Black Mirror Review
By Kitty Barnes
For those who haven’t heard about Black Mirror is or what it’s about, it’s a British drama about the consequences of near-future technology which can reach complex and awesome climaxes. It has a rarity that it’s a standalone drama, meaning that the previous episode doesn’t correlate to the next one; every episode has its own unique anecdote and universe. What has captivated such a wide audience is the way in which the creator and writer, Charlie Brooker, conceives such riveting plots that make viewers really think about how technology is so dubious and how close we are to the domination of artificial intelligence. It seems as if the main purpose of the programme is to concoct a thrilling technological paranoia in its viewers.
The newest series addresses convoluted yet current issues, such as a mother’s close loss of a child, a woman’s regretted actions or some simpler and lighter theme like dating apps and simply visiting a museum – which make the audience feel close to the characters and gives the shoe real-world application. The fascinating revelation in the episodes which gives a flavour of unfamiliarity is what really makes Black Mirror so gripping. Maybe this is what makes viewers so attached: it gives us a sense of familiarity and comfort with a sickly twist that we can’t get enough of.
The first two seasons were premiered on Channel 4, but it caught so many people’s attention and intrigue, that its popularity raised through the roof. The media was hysterical for the aspiring series too: even writer Stephen King (who wrote many horror-themed novels like The Shining, Carrie and It) admired the series after a critically-acclaimed Christmas special was aired. After that, Netflix commissioned 12 new episodes of Black Mirror (series 3). This extended the TV show’s reputation even further, opening up to worldwide audiences as well as the convenience of the series’ episodes being released all together, giving mostly young viewers the addictive thrill of ‘binge-watching’ it. This asset works perfectly with Black Mirror, as it’s such a breath-taking show that gives you uneasiness yet a buzz and rush for more.
What makes the concepts of the show so intimidating is the way that technology originally was looked at to help further our knowledge and help us connect even more with our friends and family, yet Charlie Brooker has intentionally flipped this idea on its head and making it oxymoronic. Black Mirror stretches the point that technology and social media actually makes us disconnect and seclude ourselves from each other with our subconscious desire to record and document everything around us and give and receive unnecessary updates of everything and everyone. Everyone likes their social media, even if it’s just to a short extent – this is what convinces us to be so active when watching Black Mirror, at first we’re slightly defensive, but then we start to fall too deep into the void of possibilities. Could this have been Brooker’s intention when writing and creating Black Mirror?
So, what is it about Black Mirror that makes us want to watch it so badly? On the face of it, it does sound quite spooky and intimidating, but you could say that its sharp appeal is something uniquely genius which differentiates it from other TV shows today - which could be seen as more passive and static. Brooker, and other writers for the show, have put in so much intricate effort in making ironic, satirical meanings to each every individual episode. At first, concepts expressed in these episodes seem so far-fetched and preposterous, but then we in a way start to wake up and start associating it with parallels in our lives today. But as raw as the stories are, I still believe that Black Mirror can be beneficial for audiences to broaden their outlook and perspective of the modern technological world. Black Mirror is thus seen I powerfully influential way that offers us a refreshing revival of the way we see things, and maybe of the way that we should be seeing things.
Here’s a trailer for one of the newer episodes from series 4, Hang the DJ:
The newest series addresses convoluted yet current issues, such as a mother’s close loss of a child, a woman’s regretted actions or some simpler and lighter theme like dating apps and simply visiting a museum – which make the audience feel close to the characters and gives the shoe real-world application. The fascinating revelation in the episodes which gives a flavour of unfamiliarity is what really makes Black Mirror so gripping. Maybe this is what makes viewers so attached: it gives us a sense of familiarity and comfort with a sickly twist that we can’t get enough of.
The first two seasons were premiered on Channel 4, but it caught so many people’s attention and intrigue, that its popularity raised through the roof. The media was hysterical for the aspiring series too: even writer Stephen King (who wrote many horror-themed novels like The Shining, Carrie and It) admired the series after a critically-acclaimed Christmas special was aired. After that, Netflix commissioned 12 new episodes of Black Mirror (series 3). This extended the TV show’s reputation even further, opening up to worldwide audiences as well as the convenience of the series’ episodes being released all together, giving mostly young viewers the addictive thrill of ‘binge-watching’ it. This asset works perfectly with Black Mirror, as it’s such a breath-taking show that gives you uneasiness yet a buzz and rush for more.
What makes the concepts of the show so intimidating is the way that technology originally was looked at to help further our knowledge and help us connect even more with our friends and family, yet Charlie Brooker has intentionally flipped this idea on its head and making it oxymoronic. Black Mirror stretches the point that technology and social media actually makes us disconnect and seclude ourselves from each other with our subconscious desire to record and document everything around us and give and receive unnecessary updates of everything and everyone. Everyone likes their social media, even if it’s just to a short extent – this is what convinces us to be so active when watching Black Mirror, at first we’re slightly defensive, but then we start to fall too deep into the void of possibilities. Could this have been Brooker’s intention when writing and creating Black Mirror?
So, what is it about Black Mirror that makes us want to watch it so badly? On the face of it, it does sound quite spooky and intimidating, but you could say that its sharp appeal is something uniquely genius which differentiates it from other TV shows today - which could be seen as more passive and static. Brooker, and other writers for the show, have put in so much intricate effort in making ironic, satirical meanings to each every individual episode. At first, concepts expressed in these episodes seem so far-fetched and preposterous, but then we in a way start to wake up and start associating it with parallels in our lives today. But as raw as the stories are, I still believe that Black Mirror can be beneficial for audiences to broaden their outlook and perspective of the modern technological world. Black Mirror is thus seen I powerfully influential way that offers us a refreshing revival of the way we see things, and maybe of the way that we should be seeing things.
Here’s a trailer for one of the newer episodes from series 4, Hang the DJ: