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I watched Season 6 of Black Mirror streaming collection on Netflix. Whereas these sci-fi horror reveals are at all times robust to look at, I discover them sometimes good and sometimes memorable. But it surely’s like robust medication to look at horror reveals whereas ready for the teachings they provide about expertise.
This season, which arrived in June, was a shortish 5 episodes. It was the primary new season since earlier than the pandemic in June 2019. The actual world was so unhealthy, I suppose, that we didn’t want a brand new season of Black Mirror.
However there was clearly some fodder for the writers. We may see the politics of Trumpism made it into one of many episodes and the cruelty of recent social media and docudramas made it into one other. Maybe the one additional artifact of actual life that seeped into it from the pandemic was a a lot darker view of the world and humanity than up to now reveals, if that’s even doable.
A number of the previous episodes at all times made me take into consideration the usage of applied sciences like surveillance, social media, and even the simulation principle – which holds that we’re residing in a simulation. I prefer to at all times take into consideration the crossover of science fiction, expertise and video games. Black Mirror stays one of many key methods I can keep in contact with all of these components on the similar time.
However this season appears completely different, as lots of the episodes are set up to now. They’re talking about society at a selected cut-off date, somewhat than our future.
Season 6 by episode
1. Joan Is Terrible
A median girl is shocked to find a world streaming platform has launched a status TV drama adaptation of her life — during which she is portrayed by Hollywood A-lister Salma Hayek Pinault. The comedy of this episode entails the self-referential nature of bringing Netflix (dubbed Streamberry) itself into the plot. AI can take Joan’s life and switch it right into a actuality present episode on the identical day. The licensing concern highlighted on this episode just isn’t one that will maintain up in courtroom, however it’s one thing to pay attention to as we embrace AI sooner or later. Whereas it’s disturbing, this present could possibly be referred to as comedian for its lack of violence.
2. Loch Henry
A younger couple journey to a sleepy Scottish city to begin work on a genteel nature documentary, however discover themselves drawn to a juicy native unsolved crime story involving stunning occasions of the previous. The twist within the plot was very ingenious, however it’s so very darkish and ugly as a narrative. It additionally lacked a tech angle.
3. Past the Sea
In another 1969, two males on a deadly astronaut mission wrestle with the implications of an unimaginable tragedy. It will get into transhumanism and what it means to inhabit another person’s doppelganger physique. Two astronauts get to revisit Earth in digital “replicas” of themselves, downloading their consciousnesses into copies of themselves at dwelling. However one thing goes mistaken with one reproduction, after which the astronauts contend for the remaining one. I discovered it to be compelling as a narrative, although so very hopeless that it virtually made me cease watching.
4. Mazey Day
A troubled starlet is dogged by invasive paparazzi whereas coping with the implications of a hit-and-run incident. It’s a supernatural horror story, not a expertise story. It explores simply how low the paparazzi will go in pursuing their superstar images. And so it appears misplaced as a Black Mirror episode.
5. Demon 79
It takes place in Northern England in 1979. A meek gross sales assistant is informed she should commit horrible acts to forestall catastrophe sooner or later. Since she sees that future, she has to determine whether or not she ought to sacrifice the responsible folks round her to forestall that future that appears all too near the one we live. It’s a supernatural story once more, with no actual relevance to expertise immediately. And it’s acquired a darkish ending that could possibly be categorized as comedian to some of us.
My favorites
Once I look again on previous seasons, it’s straightforward to search out memorable episodes. Season 3 was the place it began to shine with Nostril Dive, a few girl’s social media crash. A few of my favourite episodes of the previous had been San Junipero, which raised questions on what sort of digital memorial we should always depart behind after we die. Season three additionally featured Males In opposition to Hearth, concerning the manipulation of what we see for army functions, and Hated within the Nation, the one about bees.
My all-time favorites must be San Junipero and Hated within the Nation as a result of they made me take into consideration the upsides and drawbacks of expertise in new methods.
Season 4’s highlights included USS Callister, a few fan getting misplaced in a cinematic universe and Crocodile, about scrubbing the information in folks’s reminiscences to resolve crimes. Season 5 favs included the Miley Cyrus episode a few robotic substitute for a pop star, and Hanging Vipers, about connecting in VR a bit of an excessive amount of. All of those episodes had been memorable. The particular present Bandersnatch was good however rather less interactive than I’d have preferred as a gamer.
Provided that historical past, I considered this season as a disappointment. I believe the reveals had been all good, however Mazey Day was merely a great supernatural horror story, with no actual relevance to expertise besides the annoying pervasiveness of paparazzi and the instruments they use and the alternatives they make. Demon79 additionally lacked a tech angle and relied closely on the supernatural for its story. It was darkish however wove in darkish humor into its “good” ending.
I believe the rationale I’ve tolerated the ugly horror of the present up to now is as a result of it has at all times had the ingredient of shock, ingenious takes on expertise, nice plot twists and understated comedy. On this season, it felt too darkish, maybe a mirrored image of my want for extra uplifting leisure within the wake of the pandemic. Any delicate viewers ought to pay attention to that. I actually wouldn’t advocate watching them proper earlier than you go to mattress.
My hope for these reveals is maybe the identical that the creator, Charlie Brooker, has. He and co-creator Annabel Jones need to expose us to the downsides of expertise. If we see the reflection of Black Mirror in our personal lives, perhaps we’ll discover the White Mirror that represents the higher path for technologists to comply with. However for these classes to stay with us, the reveals themselves must be entertaining.
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