Black Mirror

[calsnowskier]

how could there not be a thread for this show yet? I know it has been discussed a lot in other threads, but wow. One of the best shows doing right now. I a man about half way through S4, and it is absolutely amazing. I liked seasons 1-3, but so far, S4 is head and shoulders above.

USS Callister, the first ep of the season was amazing.

Crocodile was bleak as fuck.

Hang the DJ is kinda a remake of San Junipera (?).

 

[MilkSpiller22]

how could there not be a thread for this show yet? I know it has been discussed a lot in other threads, but wow. One of the best shows doing right now. I a man about half way through S4, and it is absolutely amazing. I liked seasons 1-3, but so far, S4 is head and shoulders above.

USS Callister, the first ep of the season was amazing.

Crocodile was bleak as fuck.

Hang the DJ is kinda a remake of San Junipera (?).

I don't think it gets the talk because it is an anthology series... with no characters to follow there is not much discussion that can be had...

with that said, there have been some GREAT episodes...

the season finale, Black Museum was very cool because if you looked at all the crime exhibits you saw all the previous episodes of the season(not sure if there were previous seasons too)

But i would agree the star trek one was one of the best episodes this show ever put out...

I also liked the black and white Dystopia episode with the robotic dogs... those dogs were bad ass

 

[calsnowskier]

You are referring to Metalhead. That was a Terminator episode. Well done, but not on the same scale as other episodes this season.

I would rate the 6 episodes as this...

USS Callister
Black Museum
Hang the DJ
Crocodile
Metalhead
Arkangel

Nothing against Arkangel. That was a very good episode as well. But the entire season was super strong.

 

[calsnowskier]

Some buzz going that “Callister” will get a spinoff series...

Black Mirror's 'Callister' to Launch as Series? 'I've Heard Buzzes,' Says Star

I would be shocked if this happens. The (surviving) cast is WAY too bland and inexperienced to carry a series. And what would the show be about? The crew’s desire to break out of the digital universe?

I would give it a shot if it were tried, but I would have very low expectations. Best to let it die where it is, as a great one shot short story.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Watched the first five episodes. So far, I'd rank them as:

1. White Bear
2. 15 Million Merits
3. Be Right Back
4. National Anthem
5. Entire History of You

 

[calsnowskier]

Watched the first five episodes. So far, I'd rank them as:

1. White Bear
2. 15 Million Merits
3. Be Right Back
4. National Anthem
5. Entire History of You

You liked 15 Million Merits? While the payoff was good, the build up was painful bad. IMHO, the worst episode of the entire series to date.

And National Anthem, IMHO, is the best episode so far.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

You liked 15 Million Merits? While the payoff was good, the build up was painful bad. IMHO, the worst episode of the entire series to date.

And National Anthem, IMHO, is the best episode so far.

I didn't think it was a great buildup by any stretch, agreed, but I enjoyed the ending enough to vault it to two on my list. I really hated Entire History of You. I couldn't wait for that one to end as I didn't end up caring one bit about what happened to anyone in the story. I thought that it was a good concept that was horribly done.

 

[Taddy Mason]

While I can't recall every past season off the top of my head, I didn't think it was a strong one. I still binged it in one sitting a week ago, or so. Forgive me if I get a few things wrong.

I didn't care for Callister myself. They built it up like the avatars learned quickly they were only copies and still existed in the real world. They made the guy seem sympathetic at work (while also making him seem a huge dick in both his made up world and to service people, but only revealed later). Even the threat was weak. J. Simpson character broke because he knew he could torture his kid again via the DNA in the lollipop? He knows it's not his kid and that the guy still lives in the real world. Wouldn't the threat be he would do something to his son in the real world? Even then, after seeing reality manipulated so much, why would you believe any of it?

Arkangel - Without knowing what failsafes the system had in case something went wrong, the idea that when the program was outlawed, what happens if that unit(iPad thing she had) failed prior to the ending leaving her daughter looking at everything blurred to begin with? I can see a tracking chip parents do in the future (if they're not already doing it). but to see and hear what they do, and to want to? creepy.

I thought Metalhead was well done. Liked the black and white they went with, really presented a dystopian future and liked how the start of the movie and the target, followed by everything after that married up with the target at the end.

Crocodile, starts out with a plot point seen many times before. immediately goes to... well that elevated quickly level of stupidity, which was continued (but also made the first happenstance that much more stupid with the tech of the world). i feel like the rankings should be how shitty did this ending make you feel? i'll lark on what i didn't like about the episode, but each one left me feeling like shit more or less for one reason or the other (save the last episode of the season, I guess), which is a good thing.

Hang the DJ - I take back what I said with that last that everyone ends on a downer. I know san juniper was brought up, but i think this is completely different. this was aimed towards an online dating app, which incorporates sophisticated algorithm to determine the success rate (if i could remember the episode of person of interest i'm thinking of, I would direct you to that, it would fit so well in the course of the fact the AI is the overall power and the dating app is one of the results). That being said, the season gave happy.

I didn't get to the Black Museum writeup before I hit the button that was submit and not edit, it was fine, better than fine, i'm on a time limit now, but it was an episode for the fans. Does it wrap it all up? Who knows, I'll end it with that, as I had to add something in a minute.

 

[Taddy Mason]

black mirror aside, did anyone check out the Philip K Dick series? Don't feel like I heard much about it. Curious to know how it was if anyone caught it.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Just finished season 2: So with my updated list, I'd rank them as this:

1. White Christmas
2. White Bear
3. 15 Million Merits
4. Be Right Back
5. National Anthem
6. The Waldo Moment
7. Entire History of You

National Anthem and Be Right Back were both equally enjoyable to me so they can be easily interchanged.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

black mirror aside, did anyone check out the Philip K Dick series? Don't feel like I heard much about it. Curious to know how it was if anyone caught it.

I have only seen the first episode... it was ok... started the second twice, couldn't get more than half way through either time... but thats not the shows fault, i have been starting it later than 2:00 AM...

 

[Hank Kingsley]

I watched the very first episode. The pig fucking Prime minister. It was OK.

Did not like the second one and have had zero time to watch any more.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

black mirror aside, did anyone check out the Philip K Dick series? Don't feel like I heard much about it. Curious to know how it was if anyone caught it.

Kind of got lost in the 1st episode. Didn't like #2 and almost bailed but have taken it up again. It's adequate.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Kind of got lost in the 1st episode. Didn't like #2 and almost bailed but have taken it up again. It's adequate.

If you want to skip around, my recommendation would be watching White Christmas or White Bear. I'm in season three at the moment and thus far, those two are my favorites.

 

[Battlelyon]

To me Black Mirror is a current version of the Twilight Zone, except with each episode intertwined with another episode, which the TZ didn't really do. Like TZ some episodes are hit and miss, I like what was suggested with White Christmas but didn't care too much for the White Bear episode. Black Museum and Hang the DJ are great episodes, season four is considered the best and it lives up to the biling. Crocodile was good until the ending, Arkangel hits home if you are a parent, defining a kid's privacy and its impact.

 

[Taddy Mason]

Kind of got lost in the 1st episode. Didn't like #2 and almost bailed but have taken it up again. It's adequate.

that's not the greatest of endorsements. i was really hoping fore something more to talk about the series, this is the guy that created so many of the stories, we've seen them in other mediums, but that it doesn't work in a one off or if nothing else, it wasn't done well in a one off, i don't want to see it. but then i think that doesn't give credit.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Updated favorites with season three episodes:

1. White Christmas
2. White Bear
3. Shut Up and Dance
4. 15 Million Merits
5. Be Right Back
6. National Anthem
7. Hated in the Nation
8. San Junipero
9. Playtest
10. Men Against Fire
11. Nosedive
12. The Waldo Moment
13. Entire History of You

 

[calsnowskier]

Updated favorites with season three episodes:

1. White Christmas
2. White Bear
3. Shut Up and Dance
4. 15 Million Merits
5. Be Right Back
6. National Anthem
7. Hated in the Nation
8. San Junipero
9. Playtest
10. Men Against Fire
11. Nosedive
12. The Waldo Moment
13. Entire History of You

My order of the entire series, off the top of my head (I really need to rewatch this show...)

1) National Anthem
2) Black Museum
3) Shut Up and Dance
4) White Christmas
5) USS Callister
6) San Junipero
7) Crocodile
8) Hang the DJ
9) White Bear
10) Hated in the Nation
11) Entire History of You
12) Metalhead
13) Nosedive
14) Men Against Fire
15) Be Right Back
16) Arkangel
17) Playtest
18) Waldo Moment
19) 15 Million Merits

 

[UVA_Guy81]

My order of the entire series, off the top of my head (I really need to rewatch this show...)

1) National Anthem
2) Black Museum
3) Shut Up and Dance
4) White Christmas
5) USS Callister
6) San Junipero
7) Crocodile
8) Hang the DJ
9) White Bear
10) Hated in the Nation
11) Entire History of You
12) Metalhead
13) Nosedive
14) Men Against Fire
15) Be Right Back
16) Arkangel
17) Playtest
18) Waldo Moment
19) 15 Million Merits

I've heard that USS Callister and Black Museum are the best ones for season four. I'm going to watch the USS Callister episode tonight. Want to try to get through these by the end of the weekend so I can start on either Altered Carbon or Stranger Things.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Well, I finally just finished with season four. I think overall, that this was better than season three, even though it had my two least favorite episodes of the series. I think now I'm going to start on Stranger Things and then move on to Altered Carbon.

1. White Christmas
2. White Bear
3. Shut Up and Dance
4. USS Callister
5. Hang the DJ
6. Black Museum
7. Metalhead
8. 15 Million Merits
9. Be Right Back
10. National Anthem
11. Hated in the Nation
12. San Junipero
13. Playtest
14. Men Against Fire
15. Nosedive
16. The Waldo Moment
17. Entire History of You
18. Crocodile
19. Arkangel