Black Mirror used to be one of my favorite TV series. It goes down a lot after season four, but it's still better than most of the other shows out there. I am a sucker for realistic future scenarios, and as scary as it is, many 'fictional' scenarios in Black Mirror have come true all around the world, but that will be the topic for another day. Today, I want to list my favorite episodes based on how they affected me the first time I saw them. Many of them might be off of others' popular lists, but I have my reasons.
I don't watch Black Mirror for the technology and what-ifs alone but for the implication to our lives. With everything that is invented to make our life easier, it comes with consequences as well. It has always been this way, just like smartphones in our pocket; most of us can't live without them now, but it also takes away some meaningful interactions, quality time, privacy etc. I used to remember every phone number and do every calculation by head, now I barely remember mine. We invented plastics, which help us in everyday tasks, from simple necessities like carrying a bucket of water to holding up our valuables, and now we are dealing with microplastic and out-of-control waste management. This is now, what about the future? We continuously invent new things and technology. Most start with good intentions, just like road to hell. Black Mirror is based on this concept. To me, it's a very intriguing and thought-provoking series. If you are into this kind of story, check it out. And while it's mild, spoiler alert ahead.
Top Five Black Mirror episodes:
5. Black Museum
The creative collective stories in this episode sell it for me. I like the first and second stories a lot. As someone who is quite stoic, I was 'advised' to have more empathy sometimes. My problem besides not being the best person to express sympathy and compassion, there are also too many fake problems escalated to gain genuine compassion. Sometimes I see through them, and sometimes that is just me, standing there blinking while for the umpteenth time, my colleague bawled in front of me. Why did she have so many drama in her life? Why so many broken love stories? Why so many evil people out to get her? It's either she was very good in exaggerating things or she was the most unfortunate victim in everything. Generally, I'd try to help with solutions while the other parties need listening ears more, they don't really need my advice, but my face and ears. Why they think I am capable of doing that is anyone's guess. So lack of empathy is what they diagnosed me with.
So, what if you can be empathetic in a very literal way? That is the idea of the first story in Black Museum.
Most married couples would testify that it takes quite a lot to live together with another person. Sometimes the way you breathe can be wrong too, not to mention the order of the towel and how you arrange the grocery. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Now imagine someone living in your head.
What about immortality? One of the most popular wishes out there. Think about it. Living forever is cool, especially if you are not getting older. For me, I'd prefer to be a Highlander, when I can go around enjoying life and when I get bored, I can ask for a fellow Highlander to just chop off my head.
4. Nosedive
I am not popular, I am not a sucker, and I don't know how to please people to save my life. Ask my late grandma about why I was her least favorite grandchild (true story) and my 'co-boss' about how he tried to sack me as long as I was in the company. The bottom line is if life is based on rating, and rating is obtained by how people view you, I am doomed. Doom. Dead.
That is why this episode is intriguing to me, and it's getting even more intriguing because it's happening in China right now. This is one of the lighter episodes and garners much hate, as far as I know. It's very predictable, and I am so very thankful that it is still in fiction territory for now, or is it? We may not be in China capacity yet, but we are certainly swimming in social media and rating pool right now everywhere we go.
3. Fifteen Millions Merit
One thing that Black Mirror is good at is putting the characters in a maddening and mundane situation, to name a few: White Christmas, Black Museum, and White Bear. Fifteen Million Merit is one of them. Can you imagine that we have to pay to turn off advertisements in our lives? Wait, that already happens. Until now, viewers speculate about this episode about what it is trying to portray. Is it a prison, office, or entertainment industry? My answer is YES. The reality sucks. But back when Black Mirror was new, the first episode left my jaw open, and this is the second. I was convinced that this series might be a keeper.
2. Be Right Back
It's a dread most of us live with every day, including me; losing loved ones. Why are we so vulnerable? I fail to answer these questions. Love comes with a big consequence, and grief is something that increases exponentially the more you love. Because of that, as far as we live, I'd say we continue trying to find ways to solve this. Be Right Back addresses this. What if we are able to recreate someone's existence from their social media presence? This has happened in real life using our current technology. Someone did this with their AI grandma for heartbreaking reasons.
For me, I barely have social media existence. There is nothing to gain, but for many others, especially those who are born into this current world, they advertise their lives out there. But are they real? Are they really represent what they really are?
The episode is clunky and could be better, but it lingers in my mind long after I watched it.
1. Beyond the Sea
Recency bias. To me, Beyond the Sea feels like a classic Black Mirror episode—a combination of a heartfelt story, futuristic technology, good characters and plots.
Beyond the Sea tells us a tale of two astronauts on duty in space. Both of them are given a physical replica that functions like themselves, something like an avatar. They can visit their lives back on earth when they are off duty from the space task. I can't speak for others, but this sounds like a dream job to me. With basically only a few hours work or less every day, you can enjoy the magnificent space and see your family, and interact with them daily? It's better than what I have now!
However, things are not always rosy, and although I have some nitpicks, the story and the ending got me. It's quite a slow burn, sometimes feels predictable, the kind of story that you think you have seen before. But sometimes, that is all you need. With the crazy direction that season 6 ends up going, this is definitely what I need.
I know, most likely, this is not on your list. Many choose San Junipero, The Entire History of You, White Christmas, USS Callister, Shut Up and Dance. They are great episodes, and I could promote them with some persuasion, but I also have reasons for not thinking my list is terrible. And if you disagree, I have news for you. I seriously consider the weirdest Black Mirror episode 'Metalhead' my top five. When I watched it, my first reaction was WTF? But it grows on me, and I now have a serious soft spot for it.
That's all for today!
