Black Mirror S04 by Netflix
Black Mirror: Season 4
Black Mirror started bad for me, I’ll be honest. They had great ideas but execution was so poor and execution is everything to me. I blamed money, or to be more precise — the lack of it. And indeed, soon after Netflix bought them, they started picking up — the acting, the screenwriting, the setting became quality proof. San Junipero (S3) was the best episode up to date and I’m sorry but Season 4, although tried but never came close to the highs of SJ.
Season 4 has some very good episodes and some that are the worst in the series. I don’t know, they became bored or smth. This season didn’t offer a technological breakthrough. Everything that was presented here has been already used at least once in the series.
Overall, Black Mirror being a complete different story not just each season but also each episode, was for people who don’t want or don’t have the time to go super deep, people who need quality entertainment, ideas to think about later, but not for too long. Just for some time, before they go to sleep. Ideas to discuss the next day with colleagues at the water cooler.
Heavy enough but not too much. Well it continues to be so.
Below are my personal thoughts on each and every episode.
Episode 1: USS CALLISTER
Ok, so who’s the bad guy? People who torture you mentally in real world or you, when you torture them in your imagination (from now on: virtual world)?
I mean, let’s be honest, we all have virtual worlds where we say what we want, we do whatever we desire, call out assholes, jump into stuff we didn’t have the guts to jump in real world, pursue an idea we were scared to pursue in real world, have conversations we didn’t have in real world. But what if, I mean, what if the guy (virtual copy of someone) we’re punching in our imagination had consciousness, real feelings and memories and didn’t want to be there? Who’s at fault then? What if all the mental copies of people you store in your head and retreat to at leisure had feelings? Acting out in our imagination makes us better, more balanced and calm individuals in real world, no doubt about that.. But who’s to decide whichever world is real? 😏
Episode 2: Arkangel
Ok, so I think by this time we all know that helicopter parenting (oh yeah, they’ve come up with a word for it) is the worst thing imaginable for your kid.
“Parenting is a game of moderate negotiations — you must be authoritative but approachable, engaged without stifling, simultaneously inhabiting the roles of the nurturer and the enforcer” — but for some, this game is too hard. How many parents do you know, who invade their kid’s basic human privacy claiming to care too much? Every action causes a reaction. Being overprotective control freak ALWAYS backfires. By shielding your kid from outer world “dangers” you’re inevitably prompting them to act out. It’s basic human nature to ask questions, to be curious. Drugs, sex, violence — we’ve all wondered. We were all curious. It’s when you suppress it, it becomes dangerous. 😏
Episode 3: Crocodile
Ok, so this episode is just horrible: plain and pointless. Black Mirror is the concept that derives the dangers of technology and explores social dilemmas that emerge from it. This episode did and offered none of this. 🙄
Episode 4: Hang the DJ
Ok, so this one was bright. It has this San Juniperoesque feel to it. How cool would it be to know how long each new relationship will last for? Or would it? Love isn’t about rebellion. Or is it? It is, isn’t it? 😏
Episode 5: Metalhead
Ok, so this was poor, legit. 🙄
Episode 6: Black Museum
Ok, so this one went from fun to taking itself too seriously for its own good. From “It’s like tryin to jerk off in front of a police officer who’s also your mom” (:D)
to “I’m the daughter of the criminal guy you tortured by uploading his consciousness to a virtual holographic self who could feel pain and making him go through electrocution over and over again. And now I’ll upload you into his brain and make you feel whatever this virtual holographic copy of my father feels for the entirety while I drive away with my mom who’s dead actually but again uploaded into a teddy bear”. Go sort out. duh 🙄