will enrich your life, appear cooler to your friends, and more attractive to the opposite sex.
If you’re like everyone else in America, you’ve probably caught glimpses on social media of a frenzy surrounding a new addition to the Netflix lineup: a British show called Black Mirror. I’m here to add another voice to the growing crowd hoping nudge you into watching the show. We’ll be spoiler free but delve into the ideas and themes behind the show and why you should watch, take heed, and learn why you should NEVER send a fucking Farmville request again.
Twilight Zone for the social media generation is a simple way to describe the show, and one that fits but does disservice to the level of satire and chilling insights the show displays. This British anthology series which started back in 2011 only consists of 6 episodes so far but offers a diverse look at the different ways technology can negatively impact our lives. This isn’t a simple twist on modern tech turning against us, but rather about abuse, obsession, and how technology can twist and pervert people.
Each episode is self contained, dealing with a different central idea and entirely new cast, offering a refreshing change from the typical ongoing series structure that often leads to binge watching and numb viewing. Scripts are smart, engaging and often showcase some superb British talent; Rupert Everett, Hayley Atwell, and Domhnall Gleeson are some of the more recognizable faces amongst many up and coming actors. The Black Mirror of the title stemming from the multitude of screens present in our lives, held up here to show a dark reflection of ourselves, entangled with technological abuse. The best satire and science fiction often puts a small spin on an existing idea and such is the case with Black Mirror. These are not tales in a far flung dystopia, it is a world just minutes or years ahead of our own, slightly out of sync enough to be disconcerting.
The opening episode, National Anthem, looks at terrorism and extortion in the social media age. A kidnapping of a member of the Royal Family leads to a rather peculiar demand of the British Prime Minister. It is a request that is darkly hilarious at first but as the episode progresses the disturbing nature of it all is deeply unsettling. It’s shocking in its believability and frankly makes you question where, as a society, we’re going. As good science fiction should. This episode contains what is pretty much guaranteed to be the “oh my fucking God” moment of the entire series for some.
For those of us who have experienced a breakup, the window often offered by Facebook or Instagram can be a painful one, an open wound to be picked at and obsessed over. Imagine if technology gave you and opportunity to revisit and replay past moments. The prospect of obsession and over analysis is a frightening one and is explored in The Entire History of You, where people have implants that basically act as DVRs, allowing them to playback moments from their past, over and over again. Arguments between couples will never be the same again when you can put upsetting remarks on repeat. The story has already been bought by Robert Downey Jr. for a film adaptation.
The most dystopic episode, Fifteen Million Merits shows a society where “points” have replaced currency, competitions have replaced work, adverts are forced into our lives and we have essentially transitioned into a living reality TV show, showcasing perfectly why that person who sent you yet another Farmville request deserves a smack in the face.
While only six episodes have been produced, there is a great variety amongst them, some draw from the satirical more than others, some lean towards the dramatic. One of the most emotional installments is Be Right Back, where a woman uses a service to construct an Artificial Intelligence from her deceased husband’s social media accounts. While obviously a critique of how we craft an “online persona”, as well as internet addiction, it is also a superbly constructed examination of grief. That’s the point of the show. The focus is not the technology, which is merely a device to allow exploration of human folly. Anyone jaded by the deluge of social media will find something profound to connect with in Black Mirror.
Black Mirror stems from the psyche of broadcaster, writer and satirist Charlie Brooker. Forged in the 90s from his work on shows such as Brasseye, The 11 O’Clock Show and later Nathan Barley, in my mind ranking alongside such luminaries as Chris Morris (The Day Today, Four Lions) and Armando Ianucci (The Thick of It, In the Loop and current HBO series Veep) in contributing to some of the most cutting, smart satirical comedy in the past few decades. To make it clear, every show and film mentioned in this paragraph is essential viewing.
His style is often as controversial as it is insightful, direct to the point of savagery. One of the more refreshing voices in the media until a few years ago, his columns in the Guardian are still missed. In interviews he claimed that Black Mirror is “all about the way we live now — and the way we might be living in 10 minutes’ time if we’re clumsy. And if there’s one thing we know about mankind, it’s this: we’re usually clumsy.”
What is startling about his body of work is how prescient it has been. Black Mirror takes this to an unsettling new level. I would suggest anybody needing greater insight read this interview from 2011, just prior to the premiere. It elegantly conveys his attitude, thoughts and reasons behind writing the show.
Black Mirror is a rallying cry for a generation to disconnect themselves from technology. To put their phone down, to not live tweet reality shows that further the “interactive obsession” in society today, to break away from being part of the viral spread of “click bait” stories and selfies and gain some perspective. Engrossing television, a dark satire that is remarkably unsettling in its plausibility and offers a horrifying vision of where humanity may venture in the future unless we tread more carefully.
BLACK MIRROR…WHITE CHRISTMASSuch is tradition in the UK, popular shows both past and present get trotted out for the viewing public for a one off special, often with a longer running time, more epic story (bigger budget), guest stars, or sometimes all three. This year Channel 4 in the UK is treating people to a Black Mirror special called White Christmas. The plot is unclear but it apparently has three interwoven tales with one aspect looking at what would happen if you could “block” people in real life.
Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Rafe Spall (One Day) and Oona Chaplain (Game of Thrones) are lined up to star for an episode which screens December 16th in the UK and on Direct TV sometime this month. We’ll have a recap here on Cinapse a short time after it airs so be sure to check back with us. But for now, check out the chilling trailer that has been released.