After almost two years of waiting, everyone's favourite satirical sci-fi anthology, Black Mirror returned last week for the first time since moving from Channel 4 to Netflix. The series is penned by Charlie Brooker and several guest writers and takes a satirical look at modern societies obsession with technology and the sometimes negative impact it has on our lives. While the episodes are generally set in the near future, it's more true to life than you'd think and certain scenarios exhibited in the show seem more and more likely each day. As a big fan of the show I was extremely excited for its return, especially since its move to Netflix meant a bigger budget and double the amount of episodes than past seasons. After finally finishing the new season last night I was definitely satisfied and the move to Netflix has certainly given the show a massive advantage, allowing it to broaden its horizons outside the UK to a more international scale. The following are my thoughts on each individual episode, going from my least favourite to my favourite, and I'll try to keep it as spoiler free as possible so if you haven't seen it, this won't ruin anything.
'Men Against Fire'
Ok so this isn't necessarily a bad episode, in fact I quite enjoyed 'Men Against Fire', however out of the six new episodes this one just felt like it had much more potential and that much more could have been done with the concept. Set in a gloomy corner of eastern Europe, the episode follows a group of soldiers who protect a small village from savage mutants known as 'roaches', however when a soldier by the name of Stripe (Malachi Kirby) uncovers a dark secret, he begins to question not only his morality, but his entire perception of reality itself. This is probably the most action packed episode and has and plays out very much like a zombie movie from the beginning, the soldiers fighting mutants, the incredibly gloomy atmosphere, it's got a really nice set up. Mysterious dream sequences and other moments hint at what's to come, but the build up feels much to prolonged and by the time the big twist is revealed there isn't really much else that happens. The episode spends so much time hinting at what's to come that by the time it finally does, there's not enough time to build on or develop that idea which was a real shame considering how clever the twist was. The episode has a great cast including Kirby and House of Cards' Michael Kelly as the cunning psychologist Arquette, along with some nice social commentary on warfare and a thought provoking ending. However, I feel like it could have benefited from a longer run time to allow for the idea to be fleshed out a bit more.
'Playtest'
Virtual Reality gaming is becoming increasingly accessible today, so it was only a matter of time before the idea was incorporated into a Black Mirror episode. This one sees American tourist in London, Cooper (Wyatt Russell) who takes a job to test a new VR survival horror game that can access your deepest, darkest fears. In the world of Black Mirror there is simply no way this can end well for the protagonist. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg of 10 Cloverfield Lane fame, the episode takes many tropes from the horror genre such as mysterious noises, ghostly apparitions and the old Hammer style house in which Cooper is taken to play out the game. It is structured very much like a horror film as well, gradually building suspense, throwing the odd jumpscare at the audience, and while it does feel a bit predictable at some points, a curveball is thrown in typical Black Mirror style and suddenly 'Playtest' becomes an all new type of horror, something much more psychological. While Black Mirror is no stranger to toying with the minds of its audience, the way in which it does so here within this tale of terror makes it all the more effective, we can never really tell what's real and what's just in the game. It's a clever take on the idea of virtual reality gaming and for the most part it works quite nicely, despite feeling a little bit rushed. Wyatt Russell is very entertaining as the slow-witted Cooper here which makes things all the more tense when he finds himself in trouble. One of my only criticisms here is that I feel that the ending could have been left a lot more ambiguous to keep in line with the rest of the episode, sometimes less is more as they say.
'Nosedive'
Until this season Black Mirror had always been a very British show, however when the show moved to Netflix it was only natural for it to become more Americanised which, in the case of 'Nosedive', is not necessarily a bad thing. The episode is set in a world where social media forms a hierarchical society in which people are rated from one two five, fives being the social elite while ones are the social outcasts, the story then follows Lacie (Bryce Dallas Howard) an ambitious young woman who seeks to use her friends wedding as a means of making her way up in the world. The world of 'Nosedive' is that idealistic world of tomorrow usually depicted in early American sci-fi, everything is polished, perfect and pastel. To go with this, almost everyone who lives there has that enthusiastic 'have a nice day' attitude that's reminiscent of a staff member at Walt Disney World, the American setting suits it so well and I don't think it would be so effective if it were set in the UK. While it is set presumably in the future it is hard not to see echoes of reality in this episode, it's a brilliant satire of social media popularity and the extents people will go to achieve this. Bryce Dallas Howard is phenomenal here and her performance was one of my favourites all season, her development throughout the episode is captivating to watch and at times almost harrowing, but thankfully her fate is a lot kinder than previous protagonists on the show. Without giving too much away, the episode really shocked me in the sense that it ended on a hopeful note which, for Black Mirror, is relatively unheard of. It felt predictable in a way and I was almost disappointed, but the show can only be so bleak so I suppose this was a nice change from the usual stuff.
'San Junipero'
80's throwbacks are becoming more and more commonplace these days so it was only a matter of time before Black Mirror jumped on that bandwagon. Set in the 80's party town of San Junipero, the episode follows the introverted Yorkie (Mackenzie Davis) and party girl Kelly (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) who meet as if by accident and form a romantic relationship in the months that follow. For the first act of this episode it does not feel a bit like Black Mirror, a few throwaway lines and questionable passing of time hint that not everything in San Junipero is as it seems, but it keeps us guessing for a long time before revealing what's actually going on. Of all the episodes this season, this one was the biggest departure from what's come before as it is, that's right, a love story. A love story? In Black Mirror?? I hear you, but don't judge too early as it's actually a brilliantly clever episode and the chemistry between the two leads is wonderful. It keeps you guessing for a long time while vaguely hinting at the inevitable twist, and while it does get frustrating at times when you feel like you've missed something, the payoff is more than satisfying. While the writing and acting are both incredible, it's the style and aesthetic that makes 'San Junipero' stand out. The 80's style, the 80's music, this episode screams 80's which makes it all the more entertaining and memorable, you'll be humming Belinda Carlisle for weeks after. 'San Junipero' takes a break from the usual nihilistic hopelessness of Black Mirror to provide a more heartwarming story, yes I know how bizarre that sounds in the context of this show but it really does work and is more refreshing than anything.
'Hated in the Nation'
The longest episode of Black Mirror so far with a runtime of 89 minutes, 'Hated in the Nation' follows DCI Karin Parke (Kelly Macdonald) and her new partner Blue (Faye Marsay) as they investigate a series of mysterious deaths seemingly linked to social media. The episode reminded me of shows like Sherlock or Luthor, the fast-paced mystery thriller set against the backdrop of modern London, but this is Black Mirror and this is no ordinary detective story. As always, Charlie Brooker adds a sci-fi element while simultaneously keeping things relevant, incorporating contemporary topics such as social media hate and the current bee crisis. It's a really gripping story full of twists and turns and despite its lengthly runtime, not a minute of this episode feels wasted, there's always something to keep the audience glued to the screen at all times. Kelly Macdonald is brilliant as always as the dry and sarcastic DCI Parke, it's arguably one of her best roles so far and her developing chemistry with Marsay's Blue adds some emotional depth to the story. What makes this episode so gripping is that there's this constant air of paranoia throughout, lingering shots of security cameras give this constant feeling of being watched that feeds into the already high tension. And of course in typical Black Mirror fashion, just when you think Brooker will turn right, he turns left and that's certainly the case here. It's an episode that constantly leaves you guessing throughout and even when you think you've figured it out you still may find yourself feeling surprised by its shocking climax. Once again, Brooker leaves us sitting there with that feeling of despair in the pit of our stomachs, yet we can't help but love him.
'Shut Up and Dance'
With the first two episodes feeling very Americanised, this third installment takes us back to British soil and reminds us what made fall in love with Black Mirror in the first place. The episode revolves around a teenage boy named Kenny (Alex Lawther) who becomes the victim of a blackmail plot after a group of hackers film him masturbating through his webcam. 'Shut Up and Dance' reminded me a lot of the very first episode 'The National Anthem' in that it was a much more grounded story, there was no futuristic setting or new fangled technology here, instead modern technology is used as a device in this much larger story. This is one of the most thrilling episodes of Black Mirror so far, its breakneck pace and and ambiguity make it so captivating, so exhilarating, that you'll be hanging from the edge of your seat in suspense. Along for the ride with Lawther's character is Jerome Flynn as Hector, another victim of the hackers, the two join forces in an attempt to prevent their secrets from leaking onto the web. As the episode progresses and the characters are forced into more bizarre tasks to keep their blackmailer's happy, things finally wrap up in one of the most harrowing climaxes the show has ever seen. Set perfectly to the tune of Radiohead's 'Exit Music (For a Film)', the end of this episode will have you looking back over and over again at every interaction and throwaway line that remotely hinted to this grim revelation. Written by both Brooker and William Bridges, this episode is exactly what Black Mirror is about, dark, thrilling, satirical and extremely nihilistic.
It's safe to say that despite the shows move to Netflix, Black Mirror has not declined in quality at all. Not only has it broadened its possibilities to an international scale but it has also crossed over into other genres as well such as horror, action and even romance. At times it doesn't feel very much like Black Mirror but in a refreshing way, and if the quality of this season can be maintained at a consistent level then it's safe to say that the show is in very good hands with the people at Netflix.
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